I'm throwing in the towel!

Anthony_Toronto · July 24, 2013

Started seeds a week earlier than normal this year, and still my seedlings were about 1/3 of the size of normal when I set them out. High phosphorous seedling starter fertilizer seemed to do absolutely nothing to promote root growth, and 8 week old seedling had almost no roots to speak of. Planted out a week earlier than last frost date because temperatures were favourable, but cool evenings seem to have delayed growth, espec in tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers.

Cucumber seedlings did virtually nothing for a month (grew from maybe 8 inches tall when planted to 10 inches a month later, despite application of fert), but then exploded with the hot weather in July. Still waaay behind. Eggplants did almost nothing, last year by this time I was pulling huge eggplants off several plants, this year only two plants have a pollenated fruit on them, biggest is smaller than a tennis ball...ugh.

Tomato plants finally started to grow, had a few early fruit settings, but then the heat and humidity hit, and have had nothing but blossom drop. Top half of almost all plants are fruit free but covered in aborted flowers. Hopefully the abundant foliage will provide plenty of photosynthesis for the few fruits that are on there, but also looks like a variety of foliar diseases are taking hold nice and early this year, so who knows if I will even have any leaves left a month from now. I don't think any tomatoes have even reached full size yet, so will be two weeks into august before anything starts to ripen, latest season ever. Hoping the good weather lasts through fall, otherwise wont have much of a crop.

Beans did nothing. Peas were meh. Broccoli flowered too early, when heads were very small. Fava beans were destroyed by aphids, or destroyed by soapy water sprayed on them to kill aphids. Lettuce went in early but I think heat got the best of it and most of it bolted before getting much of a head. Every napa cabbage bolted. Savoy cabbage looks great and tasted excellent, as do onions. Asparagus was great too. Just keeping fingers crossed that tomatoes taste better than theyre producing.

July 24, 2013	#11
Anthony_Toronto Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Toronto Posts: 413	Started seeds a week earlier than normal this year, and still my seedlings were about 1/3 of the size of normal when I set them out. High phosphorous seedling starter fertilizer seemed to do absolutely nothing to promote root growth, and 8 week old seedling had almost no roots to speak of. Planted out a week earlier than last frost date because temperatures were favourable, but cool evenings seem to have delayed growth, espec in tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers. Cucumber seedlings did virtually nothing for a month (grew from maybe 8 inches tall when planted to 10 inches a month later, despite application of fert), but then exploded with the hot weather in July. Still waaay behind. Eggplants did almost nothing, last year by this time I was pulling huge eggplants off several plants, this year only two plants have a pollenated fruit on them, biggest is smaller than a tennis ball...ugh. Tomato plants finally started to grow, had a few early fruit settings, but then the heat and humidity hit, and have had nothing but blossom drop. Top half of almost all plants are fruit free but covered in aborted flowers. Hopefully the abundant foliage will provide plenty of photosynthesis for the few fruits that are on there, but also looks like a variety of foliar diseases are taking hold nice and early this year, so who knows if I will even have any leaves left a month from now. I don't think any tomatoes have even reached full size yet, so will be two weeks into august before anything starts to ripen, latest season ever. Hoping the good weather lasts through fall, otherwise wont have much of a crop. Beans did nothing. Peas were meh. Broccoli flowered too early, when heads were very small. Fava beans were destroyed by aphids, or destroyed by soapy water sprayed on them to kill aphids. Lettuce went in early but I think heat got the best of it and most of it bolted before getting much of a head. Every napa cabbage bolted. Savoy cabbage looks great and tasted excellent, as do onions. Asparagus was great too. Just keeping fingers crossed that tomatoes taste better than theyre producing.