Looks like a bad year for stink bugs.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by b54red

The rains we have been getting are very hard and last only a few minutes or less so we don't get much benefit but it is hard enough to wash off the sprays. I had to water yesterday because most of the showers we have had ended up being no more than 2/10ths of an inch but to hear them you would have thought we got at least half an inch or more.

We have had a lot of very very hot days so far this year and the spider mites have attacked much earlier than usual especially since the plants are so healthy. Or rather were. I got out and sprayed 5 gallons of my mix this morning early and at daylight it was nearly 80 so I think we may have another very hot day. This past June has been one of the hottest that we have had in my 40 years of gardening. We need some good heavy rains that last all day to break the heat cycle for a spell.

Bill

I wish we would get a rain like that. It's so dry here the ground is like pure dust when you walk. We got a quick spit of a rain yesterday. Just enough to raise the muggy meter even higher. It's terrible when it's 6 am and the temps are already in the 80's and humidity so bad you can't breath or hardly move.

I did go out last night and bleach spray as a preventive. This heat and humidity playing havoc on my sunflower containers. Getting a bit of gray mold on them in spots on leaves. Been removing them and have been the past two nights spraying them with a weak bleach spray. You ever bleach sunflowers before? What about cucumbers? Does the bleach spray help them?

I culled about 17 plants the past couple of days. Most all of them were determinates. That and with the major water restrictions have kept only those I like the flavor of to eat. The plants I culled were healthy, just starting to get a bit raggedly with the plant being done. No sense letting them get in bad shape and infect the good ones. I've saved hundreds and hundreds of seeds off those plants so share back so didn't mind seeing them go. With restricted water and just a few fruits left on plants, I couldn't see trying to keep them going.

You see the forecast for this weekend. Pure misery for creatures and plants alike. Even if we don't get rain, a cooling breeze sure would be nice.

[b54red]

I have never used the bleach spray on Sunflowers but I don't see why they would be any different than other things. I use the bleach spray on my cucumbers every time I spray my tomatoes.

I am now having gray mold problems big time on some of my black tomatoes especially my JDs Special C Tex. I sprayed about a week ago but the scattered showers bringing rain at different times but not in a quantity that will water the plants has created havoc here. I can't keep a fungicide on and my pest spray gets washed away leaving my spider mite problem unresolved. Hopefully I can get out this afternoon and spray the bleach spray again. I was up early enough to do it this morning but the mosquitoes were impossible so I decided to wait and hope for better conditions this afternoon. Rain is forecast for mid afternoon and hopefully it will come and go before dark and cool it off enough to get out and take care of my spraying.

I'm afraid this heat and humidity along with the fact that our freezer is well stocked with tomatoes has put a real damper on my enthusiasm for gardening now; but I do need to take care of my newer plantings so I can have some fresh tomatoes in the fall. It is just hard to muster up the courage and energy to get out in that steam bath and so much. I'm finding it hard to just go out and pick the ripe ones now since all I can do with most of them is give them away.

Bill

[MrSalvage]

4 1/2 oz of the concentrated bleach killed off my sunflower pedals. It also spotted up my squash blossoms. They were yellow with white spots. lol

Sunflowers are done however the squash recovered and is kicking butt.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by MrSalvage

4 1/2 oz of the concentrated bleach killed off my sunflower pedals. It also spotted up my squash blossoms. They were yellow with white spots. lol

Sunflowers are done however the squash recovered and is kicking butt.

Once leaves become badly infected they will die from treatment with the bleach spray even that weak solution. I usually use 5 1/2 oz added to a full gallon of water. The trick to keep molds and mildews under control is regular spraying. If you let your squash plants get covered with those white spots it will kill those leaves also. If you spray every week or so then it never gets so bad that the leaves get killed. That is why I recommend using the bleach spray first and early and often. It is fine to use good fungicides but once the disease is present they are not very effective they are much better as preventatives than treatment. I try to spray with the dilute bleach spray as soon as I see signs of disease and then treat the plants with a fungicide the next day.

I am fixing to go out and spray everything in my garden with the bleach spray this afternoon because I have neglected them for a bit due to the daily thunderstorms and gray mold is showing up along with several other diseases that will benefit from the bleach treatment. Hopefully I can follow up with either Daconil or copper tomorrow.

Bill

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by b54red

I have never used the bleach spray on Sunflowers but I don't see why they would be any different than other things. I use the bleach spray on my cucumbers every time I spray my tomatoes.

I am now having gray mold problems big time on some of my black tomatoes especially my JDs Special C Tex. I sprayed about a week ago but the scattered showers bringing rain at different times but not in a quantity that will water the plants has created havoc here. I can't keep a fungicide on and my pest spray gets washed away leaving my spider mite problem unresolved. Hopefully I can get out this afternoon and spray the bleach spray again. I was up early enough to do it this morning but the mosquitoes were impossible so I decided to wait and hope for better conditions this afternoon. Rain is forecast for mid afternoon and hopefully it will come and go before dark and cool it off enough to get out and take care of my spraying.

I'm afraid this heat and humidity along with the fact that our freezer is well stocked with tomatoes has put a real damper on my enthusiasm for gardening now; but I do need to take care of my newer plantings so I can have some fresh tomatoes in the fall. It is just hard to muster up the courage and energy to get out in that steam bath and so much. I'm finding it hard to just go out and pick the ripe ones now since all I can do with most of them is give them away.

Bill

I hear ya! With this weekend going to over 100=F and the humidity at almost 100% who has the desire to get out there and do anything. It's not easy to force yourself to go out and sweat buckets to do spring clean up and get things ready for fall. I just keep thinking just a few more weeks and things will start to cool down hopefully and the excitement for a fall crop will be on.

I have squished and fermented thousands of seeds for the swap and have over 100 cup full and bowls of cherries to ferment today.

Right now I am growing one black. It's one you need to grow that may do well for you. It came from the MMM swap and is called Black Hole Sun. The plants took a bit to get going but when they did they haven't stopped. I'm not sure what the foliage is. Looks like half a leaf PL and half RL. Big heavy leaves and the tomatoes are about golf ball size. Full of to me that real old fashioned tomato taste. Good producer and the plant must have some sort of disease resistance as it as beautiful now as when it was a seedling. Still having some camera problems. If I get it fixed, hopefully can take pics.

Originally Posted by MrSalvage

4 1/2 oz of the concentrated bleach killed off my sunflower pedals. It also spotted up my squash blossoms. They were yellow with white spots. lol

Sunflowers are done however the squash recovered and is kicking butt.

That's the concentration I used. Guess well see what happens. I moved them last night to the area where the culled tomatoes were. I had them between some huge pepper plants in front and strawberries in the back and where the wind would blow over them. Could just be this particular dwarf variety is just not going to like the South. I hope I can at least see some flowers to cut.

[Cole_Robbie]

My Black Hole Sun are cherry-sized. They look just like Black Cherry. I got my seed from the swap, too. Maybe I don't have the real deal.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

My Black Hole Sun are cherry-sized. They look just like Black Cherry. I got my seed from the swap, too. Maybe I don't have the real deal.

Maybe it not yours, but mine. I have no idea what they supposed to be like. Pic not the best, cloudy out right now. Clouds but no rain again. (sigh)

Mine are like prupleish/ red with a bit of green on shoulders and generally all are weighing in at about 2 ounces, some a bit more.

Will try and get a better pic tomorrow when sun is out. I fermented lots of seeds for swapping and now I eating the heck out of them and am freezing some. I will grow this one again. It made the list of my top three so far. It's loving the heat and humidity and it still setting fruit and growing.

What's your look like?

P.s. Darm hormworms are eating my sunflower leaves now instead of the tomatoes and just when they getting ready to bloom.

[Cole_Robbie]

That looks like my Bola Maciza. Maybe I mixed up the labels.

[b54red]

I have several full size blacks that I love and the one that frequently tastes the best is also the one that seems to always get gray mold and that is JD's Special C Tex. My other favorites in no particular order are IS, ISPL, Spudakee, Berkely Tie Dye Pink, and Carbon which is one of the best of the fall tomatoes.

I have experienced gray mold on every black tomato that I have grown at one time or another and most of the GWR tomatoes that I have tried. There was one summer when the humidity was unusually low and the weather was terribly dry the whole season where it was not a problem until the fall rains finally came.

Bill

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

That looks like my Bola Maciza. Maybe I mixed up the labels.

I haven't heard of that one. Gonna have to look it up. Sounds interesting.

I was going to try and get a pic of some on vine starting to blush thinking that might help, but we have clouds today. Tomorrow should be a heat and sun day .

So far, not a single problem other than some hornworms with the plants. I'm not sure what the foliage type is. It may be a RL. Not good on foliage types. I just got wispy down.

Be glad to send you some of my seeds if you want. You can see how mine compares to yours. Just shoot me your addy again.

Originally Posted by b54red

I have several full size blacks that I love and the one that frequently tastes the best is also the one that seems to always get gray mold and that is JD's Special C Tex. My other favorites in no particular order are IS, ISPL, Spudakee, Berkely Tie Dye Pink, and Carbon which is one of the best of the fall tomatoes.

I have experienced gray mold on every black tomato that I have grown at one time or another and most of the GWR tomatoes that I have tried. There was one summer when the humidity was unusually low and the weather was terribly dry the whole season where it was not a problem until the fall rains finally came.

Bill

Bill.... The bleach spray seems to be working on the sunflowers. Only had to pull two leaves today. I am wondering if this particular variety is to sensitive here for our heat and humidity.

I don't remember if I have grown Carbon yet or not. I tried a few blacks last year that you enjoyed taste of and had one I really enjoyed.

I have dropped lines on my Black Hole Suns and am going to see if they continue to do well threw rest of the season. Like you say we have the fall rains coming, hopefully, and that will be the real test.

[Starlight]

Well sun came out so tried to take a few pics. Still could kick myself for squishing for seed all the ready fruits I had. Did it while it rained last night and wasn't til I was marking fermenting cup that I realized what I did. Opps! ; )

Edited to add Agg!!!!!!!!! Just found my first stink bug. Now gonna have to start scouting them everyday. Hopefully birds will keep them in check.

[BigVanVader]

Bill they have rootstock that is supposedly nearly immune to grey/black mold.

[Cole_Robbie]

Thank you for the offer, Starlight. I'm still in overwhelmed mode regarding seeds, though.

[StrongPlant]

I can't believe it but even here across the ocean the situation is the same...
Since I didn't use any pesticides stinkbugs have wrecked havoc on my tomatoes.They don't seem to have any natural enemies at all,and even though I'm removing and killing them by hand,I see more every day.I did a small test with a dishwasher detergent,it seems to kill them within 60 seconds,but the concetration needs to be pretty high,although I don't know what's the minimum to be effective.I'm guessing it's the enzymes in detergent that kill them.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Bill they have rootstock that is supposedly nearly immune to grey/black mold.

Are you talking about the Big Beef F1 being good against the grey/black mold?

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Thank you for the offer, Starlight. I'm still in overwhelmed mode regarding seeds, though.

Anytime. Me too! So many lovely seeds to try and not enough hours in the day, or decent temps to try everything.

Originally Posted by StrongPlant

I can't believe it but even here across the ocean the situation is the same...
Since I didn't use any pesticides stinkbugs have wrecked havoc on my tomatoes.They don't seem to have any natural enemies at all,and even though I'm removing and killing them by hand,I see more every day.I did a small test with a dishwasher detergent,it seems to kill them within 60 seconds,but the concetration needs to be pretty high,although I don't know what's the minimum to be effective.I'm guessing it's the enzymes in detergent that kill them.

I feel for you. I had them bad last year. Got so tired of them all over the plants I grabbed the dishsoap bottle and used it full strength, let sit for ten minutes than washed leaves off real good. It helped but never got rid of them totally.

I have an abundance of wasps this year and maybe they are keeping population down. I have a huge canna container up in my tomato plants and the wasps are evening building nests on the back of the canna leaves which I have never seen before happen.

What I am surprised is that the bleach spray doesn't seem to affect them. You would think it would since it seems to stop or kill most things.

I found these links:

http://www.planetnatural.com/pest-pr...ts/stink-bugs/

http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/ga...ing-stink-bugs

The one thing I haven't tried is that kaolin clay. From of WP Surround. Has anybody tried it? Is it organic? Wonder how it works?