Way to much rain

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

"Also I don't have anything to measure 5 ounces of bleach or 7 ounces once I see what my bleach bottle says. Can anybody tell me how many cups or parts of a cup that would be instead?"

An ounce is 2 tablespoons, so you would measure 10 tablespoons into your container and dilute it, 7 oz would be 14 T or 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons. do you have a measuring cup in your kitchen? Bleach wont hurt that if you have one and use it. Also make sure of your bleach concentration. Use what the "recipe" calls for, if it calls for regular bleach don't use the "ultra" or whatever it is called.

Yes, I have measuring spoons and measuring cups. Thank you for figuring that out for me. I appreciate it. That is a big help.

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Bill needs to field this one. When I used bleach the one time, it was very harsh, I think it might be because I grow at a different time of year? So I dont use bleach or Daconil, because Daconil is not organic, and because the copper spray as I described is both organic snd very highly effective, and kills all foliar fungi and bacteria, so if used regularly it becomes preventive, but it is also good for a current infection. Daconil is most effective as a preventive.
You have to find what works best in your hands and garden.
Personally, after seeing what the bleach did, it wont be used in my garden again, but it might work well for you, as it does for Bill.

Thanks for letting me know your experience with the bleach spray. I'm going to give it a try on some of my plants. I got two days , maybe of cloudy humid weather before the rains come again.

I didn't realize that about the Daconil. Generally I stay away from all chems, because I have no sense of smell and I have many times about knocked myself out or burnt the lungs because I could smell stuff and had too much or it was too strong.

For the copper, can you give me some sort of brand name and what kind of place do I need to go to to find it, please.

[Rfdillon]

Ella, you can find southern ag brand copper fungicide at Home Depot .

[Starlight]

Oh... Thank you very much. : ) Writing it down so I will have it in my pocket. Maybe I can get there tomorrow to get some. I ain't driving with possible storms coming in again. Gotta clean up wind damage from yesterday.

[Tracydr]

It poured yesterday. I think it rained narly every day last week. Yesterday we got a lot. I'm thankful that I have excellent drainage. So far, tomatoes looked a bit yellow as if nitrogen deficient but I didn't add fertilizer at planting so I gave them a treat yesterday. Leaves looking healthy otherwise. Too much rain to spray but I have ordered Daconil and Actinovate so I can do it in a few days. We should have a couple of sunny days this week it looks like.
This is a change. I just told my husband that I don't think my tomatoes have ever been rained on before, as spring is really dry in AZ. Haboobs, yes. This rain has been going on since last fall, really a wet winter from what I understand.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by Starlight

Checking to make sure I have this right. Use the bleach spray first for several times and than use the Daconil?

I can't believe the rain has actually stopped for a few, but it pitch black outside so no way am I going out to try and spray.

I'm hoping they are right and tomorrow is the last day of rain for a few days, but then we get hit again for several more days.

My poor plants took a heck of a beating today. I worried what shape they gonna be in tomorrow when I can hopefully get a good look at them. We not only got tons and tons of rain, but high winds, thunder, lightening and a tornado touched down a few miles away.

Also I don't have anything to measure 5 ounces of bleach or 7 ounces once I see what my bleach bottle says. Can anybody tell me how many cups or parts of a cup that would be instead?

Do you have a shot glass?
Measuring cup? One cup is 8 ounces.

[Stvrob]

Please be careful spraying Bleach! These concentrations are high enough to cause respiratory damage, and the finely atomized mist from the sprayer is the perfect vehicle to deliver it to your lungs. You can cause more damage to your health in one afternoon than a lifetime of spraying things that scare otherwise rational people.

Just be careful is all I am saying.

Originally Posted by Starlight

Yes, I have measuring spoons and measuring cups. Thank you for figuring that out for me. I appreciate it. That is a big help.



Thanks for letting me know your experience with the bleach spray. I'm going to give it a try on some of my plants. I got two days , maybe of cloudy humid weather before the rains come again.

I didn't realize that about the Daconil. Generally I stay away from all chems, because I have no sense of smell and I have many times about knocked myself out or burnt the lungs because I could smell stuff and had too much or it was too strong.

For the copper, can you give me some sort of brand name and what kind of place do I need to go to to find it, please.

[b54red]

A caution about spraying the diluted bleach spray. Do not spray plants that have been beaten down by hard wind and rain as the damaged leaves can be shriveled up by the bleach spray when they can recover on their own by just allowing them a few days to recover. If on the other hand you see definite disease on the leaves then after they have dried for a day or two they can be sprayed. This mild solution of bleach will not harm healthy leaves but abraded and bruised leaves are susceptible to the solution so that is why I say to wait a few days if possible. I learned this the hard way by spraying some badly beaten up plants right after a bad storm.

There is no problem spraying plants right after a rain storm; just don't do it after a really severe storm that has battered the plants badly.

Bill

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by Stvrob

Please be careful spraying Bleach! These concentrations are high enough to cause respiratory damage, and the finely atomized mist from the sprayer is the perfect vehicle to deliver it to your lungs. You can cause more damage to your health in one afternoon than a lifetime of spraying things that scare otherwise rational people.

Just be careful is all I am saying.

Thanks for the warning not only for me, but for others who are reading here and may not realize how much damage the mist can do walking around through it. I didn't even think about that til you mentioned it. I sure wouldn't have been able to smell any bleach or anything in the air. Your warning probably saved me from another trip to the ER. Thanks again.

Originally Posted by b54red

A caution about spraying the diluted bleach spray. Do not spray plants that have been beaten down by hard wind and rain as the damaged leaves can be shriveled up by the bleach spray when they can recover on their own by just allowing them a few days to recover. If on the other hand you see definite disease on the leaves then after they have dried for a day or two they can be sprayed. This mild solution of bleach will not harm healthy leaves but abraded and bruised leaves are susceptible to the solution so that is why I say to wait a few days if possible. I learned this the hard way by spraying some badly beaten up plants right after a bad storm.

There is no problem spraying plants right after a rain storm; just don't do it after a really severe storm that has battered the plants badly.

Bill

I know your probably up to your eyeballs in talking care of your plants too from all the storms, so I appreciate you taking the time to add this additional information.

I am just so glad that I held back on starting all the special seed from TV folks. I think I would cry if something happened to those plants. I don't like, but don't mind losing seed I have purchased, but I sure hate losing gifted seed, especially ones I really want to see.

[Starlight]

Aggggggggg here we go again. More rain and severe weather coming later today. Gonna be spending the day moving and protecting all my tomatoes. Poor things, they sure are taking a beating this year. Thank goodness they so resilient.

I used the bleach solution on my plants and it really did help. Lots of new foliage coming out and looking good so far.

I am wondering since I had sprayed them, is it ok, to give them the Tomato Tone food or do I need to wait for a bit?

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Starlight

Aggggggggg here we go again. More rain and severe weather coming later today. Gonna be spending the day moving and protecting all my tomatoes. Poor things, they sure are taking a beating this year. Thank goodness they so resilient.

I used the bleach solution on my plants and it really did help. Lots of new foliage coming out and looking good so far.

I am wondering since I had sprayed them, is it ok, to give them the Tomato Tone food or do I need to wait for a bit?

You can go ahead and feed them. I don't believe the bleach stays around very long since it oxidizes almost immediately upon contact with the plant. That is why it is a good idea to use a preventive fungicide a few hours after the leaves completely dry from the diluted bleach spray.

Bill

[Starlight]

Thanks Bill!!!! : )

Maybe one day I will get this heirloom tomato growing down pat. They sure do keep a body hopping.

It will be quite awhile before I see tomatoes, but I sure am enjoying seeing the foliage on some. I really fell in love with the foliage on Amazon Chocolate and the wispy ( now that I know that term) foliage on Blush. Just hope the tomatoes turn out to be as good. : )

[budfaux]

Yep. What started out as a cool sunny day has turned into a cool overcast h'orderve before the main course later. Glad I transplanted to 3 1/2 X 3 1/2" pots. I'll be needing ditches instead of trenches to put my plants in if this continues...

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by budfaux

Yep. What started out as a cool sunny day has turned into a cool overcast h'orderve before the main course later. Glad I transplanted to 3 1/2 X 3 1/2" pots. I'll be needing ditches instead of trenches to put my plants in if this continues...

Sure hope you don't have to dig them ditches, but if this keeps up you may have too. Looks like it gonna come right across you too some of the worst of it, so stay safe.

Think we get what after tonight and tomorrows flood two days of semi sun and than more rain again. I am gonna be having fits and a half if it is store bought cardboard box maters again this year. Already been two years without lots of fresh local homegrown tomatoes.

Only thing good about all this weather is that for some of the local little growers if their plants survive they will be able to ask premium prices for fresh tomatoes this year.


Since we are getting all this rain so late, I wonder if it means that temps are going to be alot hotter for alot longer.

I need to go and find me this years Almanac and see what it says as far as weather for us for the year. I don't know how they do it, but they usually pretty right on.

I just hope we don't have any hail this time around. Last I saw on the news we aren't supposed to have any tornadoes this time. Hope the weather folks right. So that is a good thing.

[budfaux]

Starlight, what neck of the wood in Bama do you reside, if I may?
Have you ever heard the, "if it thunders/storms in Alabama on Feb (any date)," expect that same April day (give or take a day or two in either direction) to be much cooler than usual?

I know we had some February storms, but I didn't document the dates. I've never waited this long to set my plants in the ground, that I recall.

[Starlight]

I'm down Russell County way. The backside of Ft. Benning, Ft. Mitchell area about 4 hours from you.

Nope, haven't heard that one. Just the one that if you don't like the weather hang around and it will change.

I've never been this late with plants either. Seems it is like 3 almost 4 weeks running behind on schedule for planting.

Seems like the jet stream used to more or less only come down as far as Atlanta. Now it coming down almost to Eufaula. Seems like it has only been the past 3 years that this change has happened.

If this type of pattern continues, I think some of us may have to learn to regrow and start things later especially getting plants in the ground.

One thing I am wondering is with all those folks that put all them tomato and pepper plants in the ground in early March when we had those few warm days, when and what types of diseases their plants will have.

I know the tomatoes need food big time, but as fast as you give them anything the rain leaches it all out of the pots.