Summer doldrums

[b54red]

It seems the summer doldrums have hit me earlier this year than usual. It could be because the intense summer heat was far higher than average the last few weeks making going out into the garden a real chore instead of a joy. Just picking a few tomatoes was leaving me bedraggled. Doing the pruning and spraying has become far more difficult and I'm falling behind in my supplemental feeding of my plants. I'm beginning to think age may be a factor.

The past week the temperatures moderated with some rain but were replaced by smothering humidity that leaves you soaked after just a few minutes outside. The frequent rains and humidity also brought out the diseases in force meaning more spraying and pruning is necessary. Of course going into the garden early or late requires a good coating of DEET or you will be carried away by the mosquitoes.

I really shouldn't complain because we can't put up the tomatoes fast enough and are losing many to rotting before they can be processed. We have been giving away a lot of tomatoes but I know a real slow down is coming soon as the fruit set has entered that summer phase which means far less to pick despite more work to keep the plants healthy. I know most gardeners this far south are experiencing many of the same things and it is just part of gardening down here. Despite all the woes that come with gardening down here the definite upside is the very long growing season or two if you wish that I wouldn't trade for the more comfortable conditions and short seasons further north.

Bill

[kayrobbins]

It is the same here. I have pulled most of my tomato plants. It was hot so much earlier than usual, a long dry period and now daily rains. I am already deciding which tomatoes to start for the fall garden.

[pauldavid]

I feel that way every summer Bill. That big sun will give you the blues sometimes.

[Tracydr]

Same here,Bill. Hot, sticky, miserable. Mosquitoes, deer flies and awful no-see-ums. I'm using 40% DEET, even to just go close the hen house or other quicky chores. I hate the smell of DEET but nothing less strong works, especially on the no-see-ums.
We had a couple of nice days this weekend, after 15 days of high 90s/low 100s and crazy heat indexes. Then, right back to hot again. We only have been getting very short rains, with huge storms skirting our place. My tomatoes are not happy, especially since I don't have running water and they are too big to bucket water. The early plants are still looking good, probably since they had bigger roots, more shade and more run-off from the barn roof. The ones on the other end, I'm starting to lose, mainly from heat and drought. I sprayed with kelp/fish/Seranade/Neem Sunday. Will check today and see if it made a difference.

[Bipetual]

Ah, Bill. What you do is actually a lot closer to waging war than gardening! I have some health issues, which is why I just have a small container garden, but I get a little down about the rain and the bugs and the fungus. But what you are accomplishing is superhuman, especially with the disease pressure and the heat and humidity. It sounds like Alabama gardening is not for sissies (like me). I do not blame you at all for getting a little sick of it all, but I admire the heck out of you.

[schill93]

I feel your pain. Here in Vegas we are averaging between 110-112 daily. When you walk outside it feels like stepping inside your oven with someone holding a hot blow dryer over you.

What was once fun and enjoyable is now drudge and misery. I was standing looking at my pathetic tomato plants yesterday, and saying under my breath. "Die, just die".

[b54red]

No rain was forecast for today so this morning I sprayed 3 gallons of copper spray on my tomatoes and peppers. Of course about 11 am it rained hard and washed it all off. I think I may just spray with the bleach again tomorrow if I am up to it. I to have some health issues that are really slowing me down and this weather isn't helping.

I did pick about 5 to 6 gallons of tomatoes this afternoon after picking that many and more two days ago. My ripening table is staying full despite the sauce pot going all the time and giving them away by the bags full. I have eaten so many tomatoes this year already and we are only a little over a month since I got my first ripe tomato. I need a couple of days of no rain so I can lower my plants and prune off some of the lower diseased leaves. I hate trying to work with wet plants. I was soaked after picking the tomatoes today just from brushing up against the wet foliage. I also pulled up another tomato plant killed by TSWV. It is a good thing I planted plenty of extras because this has been a really bad year for TSWV losing close to twenty tomatoes and peppers combined to it so far this season.

Bill

[Gardeneer]

Today at 85F (per my own thermometer in the garden), under sun/shade ..I watered my plants ( about 50 of tomatoes and 25 peppers) , did few tying, took a few pictures and did some lollygagging, checking the fruit sets , fruit size ...
But the good thing was that humidity was about 40%. I did sweat a little bit but not much.

Gardeneer

[CamuMahubah]

Humidity? I have to water my plants just to cool them down!

92 degrees today.

And when it does rain..MR. BLIGHT..Hey I hate you! Thanks for killing my limited August production.

Such strange climate here. Strong determinates if you want fruit. And I don't care what anybody says..interdeterminates are where the flavor is..

Growing up in Florida spoilt me so bad.

Here I am in Nebraskastan babying Early Girls to even produce by August.

And if it does rain..MR BLIGHT is here to kill all your late tomatoes!

I read with envy that pick tomatoes at all today.

Envious

[Sun City Linda]

Got hot early here and has pretty much stayed hot. Over 100 and humid all week although most often, it is hot and dry here. I have made a decision to try growing thru the winter as they do in Florida. I think it would be easier to protect against the occasional frost than deal with these sky rocketing spring temps.

[kayrobbins]

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

Got hot early here and has pretty much stayed hot. Over 100 and humid all week although most often, it is hot and dry here. I have made a decision to try growing thru the winter as they do in Florida. I think it would be easier to protect against the occasional frost than deal with these sky rocketing spring temps.

I think you will be happy with the results. I almost always have better fall tomatoes since we rarely get anywhere near a frost until mid December. Plus it is a lot easier on the gardener than the summer heat.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

I think you will be happy with the results. I almost always have better fall tomatoes since we rarely get anywhere near a frost until mid December. Plus it is a lot easier on the gardener than the summer heat.

If you like growing fall tomatoes you should try Carbon, Berkley Tie Die Pink and Limbaugh's Legacy. They all do very well for me in the fall and their taste is very good. They also ripen well in the cooler temperatures of the fall when many other varieties don't.

Bill

[kayrobbins]

I have not grown any of those 3 but I do have seeds for Limbaugh's Legacy. Arkansas Traveler has always done well for me in the fall.

[efisakov]

Bill, all that hard work is paying off for you. But, the health is what is most important. Try to plant as many as you need. Not what all the people around you will need. I may sound selfish, well it may be a time to start thinking about ourselves. My DH keeps on telling me that. First I pulled muscle in my wrist, then muscle in my back... agh getting old is not fun (and I am just over 50). At first my growing tomatoes was a fun project...

[feldon30]

b54red, I'm right there with you, except my tomatoes went in the ground a month late as my piles of leaves took forever to dry out and I got tied up doing other things as well. So the 99-101 heat wave of the last few weeks with a few rain breaks in between have made things tough and I haven't even harvested my first large tomato yet.

The only plus side of this super early super hot weather is, the flavor in the tomatoes is concentrated. My Sungolds have been coming in and they're the best I've had since I lived in Houston. I bought a Cherokee Purple at a farmer's market and the flavor? Angels wept. So if temperatures (and my plants) hold, I should have some really delicious tomatoes. They might be smaller though.

I've resorted to spraying the plants with Surround which is powered kaolin clay. Mixed with water, it provides a filmy coating to the leaves and fruit which blocks 30-50% of the sun and reduces sunscald. It seems to be helping.