Lousy year in Michigan

kenny_j · July 25, 2013

I have had gardens almost every year for forty years, and I never remember as bad a year as 2013. Corn is ok, but stalks don't seem tall enough. Cucumbers look the best. Most tomato plants except for one potted and half a dozen dwarves in raised beds, look like Charlie Brown Christmas trees with 3-4 ornaments. Leaves are small and plants look thinned out, with many branches dead or dying. It is close to August, and I have yet to water an in-ground tomato plant . And the flavor is not up to snuff, tho there has been some improvement. Had 5 BW cowlicks, and the last 2 have had better flavor. Many varieties seem to have thick skin, do to lack of water reaching the plants from waterlogged, damaged root system. It can only get better, unless the rain starts up again.
Happy Surprises so far: Opalka!!!! Thank you Carolyn. I grew some two years ago that I got from Gary Ibsens site, and they were not Opalka. They were decent, but did not have the flavor claimed by many. Last year Carolyn recommended a vendor, was it Linda? , I have records somewhere!!! But I have gotten one so far, that looks like I thought they should, and the taste, especially from a damaged and unhealthy plant, was outstanding, never knew a paste could be soooo good off the vine. Sure hope I get some more for seed saving. Another surprise was Black and brown Boar , excellent taste. I grew Berkley Pink Tie-Dye last year that was about the same in flavor. The fruit of both seem to often split and crack and look unsightly on the top 3rd, but below that is excellent. Kimberleys out of my garden are not up to par on flavor, but my daughter has one that I put in a pot, and it is superb. I have one in raised bed so hopefully it will be great, it was one of the last planted, and is just getting ready to ripen, same for dwarves that are with it.

SharonRossy · July 26, 2013

Hi Kenny_j, it's been a hard year here too. Lots of late starting, plants taking forever to blossom or set fruit. Cuor Di Bue, is on blossom overload, but having a lot of BER. Lets just say its a challenge. The cherries are finally starting to show some progress, but my early varieties like bloody Butcher have plenty of fruit, but nothing ripe yet.

Crissyb · August 10, 2013

I am having similar problems in Wisconsin. After spending the evening perusing Tomatoville I feel better knowing it wasn't just me. I know my garden isn't always the neatest, but my tomato leaves have never looked this bad! Half of them are drying up & brittle with brown spots, ugh! I am so glad I planted some early varieties because they at least have been pumping them out for a couple of weeks.
I did have a very good lettuce year though!

emcd124 · August 10, 2013

I'm comforted that I'm not to blame for my garden's abysmal performance this year. I just harvested my first tomato of the year, a Cherokee Purple. I'm going to eat for lunch today. I'm drooling while thinking of it but trying not to get my expectations too high.

Mandy97 · August 11, 2013

I'm having a rough summer this year too. But I have another problem in addition - all of my tomatoes are starting to rot on the vines before they even come close to ripening. Not just at the blossom end, but at various points on the tomato (near the top, middle, it doesn't seem to matter). Could it be all of this rain we're getting? Or does this mean I need to do a new soil test to check on nutrients?

Mandy

Riceloft · August 11, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandy97

I'm having a rough summer this year too. But I have another problem in addition - all of my tomatoes are starting to rot on the vines before they even come close to ripening. Not just at the blossom end, but at various points on the tomato (near the top, middle, it doesn't seem to matter). Could it be all of this rain we're getting? Or does this mean I need to do a new soil test to check on nutrients?

Mandy

I have had about 6 tomatoes begin to rot in "other" places this year. On 5 of them, when I cut them open to investigate, I found larvae and eggs. Google says its probably some type of fruit fly. I've never had them before.

It has indeed been a strange year. First time with White Flys, Aphids, a touch of Grey mold, powdery mildew on melons, Anthracnose on peppers. Really, I've never had so much trouble with a garden. I've still had pretty good yields on most varieties, but its been a challenge.

themarta · August 11, 2013

It has been a tough season here in Ontario too. I had to laugh at the Charlie Brown Christmas tree tomato plants because that's exactly what my stepdaughter called my plants this season. Sad looking things. It's been the coldest and wettest summer I can remember. Heard on the news yesterday that our regions commercial tomato growers will only be getting 10 % (!!!!) of their average yield due to exceptionally bad growing season. I can just see ketchup prices skyrocket very soon.
Well, I guess we just have to enjoy the very little bit of tomatoes we are getting this much more, and hope for a better season next time around.

Mandy97 · August 11, 2013

Yikes - fruit flies causing rot? I'll have to cut mine open and see. Thank you for the head's up.

kenny_j · August 11, 2013

And even with the sad shape that they are in, they are delicious!!! And there are 12 to 18 on most plants. Hope they hold up thru the rest of season, a few plants have only about 10% of the leaves they should have. The poor Kimberley is just about a goner, I have picked about 20 off it, but there are no new fruit developing, and almost no leaves. Picked 2 huge maters off Dwarf Rosella Purple, in raised beds and doing pretty good.Sigh, and look forward to next yr.

Cole_Robbie · August 13, 2013

Pin worms can cause rot. The hole they make to bore into the fruit is small and easy to miss when you look at the rotten spot.

July 25, 2013	#1
kenny_j Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: holly michigan Posts: 380	Lousy year in Michigan I have had gardens almost every year for forty years, and I never remember as bad a year as 2013. Corn is ok, but stalks don't seem tall enough. Cucumbers look the best. Most tomato plants except for one potted and half a dozen dwarves in raised beds, look like Charlie Brown Christmas trees with 3-4 ornaments. Leaves are small and plants look thinned out, with many branches dead or dying. It is close to August, and I have yet to water an in-ground tomato plant . And the flavor is not up to snuff, tho there has been some improvement. Had 5 BW cowlicks, and the last 2 have had better flavor. Many varieties seem to have thick skin, do to lack of water reaching the plants from waterlogged, damaged root system. It can only get better, unless the rain starts up again. Happy Surprises so far: Opalka!!!! Thank you Carolyn. I grew some two years ago that I got from Gary Ibsens site, and they were not Opalka. They were decent, but did not have the flavor claimed by many. Last year Carolyn recommended a vendor, was it Linda? , I have records somewhere!!! But I have gotten one so far, that looks like I thought they should, and the taste, especially from a damaged and unhealthy plant, was outstanding, never knew a paste could be soooo good off the vine. Sure hope I get some more for seed saving. Another surprise was Black and brown Boar , excellent taste. I grew Berkley Pink Tie-Dye last year that was about the same in flavor. The fruit of both seem to often split and crack and look unsightly on the top 3rd, but below that is excellent. Kimberleys out of my garden are not up to par on flavor, but my daughter has one that I put in a pot, and it is superb. I have one in raised bed so hopefully it will be great, it was one of the last planted, and is just getting ready to ripen, same for dwarves that are with it.

August 11, 2013	#9
kenny_j Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: holly michigan Posts: 380	Brandywines are starting to ripen And even with the sad shape that they are in, they are delicious!!! And there are 12 to 18 on most plants. Hope they hold up thru the rest of season, a few plants have only about 10% of the leaves they should have. The poor Kimberley is just about a goner, I have picked about 20 off it, but there are no new fruit developing, and almost no leaves. Picked 2 huge maters off Dwarf Rosella Purple, in raised beds and doing pretty good.Sigh, and look forward to next yr. Last edited by kenny_j; August 11, 2013 at 10:39 PM. Reason: correct

July 26, 2013	#2
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	Hi Kenny_j, it's been a hard year here too. Lots of late starting, plants taking forever to blossom or set fruit. Cuor Di Bue, is on blossom overload, but having a lot of BER. Lets just say its a challenge. The cherries are finally starting to show some progress, but my early varieties like bloody Butcher have plenty of fruit, but nothing ripe yet.

August 10, 2013	#3
Crissyb Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 46	I am having similar problems in Wisconsin. After spending the evening perusing Tomatoville I feel better knowing it wasn't just me. I know my garden isn't always the neatest, but my tomato leaves have never looked this bad! Half of them are drying up & brittle with brown spots, ugh! I am so glad I planted some early varieties because they at least have been pumping them out for a couple of weeks. I did have a very good lettuce year though!

August 10, 2013	#4
emcd124 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: South Bend, IN Posts: 104	I'm comforted that I'm not to blame for my garden's abysmal performance this year. I just harvested my first tomato of the year, a Cherokee Purple. I'm going to eat for lunch today. I'm drooling while thinking of it but trying not to get my expectations too high.

August 11, 2013	#5
Mandy97 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Paw Paw MI Posts: 89	I'm having a rough summer this year too. But I have another problem in addition - all of my tomatoes are starting to rot on the vines before they even come close to ripening. Not just at the blossom end, but at various points on the tomato (near the top, middle, it doesn't seem to matter). Could it be all of this rain we're getting? Or does this mean I need to do a new soil test to check on nutrients? Mandy

August 11, 2013	#7
themarta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ontario Posts: 24	It has been a tough season here in Ontario too. I had to laugh at the Charlie Brown Christmas tree tomato plants because that's exactly what my stepdaughter called my plants this season. Sad looking things. It's been the coldest and wettest summer I can remember. Heard on the news yesterday that our regions commercial tomato growers will only be getting 10 % (!!!!) of their average yield due to exceptionally bad growing season. I can just see ketchup prices skyrocket very soon. Well, I guess we just have to enjoy the very little bit of tomatoes we are getting this much more, and hope for a better season next time around.

August 13, 2013	#10
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Pin worms can cause rot. The hole they make to bore into the fruit is small and easy to miss when you look at the rotten spot.