Found the first tomatoes today!

[Rfdillon]

Folks, as I finally finished planting all my tomatoes, I found tge first tomatoes on my "early girl" plant, planted in February.
Thus brings me to a couple of questions. Now that so many are flowering and producing fruit, do I need to feed them anything specifically, to help in thuis stage? Also , here in Houston TX, when and what should I spray on my tomatoes to prevent early blight and fungus? I purchased some calcium nitrate; should I apply a side dressing of one teaspoon to each plant? Thanks so much in advance for your advice!

[Starlight]

That is great! Always exciting that first tomato of the season.

I can't answer your questions, cuz I am learning myself, hopefully somebody with knowledge comes along to help you.

I found this thread the other day that had a lot of info and help you might look at in between.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=18309

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by Rfdillon

Folks, as I finally finished planting all my tomatoes, I found tge first tomatoes on my "early girl" plant, planted in February.
Thus brings me to a couple of questions. Now that so many are flowering and producing fruit, do I need to feed them anything specifically, to help in thuis stage? Also , here in Houston TX, when and what should I spray on my tomatoes to prevent early blight and fungus? I purchased some calcium nitrate; should I apply a side dressing of one teaspoon to each plant? Thanks so much in advance for your advice!

I cannot comment of feeding b,c it depend on the condition of the soil....
On spraying I would suggest what I am going to use:

DACONIL. I also use NEEM oil.

I am going to spray twice or trice a month.
I believe in prevention.

Gardeneer

[ginger2778]

Calcinit is most helpful in containers as a source of calcium to help prevent BER. As a fertilizer the nitrogen in it will give the plant's green vegetation a boost, but not so helpful for the fruiting stage.

Here's my spray regimen, and I believe in prevention too. Like Texas, we get hot humid conditions. I am going to be very specific about the brand, and the mixing.

1/2 Tablespoon per gallon of Southern Ag brand liquid copper fungicide, which is at half of their labeled weakest strength, but believe me it is very effective. Liquid copper is an OMRI accepted use fungicide( organic). When fully mixed and diluted, I put in 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of anybody's brand of BT, because this kills caterpillars really effectively, its a bacterium that they eat even one of, and it gives them an infection, but completely safe for people and animals, and beneficials. I put it in after the copper is fully diluted, because copper is not only a fungicide, but also bactericidal, and I don't want to kill the BT with strong mix. Last, I squeeze in about 1/10 of a teaspoon per gallon of dish soap liquid, to break the surface tension and allow the spray to spread.
I spray the tops and bottoms of all leaves and also the stem down to the soil line, I do this every 10 days, or every 7 days during times when the morning dew is dripping off the leaves, and also after a heavy rain. I try to avoid flower truss sprays.
I also do selective pruning of leaves to thin them out a bit for air flow.
I agree, prevention is the key, but I like organic methods.
I used to use neem, also very effective, but I didnt like that the oil stays on the plant, because even though it dries, oil + heat scares me. It's not much of a concern with the copper. Neem is organic too.

[Rfdillon]

Thanks so much, Marsha,for sharing your detailed process. Are these products available at tge local big box stores?

[ginger2778]

I get the Southern Ag brand copper spray at home depot, they also have Garden Tone fertilizer, very good stuff, made by Espoma, Tomato Tone is better but hard to find.
For some reason, my local HD quit carrying the BT, which I cannot live without, but I can still get it easily at my local garden store. Any brand of BT is fine, Thurcide or Dipel are examples.

[b54red]

I also use copper but like to alternate with Daconil every week to 10 days as this seems to me to be more effective. I have used both by themselves for extended periods but did not think that was quite as effective. Sometimes I go with one or the other for two treatments then throw in the other one the next week. When diseases do pop up and they invariably do down here then I hit them with a dilute bleach spray late in the evening to put a whoa on the disease. This treatment with the bleach is the only thing I have found that is at all effective once gray mold shows up.

I always amend my soil well before planting with cottonseed meal, alfalfa pellets, compost and sometimes manures; but once blooming starts on tomatoes I apply Texas Tomato Food every 5 to 10 days depending on how well the plants are doing. I usually apply it at the rate of one tablespoon to the gallon and it has really helped with fruit set especially once it gets good and hot.

Bill

[Rfdillon]

Thanks so much, folks, for your advice. Bill, what is tge dilution of bleach that you use, and his much per plant?