Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by efisakov

About snails. I lost too many cucumbers seeded directly because of them, you see nice seedling in the morning and coming back from work to a green stick.
Try DE powder around it, if soil to moist you need lots of DE. Snails do not like dry DE.

Marsha, your little babies look great, quite big for 12 days. What are you feeding them? Fish?

Marsha, I hope that variety with 1 seed did germinate (darn dawg, hehe).

Ella, until now, just the MG seed starting potting mix, no food.
Tomorrow they will go into the Promix and 4"(3&1/2") square pots, with a pinch of Gnatrol(BT), and a good pinch of Tomato Maker fertilizer, which smells a lot like fish.

I have cat litter, that's DE, I will spread it. Thanks Ella.

[Zone9b]

On 8/14/16 I transplanted heat set Skyway and Tycoon tomato plants. All are fairly large plants now with many flowers. On 8/26/16 I transplanted a Granadero tomato plant. On 9/13/16, 18 days from transplant, Granadero set the first tomato of the season. Night time lows in Orlando are still running a bit high, often at 74 or 75 and I'm guessing that is a bit high for setting many tomatoes, heat set or not. Any thoughts?
Larry

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by Zone9b

On 8/14/16 I transplanted heat set Skyway and Tycoon tomato plants. All are fairly large plants now with many flowers. On 8/26/16 I transplanted a Granadero tomato plant. On 9/13/16, 18 days from transplant, Granadero set the first tomato of the season. Night time lows in Orlando are still running a bit high, often at 74 or 75 and I'm guessing that is a bit high for setting many tomatoes, heat set or not. Any thoughts?
Larry

Congratulations on your first Fall tomato. The low temps are high but I find first time fruit sets seem more temperature forgiving.

I'm growing Skyway also.

[Barb_FL]

Marsha - Your seedlings are doing so well. I think it would be fun with 6 tomato lovers at the tomato separation party.

Do you want me to start those seeds I have and bring them down, mail them, or just pass? No problem on what you decide.

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Forgot to mention, Great job on the Sweet Success cukes. So much for cucumbers not growing in Florida in the summer.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Marsha - Your seedlings are doing so well. I think it would be fun with 6 tomato lovers at the tomato separation party.

Do you want me to start those seeds I have and bring them down, mail them, or just pass? No problem on what you decide.

-----
Forgot to mention, Great job on the Sweet Success cukes. So much for cucumbers not growing in Florida in the summer.

Thanks! I really am liking those sweet success. Every day more are forming. Heat schmeat!

Barb, none of the above on those seeds, I have more KARMAS to fill in the spots, as well as Rebel Alliance, a short maybe multiflora plant.
The gentleman whose seeds they were is replacing them with current stock.

[kayrobbins]

Tomorrow I get to go on a road trip to BWI in Apopka with my friend that is a commercial herb grower. You cannot buy unless you have a licence. I have only allowed myself $120 to spend. She has to pay for everything and I pay her after. Promix is $27 and I also want to buy Sungro germinating mix. I am not sure what else I will buy. This is only my 2nd trip there, I love looking around because they have things I have never heard of. The prices on their pots are so good that now I am thinking I maybe should have taken more cash.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

Tomorrow I get to go on a road trip to BWI in Apopka with my friend that is a commercial herb grower. You cannot buy unless you have a licence. I have only allowed myself $120 to spend. She has to pay for everything and I pay her after. Promix is $27 and I also want to buy Sungro germinating mix. I am not sure what else I will buy. This is only my 2nd trip there, I love looking around because they have things I have never heard of. The prices on their pots are so good that now I am thinking I maybe should have taken more cash.

Kay, these are the pots I use for transplanting seedlings for our swap, and for the Miramar Community Garden plant sale fundraiser. 1372 pots for $75, plus shipping, and they are fairly light weight. Comes to about 6 cents per pot, and a box lasts me abou 3 years. Anyway, the company is a wholesaler but open to the public, and I really like their service. https://www.mcconkeyco.com/35-square.../759/jmcts35-1

$27 for a 3.8 cu ft bale of Promix is very good. I get it for $28-30 depending on who I buy from.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Kay, these are the pots I use for transplanting seedlings for our swap, and for the Miramar Community Garden plant sale fundraiser. 1372 pots for $75, plus shipping, and they are fairly light weight. Comes to about 6 cents per pot, and a box lasts me abou 3 years. Anyway, the company is a wholesaler but open to the public, and I really like their service. https://www.mcconkeyco.com/35-square.../759/jmcts35-1

$27 for a 3.8 cu ft bale of Promix is very good. I get it for $28-30 depending on who I buy from.

Marsha,
Thanks for the tip. Those prices beat anything I've seen.
Larry

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Zone9b

Marsha,
Thanks for the tip. Those prices beat anything I've seen.
Larry

You are welcome Larry.

[kayrobbins]

Thanks Marsha, I am glad to have a new source to check for supplies. I have bookmarked their website. Promix sells for $38 here so I will stock up today so I don't have to buy for awhile.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

Thanks Marsha, I am glad to have a new source to check for supplies. I have bookmarked their website. Promix sells for $38 here so I will stock up today so I don't have to buy for awhile.

Yes, I know. I use 5-7 bales every year, so I just bought 5, and a 16 oz bottle of Thurcide. Saves on the shipping, they are local and they deliver for $25, or free if you buy enough. I bought it along with the Miaramar Community Garden.
Have you tried the Sustane professional organic fertilizer.? It looks wonderful, and I think the price is reasonable. Gonna try it this year on the MCG tomatoes. Its OMRI listed and an organic only commercial farmer told our garden group about it.

[ginger2778]

Here's a photo of all the ~325 seedlings transplanted to their 4" pots. I had the most wonderful team helping, we got it done in about 4 hours, including breaking for lunch, which I supplied. It was a lot of fun.
They stayed in the tomato plant ICU on top of the hot tub, they are leaning because they want light, so this am they will go into the shade. I will work them into full sun over a 9 day period.
I also began the replenishing project for the Earthboxes. I do 3 a day for 15 days.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Here's a photo of all the ~325 seedlings transplanted to their 4" pots. I had the most wonderful team helping, we got it done in about 4 hours, including breaking for lunch, which I supplied. It was a lot of fun.
They stayed in the tomato plant ICU on top of the hot tub, they are leaning because they want light, so this am they will go into the shade. I will work them into full sun over a 9 day period.
I also began the replenishing project for the Earthboxes. I do 3 a day for 15 days.

Marsha,
How impressive. I like those rigid red plastic trays. The flimsy ones just don't last. I recently picked up 3 old bread trays which had been thrown out. I put casters on the bottom of one, which permits it to be rolled in any direction. I am looking to obtain more casters from disposed of office chairs, then I will put casters on the other two trays. They each hold 42 3 1/2" seed cups. I'd like to have some more old bread trays.
Good Gardening Luck to All.
Larry

[kayrobbins]

I have not tried Sustane and look forward to see what you think about it when you use it.I did not have time to look through everything they have since we left early today. I was happy that I could buy $18 lbs of Tomatotone for $13.95, 50 yellow sticky cards for $21.95. I also bought 30 gallon black plastic pots for $2.65. They will work great for my Allspice, Neem and Moringa trees. I don't want to plant those in the ground but they are getting too big for their current pots.

Your tomato seedlings all look healthy and happy. They will really start to take off now that they have been stepped up.

[AudreyFL]

Quick question for folks in South Florida - I sowed seeds8/13 and 8/20...the seedlings have been doing great and have potted them up to 4" pots, some to larger pots already. They are outside on pool patio and within the past week, many are developing leaf spot. I trimmed off a few really bad lower leaves but am afraid to prune too much more.

We have been hammered by either searing heat/sun or rain daily (just as leaves dry rain starts again) and humidity hasn't gone below 80%.

Did I start too early? Should I be starting copper or milk spray or something now? I just brought a bunch into the house hoping to keep them dry and in lower humidity until I figure out what to do next. My dwarf orange cream, dwarf extreme, and NBDs are getting the worst if it. Maglia Rosa and the two UF seedlings I started seem to be doing Ok. My micros haven't been potted up yet, started them 3 weeks ago and they're fine so far.

I just forget how relentless the heat and humidity still are this far into September!

Thanks!