Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[kayrobbins]

Ginny, I liked the taste. I have read some say they did and some other did not like it. I think the key is to make sure they are fully ripe and that holds true for the Indigo Cherry Drops too. I don't just go by color. I go by the feel. If they look like they are turning color but still feel very firm they are not ready. When they are slightly soft they are ready. It sure does take this tomato a long time to ripen.

I hope the weather holds up to let me harvest more tomatoes. We were close to freezing 2 nights this week but since I am in the coastal area it did not get that cold here and my plants were fine.

[Barb_FL]

Kay - Good to hear from you. GreenhouseMegastore has inexpensive row covers that work (when we use to get freezes). I think they raise the temps 8 degrees.

Besides the EB, I'm also loving the Dwarf plants. Since you taught us the trick about keeping the inside clean, it has made a world of difference. Dwarf Beauty King is doing great.

My ICD has gone bonkers; talk about super productive. Mine are ripening here and there.

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I will take pictures again but have spent the week pruning and staking those tomato plants on the patio.

[Fiishergurl]

Barb,

Cant wait to see the pictures! So excited that you are doing so well and the tomatoes are going crazy.

Ginny

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[Garf]

The temps in Miami are finally low enough that I can get away with doing a little work during the day. I am finding some voulenteer sprouts that I need to transplant to starter containers till they get strong enough to put into the large containers. I am prepairing some containers with the dry cat food plus Tomato Tone.

[ginger2778]

Hey Floridans, have any if you ever grown Gazania's? They look gorgeous and are a good choice for zone 9-11. They don't get much taller than 18", or wider either. This according to descriptions, but I can't say personally.

[Garf]

Ginger, if you have any dry cat food left over, try mixing some into a container. I think it will amaze you with the results.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Garf

Ginger, if you have any dry cat food left over, try mixing some into a container. I think it will amaze you with the results.

Do you use a particular brand of cat food? What are you mixing it with and in what ratios? I thought for a minute you were writing about cat liter, which I'm guessing uses diatomaceous earth. If I'm not mistaken some use oil dry products from auto parts stores as seed starter media, which I'm guessing is also diatomaceous earth. I'm shooting from the hip here, so if you or someone else has information, please reply. Thanks,
Larry
PS: An earlier thread on Dog Food, Cat Liter, Oil Dry use in the garden.
http://206.214.211.133/~tomatovl/showthread.php?t=21520

[Zone9b]

My second crop of Broccoli, which is growing in the same bed as the 1st crop grew, started to head a couple of days ago.

[Barb_FL]

Very nice Larry; I have broccoli in 2 EB and one bed so far. I have about 5 more plants ready to plant and another set that just germinated. I will probably stick with Castle Dome for the rest of the season.

Here's mine: EB says you can have 6 plants per EB; I have 5. My other EB has 5 and also lettuce. Of the 5, 3-4 are the non-head kind. So far not a fan; it isn't early.

[Fiishergurl]

Originally Posted by Zone9b

My second crop of Broccoli, which is growing in the same bed as the 1st crop grew, started to head a couple of days ago.

Wow those are awesome! Just beautiful and healthy.

Ginny

[Barb_FL]

I've been pruning and pruning;

1st pic - Dana's Dusky Rose in RP (I have another in an EB)

2nd pic - Champion 2 in EB (my only - always perfect tomatoes; probably the most productive plant)

3rd pic - Experimental - Call Red Mutant by Scooty as it crossed with something; He thought dwarf size, regular non-rugose leaf plants. I ended up with 2 dwarfs with Rugose leaves and the rest non-dwarf but not totally huge yet. Super healthy and super productive. I just hope non of them produce what it originally was suppose to (which I don't remember). That is one cluster; the biggest cluster I ever grew (other than cherry). Additional clusters on that plant. That plant is regular leaf in an EB.

[Fiishergurl]

Barb, they look great! Have you had any Champion 2 ripen yet? Wondering how the taste is. Do you have any Big Beef growing?

Ginny

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[ginger2778]

Stunning Barb, nice work! Might be a good time to start a thread about your garden in the photo forum. These ought to be shared. What do you think?

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

I've been pruning and pruning;

1st pic - Dana's Dusky Rose in RP (I have another in an EB)

2nd pic - Champion 2 in EB (my only - always perfect tomatoes; probably the most productive plant)

3rd pic - Experimental - Call Red Mutant by Scooty as it crossed with something; He thought dwarf size, regular non-rugose leaf plants. I ended up with 2 dwarfs with Rugose leaves and the rest non-dwarf but not totally huge yet. Super healthy and super productive. I just hope non of them produce what it originally was suppose to (which I don't remember). That is one cluster; the biggest cluster I ever grew (other than cherry). Additional clusters on that plant. That plant is regular leaf in an EB.

Great looking tomatoes. I took a squirrel for a long ride. This might be him in the picture asking for directions to get back to my garden to eat more of my tomatoes.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Zone9b

Great looking tomatoes. I took a squirrel for a long ride. This might be him in the picture asking for directions to get back to my garden to eat more of my tomatoes.