Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Fiishergurl

My plants are finally starting to grow the tomatoes larger. Seemed like they stayed at that smaller size for a while.
Ginny

They look really nice.
Larry

[ginger2778]

Camera saw either a very small rat or its a mouse. Setting the have a heart trap with some peanut butter tonight. I also saw a possum on the fence at 5:45 this am.

[Barb_FL]

Last summer, something big was getting all my ripe large sweet tomatoes (Jazz, Orange Jazz). I loosely wrapped old tulle around the fruit so it wouldn't be so easy for him thinking if it were a raccoon, the tulle would be ripped off. Anyway, the tulle kept the animal at bay so I concluded it was an opossum.

I've never seen a mouse where we live; just rats; so if it were here, it would be a small rat.

====
Yesterday, I picked my first 2 large fruits; one was Brandy Boy and the other was Red Sweet Sue (my name for Sweet Sue plants that produce Red fruit).

I have another almost ripe fruit on Big Brandy that I will get off today.

I'm keeping tabs on production; just manual.

Last night it rained for the first time since early October.

[Barb_FL]

Here's a tomato selfie vs my hand - Dana's DR in EB.

The wind is killing me. Here's what I've resorted to:

20 gallons of water behind plants, cord holding up attached in front through cinderblocks. Pictures to follow.

I think my plants are at their heaviest now; so if I can just get through this wind any new fruit development will be light.

I picked a fused Big Brandy today 23 oz....off - That EB has the 20 gallon water container behind it, along with a super heavy round concrete block with a cinder block over it. Probably over 100 lbs.

[ginger2778]

"My plants are too tall and heavy with fruit!" Nice problem to have,Barb. Haha.

[Fiishergurl]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

"My plants are too tall and heavy with fruit!" Nice problem to have,Barb. Haha.

Hahaha... love it!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[Ricky Shaw]

Loaded up on toms, with beautiful healthy looking foliage.

[Barb_FL]

On the pool deck, it is worse b/c the EB on are casters which makes them really unsteady from the weight. I have to remember this setup (for sun) and remove the casters.

This season I decided that no tomato plant would be planted without a cage. I've kept my word too. In the back yard, it is easier because I can drive stakes in the ground. Bought 4 T-Posts to test. 2 are on the other side of the pool deck holding 2 EB; one of which is Kelloggs Breakfast with it's 20+ fruits. The EB are on the edge of the pool deck with the stakes in the ground.

Another T Post is holding up SunGold and the final one is holding up Orange Slice with it's 30+ tomatoes. In the backyard, I've pruned a lot too.

DH then cut points in some wood stakes and pounded them in the ground; they are holding others.

But earlier this week, the wind caused my poor Dwarf Beauty King tomato plant to collapse from the weight of the fruit. I hoisted it back up but it was hard on the plant. Any new flowers are long gone; none of the fruit fell off. The fruit is big but not changing color.

Weird too b/c I have a Wild Fred Plant with 12 huge fruits on the bottom and 10+ in the middle/top and holding up fine.

[efisakov]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

The Florida folks are killing it this season!

agree

[Fiishergurl]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Camera saw either a very small rat or its a mouse. Setting the have a heart trap with some peanut butter tonight. I also saw a possum on the fence at 5:45 this am.

Let us know what happens... :-)

[Fiishergurl]

Originally Posted by Zone9b

They look really nice.
Larry

Thank you Larry and Marsha too... :-)

Ginny

[Fiishergurl]

Sgt Peppers.... :-)

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Fiishergurl

Sgt Peppers.... :-)

Wow, and I thought mine had a lot of antho! It sure does set a lot of fruit, doesn't it?

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Here's a tomato selfie vs my hand - Dana's DR in EB.

The wind is killing me. Here's what I've resorted to:

20 gallons of water behind plants, cord holding up attached in front through cinderblocks. Pictures to follow.

I think my plants are at their heaviest now; so if I can just get through this wind any new fruit development will be light.

I picked a fused Big Brandy today 23 oz....off - That EB has the 20 gallon water container behind it, along with a super heavy round concrete block with a cinder block over it. Probably over 100 lbs.

Count me as thoroughly impressed.
Larry

[Barb_FL]

It's so hot and humid. 83 today with 69% humidity (feels more humid). At least the nights are still in the 60s for good fruit set.

I think it will be short lived though; tomorrow should be 10 degrees cooler.

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Ginny - those tomatoes are something else; even the stem is deep purple.