Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Jimbotomateo

Larry thought I'd try growing okra in 15 gal containers this year. Do they prefer rich potting mix? Jimbo

I grow Okra here in Florida in the hottest months when there is little else that will grow well. It does very well in the heat, but of course regular watering is important. I grow it in the same 10 gallon containers that I grow my spring garden tomatoes in. The containers are filled with straight compost and nothing else. It seems to me that they aren't terribly particular about what they are grown in, except I don't think they do well with nematodes, which is why I grow them in containers. Also, I only grow 1 plant per container but I have to believe you could get at least 2 plants in a 15 gallon. For fertilizer I just throw a bit of 10-10-10 in the container on occasion. My past summer crop was very good and I think I will do much better this coming summer with a new variety to me - Stewart's Zeebest.
Best of Luck,
Larry

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by efisakov

I did not know you can eat Brussel Sprouts raw. My mom makes soup and fries them as well. Thanks, Larry. I looked at recipes, found one with apples. Do you make them with apples and spicy?
Marlynn, Perpetual Spinach is interesting variety. Do leaves get tough quick? I prefer to make salads not cook my greens.

I only ate Brussel Sprouts 2 different ways. 1st in a salad, and 2nd cut up and cooked with chicken, little bit of tomatoes in sort of a stir fry/stew. The reason for the lack of creativity is that I was doing the cooking. Also, I threw in some cayenne pepper.
Larry

[Barb_FL]

Actually it was yesterday, steamed 1/2 and again tonight. It was good. Other heads are growing fast. Came from the EB and was able to get the roots out easily.

This is what I picked this AM just on the Pool Deck. Did not pick any of the Oranges or many of the hybrids because they can hang better without splitting. I stopped picking for 2 days because someone wanted to see my garden and thought the plants would look better with ripe tomatoes.

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I have plants on the east side of the pool deck, the west side, and then plants in the back yard.

On the East Side of the Pool deck, there are croton plants that I swear give off something/ ?mold? to my plants. I've noticed the closer the tomato plants were to these bushes, the plants had issues earlier. At first I thought it was a determinate cherry just being done; then I noticed the plants one either side of the cherry looked moldy too.....and so it seems to be spreading.

Several plants are the Dwarf Project. Once I picked off the ripe fruit, the plants themselves look really bad. I was looking at the diagnosis key....not sure what it is.....stems are not green and fuzzy....The weird thing, is last winter I grew Lucid Gem in the same area and the plant went from super healthy / productive to crappy looking stem and no more fruit set.

I have Skyway on that side in an EB and one in the backyard, and the difference in # and size of fruit is huge. The plants are determinate and done setting fruit but the one in the back still looks good, just not producing any more foliage. Loaded with tomatoes.

Even Big Beef isn't producing more foliage....

Tomatoes seem totally unaffected.

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Researching.

[BigVanVader]

Wow, tomato pron at its finest. Outstanding work Barb! Favorite varieties so far?

[efisakov]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Wow, tomato pron at its finest. Outstanding work Barb! Favorite varieties so far?

Great harvest!
I would like to know about favorite once as well.

[ginger2778]

Larry, that actually sounds delicious.

Barb, Wow! Gorgeous harvest.
I have been begging folks to come over to get some maters, brought a huge box to the dermatologist yesterday, dehydrated about 20, canned 12 pints of sauce, tomorrow I will make a bunch of ketchup, and still they are coming ripe so fast. Lots are rotting too, but it really doesn't matter.
And the starfruit has a few hundred fruit all coming ripe. We are only 2!

[jmsieglaff]

Now that is beautiful! Great work!

[Barb_FL]

For Favorites - I tend to like the ones I harvested early before I'm overwhelmed.

But the #1 tasting tomato was Aussie which we ate this week. It was dynamite; a "10".

First time growing it too; I got the seeds in a prior year MMMM swap; so Thanks to whoever sent in the seeds.

High on the list is:

Lizzano - a red determinate cherry which I had low expectations but blew me away; thin skin that doesn't split; stays on vine and SHORT plant.

Other notables were: General Lee (seeds from Marsha),
Momotaro - Hybrid; lots of people I gave it too loved it

There are still so many I haven't tried or need to eat again like most of the oranges.

The PBTD / LBB, Wild Fred were all consistently good as was SunGold.

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Larry, that actually sounds delicious.

Barb, Wow! Gorgeous harvest.
I have been begging folks to come over to get some maters, brought a huge box to the dermatologist yesterday, dehydrated about 20, canned 12 pints of sauce, tomorrow I will make a bunch of ketchup, and still they are coming ripe so fast. Lots are rotting too, but it really doesn't matter.
And the starfruit has a few hundred fruit all coming ripe. We are only 2!

I can't imagine how many you have with all those EBs. Those 2 people that came yesterday went home with a box that we hand picked as we went around and then another huge box from ones I had inside the house to make sauce.

My husband does home/office visits a couple of days a week so all of his patients get a plateful. Only one person so far said they don't like tomatoes.

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Not tomato related, but my Choc-Anon mango tree has some buds; it is suppose to be 2 harvest per year, this summer was the #1st ever. Hopefully it will come through with mangos at a different time than Kent.

[Gardenboy]

Hey Barb...nice harvest! Glad to see your tomatoes. First time since 2011 did my tomatoes start to ripen in November. Great fruit set due to the cooler nights and less humid days. Have picked 217 so far..not counting any cherry varieties. Making stuffed shells, salsa, tomato sauces...chunky and marinara sauce for various dishes. I have 6 mango tree...Valencia Pride and Spirit of '76. One is sigmoid shape like big kidney bean. Will have tons this year..since my trees are on odd year cycle. Happy New Year and love seeing the tomato pics.

Douglas

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

I can't imagine how many you have with all those EBs. Those 2 people that came yesterday went home with a box that we hand picked as we went around and then another huge box from ones I had inside the house to make sauce.

My husband does home/office visits a couple of days a week so all of his patients get a plateful. Only one person so far said they don't like tomatoes.

----
Not tomato related, but my Choc-Anon mango tree has some buds; it is suppose to be 2 harvest per year, this summer was the #1st ever. Hopefully it will come through with mangos at a different time than Kent.

Jealous like crazy about the Choc-Anons. You are very fortunate indeed. How is the taste? As good as Kent?

[ginger2778]

I got a microscope for my birthday. I was wondering why my Sgt. Peppers is getting dark stems and dry wilting leaves. Mounted a slide, and guess who has Tomato Russet Mites? Grrrr...
Time for the pyrethrin/soapy water spray. Can't spray today, too windy. That's going to be a job.

[efisakov]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

I got a microscope for my birthday. I was wondering why my Sgt. Peppers is getting dark stems and dry wilting leaves. Mounted a slide, and guess who has Tomato Russet Mites? Grrrr...
Time for the pyrethrin/soapy water spray. Can't spray today, too windy. That's going to be a job.

Sorry to here it. Any type of mites is a bad news. Microscope does help.

I am planning to grow few heart varieties:
SGT peppers, Fish Lake Oxheart, and your favorite Grightmire's Pride. The first two are new to me, any suggestions.
O, and now my list of varieties is up to 18. I could not resist it. Found seeds for Moya. Had to try it.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by efisakov

Sorry to here it. Any type of mites is a bad news. Microscope does help.

I am planning to grow few heart varieties:
SGT peppers, Fish Lake Oxheart, and your favorite Grightmire's Pride. The first two are new to me, any suggestions.
O, and now my list of varieties is up to 18. I could not resist it. Found seeds for Moya. Had to try it.

That number is creeping up! Haha, I knew it!

[efisakov]

There are toooo many people in TV that just messing me up. And, Marsha, you are one of them. Hahahaha...