What I learned this year

[Dangit]

Thanks Kikaida, good info.

I think your area is a few degrees hotter than Simi, but yesterday my wife said it got to 100 degrees. With the 40% the tomatoes were looking just fine when I got home. I have lettuce, peppers, and others that were also looking good. I suppose the middle of August will tell the story.

It will be interesting to read about how you do, and I'll post my results as well. Good luck,

Dangit

[HCWithAltitude]

The squash will take over. This is one of four I planted. My knees are hidden down there somewhere. So, what am I going to do with the dozen+ yelow pattypans hiding in there?

[Timomac]

This year I learned:
1. Plastic mulch helps me with preventing soil-borne disease
2. Earthtainers are for real. Going to compare taste with same varieties growing in the ground as well.
3. The electric toothbrush pollination trick really seems to work. (No control but I'm sold).
4. I read a lot this winter about fertilization as I prepped for the Earthtainers. I learned a whole lot about fertilizing - and I thought I knew a lot before.
5. This was the rainiest June ever in Illinois. No problems with disease or flooding (raised beds and plastic mulch). Aided pollination with the buzzing (wasn't seeing much until I did).

Best thing? Curious neighbors.

[Kikaida]

Yeah, everyone looked perky yesterday despite the wind storm.

[TexasTycoon]

What I learned this year: a whole lot! This was my first year growing tomatoes and peppers.

-I learned that what you feed your plants makes a big difference.
-I learned that plants tell you what they need with their leaves.
-I learned that you have to check for bugs every single day or you'll end up with an aphid infestation that wipes out both your pepper plants before you can even get to the store to buy ladybugs.
-I learned that hornworms are really gross and my husband will be the sole hornworm catcher/destroyer because I can't handle the ick.
-I learned that tomatoes should be harvested at first blush or they'll be eaten up by a particularly greedy fat mockingbird.
-I learned that Carolina wrens like nesting in potted plants, since they picked my sage to nest in this spring.
-I learned that wind can do more damage than any bug and that stakes for tomato plants are required.
-I learned that basil doesn't do so well when rain is splashing onto the leaves, and does a lot better on a shelf.
-I learned that some flower seeds take months to finally sprout and bloom (planted an annual cut mix in February, still seeing new flowers pop up).
-I learned that caterpillars like oregano, though I never learned what kind of caterpillar they were even after plucking about 6 of them off and tossing them into the street to be eaten by birds.
-I learned that lavender does not like getting wet. I learned that Home Depot and Lowe's are not the best places to get plants, and that local nurseries have bigger better plants, usually for less money, and their employees are infinitely more knowledgeable and helpful.
-I learned that tomato branches can be rooted if they have to be cut off after wind damage, and hopefully will be productive as well.
-I learned that picked tomatoes should be stored on their stem ends to better support the weight, and never stored in the fridge.
-I learned what different nutrient deficiencies look like in the leaves, and to not jump to any wild conclusions just because your plant doesn't look 100% perfect.
-I learned that spider mites like strawberry plants and are virtually undetectable until it's too late.
-I learned that those biodegradable pots that Bonnie plants come in don't break down in potting mix.

Best of all, I learned that Tomatoville is THE BEST forum for tomato help, and gardening advice in general, and I'm so glad I joined!

[HCWithAltitude]

Originally Posted by Timomac

2. Earthtainers are for real. Going to compare taste with same varieties growing in the ground as well.

Yes, my tomatoes and peppers are growing great guns in the self-watering containers I built for my deck last year. The ones in the ground are doing okay, but are not nearly as happy as their compatriots in the containers. Next year I will plant all my tomatoes and peppers in containers, which will leave more room for squash and melons/watermelons in my community garden plot. I'm also going to convert one of the raised beds to strawberries.

HWA

[HCWithAltitude]

-I learned that tomato branches can be rooted if they have to be cut off after wind damage, and hopefully will be productive as well.

+nod+ I broke off a PL Virginia Sweets (I hope) when I was planting into the bins. I rooted it for a few days, stuck it in the bin just to see what would happen, and now it is setting fruit.

HWA

[sundrop]

I learned that we can grow late maturing slicing tomatoes here in the desert in spite of advice to grow short season varieties such as the favored early girl, just need to plant them in Jan. and have frost cloth on hand. I grew 2 big beautiful varieties both 100 days from seeding, loved them!

I learned not to plant pepper seedlings close to June and the 110 deg. temps, even with shade they will fry to a crisp.

I learned that the 2 dwarf tomato varieties I grew cannot take the heat even before it really set in, they fried while others near them thrived.

[Catherine+twin]

I learned that tomatoes really like to grow where the chicken run was last year.

I also learned that when you water the former chicken run, lots of little volunteer tomatoes come up, a problem I have never run into before. Wow, volunteer tomatoes. I know the composted sewage sludge that our county spread on the park flower beds when I was a kid always grew hoards of tomato seedlings, but in my current dry climate and "natural" (bone dry) yard i don't see many volunteer anythings.

Catherine

[Gerardo]

2015 lessons:

--Don't switch measuring spoons when using strong fertilizers.

--Diluted bleach spray is the enemy of my enemy.

--Milk spray is not for someone with an olfactory aversion to lactose products (I would rather sniff fish emulsion from the source than breathe in the misty whey from the milk spray, especially during a hot sunny day), it works awesome tho.

--Worm/compost tea is an outstanding micronutrient/microbiological Jamba Juice for all plants.

--Aphids are tough, persistent little rat b@$&%$.

--No pesticides allows for a full insect ecosystem, picaridin and generic benadryl cream are great countermeasures. Watching the spiders form their webs is reward enough.

--Bad insects in my garden seem to prefer sunflowers, so lots of sunflowers provide good surveillance.

--Prompt culling with no emotional attachment is essential.

--Scoring a free roll of concrete mesh wire can produce a big smile.

--Visualizing horse manure as future juicy gel sacs doesn't take that much imagination, even if your nose is telling you otherwise.

--Frequenting Tomatoville is like having thousands of sage, green-thumbed aunts and uncles. Thank you all for sharing some of your wisdom.

[efisakov]

- Last year I learned from RobinB how to deal with Spider mites: “…diatomaceous earth and an empty spray bottle, put one T of DE into a 32oz bottle, fill with water and shake until the DE dissolves. Then spray those plants with spider mites. When it dries you will see a white film on the plant. Reapply after it rains.”
- This year I learned about aphids and ants symbiotic relationship (just Google it, disturbing really). Ants are not my friends anymore. Spraying with soap helps, has to be careful not to use to much soap. It can burn leaves.

[HCWithAltitude]

- Last year I learned from RobinB how to deal with Spider mites: “…diatomaceous earth and an empty spray bottle, put one T of DE into a 32oz bottle, fill with water and shake until the DE dissolves. Then spray those plants with spider mites. When it dries you will see a white film on the plant. Reapply after it rains.”

+takes notes+ Thank you!

HWA

[Worth1]

HWA I ((do not)) know everything about irrigation but I wish I did.
But thanks.
What I have learned is there is an endless amount of good people that have and will continue to join here.
Worth

[tarheelchick]

.......first year with a vegetable garden

I have learned that I should have spaced my plants a bit further apart from each other. It might give them all better air flow, and it would certainly allow me to get all the way around the plants when I need to without damaging something.

I have learned that gardening is a bit more worrisome than I had thought. I am constantly on patrol looking for incoming enemies and thinking about every little leaf color, fruit set, plant height.....the list goes on. AND will my tomatoes EVER start to change color or am I the only one left with green tomatoes on the vine? (so I am still learning patience)

I have learned that there is so much more to good gardening practices than simply putting the plants in the ground and watering.

Thanks TV.

[AlittleSalt]

I did learn that cutworms are a hybrid cross between the ancient Greek God Hades and those Tremors Worms https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tremors_(franchise). I didn't read it - just saw it with my own eyes. Big healthy tomato plants mowed down by a #$%^ worm.