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Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.

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Old December 16, 2018   #3361
ginger2778
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Marsha,
Is Dolamite another way of getting the magnezium and calcium that appears to be available in say oyster shells?
Larry
It is a way of getting calcium and magnesium much faster than oyster or shells, which can take more than a year to dissolve and per hour enough calcium. If the shells are finely ground to a powder they will release calcium much faster.
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Old December 20, 2018   #3362
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I’ve gone back and read this entire thread again; there are so many gems buried all through.

Folks who have them: are you still using your VegiBees and do you think they really make a difference?

Is anyone contrasting the mitigation effects of crab vs oyster shell on nematodes? Asking because oyster shell is considerably cheaper.

I’m blown away by akmark’s method of putting 2 tomatoes into a small container (10 gallon I think). Are you putting multiple tomatoes into each container? (All my fabric containers are 25 or 30 gallon size.)

Eagerly looking forward to seed starting!
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Old December 20, 2018   #3363
Barb_FL
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Jane - AKMARK puts 2 plants in a 5 gallon bag. I think he might have even done 2 in a 4 gallon bag. He is an amazing grower.

I followed his lead, and put 2 plants in a 7-10 gallon root pouch or 1 plant in a 5 gallon root pouch. So far so good except for this hellacious wind we are having now and all day tomorrow. I took pictures of my plants yesterday because it may be the last time my plants look nice. Shown below.

Mine broke so this year I used an electric toothbrush. My daughter is here now on winter break and loves buzzing; she video it showing the pollen come out. I don't think we can post videos; if you want to see it, message me your email and I will send it to you. YES, I do think the vegibee was better, but buzzing does work especially when the nights are too hot to set fruit (>72) and we all got a lot of fruit set. There was another tomato grower (Ginny - Fishergurl) who doesn't post anymore, but she did it several times a day and had amazing fruit set.

Oyster vs Crabshell - no idea how they compare with the nematodes. I think if Oyster shells have chitten they should be comparable.

Here is a picture of Matsu Express fruit set taken yesterday. AKMARK developed Matsu Express.

Picture of my broccoli bed too.

BTW - you are sowing seeds for spring, right
Attached Images
File Type: jpg MatsuExpress.jpg (126.8 KB, 68 views)
File Type: jpg Broccoli Bed.jpg (113.4 KB, 68 views)
File Type: jpg Tomatoes12-19.jpg (151.5 KB, 67 views)

Last edited by Barb_FL; December 20, 2018 at 10:02 PM.
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Old December 20, 2018   #3364
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Hi Barb,
Thank you so much for the feedback and your great pictures. Today has really smacked my garden around, too, plus it was still sopping wet from last weekend.

I really fight to set fruit between June and September. I’m eager to try anything to overcome the humidity and sticky pollen so looks like a VegiBee is in my future. I’ll msg my email.

I’ve seen a number of posts about Matsu Express. I already have seeds for more than 30 tomatoes I want to grow this spring... and that’s not taking into account peppers, eggplant, cukes, etc. etc. I’d love to try it in the fall so how do I go about getting seeds?

My inclination is to go with a combo of oyster and crab shell so that I can economize a bit. If the weather cooperates I’ll start mixing 5-1-1 and begin filling containers this weekend.

I’ll be starting tomato seeds in a few weeks. I always hope to plant outside by mid-March, give or take a week. I feel like we’re going to be on the colder end of things this year ... already a couple of nights in the 30’s. Judging from your plants you haven’t had anything close to that chilly yet.

Your broccoli bed is really impressive. I notice you’re using what looks like shade cloth; is that left up all year?
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Old December 22, 2018   #3365
PlainJane
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Default Finally a nice day

After really lousy, windy and wet weather for 2 weeks finally a nice day. It felt so good to get out in the garden, do some cleanup and make soil mix for the next mater season.
If we could have a couple weeks like today these greenies might ripen.
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File Type: jpg 780F7786-7848-4996-8236-175F8BEBD26F.jpg (651.0 KB, 59 views)
File Type: jpg 1F9E185D-6BD0-4269-AB93-A1431C245DA4.jpg (693.3 KB, 59 views)
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Old December 22, 2018   #3366
maxjohnson
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Mixing my own grow mix is one of my favorite life activity.
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Old December 22, 2018   #3367
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Mixing my own grow mix is one of my favorite life activity.
YES!
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Old December 23, 2018   #3368
Zone9b
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Brandywine Dark fused blossom tomato. On examination looks like 4 fused into a single tomato. The variety does this with some regularity.
You can see in advance which flowers will produce this kind of tomato. The blossoms look strangely large. I guess that is what is called a mega blossom. I need to take a picture of one next season.
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File Type: jpg Brandywine Dark Fuzed Blossom I.jpg (61.1 KB, 51 views)
File Type: jpg Brandywine Dark Fuzed Blossom II.jpg (43.8 KB, 51 views)

Last edited by Zone9b; December 23, 2018 at 10:06 PM.
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Old December 23, 2018   #3369
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That is huge for a Brandywine dark. Is it Brandywine cherry dark?
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Old December 23, 2018   #3370
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Yes I believe this to what was originally thought to be a cherry. i read a while back that a breeder in Missouri had developed the Brandywine Dark Cherry but that it was thought to be unstable. What I am growing seems quite stable now and grows decent size tomatoes. I'm saving seeds and I'm hoping some others, certainly including yourself, might want to give it a try. It is a very productive and robust plant and produces quite a lot of fruit. I'm guessing that if others that grew in much more disiplined manner, than I, it could very easily produce even larger and more fruit.
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Old December 24, 2018   #3371
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That Brandywine Cherry dark has certainly evolved. I can see if my original seeds purchased from tradewindsfruit.com still germinate and if they do will send the rest to you. Now that I found SunChocola (a hybrid very large cherry) it's doubtful that I will ever grow them.

PlainJane - What pine bark fines are you using? When I tried it, it was either the orchid kind (way too much $) or the ones I found at Walmart but really not fines. I had tried the 5-1-1 formula for one season and couldn't water enough.
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Old December 24, 2018   #3372
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That Brandywine Cherry dark has certainly evolved. I can see if my original seeds purchased from tradewindsfruit.com still germinate and if they do will send the rest to you. Now that I found SunChocola (a hybrid very large cherry) it's doubtful that I will ever grow them.

PlainJane - What pine bark fines are you using? When I tried it, it was either the orchid kind (way too much $) or the ones I found at Walmart but really not fines. I had tried the 5-1-1 formula for one season and couldn't water enough.
Barb, I called around to all the landscapers and stone yards in Jacksonville and got lucky on the second place, Stone Plus. HD, Loews don’t stock them. I’ll check the brand when I get home from work but I noticed it said Starke, FL. They are 3.99 for 2 cf. So not cheap but not crazy either.

They are a very nice size - truly fines - no big pieces in 4 bags so far.
My beef with ‘mini’ nuggets for the rest of the garden has been that some pieces are tree-sized.
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Old December 24, 2018   #3373
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I hear you on the watering, but this past year was exceptionally bad for tomato growing for me. When I started pulling plants I saw nematode infestation on 2 of them, but they all had issues. The only other thing it could be is the soil texture; I think it was too fine and compacted too much.

I’m going slightly heavier on the coco so it’s actually 5-2-1.
If I have to I’ll get DH to water mid-day.
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Old December 24, 2018   #3374
Zone9b
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Barb,
To grow them side by side would surely be interesting, to see how much it has changed, if any. I think it has changed significantly, but side by side would tell the story. I try to choose best tomato from best vine and hope for the variety to become a better tomato given the growing conditions in Florida.
I braved it and planted more Pike Snap Beans on Oct. 14, which is later than Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide suggests to plant them. They’ve done quite well and I continue to eat fresh green beans almost every day. Therefore, it appears that 2 crops of snap beans are doable in the Fall.
Larry
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Old December 24, 2018   #3375
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Barb,
To grow them side by side would surely be interesting, to see how much it has changed, if any. I think it has changed significantly, but side by side would tell the story. I try to choose best tomato from best vine and hope for the variety to become a better tomato given the growing conditions in Florida.
I braved it and planted more Pike Snap Beans on Oct. 14, which is later than Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide suggests to plant them. They’ve done quite well and I continue to eat fresh green beans almost every day. Therefore, it appears that 2 crops of snap beans are doable in the Fall.
Larry
I’m further north and I planted beans Nov. 1st. I hate to give beans up.
Still harvesting but now you can tell the plants are getting unhappy. However, the Fava beans are loving life as are the peas.
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