Calling Tucson/Southern Arizona Gardeners

desertlzbn · May 3, 2011

How are your gardens growing?
Mine is just blooming. Tomatoes growing and blossoming, Squash blossoms wide open in the mornings, cucumbers growing up the vines like crazy.

I will post pictures tomorrow if I can, so all you early planters let us know how you are doing!

Well wishes, and lots of veggies!
Sammiek.

brismith70 · May 3, 2011

Garden is thriving. Weather has been great so far. It's been really mild.

tuk50 · May 4, 2011

I will try and get some pics up this week... I'm a bit cooler than you two... I garden east of Catalina, Az. My nights still are dropping down enough to slow growth. Burpee's Steak Sandwich Tomato is the only one showing a set fruit, but a number of them are blooming just this week. Trying a new squash for me this year called Spacemiser and it seems to love the cool nights and warm days.. already picked 3, 6in squash from it. Pole beans just started sending runners...planted 50 sweetpotato sets last week and they have taken off and all have new leaves on them...

flyingbrass · May 5, 2011

I'm in Glendale, very similar weather to Tucson. Temperatures this year have been all over the place. Alternating hot and cold, windy, etc. This is the first year I've ever turned the heater back on after firing up the A/C. And I've lived here for 40 years.

Several nights ago the low on my back porch was 47. Today's high was 99.

My plants are doing pretty well, I guess. I planted March 1. The tallest is to the top of a Texas Tomato cage. Almost all are loaded with blossoms. I was getting a lot of blossom drop, but more have been setting now that I know to shake the plants a couple times a day.

On May 1 I counted how many tomatoes had set so far. Many more will soon, I hope. Of my 15 plants of bigger varieties, 45 fruit had set. The winner was a Cherokee Purple with 8. Tied with 5 each are two other Cherokee Purples and a KBX.

A Sweet 100 cherry planted much later had 24.

My 2 potted Sophie's Choice plants had 29 total.

My first plant in the ground to set was an Eckert Polish, which I noticed on April 12.

Zucchini plants have grown like crazy. They started blooming about a week ago. My peppers (20 in the ground) are doing ok. Most have some peppers set. Today I harvested the first ones (slightly prematurely, but I was hungry): a sweet banana and a cubanelle.

desertlzbn · May 5, 2011

Anyone else having a whitefly problem?

I have tried soap, Neem, hort. oils, and DE.
to NO avail.
I am still trying though.
I just counted how many tomato plants I planted this year 70, yup thats right I have officially lost my mind!
It was 42 on Monday night and today we had a high of 102 in my back yard.

tuk50 · May 5, 2011

Flyingbrass, you just described my weather this year... on days when the temps are good the wind beats the plants up...... and on days when the wind is good the temps go back in the 40's ....

Now it will probably go above 100 everyday till this fall...

desertlzbn, I went totally organic about 5years ago and as a by product.. I decided not to bring any commercial plants into my garden ie. peppers, tomatoes, cabbage etc... and much to my suprise I have not seen a whitefly in two years and very very few aphids.. it actually was unexpected .. I hadn't thought about it before, but now I don't even buy premixed potting soil.. I mix my own, with all the ingredients found at Home Depot or Wally World... not only is it much cheaper this way, but I'm convinced my plants are doing better ... and the garden as a whole...

desertlzbn · May 5, 2011

I don't bring any other plants in either. I use SUNSHINE mix which is a professional potting mix for my seedlings.
I live next to other gardeners who do buy plants this way though. Not much I can do about that!
Anyway i am going to go up to ARBICO and get some green lace wing eggs. I great success with that last year with battling my mealy bugs.

desertlzbn · May 5, 2011

That is DE in that pic. NOT seven dust!

tuk50 · May 6, 2011

Great pics... I really miss the warmer climate in Tucson... I lived at Orange Grove for 25years them moved to Oro Valley ... a bit cooler there, then out here in the same valley as ARBICO ... It is the greatest change so far.. My bush squash are just now starting to produce and it is because I start them in the greenhouse to save a few weeks... I feel for you with the gardens too close... it makes it hard to save some seeds as well as the bugs that fly over the fences.... Out here it's very hard to get an early crop of tomatoes as the nights are very cold here then now when the nights start to get above 55deg the days start hitting the 90's..

Last week I lost a couple of okra sprouts a couple of potatoes and some leaves on one of the squash..the temp was supposed to be in the upper 30's, but not here.

flyingbrass · May 6, 2011

I planted 2 Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes from the store. If I had planned better I would have started a different cherry myself. Everything else in my garden I started from seed. Seems like the best way to go, particularly after reading some horror stories here.

Tuk50, I'm afraid you're right. We'll be into the 100's or close pretty much from now on. I'm in a cold/hot spot here. Lows at my house get colder than reported for "Glendale," and highs usually a bit warmer. I've triple checked my thermometers. High here today was 102. Good news is more tomatoes have set since I checked on May 1. I'm still shaking the plants several times a day.

Since this is my first year growing indeterminates, and most are supposed to grow rather large size tomatoes, I'm not sure what to expect. How late do they tend to continue setting and producing before the heat ruins things?

Desertlzbn, nice pics. I envy how much garden area you have. I'd probably grow 70 tomato plants too if I had that much room. Why not? Now, 70 zucchini plants, I'd label you a complete wacko.

I'll be picking my first zucchini tomorrow. This year I'm growing heirloom zucchini from Stover, labeled simply "Dark Green Zucchini." Not very descriptive. I had a hard time getting the seeds to sprout, which is unusual, and they are dated 2010.

It's different from what I usually grow (whatever seed packets local nurseries or box stores have available). So far, it doesn't have any of that white tinge on the leaves, which IIRC I read some time ago is a genetic trait that becomes expressed in response to bug damage, or something odd like that. It's not powdery mildew.

Anyway, these things have huge orange flowers. My zuc flowers were usually more yellow. These are orange and a good 5-6" across when fully open. If it tastes good and works well, I'll save some seeds.

I partially ringed my little zucchini bed with nasturtiums, which supposedly help repel squash bugs. Every year, without fail, they've come in and eventually killed my plants. Usually, by then I'm so sick of zucchini I don't really care. But this is an experiment.

flyingbrass · May 6, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuk50

I hadn't thought about it before, but now I don't even buy premixed potting soil.. I mix my own, with all the ingredients found at Home Depot or Wally World... not only is it much cheaper this way, but I'm convinced my plants are doing better ... and the garden as a whole...

What ingredients do you use for potting soil? Box stores seem to carry slightly different products in different parts of the country. If you've found a good mix of stuff available here in AZ, please share.

brismith70 · May 6, 2011

Up here in Chandler, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week are supposed to be nice and cool. Highs in the upper 70s to mid 80s. Lows in the mid 50s to low 60s. I can only guess at what that means for the southern Arizonans. The rest of the 10 day forecasts looks like highs of low 100s and lows of 60s.

The recent warm weather and extra water has all of my tomatoes setting extra blooms. I only hope that they can ripen before the real heat kicks in at the beginning of July.

I have two raised beds with a 3:2:1 mix of MG Potting Soil, Bark Fines and Pearlite. It drains really well and I have to water a little extra. I got all of my soil supplies from Lowe's. It is the same mix that I use in containers. Everything seems to thrive in it.

tuk50 · May 6, 2011

I have had great luck with jiffy mix mixed 70/30 with perlite for seed starting ... I use the 72cell trays and it is very fine and light .. so it works well in filling those small cells. I have always used Home Depot's cheap potting soil mixed with my composted Horse poop and perlite for the repotting, but right now I just got coir from amazon that I will experiment with mixing 50/50 with jiffy mix this summer from a suggestion here on this forum and found a recipe on the garden web forum that is on the same principle as brismith's with larger particles of bark fines as the main ingredient and am very curious about it... I will know more about it later in the summer. As you probably know its such a balancing act here to have well drained potting soil and not something that will dry out in just a few hours in our heat.

brismith70 · May 6, 2011

For the record and giving credit where credit is due, I got my potting mix recipe from Ray Newstead (Raybo) on the container gardening forum here on Tomatoville.

I have seen the ingredients for Al's mix on garden web. Over at the container gardening forum on Garden Web, they are kinda snobby about using Al's recipe and only Al's recipe for planting everything. For the most part, I agree with their theories, but I don't necessarily agree that one can use only the ingredients that they suggest and nothing else. I think that there are other ways of accomplishing their goals with other products. Only once I told them that I live in the Phoenix area did they lighten up on me about their mix recipe. I agree with Tuk50. There is a delicate balancing act between drainage and water retention.

mmcd75 · May 6, 2011

My stuff is going crazy. My tomatoes are loaded with fruit, peas and beans are covered and the garlic and onions is finally getting ready to be harvested. Peppers are growing so fast you can almost watch them grow. My native squash has leaves that are about 12 inches across. I think this is going to be a great year.

May 3, 2011	#1
desertlzbn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tucson Posts: 659	Calling Tucson/Southern Arizona Gardeners How are your gardens growing? Mine is just blooming. Tomatoes growing and blossoming, Squash blossoms wide open in the mornings, cucumbers growing up the vines like crazy. I will post pictures tomorrow if I can, so all you early planters let us know how you are doing! Well wishes, and lots of veggies! Sammiek.

May 4, 2011	#3
tuk50 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tucson, Arizona (catalina) Posts: 413	I will try and get some pics up this week... I'm a bit cooler than you two... I garden east of Catalina, Az. My nights still are dropping down enough to slow growth. Burpee's Steak Sandwich Tomato is the only one showing a set fruit, but a number of them are blooming just this week. Trying a new squash for me this year called Spacemiser and it seems to love the cool nights and warm days.. already picked 3, 6in squash from it. Pole beans just started sending runners...planted 50 sweetpotato sets last week and they have taken off and all have new leaves on them... __________________ Hangin on for dear life!

May 5, 2011	#6
tuk50 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tucson, Arizona (catalina) Posts: 413	Flyingbrass, you just described my weather this year... on days when the temps are good the wind beats the plants up...... and on days when the wind is good the temps go back in the 40's .... Now it will probably go above 100 everyday till this fall... desertlzbn, I went totally organic about 5years ago and as a by product.. I decided not to bring any commercial plants into my garden ie. peppers, tomatoes, cabbage etc... and much to my suprise I have not seen a whitefly in two years and very very few aphids.. it actually was unexpected .. I hadn't thought about it before, but now I don't even buy premixed potting soil.. I mix my own, with all the ingredients found at Home Depot or Wally World... not only is it much cheaper this way, but I'm convinced my plants are doing better ... and the garden as a whole... __________________ Hangin on for dear life!

May 6, 2011	#9
tuk50 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tucson, Arizona (catalina) Posts: 413	Great pics... I really miss the warmer climate in Tucson... I lived at Orange Grove for 25years them moved to Oro Valley ... a bit cooler there, then out here in the same valley as ARBICO ... It is the greatest change so far.. My bush squash are just now starting to produce and it is because I start them in the greenhouse to save a few weeks... I feel for you with the gardens too close... it makes it hard to save some seeds as well as the bugs that fly over the fences.... Out here it's very hard to get an early crop of tomatoes as the nights are very cold here then now when the nights start to get above 55deg the days start hitting the 90's.. Last week I lost a couple of okra sprouts a couple of potatoes and some leaves on one of the squash..the temp was supposed to be in the upper 30's, but not here. __________________ Hangin on for dear life!

May 6, 2011	#13
tuk50 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tucson, Arizona (catalina) Posts: 413	I have had great luck with jiffy mix mixed 70/30 with perlite for seed starting ... I use the 72cell trays and it is very fine and light .. so it works well in filling those small cells. I have always used Home Depot's cheap potting soil mixed with my composted Horse poop and perlite for the repotting, but right now I just got coir from amazon that I will experiment with mixing 50/50 with jiffy mix this summer from a suggestion here on this forum and found a recipe on the garden web forum that is on the same principle as brismith's with larger particles of bark fines as the main ingredient and am very curious about it... I will know more about it later in the summer. As you probably know its such a balancing act here to have well drained potting soil and not something that will dry out in just a few hours in our heat. __________________ Hangin on for dear life!

May 6, 2011	#10
flyingbrass Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Glendale, AZ 9b Posts: 90	I planted 2 Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes from the store. If I had planned better I would have started a different cherry myself. Everything else in my garden I started from seed. Seems like the best way to go, particularly after reading some horror stories here. Tuk50, I'm afraid you're right. We'll be into the 100's or close pretty much from now on. I'm in a cold/hot spot here. Lows at my house get colder than reported for "Glendale," and highs usually a bit warmer. I've triple checked my thermometers. High here today was 102. Good news is more tomatoes have set since I checked on May 1. I'm still shaking the plants several times a day. Since this is my first year growing indeterminates, and most are supposed to grow rather large size tomatoes, I'm not sure what to expect. How late do they tend to continue setting and producing before the heat ruins things? Desertlzbn, nice pics. I envy how much garden area you have. I'd probably grow 70 tomato plants too if I had that much room. Why not? Now, 70 zucchini plants, I'd label you a complete wacko. I'll be picking my first zucchini tomorrow. This year I'm growing heirloom zucchini from Stover, labeled simply "Dark Green Zucchini." Not very descriptive. I had a hard time getting the seeds to sprout, which is unusual, and they are dated 2010. It's different from what I usually grow (whatever seed packets local nurseries or box stores have available). So far, it doesn't have any of that white tinge on the leaves, which IIRC I read some time ago is a genetic trait that becomes expressed in response to bug damage, or something odd like that. It's not powdery mildew. Anyway, these things have huge orange flowers. My zuc flowers were usually more yellow. These are orange and a good 5-6" across when fully open. If it tastes good and works well, I'll save some seeds. I partially ringed my little zucchini bed with nasturtiums, which supposedly help repel squash bugs. Every year, without fail, they've come in and eventually killed my plants. Usually, by then I'm so sick of zucchini I don't really care. But this is an experiment.

May 6, 2011	#12
brismith70 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cambridge, MA Posts: 71	Up here in Chandler, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week are supposed to be nice and cool. Highs in the upper 70s to mid 80s. Lows in the mid 50s to low 60s. I can only guess at what that means for the southern Arizonans. The rest of the 10 day forecasts looks like highs of low 100s and lows of 60s. The recent warm weather and extra water has all of my tomatoes setting extra blooms. I only hope that they can ripen before the real heat kicks in at the beginning of July. I have two raised beds with a 3:2:1 mix of MG Potting Soil, Bark Fines and Pearlite. It drains really well and I have to water a little extra. I got all of my soil supplies from Lowe's. It is the same mix that I use in containers. Everything seems to thrive in it.

May 6, 2011	#15
mmcd75 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 41	My stuff is going crazy. My tomatoes are loaded with fruit, peas and beans are covered and the garlic and onions is finally getting ready to be harvested. Peppers are growing so fast you can almost watch them grow. My native squash has leaves that are about 12 inches across. I think this is going to be a great year.