End of summer mess

b54red · August 17, 2016

As usual the late summer requires some additional chores that I hate.

Cleaning out my greenhouse and getting it ready for fall and winter crops is a real pain. I have to start very early because despite a small air conditioner in it the greenhouse becomes an oven by 10 in the morning making working in it pure torture. I can't believe what a slob I have been since last winter and the total mess I left in there. What I thought would be a one day job has taken a week of early morning cleaning.

Keeping the massive growth of suckers under control on my existing tomato plants in the garden. I don't know what it is about late summer and fall but the plants seem to go into overdrive producing suckers from the base to the top this time of the year and keeping them removed is a near daily chore.

Where did all these big weeds come from? How did I miss them when they were small enough to just pull up for the last few weeks? I guess the Roundup will have to be used one more time cause I am not hoeing that mess.

The really bad thing about cypress mulch is removing it from the beds so you can prepare them for fall planting.

Diseases that are minor problems during the first part of the season seem to take delight in appearing much more frequently this time of the year especially Gray Mold and spot and speck diseases. The frequent rains we have been getting are making fungicides nearly useless most of the time so fighting them is much more difficult.

Oh well, it has been a really good season without any tomato-less weeks so far and some really fantastic tasting tomatoes. Time to get out there and pick off the tomatoes that have burst from the heavy rains and throw away those tiny misshapen bell peppers that are nearly useless right now. I hope the heat will hold off for a few hours so I can get a few things done before meltdown.

Bill

My Foot Smells · August 17, 2016

outside = que sera sera

anxiously awaiting my soil sample results, so I can get busy preparing the soil for next year.

my LFD is almost turkey day, so plenty of time; but best not to wait until the alarm sounds, however, the way LY was it may never freeze. Brother Bill, we need a New England winter to keep the bugs at bay. current rain has brought on the skeeters something aweful.

I like it when the weather is perfect and bug free, those 3 days out of the year are the best.

SharonRossy · August 17, 2016

I had to tackle the mess that overcame me. Couldn't figure out which tomato stem belonged to which plant. And the suckers! Bill, it's so true. I think they pop up from one minute to the next. I keep removing them and topping and they keep on producing. Yesterday I did some hard pruning but I have no choice. When the weather turns, it's turns. There's no second here. I have several fruits ripening inside to avoid carnage by squirrels. I promised myself that I was going to control how many stems per plant, and then it got away from me! Oh well, there's always next year!

b54red · August 17, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by SharonRossy

I had to tackle the mess that overcame me. Couldn't figure out which tomato stem belonged to which plant. And the suckers! Bill, it's so true. I think they pop up from one minute to the next. I keep removing them and topping and they keep on producing. Yesterday I did some hard pruning but I have no choice. When the weather turns, it's turns. There's no second here. I have several fruits ripening inside to avoid carnage by squirrels. I promised myself that I was going to control how many stems per plant, and then it got away from me! Oh well, there's always next year!

Keeping the number of stems under control is probably the hardest thing about gardening because it is so hard to remove a stem with a nice cluster of blooms on it; but if you are too tenderhearted you end up with a tangled mess and few tomatoes.

Bill

August 17, 2016	#1
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	End of summer mess As usual the late summer requires some additional chores that I hate. Cleaning out my greenhouse and getting it ready for fall and winter crops is a real pain. I have to start very early because despite a small air conditioner in it the greenhouse becomes an oven by 10 in the morning making working in it pure torture. I can't believe what a slob I have been since last winter and the total mess I left in there. What I thought would be a one day job has taken a week of early morning cleaning. Keeping the massive growth of suckers under control on my existing tomato plants in the garden. I don't know what it is about late summer and fall but the plants seem to go into overdrive producing suckers from the base to the top this time of the year and keeping them removed is a near daily chore. Where did all these big weeds come from? How did I miss them when they were small enough to just pull up for the last few weeks? I guess the Roundup will have to be used one more time cause I am not hoeing that mess. The really bad thing about cypress mulch is removing it from the beds so you can prepare them for fall planting. Diseases that are minor problems during the first part of the season seem to take delight in appearing much more frequently this time of the year especially Gray Mold and spot and speck diseases. The frequent rains we have been getting are making fungicides nearly useless most of the time so fighting them is much more difficult. Oh well, it has been a really good season without any tomato-less weeks so far and some really fantastic tasting tomatoes. Time to get out there and pick off the tomatoes that have burst from the heavy rains and throw away those tiny misshapen bell peppers that are nearly useless right now. I hope the heat will hold off for a few hours so I can get a few things done before meltdown. Bill

August 17, 2016	#2
My Foot Smells Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Pulaski County, Arkansas Posts: 1,239	outside = que sera sera anxiously awaiting my soil sample results, so I can get busy preparing the soil for next year. my LFD is almost turkey day, so plenty of time; but best not to wait until the alarm sounds, however, the way LY was it may never freeze. Brother Bill, we need a New England winter to keep the bugs at bay. current rain has brought on the skeeters something aweful. I like it when the weather is perfect and bug free, those 3 days out of the year are the best.

August 17, 2016	#3
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	I had to tackle the mess that overcame me. Couldn't figure out which tomato stem belonged to which plant. And the suckers! Bill, it's so true. I think they pop up from one minute to the next. I keep removing them and topping and they keep on producing. Yesterday I did some hard pruning but I have no choice. When the weather turns, it's turns. There's no second here. I have several fruits ripening inside to avoid carnage by squirrels. I promised myself that I was going to control how many stems per plant, and then it got away from me! Oh well, there's always next year!