***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Tika75]

You've never depended on a windmill for cattle water in August have you?

Shhhh. Trying to scare the non-Okies. LOL

Hi, Would appreciate any advise as I haven't really gotten any tomatoes for the last two years (got a few Arkansas Traveler cherry tomatoes last year but that is all).

I have raised bed gardens and large pots for tomatoes and purchased Red beefsteak, Arkansas Traveler, Roma, Summer Set, and Super Sweet 100 (the last two are supposed to be heat tolerant, which I have gotten for the first time this year). Last year my plants grew huge but the flowers wilted and died, and cut worms were eating leaves (kept taking them off and smashing them). So I have been trying to research growing tomatoes here in Oklahoma (I have lived here 25+ years and didn't used to have trouble but land has changed a lot since then).

Last year I used organic dirt in pots so didn't add an fertilizer. I had them on our patio where they did get sun but were somewhat shaded as well. Looked up websites on google and said if flowers shriveled and died probably too hot, and perhaps couldn't pollinate because of humidity. Don't have any compost so added stuff like Back to Nature compost, aged cow manure to the soil. Is that good enough, or do I need to add something else? Then I read about putting tinfoil or toothpicks around the tomatoes so cut worms couldn't get on them ... has anyone tried this? Are you successful growers putting fertilizer on them, and if so, for how long; and what kind?

My husband uses an Epsom salt mixture to spray on the plants plus uses some in each hole when planting. http://www.garden.org/articles/articles.php?q=show&id=68 --- "Apply 1 tablespoon of granules around each transplant, or spray a solution of 1 tablespoon Epsom salts per gallon of water at transplanting, first flowering, and fruit set.

 

[CLSranch]

Hi, Would appreciate any advise as I haven't really gotten any tomatoes for the last two years (got a few Arkansas Traveler cherry tomatoes last year but that is all).

I have raised bed gardens and large pots for tomatoes and purchased Red beefsteak, Arkansas Traveler, Roma, Summer Set, and Super Sweet 100 (the last two are supposed to be heat tolerant, which I have gotten for the first time this year). Last year my plants grew huge but the flowers wilted and died, and cut worms were eating leaves (kept taking them off and smashing them). So I have been trying to research growing tomatoes here in Oklahoma (I have lived here 25+ years and didn't used to have trouble but land has changed a lot since then).

Last year I used organic dirt in pots so didn't add an fertilizer. I had them on our patio where they did get sun but were somewhat shaded as well. Looked up websites on google and said if flowers shriveled and died probably too hot, and perhaps couldn't pollinate because of humidity. Don't have any compost so added stuff like Back to Nature compost, aged cow manure to the soil. Is that good enough, or do I need to add something else? Then I read about putting tinfoil or toothpicks around the tomatoes so cut worms couldn't get on them ... has anyone tried this? Are you successful growers putting fertilizer on them, and if so, for how long; and what kind?

They can survive a 35 degree night and come back as beautiful plants, just plum perty. Anything under 45 can strongly hinder the later production no matter how the plant looks. I keep mine inside and switch to a bigger pot when it's like this. 60 for the low last month 39 2 nights ago. And I LOVE horse poop for everything. It doesn't have to age.

 

[Matt in Okla]

Hi, Would appreciate any advise as I haven't really gotten any tomatoes for the last two years (got a few Arkansas Traveler cherry tomatoes last year but that is all).

I have raised bed gardens and large pots for  tomatoes and purchased Red beefsteak, Arkansas Traveler, Roma, Summer Set, and Super Sweet 100 (the last two are supposed to be heat tolerant, which I have gotten for the first time this year).  Last year my plants grew huge but the flowers wilted and died, and cut worms were eating leaves (kept taking them off and smashing them).  So I have been trying to research growing tomatoes here in Oklahoma (I have lived here 25+ years and didn't used to have trouble but land has changed a lot since then).

Last year I used organic dirt in pots so didn't add an fertilizer.  I had them on our patio where they did get sun but were somewhat shaded as well.  Looked up websites on google and said if flowers shriveled and died probably too hot, and perhaps couldn't pollinate because of humidity.  Don't have any compost so added stuff like Back to Nature compost, aged cow manure to the soil.  Is that good enough, or do I need to add something else?  Then I read about putting tinfoil or toothpicks around the tomatoes so cut worms couldn't get on them ... has anyone tried this?  Are you successful growers putting fertilizer on them, and if so, for how long; and what kind?  

They are a lot using miracle grow n such but I don't think they taste right. It takes watering more often in containers, they don't get the fog n dew moisture, and the heat evaporates it quicker than soil. It's gotta cool down enough at night for things to work right on tomatoes too. Them couple of hot years we had a bit back I pulled my containers inside at night so they would make n turn. Chicken poo mixed in water is good gotta be careful running it straight cause it will burn them up though. Cow/horse is better but horse sweet feed seems to grow other stuff that didn't get digested.
Dunno these are just my experiences.

 

[therarebreed]

Any one with experience in hatching goose eggs?

We found an "Accident" in one of our cow pair pastures...a Canadian goose egg. There are several pairs that frequent our ponds, but none have a nest nearby...especially not in a pasture with 30 curious rambunctious young calves.

If I can hatch it, I'm hoping Lucy and Goosey, the Canadian pair, will adopt an orphan. They frequent a feeder near our barn. While Lucy nests across the road, they bring their goslings to our farm to raise. We have numerous ponds and pasture they prefer.

I'm wondering if I could slip it under one of the broody hens to incubate it or need advice on incubator settings. I have a Hovabator I could use.

we're hatching goose eggs for the first time. We were told to let them cool down once a day for a few minutes and mist them with water. So far so good, but we haven't made it to the end yet.

 

[NanaKat]

Tomatoes in raised beds are all we grow. In the fall the beds get a 2-3 inch dressing of aged compost made from cow manure, chicken litter and hay in the lot by the barn. This is turned in and left to mature.
In the spring, two months before setting out tomatoes and peppers, we cart the deep litter in the hen house out to the garden beds and spread it over the beds. This ages on the beds with the spring rains and becomes a great mulch.
When we set in the plants, I pull back a little, set the plant and then push it back around the plant.

I don't use commercial fertilizers.

Since you don't have compost this year, mix bagged aged cow manure with your chicken litter....add peat moss for more humus. A wheel barrow is a good mixing container. (Try half a barrow of chicken litter, half a bag of cow manure and about a 12 inch block of peat.) mix and spread on the bed and turn it in. This mixture reduces the ammonia in the litter that burns your plants.

Oklahoma red clay has lots of nutrients but not enough humus to keep the soil loose and friable for the roots to penetrate deeply enough to utilize the nutrients. The humus helps retain moisture. You can add gypsum to the soil to help "soften" the soil too.

Water for plants in raised beds should be an inch a week. A 4' X 16' x12" bed can be watered with a 50 foot soaker hose laid in the bed in a pattern of three rows. I cover the hose with a couple of inches of compost or wheat straw.

Indeterminate tomato vines need support to keep blooming and setting fruit. When temperatures reach 90 degrees, the blooms won't set. Heat tolerant varieties do help lengthen your fruit set. Plants that make it to late summer when the temps drop, will give a fall crop.
Tomato cages that are 4 foot tall may not give you enough height but any support needs to be sturdy. We use cattle panels hung on t post set in the beds. We then tie up the plants on each side of the panel.

Tomato horn worms were prolific last year as were corn ear worms and cut worms. Hand picking the first two helps. They make good fish bait and treats for the birds. Cut worms feed at night. Depending on the diameter of the plant stem, you can use 3 inch sections of plastic straws. Slit the tube lengthwise and slip it around the stem like a tree wrap. Push it into the soil about 1/2 inch ... this keeps the pesky caterpillar from wrapping around the stem to munch on it. Another choice is toilet paper and paper towel tubes cut to length. These need to be taped to keep their shape. Tin foil can damage tender stems.

Varieties of tomatoes successful the past several years are Celebrity, Rutgers, Heinz, Mortgage Lifter, Jet Star, Cherokee Purple, Park's Whopper, Brandywine, Italian paste and Porter cherry. I'm trying Marion this year too.

 

[limited25]

Thanks for the advise on tomatoes everyone, I really appreciate it. Think I need to made one more raised bed too.

 

[Poco Pollo]

Our niece is traveling through the mail for a grade school geography project. She sent herself to me, and I documented her visit. Tomorrow, Paper Amelia goes back home with a package of photographs of her visit to the farm. The teacher requested post cards, but I couldn't find anything that would help kids understand what a farm in Oklahoma is like. I decided that photographs would make more sense to the grade schoolers. Here's Amelia after helping me collect eggs.

 

[Elwood Lightfoot]

Was sent this on FB thought I would share it here

https://www.facebook.com/Countrifie...183684177199/1203498059679087/?type=3&theater

 

[Matt in Okla]

Was sent this on FB thought I would share it here https://www.facebook.com/Countrifie...183684177199/1203498059679087/?type=3&theater

Bhshahaga eggs probably taste like grey poupon and must be eaten with a silver spoon

 

[Tika75]

Was sent this on FB thought I would share it here

https://www.facebook.com/Countrifie...183684177199/1203498059679087/?type=3&theater

Inside wouldn't be bad but outside the feed would get wet. I do think it is cute.