Tomatoes

[chkva]

I had to hand pollinate my squash last year to get any! Squash is usually something people can't give away by the end of the year! LOL

Here's hoping for a better growing season this year.

I've got spaghetti squash growing for the chickens and my family. I'm sure we will have had it with squash by fall time.

This better be a good growing season, it's the first time in years that I've planted over 100 different plants. Hoping for enough to can!

 

[Nelson-Collier]

i am growing four Roma tomato plants and four Beefsteak tomato plants. There are two Romas that have a tomato on them, but it seems like the flowers on the Beefsteak plants are not developing and are falling off. Is this a pollination problem? What should I do?

Heres the solution to your problem. Frost damage will drop the blossoms. I doubt that is the case. Heat won't do it, really. It's calcium deficiency.
Here is your solution:
1.
Mix 2 Tablespoons of EPSOM SALT with 1 GALLON OF WATER.
Shake it up very well, and water your plants being affected. Not too much. Water with plain water afterward to get it mixed well into the soil. Do this once every month.

2.
Add crushed egg shell. Everytime I plant my tomatoes I put a handful of crushed eggshell under the root system.

3. Add oyster shells.

3. Make sure they aren't too watered. Water them once every 3 - 5 days (depending on the heat) extremely thorough. I do this every year and end up with a surplus of tomatoes, plants, and peppers! People generally come to me with simple help and solutions like this.

 

[katiebrock]

Heres the solution to your problem. Frost damage will drop the blossoms. I doubt that is the case. Heat won't do it, really. It's calcium deficiency.
Here is your solution:
1.
Mix 2 Tablespoons of EPSOM SALT with 1 GALLON OF WATER.
Shake it up very well, and water your plants being affected. Not too much. Water with plain water afterward to get it mixed well into the soil. Do this once every month.

2.
Add crushed egg shell. Everytime I plant my tomatoes I put a handful of crushed eggshell under the root system.

3. Add oyster shells.

3. Make sure they aren't too watered. Water them once every 3 - 5 days (depending on the heat) extremely thorough. I do this every year and end up with a surplus of tomatoes, plants, and peppers! People generally come to me with simple help and solutions like this.

Thank you!

 

[Nelson-Collier]

Thank you!

Your welcome! Glad I could help!

 

[Acre4Me]

Add crushed egg shell. Everytime I plant my tomatoes I put a handful of crushed eggshell under the root system.

You can also amend soil with Bone meal, which I buy at the end of the season when the stores are trying to get rid of the surplus amendments. Also, gypsum is another common amendment that provides calcium, without changing pH, whereas Limestone will change the pH. Egg shells are easy, of course.

I have a test plot going with tomatoes and peppers. I planted them in my partially decomposed compost pile. The compost pile is partially degraded mulch, some grass, and nearly a year's worth of whole lot of coffee grounds, tea bags (ripped open), and egg shells. Tons of worms too. I added soil to the holes I dup in the compost pile, and planted a few tomotaoes and peppers. We will see if these do any better than the ones in the raised beds of dirt.

3. Add oyster shells.

Easily found in the chicken feed aisle. I've added some to the planting spots this year to see if this will help my tomatoes, as they did poorly last year.

3. Make sure they aren't too watered. Water them once every 3 - 5 days (depending on the heat) extremely thorough. I do this every year and end up with a surplus of tomatoes, plants, and peppers! People generally come to me with simple help and solutions like this.

LOL! This is a difficult year to NOT overwater. So.Much.Rain.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

It has been rainy recently but I have a sprinkler system that I use to water them every morning. I live in on Georgia and it has been hot and muggy.

From what I've heard you only need to water your tomatoes every two days depending on rain and how much rain. Is this not true?

 

[Bettyboop7499]

I believe you are right. Since I first posted this thread, I realized they may be getting too much water, and now I water them every other day or so. I added some egg shells I have been saving, and that seems to have done the trick! I have tons of tomatoes! Now I am just trying to figure out how to keep all the bugs off.

That's great! I can't wait for tomatoes! I didn't notice the date on the thread...you're quite a bit ahead of me in the growing season down in GA. We didn't have our last frost until after May 20th!

 

[katiebrock]

That's great! I can't wait for tomatoes! I didn't notice the date on the thread...you're quite a bit ahead of me in the growing season down in GA. We didn't have our last frost until after May 20th!

Yep, and it sure has been hot down here! Our last frost was about a month before that.

 

[Acre4Me]

Hey, I didn't know there was a gardening spot on this chicken forum! Awesome! I'm a tomato FREAK! Check this out! I dare anyone to guess what kind of tomato this is! View attachment 1857853

I’m growing “pruden’s purple”, but I don’t think it gets purple before turning red.

 

[Acre4Me]

Nope. This variety isn't 'Pruden's Purple'.

Online, the purple tomatoes that come up are heirloom Ukraine tomatoes - the most prevalent results. Also, Cherokee Purple tomatoes come up.