What did you do in the garden today?

[TerryH]

Question for you veteran tomato people.  I have two strains of tomato (Better Boy & Cherokee Purple) that are splitting on the vine and rotting without ripening.  I've not had these problems with tomatoes bread for southern climates like Arkansas Traveler & Creole.  Romas are growing/ripening.  It's just these two.

Can someone tell me why this is happening?  Can I fix it or are those plants done for the year?

Have you had a lot of rain? I grow Cherokee Purple every year and they are very prone to cracking if they suck up a bunch of water. Sounds like you might have some blossom end rot as well. You can try adding some lime around the plants or spraying the plants with a calcium spray. End rot is often caused by calcium deficiency. Awesome tasting super dark tomato though. The heirlooms always seem to be an ugly often cracked tomato but the taste is worth the ugliness.

 

[AlHawk]

Splitting is usually caused by rain near ripening time . Rapid expansion of the tomato . Not every variety responds the same . So some may split and others will not be affected .

This makes alot of sense since last week we got 6" inches of rain in 3 days. Thx

 

[Rostercogbern]

went to town and of course had to stop at the green house yep more plants sweet pepper salsa pepper and one more set of 4 tomatoes can't wait till the rain stops to plant them

 

[MIRanger]

Before 7:30 this morning watered and harvested. Boy did I harvest. A cuke, zucchini, about a half dozen coolpeños, some blueberries, a couple of cherry tomatoes, and all of our beets. Looks like some yummy salads and such shortly in the future. Will likely harvest carrots and garlic tomorrow. A wonderful morning in the garden.

 

[GardenNut]

I hear ya @Rostercogbern! I have many weaknesses, I'm sure, but two biggest ones are plants and books/magazines. Some women buy clothes and shoes; I buy plants! And unlike clothes, I always like how they fit/look!

 

[chickadoodles]

I am still waiting for our garden to start producing. I may have to start hand pollinating the squash and cucs. I had hoped for something to do it.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I cannot get my carrots to grow. Nit even sprout. This is my second year trying. I know they like sandy soil, is there something else I am doing wrong?

 

[MIRanger]

Sound like your soil is either too sandy out you are using old seed. Aside from that I don't really know.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Our ground tends to be very loamy with some clay. I added sand where I am planting the carrots.

 

[GardenNut]

I cannot get my carrots to grow. Nit even sprout. This is my second year trying. I know they like sandy soil, is there something else I am doing wrong?

Maybe sow some seed in pots with potting soil as a test case?