What did you do in the garden today?

[NightingaleJen]

This is my first year doing serious gardening, and just a few questions for you guys: how the hell do you keep ants away from the raised bed + corn rows; why aren't my (three!!) huge tomatillo plants getting pollinated; what's your favorite heirloom tomato variety and why? Just curious

Welcome!

Not sure about the corn rows, but ants + raised beds seem to be like peas and carrots. Someone the other day suggested dumping a scoop of ants from hill A into hill B and vice versa, which apparently freaks everyone out enough that they all leave. Planning to try it the next time I actually remember to wear gloves into the vegetable garden.

I don't know why your tomatillos aren't being pollinated—are you seeing bees out and about? I've only grown those once or twice, and it was years and years ago.

Finally, as of this year anyhow, Green Zebra forever! I don't even know if it is 'heirloom', actually...but they're zingy good. Black Krim & Paul Robeson, too—they are always a good size and super tasty. If you are planning to put up at all, though, Romas are a great bet because the seeds are so easy to scoop out! After the fourth or fifth pound of tomatoes, that becomes a big deal...

How about you? What are your favourites?

 

[WthrLady]

I don't worry about the corn rows. The birds usually take care of those ants.
The boxes. I use borax bait traps.

Heirloom tomato......hands down the mortgage lifter.

WELCOME!

 

[B40chick]

I picked over my green beans yesterday afternoon. Put up 5 quarts today. Next to them are butter beans starting to bloom. I just put in a hill of cucumbers and planted lady finger peas. One yellow squash plant gives me all the squash I want. And I have a loaded cherry tomato plant. Watered everything today

 

[TopazMaster91]

Welcome!

Not sure about the corn rows, but ants + raised beds seem to be like peas and carrots. Someone the other day suggested dumping a scoop of ants from hill A into hill B and vice versa, which apparently freaks everyone out enough that they all leave. Planning to try it the next time I actually remember to wear gloves into the vegetable garden.

I don't know why your tomatillos aren't being pollinated—are you seeing bees out and about? I've only grown those once or twice, and it was years and years ago.

Finally, as of this year anyhow, Green Zebra forever! I don't even know if it is 'heirloom', actually...but they're zingy good. Black Krim & Paul Robeson, too—they are always a good size and super tasty. If you are planning to put up at all, though, Romas are a great bet because the seeds are so easy to scoop out! After the fourth or fifth pound of tomatoes, that becomes a big deal...

How about you? What are your favourites?

Thanks, glad to find this thread here!
Sounds like a funny idea, with the ants . So far they haven't built any nests in the raised bed, but instead climb up the side and check out my plants, it seems like. They haven't done any damage, but then again there aren't any fruits or veggies to eat yet, just branches and leaves! I did scatter diatomaceous earth around the bottom, but I don't want to have to re-apply it every time it rains, which is all the time in Florida, lol.

There are some bees around here, or at least things related to bees, they just don't seem to care about my profusely flowering tomatillos!
It's really frustrating, three plants three feet tall and nothing growing on them yet, ugh. Never have this problem with cucumbers, squash, or tomatoes!

Speaking of tomatoes, I've never tried Green Zebra or Black Krim, but I've got Paul Robeson, Abraham Lincoln, Black Plum, Pink Brandywine, Speckled Roman, New Yorker, Roma, Pink Oxheart, Pineapple, Kellogg's Breakfast, Pink Honey, and Moneymaker growing at the moment (wow, I forget how many varieties I have growing!) . I do want to try Green Zebra sometime, or some other green-when-ripe; never had one before! I've become obsessed with tomatoes, they're so easy to grow, so delicious, and extras become sauce- what more could anyone ask for . I've gone with staking and single-stemming indeterminates lately, much less disease and pest issues for me in hot humid Florida. Works well for most varieties I've tried it with so far, except pink brandywine, only three fruits on a three foot tall plant, lol.

I don't worry about the corn rows. The birds usually take care of those ants.
The boxes. I use borax bait traps.

Heirloom tomato......hands down the mortgage lifter.

WELCOME!

The ants won't try to actually eat any corn on the plants, will they? That's what I'm worried about, besides stepping on and over mounds of ants, haha.

I've heard of mortgage lifter, it's a large beefsteak type, right? How are the yields per plant? I'm trying to find a good heirloom with good yields and disease resistance in my climate, Florida is very humid, very wet in summer, very hot, and bugs galore.

 

[katiefloy]

hi everyone. cool and rainy here today. looks like rain for the next week or so. i finally received my zinnia, cosmo, and milkweed seeds. i am starting them in seed trays so i don't accidentally weed them. my neighbor brought me some black opal basil seeds today, which i also started in a tray. the extras in the flower packs i will plant directly in the garden and hope i don't accidentally pull them. i also let the chickens out during a break in the rain. picture of olaf the delaware. she was feeling cuddly today.

 

[igorsMistress]

I would give her some more time alone to make sure she loses her status in the pecking order. Then try re introducing her.

X 2. Completely blocked off so they can't see each other for about a week.

 

[NewBoots]

Good luck getting rid of the blossom end rot. Honestly, that is one of the most disappointing things about tomato gardening. At least it is relatively easy to fix once you spot it, though. Usually.

I really hope so. Only the zucchini are showing it so far but I want to get in front of it. I am just getting my first tomatoes and I would feel terrible if after all this work I didn't get good fruit.

Someone the other day suggested dumping a scoop of ants from hill A into hill B and vice versa, which apparently freaks everyone out enough that they all leave.

Oh now I want ants in my raised beds so I can try that!

Watered everything today

The light shining through the water! That picture is just beautiful!

There are some bees around here, or at least things related to bees, they just don't seem to care about my profusely flowering tomatillos!
It's really frustrating, three plants three feet tall and nothing growing on them yet, ugh. Never have this problem with cucumbers, squash, or tomatoes!

I understand that bumble bees are the best pollinator for tomatoes, maybe they are for tomatillos too? Ours love borage and salvia.

Cleaned the fridge and made the grocery pick up. Mowed the lawn and nearly broke the mower on a huge rock hidden in the tall grass. I'll finish that area with the weed eater tomorrow.

 

[karenerwin]

Got up early and got all the grass cut except for a big patch of clover that I left for the bees. I planted the purple petunias and the other flowers I bought yesterday. I also planted the 2 egg plants (either today or yesterday).
I cut down a tree that was blocking the sun from my raspberry patch. I am hoping that they will start doing much better now. We'll see. I also cutout more invasive honeysuckle and some kind of vine with lots of very sharp thorns!
1 of my tomatillo plants has 4 or 5 tomatilloes on it!
The other plant has a lot of flowers but no fruit yet.

Thursday morning I am going to a friend's house to help her dismantle the greenhouse that came with her house. I am hoping to bring home enough glass panes/panels and vents to be able to build a small greenhouse for myself! I guess I better get to bed, it's after midnight here!

 

[pennyJo1960]

goodluck getting enough glass for your own greenhouse

 

[TropicalBabies]

Aloha gardeners,
So sorry you had to do the dirty @igorsMistress . I find it heartbreaking too and do much of what @WthrLady said. Thank them and hope I did my best by them. I do try hard for sure.

How is your back today @Sueby ? You hanging in there?

K. I thought tomatoes were a perfect bloom and self pollinated by the wind. I've never seen a bee on mine, I do bump them if it is too still. I also have never taken off blooms because I am not necessarily growing for size and I don't have lots of room for lots of plants. But if i was, I probably would eliminate some blooms. When it gets too hot/humid here my toms can't pollinate, it sticks and/or dries. Just a little tomato pollen trivia

Well, Rosie hatched 10 out of 12 eggs last eve and this morning. I see some of Bruce's babies so I separated the chicks as soon as they woke up, climbing through neighbors junk pile to get to them of course... thank you Rose. Rose sat on top of brooder, on the hose holder (unplugging the heating pad) under the brooder all day long and attacked me every opportunity she had. Such a hormonal mess... poor thing. This eve I put her in the cat carrier and gave her three chicks that I don't want. That made all of the weird chicken noises and reactionary chicken noises quiet down, thank goodness. It was starting to sound like a bizzar jungle out there.
Only watered the yard today. I discovered that my chickens discovered the cherry tomatoes- think i mentioned they found the volunteer toms- but my shy pullet was seen raiding the cherry toms that I seeded and caged. I was wondering what was taking them so long. All else is good. Warm but good.
@TopazMaster91 I am very surprised that you can grow all of those heirloom varieties in Florida. I don't even waste my time here, it's bad for my self esteem lol. I love my Heilani and Kewalo and Sweet 100's. none of which are heirloom but they work and i don't waste time or space. IDK, summer is brutal here on the West side of Kauai. I regret planting my last set of tomatoes, really should spend my time doing other things beside fighting the elements... Summer always gets me in a funk . At least it is mango season, that part is good, that and south swells .
K. All, have an awesome day!!!