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One thing the black plastic mulch does is to speed the warming of cold winter ground and gives commercial growers of squash and cukes, etc a head start. There is a CD friend of mine told me of this in the far north. I think they had a small scale commercial cantaloupe crop. The worst thing about using plastic is its disposal. I know not how or where commercial berry and veggie growers dispose of theirs but a small amount is easy to recycle here. I only use a three feet wide roll on top of the raised ridges and then covered with wheat straw after warm weather. The middles were done in wheat straw very early to stop the weeds. The ground I had would bake like cement in the summer. Sweet potatoes would look like FrankenSP's after taking the shapes of the cracks in the ground. On a hunch I used the black plastic on them. To my delight the ground stayed soft and moist all summer long. A neighbor was curious as to what I was doing at the start. He went back and tried it too. At digging time I saw him walking down the street toward me with a bucket grinning like the cat that ate the canary. He was carrying one hill of SP's still on the vine. Over 13 lbs from one plant. We had use a proper blend of fertilizer by guess for the amount. 6-24-24 which is a common analysis or corn starter. I lost track of him only to read his obit a few months ago.
We are frost free 12 months of the year and planting can be done year round if you account for heat and humidity and whether the crops require some cool nights.......and real temperant cool weather crops are a challenge and dont like it here too much.
Nomadicus, I can't rep you again but that was a great post about tomatoes.
I always stake mine the old fashioned way with old sticks/stakes and tied with narrow pieces of old sheeting. Someone mentioned using pantyhose, that would work too.
As you said, keep them evenly watered, especially when they start to flower and produce little tomatoes. If you don't you'll get those split tomatoes. Fertilize them a lot once they start flowering and use the right proportion of nutrients in your fertilizer. This is the one instance that I deviate from organic--I use Miracle Gro for Tomatoes. I think it's 18-18-21.
This year mine are in containers so they're drying out fast in the heat. But in the ground, I used to use straw around them. You just dig it into the ground at the end of the season. Keeps the weeds down and the moisture in.
Yes I use miracle grow too. I used to have some Peter's 10-30-20. Great product but can't find it anymore. High P for the blooming and root development and adequate K for stem strength. K is important when moisture levels and fruit size. What ever a plant takes from the ground should be put back in the same ratio. I use compost heavily but not for the nutrient value. It serves another purpose. Not matter the source of the plant food it has to break down into ionic form. If there is no organic matter or clay the nutrients leach downward out of the root zone. The author of Organic Gardening stated long ago, "No matter the source all plant foods have to be in the same form before it can be utilized by plants."
I didn't read that but caught it on a YouTube video a year or two ago. Organic matter serves another purpose. Here in FL it helps retain moisture also. Where I had a large commercial garden for the locals It was greatly needed to loosen the heavy clay soil so air and water could get down into the root zone. I don't know how long it takes for an egg shell to break down in the soil but I've been thinking about putting some in a pot of natural soil and monitoring it. Finely ground limestone takes up to a year to provide calcium. Citrus growers put it out by the tons in the fall for the following years crop. I've heard the remarks made over the years about why do I have blossom end rot after I put egg shells around the plants. I think I know but need to test that theory. I know that some plants can use a long slow release organic form of nutrients but some are short lived and need it very quickly. Lettuce, radishes, summer squash, cukes, to name a few. A common mistake by beginners is to use a high content nitrogen fertilizer on beans and peas and then they get a lot of growth in vines but they set little in seed pods. Legumes make their on N. The old Indian method of a trilogy was to plant rows of corn, climbing beans between the corn stalks, and them winter squash/pumpkins in the middles to shade the ground from the sun. I've never done it but it is logical all three crops would compliment each other. One note about bugs on tomatoes, hot pepper mixes don't work. I have had firry hot peppers devoured by bugs. They like spicy hot too. If we plant it, they will come.
We are frost free 12 months of the year and planting can be done year round if you account for heat and humidity and whether the crops require some cool nights.......and real temperant cool weather crops are a challenge and dont like it here too much.
We at most had one frost on the central east coast this year. Inland I saw signs of a hard winter kill. While we have the mild to very hot weather year round, some plants take more than that. They are aimed at specific hours of daylight to produce. Onions for example, short day, long day. Hot summers can be managed for a few plants. One thing that our hot weather provides for is OKRA. The plant love of my life. Cabbage must have cool days to head up. Soybeans don't grow and produce in South Florida because the days are to short. Above I-10 there have been some testing of soybeans. Yields no where near that of black dirt beans of the mid west. One oddity I learned the hard way. Grow watermelons on our sand not the black dirt of the Mid West. I tried it and I swear those melons tasted like mud. I had some big black diamond melons on bottom land silty sand and some near the house in black dirt. Same year. Same treatment. I never planted another melon on black gumbo type dirt again. One last thing about tomatoes, it is more than just sunshine and frost free days. Tomatoes will not pollinate if temp is to low or to high. I don't remember the range but I know that there are a few varieties that produce in cooler weather and some for the southwestern heat. Counting the days until I have even if it is small a garden again on dirt instead of sand.
We at most had one frost on the central east coast this year. Inland I saw signs of a hard winter kill. While we have the mild to very hot weather year round, some plants take more than that. They are aimed at specific hours of daylight to produce. Onions for example, short day, long day. Hot summers can be managed for a few plants. One thing that our hot weather provides for is OKRA. The plant love of my life. Cabbage must have cool days to head up. Soybeans don't grow and produce in South Florida because the days are to short. Above I-10 there have been some testing of soybeans. Yields no where near that of black dirt beans of the mid west. One oddity I learned the hard way. Grow watermelons on our sand not the black dirt of the Mid West. I tried it and I swear those melons tasted like mud. I had some big black diamond melons on bottom land silty sand and some near the house in black dirt. Same year. Same treatment. I never planted another melon on black gumbo type dirt again. One last thing about tomatoes, it is more than just sunshine and frost free days. Tomatoes will not pollinate if temp is to low or to high. I don't remember the range but I know that there are a few varieties that produce in cooler weather and some for the southwestern heat. Counting the days until I have even if it is small a garden again on dirt instead of sand.
We r are in south Texas and just planted some okra when peppers halted their production because eco the excessive heat. Would like to hear about your experience with okra.
We r are in south Texas and just planted some okra when peppers halted their production because eco the excessive heat. Would like to hear about your experience with okra.
Last year we planted 200 or so 3 gallon nursery pots to okra. Some one plant, a few two plants per and some 3 plants per. 3 was to many, 1 it got to tall. None planted this year because of to many conflicts. Okra is highly susceptible to nematodes. If you know that you have them in the ground use pots unless you can get the natural nematode remedy. There is such a thing as friendly nematodes that eat the bad nematode. At least that is what I've been told by reliable sources. Water okra early morning on the ground. Don't use over head irrigation. Overhead irrigation will cause the pods not to get pollinated. Morning rains are hard on okra production. As far a veggies go okra is a main crop for some farmers along the southern gulf coast. There is a lot of research from the southern universities online. I'm a rare fan of okra. To me it is good any way except raw. I have to tell the BBQ joints to burn my appetizer of fried okra as they have no clue what it is supposed to be like. Okra also pickles well. If you want to freeze it do a dry blanch on a cookie sheet in the oven. I don't remember the temp and time but it should be online. A favorite way of ours is to cook a pot of black eyed peas with a few pods laid out on the top for the last 20 minutes or so. That okra will go down faster than a raw oyster. Cayenne pickled okra is great as it is not slimy or slick at all but rather crisp like a bread and butter pickle. The health benefit of okra is from the fiber. Other nutrients I don't know. To get larger diameter pods when they are still short and tender I use potassium nitrate. Low nitrogen with high potassium. Decades ago an old FL farmer shared that with me. The normal variety of okra heard most about is Clemson Spineless. There are large podded okras with what is known as cow horn okra. Those pods can get much larger and still be tender.
One thing I left off. Never fertilize okra at planting time with elemental fertilizer. It has very tender roots while young. Let it get a few sets of secondary leaves then feed it.
Last edited by Nomadicus; 07-06-2016 at 07:42 PM..
Reason: Plain out forgetful.
Yes I use miracle grow too. I used to have some Peter's 10-30-20. Great product but can't find it anymore. High P for the blooming and root development and adequate K for stem strength. K is important when moisture levels and fruit size. What ever a plant takes from the ground should be put back in the same ratio. I use compost heavily but not for the nutrient value. It serves another purpose. Not matter the source of the plant food it has to break down into ionic form. If there is no organic matter or clay the nutrients leach downward out of the root zone. The author of Organic Gardening stated long ago, "No matter the source all plant foods have to be in the same form before it can be utilized by plants."
I didn't read that but caught it on a YouTube video a year or two ago. Organic matter serves another purpose. Here in FL it helps retain moisture also. Where I had a large commercial garden for the locals It was greatly needed to loosen the heavy clay soil so air and water could get down into the root zone. I don't know how long it takes for an egg shell to break down in the soil but I've been thinking about putting some in a pot of natural soil and monitoring it. Finely ground limestone takes up to a year to provide calcium. Citrus growers put it out by the tons in the fall for the following years crop. I've heard the remarks made over the years about why do I have blossom end rot after I put egg shells around the plants. I think I know but need to test that theory. I know that some plants can use a long slow release organic form of nutrients but some are short lived and need it very quickly. Lettuce, radishes, summer squash, cukes, to name a few. A common mistake by beginners is to use a high content nitrogen fertilizer on beans and peas and then they get a lot of growth in vines but they set little in seed pods. Legumes make their on N. The old Indian method of a trilogy was to plant rows of corn, climbing beans between the corn stalks, and them winter squash/pumpkins in the middles to shade the ground from the sun. I've never done it but it is logical all three crops would compliment each other. One note about bugs on tomatoes, hot pepper mixes don't work. I have had firry hot peppers devoured by bugs. They like spicy hot too. If we plant it, they will come.
I remember Peter's. I haven't seen it in years.
I've been putting egg shells in my compost pile for years. Since I haven't had a compost pile for a few years, I just smash them or grind them in the blender and dig them in around the plants. Same with the coffee grounds, tea leaves and little bits if vegetables.
While there might be some nutrients in compost, I've largely used it as a soil texturizer. You can't put enough compost on clay. I've also added peat moss, coir, expanded shale and vermiculite. Anything and everything.
Why do you have blossom end rot? Or, why do you think you have blossom end rot?
Blossom end rot is caused by yo yo moisture in the soil and lack of calcium from what I remember. Most state ag colleges have a ton of information on such. The tomato starts to turn as in ripening early just on the blossom end and then rots. One summer it was wet and we hardly got enough to can for ourselves. It is easier to water a little than try to dry them out. Sudden heavy rains will cause lots of damage to multiple vegetable crops. Thirsty plants over drink and burst. Even citrus on the trees. Cabbage and tomatoes are some of the worst to split from my experience.
Interesting. I've never had to deal with blossom end rot, so I don't know much about it. I have had tomatoes split after a torrential rain. They're still tasty.
Last year we planted 200 or so 3 gallon nursery pots to okra. Some one plant, a few two plants per and some 3 plants per. 3 was to many, 1 it got to tall. None planted this year because of to many conflicts. Okra is highly susceptible to nematodes. If you know that you have them in the ground use pots unless you can get the natural nematode remedy. There is such a thing as friendly nematodes that eat the bad nematode. At least that is what I've been told by reliable sources. Water okra early morning on the ground. Don't use over head irrigation. Overhead irrigation will cause the pods not to get pollinated. Morning rains are hard on okra production. As far a veggies go okra is a main crop for some farmers along the southern gulf coast. There is a lot of research from the southern universities online. I'm a rare fan of okra. To me it is good any way except raw. I have to tell the BBQ joints to burn my appetizer of fried okra as they have no clue what it is supposed to be like. Okra also pickles well. If you want to freeze it do a dry blanch on a cookie sheet in the oven. I don't remember the temp and time but it should be online. A favorite way of ours is to cook a pot of black eyed peas with a few pods laid out on the top for the last 20 minutes or so. That okra will go down faster than a raw oyster. Cayenne pickled okra is great as it is not slimy or slick at all but rather crisp like a bread and butter pickle. The health benefit of okra is from the fiber. Other nutrients I don't know. To get larger diameter pods when they are still short and tender I use potassium nitrate. Low nitrogen with high potassium. Decades ago an old FL farmer shared that with me. The normal variety of okra heard most about is Clemson Spineless. There are large podded okras with what is known as cow horn okra. Those pods can get much larger and still be tender.
One thing I left off. Never fertilize okra at planting time with elemental fertilizer. It has very tender roots while young. Let it get a few sets of secondary leaves then feed it.
We just planted ten in a new raised bed. I have no idea if we have the nematode problem, what should we watch out for? Ours are still seedlings with no true leaves yet. Can't wait for it to grow and enjoy the 100 degrees heat we currently have
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Cayenne pickled okra is great as it is not slimy or slick at all but rather crisp like a bread and butter pickle. The health benefit of okra is from the fiber. Other nutrients I don't know. To get larger diameter pods when they are still short and tender I use potassium nitrate. Low nitrogen with high potassium. Decades ago an old FL farmer shared that with me. The normal variety of okra heard most about is Clemson Spineless. There are large podded okras with what is known as cow horn okra. Those pods can get much larger and still be tender.
