125 replies to this topic

[Abbylovi]

Problem. My tomato plants are growing flowers but the majority are dying and dropping off. What can I do about this?

Factors to consider:

-- It's been raining near constantly here.
-- Apart from lots of compost in the beginning, I haven't fertilized.
-- Sun could be better. I was able to move one plant and will move one or two more but the sun this year won't be great. Next year I'm going to try and angle for a better plot.

[GG Mora]

Problem. My tomato plants are growing flowers but the majority are dying and dropping off. What can I do about this?

Factors to consider:

-- It's been raining near constantly here.
-- Apart from lots of compost in the beginning, I haven't fertilized.
-- Sun could be better. I was able to move one plant and will move one or two more but the sun this year won't be great. Next year I'm going to try and angle for a better plot.

I'd say the constant rain is your problem. At least yours are flowering – mine won't even grow. At least the peas and lettuce are happy.

[Abbylovi]

Damn rain. Thanks.
Yes looks like I"m going to have a bumper crop of parsley. Yay.

[galleygirl]

Damn rain. Thanks.
Yes looks like I"m going to have a bumper crop of parsley. Yay.

My parsley is doing great, for once. I got Fred to move three hostas (Hosta; attractive perennial or loathsome waste of good garden space~discuss...) and have a bigger area in the sun this year. I actually have tomatoes already, on the cherry plants, but I'm getting early blight from the rain. I fungicided two days ago, will do it again this weekend...
Befroe that, in a brak in the rain, I saw Aphids, or whitefly, one of those little things, and bombarded with insecticide.

[robyn]

Flyfish - I'd be careful with that bird net (maybe try a finer mesh). It can trap a lot of unsuspecting butterflies/moths. Does it actually keep the groundhogs away? We don't have groundhogs here - just 'coons - armadillos - moles and the like. And that mesh wouldn't deter them for 5 seconds. Robyn

[mongo_jones]

six of my seven tomato plants have fruit. three of the six pepper plants have fruit, and the other three are coming out of suspended animation as well. the herbs are thriving. life is good.

[tsquare]

5 of 5 tomato plants are setting fruit. The Stupice is started to color up!
Shell peas are still best as an in-garden treat. I've thought that since I was 6.
5 of 5 volunteer squash plants are setting fruit and flowering giant gorgeous (and tempting) flowers. I'd say we got winter squash here, and so far, they look like little round pumpkins. Still hoping for something more kabocha like (I know, they are pumpkins too, but they are so much better for eating).
I think the other two winter squashes that I planted will make it - a delicata and a turban.
The greens are starting to bolt - all this sunshine!

Good thing we have a nearby Farmer's Market to round things off.

[flyfish]

Flyfish - I'd be careful with that bird net (maybe try a finer mesh). It can trap a lot of unsuspecting butterflies/moths. Does it actually keep the groundhogs away? We don't have groundhogs here - just 'coons - armadillos - moles and the like. And that mesh wouldn't deter them for 5 seconds. Robyn

It worked last year with no problems. We have a ton of crows this year that are serving to keep most of the smaller birds away (alas). I think now perhaps it was a rabbit that may have been at the choy (one was in our yard yesterday eating clover). There is usually someone here and the planters are close to the door, so any fuss gets noticed.

[galleygirl]

Just sacrificed a Sugar Gold, or whatever those sweet, yellow cherry tomatoes are called. Bottom leaves had early blight, and the fruit was starting to ripen. Clearly, it was diseased. I ripped it up and got rid of it before it spread to the others. That happedned with the same variety last year...

[Rail Paul]

Just sacrificed a Sugar Gold, or whatever those sweet, yellow cherry tomatoes are called. Bottom leaves had early blight, and the fruit was starting to ripen. Clearly, it was diseased. I ripped it up and got rid of it before it spread to the others. That happedned with the same variety last year...

do you plant your tomatoes in the same place every year? I've been rotating them between two separate plots, which seems to have reduced blights, etc

[Lauren]

I've planted some arugula and lettuces for the first time. My lettuces are doing great but my arugula bolted (is that what it's called when it gets really leggy and flowers) almost immediately after planting. I clipped any flowering stalk thinking that it would grow back more bushy but that's not happening. It just keeps sending up woody, flowering stalks. Can I save this? Am I doing something wrong? Or should I pull it out and put in more lettuces instead?

[GalPalJoan]

I ate my first Sungold from my own plants this morning. It's also in the RTBC category.

[flyfish]

I've planted some arugula and lettuces for the first time. My lettuces are doing great but my arugula bolted (is that what it's called when it gets really leggy and flowers) almost immediately after planting. I clipped any flowering stalk thinking that it would grow back more bushy but that's not happening. It just keeps sending up woody, flowering stalks. Can I save this? Am I doing something wrong? Or should I pull it out and put in more lettuces instead?

Yes, it seems to have bolted. Try planting again and putting it in a somewhat shadier spot, or maybe plant it in a container that you can move around a bit. Or maybe plant a mesclun mix that has arugula in it.

[Lauren]

I've planted some arugula and lettuces for the first time. My lettuces are doing great but my arugula bolted (is that what it's called when it gets really leggy and flowers) almost immediately after planting. I clipped any flowering stalk thinking that it would grow back more bushy but that's not happening. It just keeps sending up woody, flowering stalks. Can I save this? Am I doing something wrong? Or should I pull it out and put in more lettuces instead?

Yes, it seems to have bolted. Try planting again and putting it in a somewhat shadier spot, or maybe plant it in a container that you can move around a bit. Or maybe plant a mesclun mix that has arugula in it.

Thanks! I finally figured out that I had it in too sunny of a spot - too late of course! I like the idea of a mix with arugula in it so I think I'll go that route.

[galleygirl]

Just sacrificed a Sugar Gold, or whatever those sweet, yellow cherry tomatoes are called. Bottom leaves had early blight, and the fruit was starting to ripen. Clearly, it was diseased. I ripped it up and got rid of it before it spread to the others. That happedned with the same variety last year...

do you plant your tomatoes in the same place every year? I've been rotating them between two separate plots, which seems to have reduced blights, etc

I actually put them in a new spot this year!
I have heavily sprayed with copper, which had two days on the plants before our latest downpour...We'll see...