Trying To Get Setup For Some Tomatos

Flip: What a beautiful garden you have there.

TPlant: I have all my seeds already for this upcoming spring/summer, I have a few tomato seeds left from last year and will try and use those along with the ones I bought for this Spring and Summer.

joy

We have had some cold nights rangeing in the 30's attimes but all survived.

TPlant: We have had some frosts up here lately, usually you notice in the morning as there is frost on everything; so, all we can do right now is dream about our Spring/Summer gardens and lick our chops while we look at yours. LOL
joy

I spoke to soon about not loseing any plants because of our recent cold snap. Four plants suffered damage and I destroyed them as I don't want any weak plants as they soon will become infected with desease. Had to go to Home Depot and replace them. Sorry that I have been so slow posting anything but my health has really slowed me down and this week I had appointments with three different doctors but the the news was very good on all counts. Still have one more appointment this week with my rheumatologist as my shoulders have become painful. He will give me a painless injection in my left shoulder and another in my right a week later. Can not do both as it would be dangerous to my health.

TPlant: Yes, these cold snaps and warm bouts throw us all in a tizzy. Usually it's great weather where you are right now, not too hot and just right. Up here, we get a mild winter that bites into the bone. Have you ever tried Pink Caspian? It has beaten Brandywine out on taste tests in Calif for the past 10 years and I grew it last Spring/Summer and thought the taste was excellent myself. Of course, I prefer the beefsteak type, and thus Burpee's Porterhouse has quickly become a favorite of mine, as it produces huge beefsteak type tomatoes and not just a few either, but a bunch.
joy

Right now I'm worried if my tomatos survived last nights freezing temperatures. It went below freezing for several hours and the weather bureau predicted a "hard freeze" for all of So Fl except the Keys. I'll know more this afternoon. Temp at this time is way up to 57 degrees.

TPlant: This is the start of my hibernation period which will last til February and then I'll go crazy with my getting the plants started in the house and preping of my gardens, too cold til then end of Feb to do anything else. I'm really looking forward to seeing your toms here this year. Can't get a hold of Boca Bob anymore and although I do still have some of the coco coir seed starting blocks, and his 2 seed starter kits, I ordered a new coconut coir seed starter kit, the Hot House Plus, not as sturdy as the ones I got from Bob, by far. It uses coir pellets though, much like the peat pellets. I also ordered some 1 steps made of coconut coir from Park's. I do have some Sea Magic left over from last Spring/Summer; but have to order some more Merrill's compost tea bags, they are great and I also ordered some Agloflash for tomatoes. I was thinking perhaps adding some Agloflash to the reservoirs of the EBs and e-buckets????? What do you think? I always use the compost tea to hydrate my coir with.

I did buy some Bug B Gon Max by Ortho for Lawn and garden insects, isn't that what you suggested? It comes in a red bottle, I got the concentrate. I'm still going to order up the beneficial nematode package for my flower beds and garden; but, wanted to be sure I had something that I could trust on hand also til the nematodes had time to work, as they won't be applied until this Spring. Any suggestions will help here.
joy
joy

Sure! To control ants spray the base of all EBs and containers and also spray with a fine spray on your plants. No need to drench them. That will do more harm than good. As far as mixing in fertilizer directly into the resevoir, I don't know. EB people say not necessary but try a little in a couple of EBs and experiment.

TPlant: Thanks for the comments. I received my Agloflash for tomatoes today and it makes 100 gallons, I might put a capful into each reservoir and see what happens. I capful makes a gallon; but, maybe if I use a capful in the reservoirs it will help a bit. Did you ever grow tomatoes in NY when you lived there? The reason I ask is that my house is full of furniture and I was contemplating, having a cold frame built and using it for my tomatoes in February when I start my seeds. I've never used a cold frame before and it sure is a lot cheaper than greenhouses.
joy

Yes I did but only hybrids as the season was short. Not that I can grow great heirlooms the weather has turned against me. Tonight and tomorrow night we are going below or at the freezing level. I don't know if my tomatos can stand another hit???? This has been the worst for cold weather. It is unheard of that the temperature has been this cold for the Tropic of Cancer of which I am right on the line.

Oh, my goodness, TPlant--you've really had some challenges with your weather. Can you throw a big towel or blanket over them to protect them from the frost? I'll keep my fingers crossed that your plants come through OK.

Oh, it's been unbearable here. I have the heat on in the house, it's Central A/C/Heat type, so dummy me forgets it's cold outside until I open the door to go outside without a jacket on, brrrr! This friend of mine told me her daughter has a hole she dug in the ground where she grows her veggies in, and just covers it up in the really cold weather. And my having that aluminum framed glass door sitting around doing nothing, has me thinking like gymgirl hey? LOL
joy

Mom & Joy --- My plants are to big to cover at this time. I lost four plants. Two Bradley's( new for me too) and Two Husky Cherry Red. Replaced the Huskies just in time for last nights freeze although It was to be in the high 30's? Will see by tomorrow. The tomatos that I do have, have frost spots and must be destroyed. Wonder how Flip is doing??

TPlant--can't you just remove the frost-damaged leaves? If the root system is healthy and hasn't frozen, wouldn't the plant recover?

So sorry you've had such a tough start to your growing season.

TPlant: Some folks around here have given me some ideas for protecting plants through the winter. They fill buckets with water and place near thier fruit trees to keep them warm. As the sun is absorbed by the water and lets off heat. Also; the Fl extension has said that if you spray your plants with water it will freeze up and protect the plants. Me, myself have a cold frame in mind, Walmart sells two of them, and one looks pretty reasonable. I do have an aluminum door with glass in it; and concrete bricks; but, by the time I hire someone to make a cold frame for me, it would have cost me more for that then to have just bought one at the 30% off price Walmart is having one theirs. The one I'm thinking over for a few days first before splurging is $54.99; it has a clear adjustable poly carbonate cover and is 18" H x 41" W x 22" D, just don't know how many 6" pots I can fit in there. I have decided to pot my tomato plants up into 6" pots whenever they show their first two leaves. And also; thought about starting them around the first week of February, for an early April planting? What are your ideas on this?

If it gets really cold I could always bring them back into the house right? And won't the cold frame protect them up to around 22 degrees?

joy

As far as cold frames are concerned I've not had any experience with one as I have no need down here. I don't break off the dead leaves as I let nature do the job because I may damage the plant.

TPlant: It's decided, I'm going to get the cold frame the single one, as it's 33% off, and at $54.99 a good bargain, and will put it on my deck outside which is not a covered deck, the sun comes up in the front of my house (where my deck is), and I will seed start my maters the first week of Feb instead of the second week.

I also surprised myself, as back in July and August when we all dug up our potatoes from the smart pots, I had quite a few small ones, too small to eat, so put them in a few plastic groceries bags and forgot about them until tonight! Some of them have roots about 6 inches long! We do our taters here in February or as early as Jan 14, so, I think I might try and make these my seed taters in a few weeks.

joy