Veggies!

Speaking of tomatoes, I'm getting mighty upset. First, my 'Beefsteak' transplants turned out to be Plums. Now, I tasted the first few Cherries, not sure of the variety, but not Super 100, and they were very thick skinned and not very sweet. Might be a total wipe-out. Will not buy from that place again next year.

Dave - and that third arm really comes in handy. Once you have kids, all the messages are bad.

We made the grave error (for us) of trying Sweet One Million last year and ripped them out fast enough. We hated them and this year went back to our old favorite, Sweet 100: yummy!

I think I meant Sweet 100. Love them.

The problem with evaluating Messenger is that I didn't proceed scientifically--I've sprayed everything. No control group. That said, I do notice that this year's crop of sprayed annuals and perennials are healthier and larger than last year's. I can't vouch for my veggies, since my garden for them is new this year.

I'm getting an idea of how difficult it is to be scientific!

Dave! Your kids! Too funny!

I don't have a veggie garden. I'm still struggling to keep up with my perennial garden. I want a veggie garden, especially after reading this thread. Yum!!

I have a little starter blackberry plant from Yankee Cat and one tomato plant from Pirl. Both are doing well, but the tomato only has two flowers. What can I do to help it along?

Harper

Among the cherry tomatoes, Orange Santa (AKA: TZ4111 F1 Hybrid) is a disapointment. The fruit looks even better than the pictures. First one were ripe 65-70 days from setting out. Plants are over ten feet tall. Slightly more prolific even than Sungold. But they are juiceless and tasteless. Looks like an excellent tomato for shipping. If they were round and not oblate, you could play ping pong with them. I wonder if they ever really ripen. Pick then when they first turn a nice bright orange or leave them on another two weeks and the taste is identical.

Sara's Galapagos, Sungold, Black Cherry, Jaune Flamme and Earl's Faux are in the same row and taste great. Has to be TZ411 F1 itself.

Pirl, what was the problem with Sweet Million? I tried it this year, and it was one of the first to produce fruit, and seems quite productive. Not as tasty as SunGold, but ok. Only drawback: takes too much room on the label to write all those zeros.

David - you do keep good garden records!

Harper: they should be taking off for the skies by now. Mulch well and give it a drink of Miracle Gro Tomato food.

We cross posted, David. I don't know what the problem was with the One Million but it was such a total disappointment. Such tough skins and totally horrible flavor compared to Sweet 100, which I've grown since 1987 or '88. I'd never again try a tomato to the extent of deleting one we know we love.

The blackberries will produce NEXT year. They bear on second year wood.

Okay Pirl!

Update - I have concluded that the Topsy Turvy planter is more effort than it's worth. In full sun - necessary for most veggies - it has to be watered very often because it does not hold that much soil. Because it's high, I have to get the watering wand just for that. The same plants I'm growing in them are doing MUCH better in my raised boxes.

Thanks for the first hand and honest report on your experience with them.

No problem. I had high hopes for it.

"High" being the operative word.

Thanks, Victor for the info. I was going to get them for next year guess I'll pass on them.

You're welcome.

Victor, I tried a homemade topsy-turvy tomato planter this year made out of a milk carton with its bottom cut out. The mini tomato I planted in it is doing ok, but a similar one in a pot has twice as many fruit, so I echo your conclusion. However, it may be worth keeping next year just for the shock value it gives guests when they see it!

Thanks Don. Well if you can run a tubing line up to it for watering, it might not be so bad. They do sell a larger version, which would probably work better, but then the weight becomes an issue.

It's official. At least one of the "summer squash" I planted is a zucchini.

Hey Victor!

I am interested to know 2 things. What type of peach trees have you grown that have such delicious sounding fruit? Also, I am in Southern
Maine so maybe Pixie has an idea?

Also, Victor - you mentioned Viburnum with berries? I have a 4 year old Viburnum "Blueberrry Muffin" and for the last 3 years it has had lovely hard blueberry color berries in the fall that the birds love. Do you have that one? This year however, something has eaten all of the leaves off of this mature bush and when I looked to see the culprit it seemed to be a very skinny, very tiny black worm? Any ideas? It started leafing out again at beginning of July but now is being eaten again. It looks horrible. Guess no berries this year!!! Any idea?

Also guys - peach tree suggestions! Thanks a bunch!

I am also growing organic in 3 raised beds which were filled with organic seaweed/compost (Winterwood Farm) - great stuff! I also have a fourth bed that this year have tried for the first time CORN!!!!, brussel sprouts and edamames.

The other veggies I have are tomatoes sungold, big boy, some plums, carrots, 3 kinds of lettuce, swiss chard ruby and golden, lots of basil, sweet peppers,. I have also surrounded my tomatos plants this year with calendula and it is so pretty and really keeps down the weeds. I will try to take a picture to show you. I have yet to see a hornworm so I wonder if they are helping. I hate those nasty critters. I have interplanted some tall sunflowers with my squashes, pumpkins and melons for the first time and they are about to flower any time now. I've got to take some pictures. One of my raised beds I plant only cut flowers (annuals). Anyway, not enough time in a day and I always have to extend my perenniel beds or mulch or weed. I try to get the kids involved (teens) and some days I am lucky depending on what social event they have going on for the day (dontcha know..........) I do remember when I was that age....

Hi mm,

Just have the one peach tree. Not sure I have a record of the variety - I don't think there's a tag on it. Your local extension office can tell you what will do well in your area.

I'm impressed with all your veggies. How big and deep are your raised beds? Wish I had more room to have more.

Yes I do have 'Blue Muffin' and had lots of berries this year. The birds like them but at least there were enough for me to see this year. They are much darker than the photos I had seen. Actually not a great fan of this Viburnum because the flowers smell so horrible!

mmmm edamame..I eat those like candy!

Well - here are some tomatoes almost ready! This pic is with my new camera -Canon Power Shot A570IS. Nice camera that will fit in my pocketbook. Not a comfortable camera to do all my flower shots though. Will be great for everything else!

Here are some peppers.. Sweet Antohi Romanian that I got here http://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/veggies/sweetpeppers.html .

Those tomatoes look so tempting. I'll have to check on ours.

Do you roast any of the peppers, Anita?

I had a tuna salad last night made with my own 'maters and zucchini!

Sounds yummy Cat.

If this thread is getting slow for dial-ups, let me know and I'll start another.

VIctorgarden....I'm waiting for a "What Veggie do I plant now?" thread. Even checked a nursery today to see if they had any left over anything I could toss in the ground to have something to eat with the tomatoes now that mildew got the squash and cukes. I knew I should have diversified my portfolio. But I couldn't say no whenever someone mentioned another tomato variety they couldn't do without (and I still think 30 kinds and 52 plants wasn't enough. Everyday I read of another one I don't have that is just the bestest tomato ever).

David - are the plants getting mildew on all the leaves or just the bottom, the top, or where?

Soon it will be time to plant Broccoli and a few others for fall crops.

pirl....started on the bottom and spread. Plants were gone within two weeks. But, as I mentioned, I had a good run. They began producing in early June. Here is the photo again:

http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=3795519

Notice the white splotches on the lemon cuke leaves in the lower right hand corner.

This message was edited Aug 2, 2007 2:57 PM

Oh-oh - I have those splotches on my zucchini! Anita - anything I can do about it?

Sorry, David. Seems like the tomatoes must have declined rather fast for you.

pirl....only the squash got hit thankfully. Tomatoes, just ten feet away, are well...take a look:

AYankeeCat...I can tell you from first hand experience, doing nothing didn't stop it. Took about two weeks total from what you see at the link above until no more squash or cukes were being set.

This message was edited Aug 2, 2007 3:23 PM

DAVID'S JUNGLE.

Actually they all look good. How many freezers do you own?

pirl....let's see....er....my freezers can hold.....hmm...if I make sauce...about the output of one or two plants--that leaves only 96% to 98% of what I planted to deal with.

Been perfect weather this year for tomatoes. Really lucked out the first year growing. Everyone tells me last year the rain and humidity knocked half off their usual production.

I have roasted peppers before - but I haven't harvested any of these yet. Yankee..I'm not sure what to do about spot ...

David - what contingency emergency plans have you made for harvest time?