sammyqc
grub
Urban, small raised beds, Zone 5 (Canada)
Posts: 94
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Post by sammyqc on Aug 11, 2008 20:47:31 GMT -5
I'm back from our annual family camping trip, and I was really hoping my plants would have missed me so much that they'd have tons of ripe tomatoes, but no such luck!
I'm so disappointed with this year. It started off so great, with lots of heat, and rain, and my low tunnels were a great success! Then it just kept raining. We haven't had anything resembling hot weather or lots of sun, so the plants are really suffering. Some of the best looking seedlings when planted are actually now turning black and completely dying. I have some potted (Black Cherry is one, Siberian another) and they are still looking pretty good (knock on wood), compared to the inground ones. Perhaps because they actually get a chance to dry out! We haven't used our air conditioner this summer, which tells how cool it's been. Can't remember the last time it got over 25Celsius - whatever that is in F.
A couple that have done surprisingly well all things considered are Cannabec Rose (I think it originated here in Ottawa, or Montreal, or perhaps Alberta, would have to check), having put out a total of 11 ripe tomatoes so far, and Black Pear put out about 7 so far. But even these plants are starting to show the black stems, and the tips are starting to die off, so I don't think I'll get much more off them. Long Shelf Life (from Mike, who got it from Grungy I believe) looks promising too. Starting to ripen, each of the two plants have about 8 or so maters on them.
We've had one Cherokee Purple (yes, one), and in the taste test, Black Pear won out over it, and C.R.
Anyway, for a tomato year that started out so promising, it's pretty sad!!
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Post by flowerpower on Aug 11, 2008 21:21:29 GMT -5
The rain here (and everywhere) is just ridiculous. All my volunteers have caught up with the seed grown maters. I just hope to pick a ripe one off the vine this yr.
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Post by jtcm05 on Aug 12, 2008 10:46:28 GMT -5
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Post by americangardener on Aug 12, 2008 11:46:23 GMT -5
I'm so disappointed with this year. It started off so great, with lots of heat, and rain, and my low tunnels were a great success! Then it just kept raining. We haven't had anything resembling hot weather or lots of sun, so the plants are really suffering. Some of the best looking seedlings when planted are actually now turning black and completely dying. I have some potted (Black Cherry is one, Siberian another) and they are still looking pretty good (knock on wood), compared to the inground ones. Anyway, for a tomato year that started out so promising, it's pretty sad!! Crappy!! Heil my year is disasterous. This is the worst year in my lifetime for tomatoes. First the weather couldn't make up it's mind if it wanted to be in the 90's or 20's this spring. Then the rain came, then the tornado, then more rain, heat, high humidty, more rain, more rain, flooding, more heat and humidity and then the mildew diseases just to finish anything that survived thru all that and the constant deer attacks since i could never get back in the garden with all that rain. We had only one time that it went a whole three days without rain here. So, yep.. it's crappy all right. Cept for the difference in cold and super hot temps, i think we're both having a bad one. Out of over 14,000 plants started this winter inside.. i got maybe 60 decent plants and that's only cause i got 39 of em in pots on the deck. The rest are more than likely voulenteers from last years rotted tomatoes... seems those are doing better than the ones i poured all that labour and sweat into. Go figure. All those thousands of mosquitoe bites for nothing! And to top it off its across the board.. not just tomatoes.. seems i don't grow many varieties of things that can swim. Weeds seem to love it.. they can stay underwater for weeks with no ill effect.. but, no, not my plants. One or two days underwater and they wimp out. Only thing i'm getting so far is peppers, beans and a couple of cucumbers. And those were even hit hard. Might if i'm lucky get some of those tomatoes to produce eventually, but it's disappointing when i'd of already been harvesting alot of those early ones now. So far, not even one ripe one! Dave |
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LoreD
gardener
Posts: 226
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Post by LoreD on Aug 12, 2008 13:29:48 GMT -5
In Chicago its pretty crappy too. Because of the rain and cold I didn't get my garden in until June 10th. I expected it to take off a little bit but all I've got is some 2-3 ft tomato plants with a few small green tomatoes. It doesn't look like I'm going to get more than a few tomatoes before mid September.  I got some beans and my lettuce is great. No cukes, one squash. Really crappy year. LoreD |
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Post by stratcat on Aug 12, 2008 17:39:30 GMT -5
Yes, it's not such a good year for my tomatoes.
Early blight made them shed lower leaves in June. Then the humidity made loads and loads of my blossoms drop.
Some of my tomatoes in containers on Mom's lawn and at my house get more shade and have set a fair crop.
This was the year I planned to put my canning jars to use. Oh, well...
john
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Post by tomc on Aug 12, 2008 17:58:53 GMT -5
This has not been a good tomato year for Cow-Hampshire. When ever it didn't rain, it was raining more. For August alone we have had X4 (avg is 4" this year 16+"). I may yet break down and buy mulch plastic for future years.
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Post by canadamike on Aug 12, 2008 20:22:28 GMT -5
HOURRAY!!!We had one consecutive day without rain in the last weeks today!!! Out of my 200 plants, I probably have one ripe tomato now!! Maybe... I did not go to the garden today, I was in Montreal. But I'll dream about that tomato all night, maybe I will see her tomorrow 
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Post by stratcat on Aug 13, 2008 13:20:42 GMT -5
And some of my plants that looked so good two months ago stalled. Even some various cherries that grow like weeds. It's like they didn't really take! |
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Post by canadamike on Aug 13, 2008 15:07:19 GMT -5
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Post by juliekru on Aug 13, 2008 18:29:17 GMT -5
Dave,
I'm sorry to hear about your crop because I am having a great tomato year and I think we are somewhat close in location. By the way, your Prescott Fond du Blanc and Noir de Carmes seeds are doing excellent (you should be a proud daddy!!) I'm having problems with the watermelons, which I posted about in the cuke section but other than that we're doing ok. The Japanese Black Triefle and the Aunt Ruby's Green cherry are doing the best of all the tomatoes.
Julie
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Post by landarc on Aug 13, 2008 20:22:16 GMT -5
Weird year here, plants are growing fine, and setting fruit fine, and then they just sit there, green and hard.
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Post by canadamike on Aug 13, 2008 20:39:08 GMT -5
Same here. And many cukes are dying of mildew, wautoma is doing good, english telegraph is past history, white wonder surviving, chicago pickles doing fine, straight eight too. libanese would rather be in lebanon... I think next year we should all do a bit of water chesnuts, just in case ;D and I am not even sure I am kidding, I think I have a spot for them, there is a place I will stop trying to make hills in, it is lower, and no mather how high the hills they only soak up water...
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Post by PapaVic on Aug 13, 2008 22:54:56 GMT -5
Yeah ... we're havin' a really crappy tomato year down here in S.W. Indiana!          I can't wait for this crappy year to end ;D
pv
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Post by canadamike on Aug 14, 2008 0:19:17 GMT -5
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