Category Archives: tomatoes

My First Tomato Worm – Ever! and Hugel Kultur Bed 3 Years On

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tomato worm wasps

I was examining the tomato vines that seem to be everywhere, and found … my very first tomato worm … EVER!  I’ve always planted marigolds and basil with my tomatoes, but this year those plants got overrun with the tomato vines.  I was concerned at first, but then noticed that the worm was covered with wasp larvae.  They will take care of the worm.  Nature taking its course.

 

At the Dig Deep growers conference in Fort Worth this past weekend, I re-established contact with the organizers of the Community Harvest garden in Plano.  I visited on Sunday, and took a tour.  Of note was a hugel kultur bed that is about 3 years old, and going strong. My tour guide mentioned that the bed was placed flat on the ground, and that next time they would dig a trench in which to place the wood branches that form the base component of the bed.

hugel cuuc 3 yr

Tips and Tricks – Garden Pests

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Following are some things I recommend in my classes.  I like to use non-toxic and easy-to-use solutions to pests.

 Borage planted with tomatoes repels worms

Marigolds planted with tomatoes repels root knot nematodes

Nasturtiums and tansy are reported to deter squash bugs

Some have luck with planting icicle radishes around the squash plants to deter those pesky squash bugs.

Plant lots of rosemary for mosquito control; also yarrow, lavender and mint.

If tomato plants are turning yellow, it may mean lack of magnesium. Dissolve 2 TB epsom salts in a gallon of water, put in a hand sprayer and spray the leaves (top and bottom) of tomatoes – peppers, too. About a week later, if the tomatoes are still not responding, mix the same amount and use to water the tomatoes/peppers.

To repel pests eating plants (e.g., basil, sage, peppers), boil red pepper flakes in water. Strain into a spray bottle and add about 1-2 tsp of dish soap (preferably 7th Generation or Ivory Soap). Shake and spray on the plant leaves.

For fire ants, boil orange peels in water with some whole cloves. Strain into a jar and add the same amount of water.  Pour on the mound. May have to repeat after about a week. It makes the ants go away.

 

Garden Musings

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Snce this hot time of the summer is more like the doldrums – it’s hard to get energy up to go out into 100+ degree heat, even to water the plants that are surviving.  But the tatume squash I wrote about last time is thriving!  One squash gives me two meals.  And it is still sending tendrils outward and blooming.  Definitely going to be on my list for next year!

The okra I planted is doing pretty well – I just didn’t plant enough of it!  It is a long-podded okra, that doesn’t get woody when it is over 2-3 inches long.  I like it, especially when I cut a pod in the morning, slice it and fry it up with my fresh-from-the-next eggs!  Yum.

I have been flicking my tomato blossoms whenever I had a chance – but the plants are just taking a break.  Why flick the blossoms?  Tomatoes are wind-pollinated.  That means that vibrations release the pollen.  Bees and other insect pollinators are not needed.  A couple of years ago my daughter asked why, when her plants bloomed as much as mine, I had more tomatoes – it is because I flicked them.

I was watching the lantana, which is heating loving and blooms like crazy in the Texas mid-summer heat, and saw a butterfly moving from blossom to blossom.  Then it would start to fly away, but turn around for just another drink of the nectar.  Must have been pretty tasty, because that butterfly kept working the blooms on that plant for about 15 minutes.  A long time.  Note to self…more lantanas.

 

 

Drought Planting Technique Works in Flood….and Carrots

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A few weeks ago, I wrote about planting techniques that worked in drought conditions.  Now it’s apparent that heavy mulching also works in flood.

A garden columnist recently recommended that gardeners just pull their spring tomato plants and give up until fall planting. The reason was that so many tomato plants were suffering from the abundance of rain, and suffering from fungus and other ills caused by wet conditions and wet feet.

Tomatoes may 2015

However, as you can see from the pictures, tomatoes planted using heavy mulch – and in some cases only mulch – fared quite well and are flourishing and producing tomatoes.  The tomato plant in my straw bale also is doing well, blooming and getting ready to put forth tomatoes.  In addition, my container tomato just yielded a lovely cluster of cherry tomatoes.  It is not suffering either.

The secret?  DRAINAGE.  As long as the days are long, there are a reasonable number of days in the 80s, and the plant’s feet are wet, the tomato will be just fine.

 

What about fall tomatoes?  There are a couple of ways to achieve this without going out and buying new transplants (although it’s nice to support local businesses).

First, June is the time to start seeds so that your seedlings will be ready to plant in time for a fall crop.

Second, the suckers that develop at the junction of each tomato branch can be removed and placed in a rooting mix to develop roots and should be available for transplanting in time for a fall crop.

Finally, there is the lazy person’s way…just prune those plants that are doing well.  Tomato branches that have borne for the spring will be less likely to bear fruit for the fall.  So, prune them off during the heat of the summer when production has fallen off.  Those suckers I mentioned earlier?  Leave them and they will develop new branches, ready to bear at the right time.  You can get two crops off the same plant, without the labor of transplanting or the expense of buying new transplants.

 

Carrots Carrots 2

I mentioned some time ago that I “winter” plant my carrots.  With the cold weather, their growth and maturity has been delayed, but they are now ready for harvest.  Since the carrots were lonely in their container, I transplanted a couple of tomato plants to keep them company this spring.  As the tomatoes have now grown and need space, I started harvesting carrots.  Wow – was I surprised (I always am)!  Here’s a picture of the harvest of these few.  There are many more waiting.  They are bound for a roasting with some red potatoes and onions, chunked and covered with olive oil and a sprinkling of time.  Add a little water and cover the roaster, then put in the oven for an hour or till everything is nice and tender.  Another lazy person’s dinner – and so delicious!

Carrots 1