Just getting started - Newbie alert :) (2 new questions p9)

[AL]

Thanks!

I made my mom laugh today, told her tomorrow if it rains I am going to set up my lawn chair and sit out there to hold a blue tarp (Ivan leftovers again) over the plants so no rain gets NEAR them.

 

[Farmfresh]

Blossom end rot ... what your tomatoes are doing can be caused by either too little watering, or basically erratic watering. The fast growing plant is suddenly slowed down by a drought period and that effects the way the plant uptakes and uses the mineral calcium.

Here is a good link to help Blossom End Rot

At least you have some tomatoes, mine are just beginning to blossom.

 

[AL]

that is exactly what they look like! Thanks so much for that link!
geez... now to figure out how to maintain moisture? They mentioned mulching, but do I mulch and then water? or water first?

Sometimes being a noob really stinks!

I actually have tons and tons of green tomatos.. that is why I am panicking! I don't want to lose them all.

 

[Beekissed]

Welcome to the forum, AL! It doesn't really matter if you mulch or water first...as long as you mulch well and water deep, not with a sprinkler or spray hose system to the top of the plant but along the ground, preferably with a seeping system.

I mulch very well at the beginning of the season and I don't water, even when its dry. I've found that maters that are over watered are just that....taste bland and watered down. The best tomatoes I've eaten were from a dry year. They just send down a deeper root system during this time.

Mulch is the key! Mulch is our friend!

 

[Farmfresh]

What I do around here is:

First I lay a soaker hose down the row wiggling it in and out of the tomato plants. I leave one end of the hose free and capping the other end. I usually put a quick connect on the main hose and each of the soakers.

Next I lay on a thick layer of newspaper or cardboard right up to the tomatoes stem. I actually mulch OVER the soaker hose.

Finally I pile straw, leaves or whatever mulch on top of the paper.

All of that holds the moisture in AND prevents mud from splashing up onto the tomatoes or their leaves which sometimes causes fungus to get going. During a real dry spell I turn on the soaker hose for a good long while every few days. Other than that I leave it alone.

Tomatoes seem to like their leaves dry and their roots moist and they LOVE hot weather. If you can keep those conditions right you are in for a bounty!

 

[AL]

HAHA *repeats to self "mulch is our friend" *

So at this point, with 26 large plants with lots of greenies already getting pretty big, but no red color /tint yet - is it too late to do those things? Do I just take my licks and do better next year? I don't know if I can build up enough newspaper / cardboard (I don't get the paper) very quickly.
I have crowder peas and pink eye purple hull peas, corn (sweet, and yellow/white), bell peppers, jalapenos and green onions - they all seem fine so far. Any tips on keeping them that way?

(sorry for all of the questions, I just really want to have just a "little" success my first go 'round)

 

[Farmfresh]

It is NEVER to late to mulch!!

 

[FarmerDenise]

Do what you can as far as mulch goes. It is not too late. Any mulch will help conserve moisture and discourage weeds. I often use rocks for mulch.
heck our tomatoes are still in pots because the ground hasn't been tilled yet

 

[AL]

heck our tomatoes are still in pots because the ground hasn't been tilled yet

Thanks!
HAHA - I started tilling in February or so. I was really anxious to get going. When my dad said it was still too soon, I just tilled some more - thus my garden went from "a few tomato and squash plants" to a 40x60.
My mom suggested I pick up 10-12 tomato plants of a couple different varieties- I ended up with 26.
wanted 3-4 chickens, now have 16.

I am not overly excitable at all.

 

[drunkdog]

if this is the newbie thread ..Ill join in ..our garden this year has spent all of its time treading water in the raised beds as our region has been cool and wet this spring (more so than usual for Seattle even :O)