Should I Start Over

[Chuck]

Take a look at the link @Chuck, perhaps you can compare this to the Sungold you have found.

http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/...s/Tomato+Seeds+-+F1+Sungold_182490.htm#182490

It looks the same. Both orange and F1 hybrids. I just wonder what they will do with all this heat and brilliant sunlight

 

[Sheal]

Does the heat differ at all in your area during the course of the year? If you could grow them at a cooler time I think they would be fine and perhaps in an area that has shade for part of the day. My greenhouse has temperatures as high as 30C/86F, that's probably cool for your area but it's just a guide and Grouie has grown tomatoes in India recently, where I would imagine the heat is on a par with yours. For the price of a packet of seeds, assuming they aren't expensive, it's worth giving them a go to see what happens.

 

[Chuck]

Does the heat differ at all in your area during the course of the year? If you could grow them at a cooler time I think they would be fine and perhaps in an area that has shade for part of the day. My greenhouse has temperatures as high as 30C/86F, that's probably cool for your area but it's just a guide and Grouie has grown tomatoes in India recently, where I would imagine the heat is on a par with yours. For the price of a packet of seeds, assuming they aren't expensive, it's worth giving them a go to see what happens.

We have a frost/freeze in both Tx and Fl. My first freeze will be about Nov 15 and it will be safe to set out transplants about mid March, but to be safe April 1. It does get cold here. I got down to 13F last year but the normal low temp here is about 18F. Many 20+F days. Texas is extreme in its temps

 

[Sheal]

So really you have a short winter compared to ours here in Britain although the climate here on the island is more temperate than the rest of the country. No hot summers or really cold winters that drop into minus figures, there's rarely a frost and I've only seen any considerable snowfall twice in the 23 years I've lived here.

So Chuck, are you going to give the tomatoes a go?

 

[Chuck]

So really you have a short winter compared to ours here in Britain although the climate here on the island is more temperate than the rest of the country. No hot summers or really cold winters that drop into minus figures, there's rarely a frost and I've only seen any considerable snowfall twice in the 23 years I've lived here.

So Chuck, are you going to give the tomatoes a go?

Yep. I usually plant between 90 and 130 tomato plants with about 12-15 different varieties. I plant my usual 3 or 4 proven varieties and maybe 2 or 3 of last years promising varieties. All the rest are experiments. One of these days I will find the Holy Grail of tomatoes and if I live long enough, get rich and have the government take it all away

 

[headfullofbees]

The OP Sungold don't have a good reputation, unfortunately, and they also seem to be unstable.
If you do fancy some of the F1s I'll happily send them.

 

[Chuck]

The OP Sungold don't have a good reputation, unfortunately, and they also seem to be unstable.
If you do fancy some of the F1s I'll happily send them.

Thanks but I think I will stay with OP's. By unstable do you mean unpredictable or something else?

 

[headfullofbees]

Thanks but I think I will stay with OP's. By unstable do you mean unpredictable or something else?

Unpredictable.
Must be down to the fact that they are OPs derived from F1s.

 

[ferice]

It appears that the disease has stopped. The infected plants appear to be fighting. My new plants look pretty good so far.

 

[Chuck]

View attachment 9277 View attachment 9278 View attachment 9279 View attachment 9280 View attachment 9281 It appears that the disease has stopped. The infected plants appear to be fighting. My new plants look pretty good so far.

Has the rain stopped? Please put mulch around the plants to keep the soil from splashing up on the leaves and keep spraying with cornmeal tea. Just because they look good now doesn't mean it is over. The secret is to help prevent blight not to try to cure it, because you can't

 

[ferice]

I am getting plastic mulch tomorrow.

 

[ferice]

I am planning on making my first compost tea. What should I include in the tea, how often should I water the plants with the tea, and should I use it on my tree too? I currently have the following items available at home.1 bag of nature's care compost, 1 bag of earth wormcasting, and 1 bag of nature's care organic blood meal.

 

[Chuck]

I am planning on making my first compost tea. What should I include in the tea, how often should I water the plants with the tea, and should I use it on my tree too? I currently have the following items available at home.1 bag of nature's care compost, 1 bag of earth wormcasting, and 1 bag of nature's care organic blood meal.

Here is my basic recipe.
Into a 5 gallon bucket of water I add a double handful of compost, 1 or 2 oz of molasses, 1 oz liquid kelp or seaweed, 1 oz liquid humate and most time 1 handful of poultry based fertilizer. Using the air pump and air stone I brew it between 24 and 36 hours. Then about every 7 - 10 days I give each of my plants one undiluted quart of the tea. You use this on everything. It is great as a foliar spray too but you have to strain it very well or it will clog up your sprayer. It works as a preventative of both spider mites and blight.

 

[ferice]

I don't have an air pump or air stone.

 

[Chuck]

I don't have an air pump or air stone.

Then all you can do is make what is called lechate which is not near as good as the tea but better than nothing. I use the cheap little aquarium pumps and they work fine. To make lechate just put some compost into water and let it soak.