Re: does one pinch tomatoes?

It's that night temp that's a problem for us. Day temps don't normally get much above 90--too close to the Gulf--but nights can be in the high 70s. Even that wild tomato will quit producing after awhile, but it seems to hold on longer than most. 

On May 2, 2007, at 10:31 AM, Johnson Cyndi D Civ 95 CG/SCSRT wrote:


Here's a paragraph I've found several places online:
"Temperature and Humidity. Daytime temperatures above 900F and night
temperatures above 700F result in reduced flowering and fruit set. There 
is considerable evidence that night temperature is the critical factor
in setting tomato fruit, the optimal range being 590 to 680F. With night 
temperatures much below or above this critical range, fruiting is
reduced or absent. Low temperatures reduce the production and viability
of pollen. High temperature, especially if accompanied by low humidity
and moisture, hinders fruit set through failure in pollination and/or
fertilization."


It cools off here considerably at night but I don't think it gets below
70F at night in the summer; maybe 75? I know it's above 90 almost every
day from July through Labor Day. In August it's often above 100.
Certainly we have low humidity. My experience is that my plants stop
setting fruit in mid-July and don't start again until late August or
even mid-September (although the cherry tomatoes do manage to put out a
few). I think I've grown every variety described in the catalogs as
setting fruit in high temperatures, but it doesn't help much.

Yeah, I gripe about all the work involved, it is a lot harder in this
climate. But oh well, you work with what you have. I'm growing more
peppers these last few years, they don't care about the heat, and I'm
going to see what I can do with eggplant and okra. Neither one of which
my husband will eat voluntarily, but maybe I can disguise them.



Cyndi


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf Of Kitty 
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 8:17 PM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: Re: [CHAT] does one pinch tomatoes?

Cyndi, that just sounds like too much work. I remember getting abundant
fruit years ago w/no special effort. But I don't think it gets too hot
here. Tops might be 100 but it doesn't usually stay there long. How hot
is too hot? I did come across the answer as to why my tomatoes crack.
It's happens when water isn't consistent. A heavy rainfall after a dry
period.

So I will try to keep the water steady.

Kitty
neIN, Zone 5
----- Original Message -----
From: "Johnson Cyndi D Civ 95 CG/SCSRT" <cyndi.johnson@edwards.af.mil>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 10:04 AM
Subject: RE: [CHAT] does one pinch tomatoes?



I tried the make-my-own plastic wrap for a couple years but I just
couldn't get the hang of it. I was always out there in the wind with 20 pieces of flapping plastic, trying to get the @#%^ things to wrap around 
the wire cylinder and then actually stay secured, which they never did
for more than a day or so. It took me hours one year just to get the
stupid stuff on the cages. I gave up and now just buy the wall-o-waters, 
which, if you don't fill them with water, are nice heavy-duty circles
that stand up to sun and wind, and last about 3 years. More expensive
than make-your-own but I find it much less frustrating.
I plant as early as is practical because I need the plants to put as
much out as they can before it gets so hot they won't set fruit. Great
climate, huh, have to plant when it's too windy because if you don't,
you'll plant when it's too hot.
I also put a lot of mulch around the plants too. And now I'm looking at your stuff here and I see something I haven't paid attention to before, about the ammonium form of nitrogen. That was a high reading on my soil test last year, I suspect because I mulch with sheep manure and spoiled hay from their pen. I wonder if I should buy some plain straw this year 
and mulch with that instead.
Hmmmm.

Cyndi


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
Behalf Of Daryl
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 2:35 PM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: Re: [CHAT] does one pinch tomatoes?
Um, the wall o' water things are the ones with water in the surrounding 
cylinders.
I've tried them, but preferred  just to wrap clear plastic around the
cage, securing it with clothes pins and leaving the tops open.
Actually, I now prefer waiting for the soil and weather to warm up, and 
then not bothering with protection. I don't care anymore whether I get
the first tomato on the block. I just want to have tomatoes with no
fuss.

Here's a a bit that I've published about Blossom End Rot. Perhaps it
will
help:
"Blossom End Rot is caused by a failure of the plant to take up enough
Calcium or to get it to the end of the fruit as it is forming.

This can be because the soil is too wet or too dry or because the root
system is small. Soil should be evenly moist but not soppy. Mulching
will help avoid the wild swings in moisture, and will also prevent soil 
splash of other diseases.

B.E.R. can also be caused by lack of Calcium in the soil. Here in
Georgia, we have to add lime before planting to provide enough, and also 
to sweeten our acid soil. Gypsum is added in some areas, too. A soil
test can tell you whether you need to add either or both.

B.E.R. can also occur if too much of some fertilizers is used, such as
ammonium forms of Nitrate. Excess Magnesium, Potassium and Sodium can
also hinder Calcium uptake.
B.E.R. can sometimes occur if the plant sets a large amount of fruit at 
once, especially on an immature plant.

Some varieties, especially of paste tomatoes, are prone to Blossom End
Rot under anything less than optimal conditions. This may be in part
because of their heavy fruit set.
There is some evidence that a Calcium Chloride spray can help. While it 
won't heal the tomatoes already affected, it can be used preventively
for the next set of fruit.
Some studies report that there is little effect from the spray, that the 
mere removal of the affected fruit, and waiting for the plant to catch
up and for growing conditions to change, is enough. "

d






----- Original Message -----
From: "Johnson Cyndi D Civ 95 CG/SCSRT" <cyndi.johnson@edwards.af.mil>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 4:42 PM
Subject: RE: [CHAT] does one pinch tomatoes?



I use the same cage system but I put those wall-o-water things around
the cage when I plant, to give them some wind and shade protection in
the first few weeks. I gave up trying to use the things with water in
them, it was way more trouble than it was worth, but all my cages are
the right size just to slip it over.
I never prune because I need all the foliage I can get to prevent
sunscald on the tomatoes. I am sure hoping for better results this

year,

the blossom end rot problem last year was just too too bad. I really
should call the soil test place and talk to them about the results I

got

from the test last fall.
The other thing I might try is really giving them a lot more water. I
don't know...seems like I've been doing the same thing every year and
just in the past couple the BER thing is bad, so soil chemistry is the 
first thing I think of, but I suppose it could be not enough
water...maybe it's hotter for longer and my watering isn't keeping up

or

something.

Cyndi


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
Behalf Of Daryl
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 10:44 AM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: Re: [CHAT] does one pinch tomatoes?

Kitty,

I'd wait until your soil temp is consistently above 65 degrees before
planting, and 70 is better. My soil was just shy of 65 a month ago

after

record temps in March, but plunged back into the upper 40's around
Easter with our big freeze. I often move my plants into larger
containers, setting them more deeply each time I move them up, until
it's time.
I don't prune any more. I use large cages made of concrete reinforcing 
wire and let the plants pretty much do as they will, only pushing

stray

branches into the cages.  That lets them have maximum shading for the
fruit and maximum leaf surface for photosynthesis. Yields are

enormous.


When I lived up north, I used to pinch out the suckers (the sprouts

that

appeared between the main branches and the primary stem) to limit

fruit

production to what the plant could ripen before frost.

Pinching the growing tip does not encourage branching lower down. A
tomato plant naturally produces growth from below.

Planting deeply does not strengthen the stem, though it does allow
adventitious roots to form and extra roots are a good thing.  (You've
probably noticed little bumps along the stem, especially in humid
weather.
They quickly grow into roots if in soil.)

A caution- plants set deeply into cold soil will sit and sulk and NOT
make new roots until the weather warms. Sometimes they're set back so
far that they produce later than seed directly sown into warm soil.

If your soil deep down is cold, and the surface is warm, and you have
long, lanky plants (a minus in my book), plant them sideways into the
warm stuff.
I always try to have short, stocky seedlings available for my

customers,

rather than long, skinny ones.

Hope this helps.

d (the tomato nerd)


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Island Jim
Southwest Florida
27.1 N, 82.4 W
Hardiness Zone 10
Heat Zone 10
Sunset Zone 25
Minimum 30 F [-1 C]
Maximum 100 F [38 C]

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