Vic Thomas' patch update, NY
Hi, everybody!
Vic Thomas, an AG enthusiast in upstate NY has 5 plants going this year.
Since he is not online, I will convey his growing experience so far. More
later when I return to visit in Aug.
Vic grows on very good, rich soil. It was a cow pasture for more than 100
years, as his family were dairy farmers. His season started out cold and
rainy, like most of the rest of New England. Things are stable now, but
remain cooler than normal for this time of year. Daytime highs were in the
low 70's with 57 degree nights when I left last weekend.
He has one 908.5 Eaton, 2- 835 McIntyre's and 2- 743 Hester's. They all were
started early in anticipation of good weather, but got a bit leggy before he
was able to put them out. I saw them in early May, right before placement in
the garden. Evidently, they weren't too leggy, as there is no visible sign of
it now.
The 908.5 Eaton looks great. Nice growth habit and young fruit set on the
vine. Very progressive growth and good looking young fruits.
One of the McIntyre plants is growing beautifully with the other one small
and slow to take off. Vic will watch the small plant; I have faith he will
get it going. Even though this plant is small, it is bushy and set a nice
female at only 3 ft vine! Yes, the entire plant had just started to vine,
when it set a fruit about 18 inches from the stump.
The Hester 743 plants are doing beautifully. Gorgeous, in fact.
I have noticed that all of Vic's plants have smaller overall size, with more
of a compact growth habit. The leaves are lower to the ground and very dark
green. He is pumping well water on them and also feeding them Peter's
20-20-20 liquid by injector.
Vic's tomatoes got a rough start due to the cool weather as well. Small green
tomatoes on the plants with mostly blossoms at this point.
Cukes, eggplant, zucchini and peppers on target, right along with the green
beans. However, his hard squash, pie pumpkins and jack o'lantern varieties
are also slow this year. This is disturbing to Vic, especially because his
growing season is so short. No room for error.
I expect Vic to have some nice pumpkins, but he'll be sweatin' it down to the
first hard frost.
I also noted the corn in the area was a bit behind schedule. We (in NY)
usually enjoy sweet corn by the third or 4th week of July. The plants haven't
even tassled yet. Some field corn for silage is only 6 inches tall. Too cold
and wet to plant early this year.
On the bright side, the apple farmers expect a great crop this year with
record yields. I can tell they're probably right; the trees are laden with
fruit already and things look good for orchard farmers. I can taste the cider
already.
If anyone would like to contact Vic, let me know and I will provide his
address and phone number. Just can't talk him into getting online.
Barb Kincaid
Orlando, FL
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