70 Tomato Plant Set Yesterday -pix

[Duffster]

I had to check my "panatoes" as my 3 three old calls them and this is what i found.



Just a little under the size of a golf ball.

 

[lakngulf]

Cyril, we drove the whole way, 5000 miles almost exactly by the time we got home. We had a fantastic trip and saw most everything we wanted except for Crater Lake (snowed in) and the high pass over the Sierras (closed).

I'm attaching a picture of my garden from last Friday. This morning we picked beans for the second time and I picked 5 tomatoes. My wife picked 6 straight neck yellow squash, three large zucchinis, and pulled several large green onions. Our little garden will soon be in full production.

Good looking garden there jinman. Sounds like some good eating around the corner for you guys.

 

[lakngulf]

I had to check my "panatoes" as my 3 three old calls them and this is what i found.

I can taste some green beans and new "pantatoes" cooked together. Yum yum

 

[JC-jetro]

That's how I do mine with the exception I was totally wiped out by deer, so I extended my fence to 8 feet. I hope I do better this year.

JC

 

[Duffster]

So.....what is eating my potatoes?

I have looked high and low and can't find anything as far as bugs.

 

[bp fick]

So.....what is eating my potatoes?

I have looked high and low and can't find anything as far as bugs.

We have had an enormous outbreak of beetles. Rose chafer, I think they are called, or similar.

Sprayer out. Mix two gallons of water, and a good three ounces of dishsoap. It works wonders. A cup of powdered lime in the mix works well to spice it up.

If you go the pesticide route, then Seven. You only see these beetles during peak hours of the day, around noon. Not saying that's what you have, but it seems likely. Huge outbreak.

 

[Duffster]

We have had an enormous outbreak of beetles. Rose chafer, I think they are called, or similar.

Sprayer out. Mix two gallons of water, and a good three ounces of dishsoap. It works wonders. A cup of powdered lime in the mix works well to spice it up.

If you go the pesticide route, then Seven. You only see these beetles during peak hours of the day, around noon. Not saying that's what you have, but it seems likely. Huge outbreak.

So you think I should just go ahead and treat it even though I haven't spotted anything? I am assuming that your mixture can't really hurt anything even it wasn't needed.

Would these beetles be eating the green beans and the spinach too? I have never noticed a problem with spinach and beans in the past.

Where can I get the powdered lime?

Thanks.

 

[bp fick]

So you think I should just go ahead and treat it even though I haven't spotted anything? I am assuming that your mixture can't really hurt anything even it wasn't needed.

Would these beetles be eating the green beans and the spinach too? I have never noticed a problem with spinach and beans in the past.

Where can I get the powdered lime?

Thanks.

Pulverized lime is harder to come by than the granular, but it is required to be mixed in a spray or used as a dust upon heavy dew. Garden centers, farm supply stores. Yup, I sprayed everything Saturday and again today. I have stopped the chomping in its tracks. It hurts nothing to treat.

If this fails, you will likely have to fall back to pesticides. Cannot really lose everything to these guys. Yes, my beans have been attacked too.

Dish soap, even with a commercial pesticide, makes adhesion more effective, imo. It's June. Nature is alive with worms, bugs, larvae and beetles. Everything is hatching up out of the soil.

 

[bp fick]

Update on Tomatoes, (the basis of this thread.)

June 8. Threat of cutworms is pretty much past. Only had to replace 5 plants. Manageable. So, ended up with a dozen plants "in reserve" that I didn't end up needing. Early planting up here can lead to 30%-50% losses due to cut worms. Other people report they were very, very bad in their gardens this year.

Plants are 12-14" tall, and blossoming. For those who don't live in Zone 4-5, you may not have an appreciation of how terrific this is!! Off to a very great start. Very pleased.

 

[lakngulf]

I have some tomatoes that look decent, but I have battled Early Blight. And now, I have two plants that just curled up and died. I picked a basket full of tomatoes from them. Some research and expert suggestions have narrowed it down to fusarium wilt. I had the same thing happen in this spot last year, but with tractor FEL I removed the soil that was there (or at least a lot of it) and replaced it with new top soil. Obviously, I did not do enough.

http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab104/lakngulf/G2010June/Garden_June018.jpg

http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab104/lakngulf/G2010June/Garden_June031.jpg


Thank goodness some of my plants are doing well:

http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab104/lakngulf/G2010June/2010_May_June097.jpg