Why are my tomato plants dropping their blossoms?

Jun24

When the temperature outside is 92°F or hotter, the tomatoes will drop their flowers (blossoms) and will not set any fruit. This is called Tomato Blossom Drop and is normal for a tomato to do. Basically they self-abort their blossoms. Why? Because they want to survive. They will continue to produce new blossoms and once the temperatures is BELOW 92°F, they will start to set fruit from the blossoms.

What can we do to prevent blossom drop? Nothing. We really are at the hands of mother nature. The funny thing is once they do pollinate (tomatoes are self-pollinating and wind-pollinated and don’t need pollinators) and they produce baby fruit, they do fine when it’s hot-it’s just while they are trying to set fruit that the temperature is critical. There is also a low temperature where they will drop the blossoms, but we don’t have to worry about that here.

Last year we had 3 months of intense heat with everyday being 92°F or warmer and the blossom just couldn’t set fruit. Finally when the monsoons came mid-August (which is one month later than normal), and it cooled down, they were able to set their fruit. Luckily for us we had a long fall and were able to harvest before we got a freeze. So don’t despair, they will set fruit from their blossoms when the time is right. Hopefully the monsoons will come in July. So for now, just surrender and chill out (if you can).

Row cover protects tomato plants and more

Jun23

Here is what my garden looks like right now. Just about everything is covered with a material called row cover (also called Remay). My tomato cages are covered from top to bottom with it. This acts as a physical barrier to keep a bug called the beet leafhopper from biting them and transferring a disease called Curly Top Virus (CTV). I’ll take it off my tomatoes when the monsoons arrive. The bug leaves when the monsoons come.

I also put row cover over my other veggie transplants while they adjust to the heat and wind when I transplant them into the garden. And I put it over other veggies that I plant by seeds like beans, cucumber and corn. I just plant the seeds in the ground and put a sheet of row cover over them tacking it down with rocks so the wind doesn’t blow it away-but don’t make it too tight. Give the plants some room to grow under it. When the seeds germinate, row cover keeps the birds from eating the sprouts and I don’t have to replant seeds as often. Plus you can water right through it. Row cover comes in 3 weights. A heavy weight (1.0) for fall-winter, a mid-weight for summer (.5) and a light weight (.3) which does not work well here because of the winds-it rips easily. I use a mid-weight in the summer in my garden.

So basically I use row cover in the beginning of the growing season on almost everything. You can get it at most nurseries. And you won’t have to keep it on all summer. Once your corn and beans grow up about 4 inches, and your transplants adjust to outdoor growing and the bugs leave, you can take it off and enjoy watching your garden grow. Another plus is it gives some protection against hail. Great stuff. I highly recommend it to be a more successful gardener.

Planting, planting planting!!

Jun4

last year’s garden-2016. Looking forward to another great garden year in 2017.

I haven’t written in a while as the planting season has been upon us. Now that the danger of a freeze is basically over (never say never tho) I’ve been busy first weeding the vegetable garden and now planting the veggie garden. Most everything will be in by end of this week.

New shade garden-an arbor covered with shade cloth and new lettuce covered with row cover. Also peas in background and Fava beans on right in front

In addition to part of my garden being an Italian garden, I just finished up a new shade garden. I have a semi-shady area where a shed and juniper shade early in the day but I needed shade from the intense sun in the afternoons. I put shade cloth from Home Depot, over the top of an arbor to shade some late season cool crops still in the ground like peas and Fava beans. Also planted some heat tolerant lettuces under row cover yesterday.

TOMATOES: 54 were transplanted in on June 5th in wall of waters (WOWs). Many of them are now peeking out of the WOWs and they need to be taken off. I put row cover around the cages and over the top (acts as a physical barrier) to keep the dreaded beet leafhopper from the plants.

LETTUCE: Last night I planted some heat tolerant lettuce and Violetta pak choi in the new shade garden.

ARTICHOKE: More of an ornamental here but so beautiful. Transplanted yesterday.

BEANS-Borlotti-Lamon: An Italian variety of a dry bean. Pre-started the seeds inside. Coming up now and will be ready to transplant this week. Pole variety.

BEANS: Emerite-pole variety of a French haricot bean. Pick when pencil thin.

RUNNER BEANS-pole beans-Painted Lady and a Chartreuse leaf variety of Scarlet Runner. Beautiful flowers and you can eat the beans when young or save for dry bean recipes like soups.

PEPPERS: I wait to plant peppers till June 1 till it really warms up and we are now in the 50’s at nite so all peppers will go in this week under row cover. Varieties include: Shishito, Jimmy Nardello, Caribbean Seasoning, Poblano (for chile relleno), Pasilla (for mole sauce), Aji Amarillo Grande, and Baby Aji Amarilla both from Peru.

EGGPLANTS: ‘Fairy Tale’ variety. Will go in with peppers this week under row cover.

CHARD/KALE: Lacinato, Vates Curly varieties of kale and Argentata chard. I have baby plants to put in this week. Coulda, shoulda already be in the ground but not enough time.

FLOWERS: Many flowers by seed-Cosmos, Zinnias, Nasturtiums, Asylum, morning glories, different sunflowers. Calendula and Marigolds are transplants.

SUMMER SQUASH: Costata Romanesco zucchini, Bennings Green Tint patty pan. Seeds went in the ground last week. A few popping up under the row cover.

WINTER SQUASH: Butternut Rogosa Violina “Gioia”. Seeds in the ground today.

GIANT PUMPKIN: This time I put seeds in the ground instead of pre-growing them. Not up yet.

CORN: Glass Gem INDIAN CORN. Not in yet. Hopefully this week.

ONIONS/LEEKS-transplants going in this week. Very late going in-will see how they do.

BEETS-Chiogga variety. Seeds went in this week. Will get fall harvest from them.

CARROTS: Atomic Red and Cosmic Purple went in this week for fall harvest.

CUCUMBERS: Seeds going in this week around teepees to grow up. Varieties include: EATING:Poona Kheera. PICKLING: Parisian (cornichon), Boothsby Blonde (Bread n butters), and Russian Pickling (dill).

STILL TO COME THIS WEEK: I’m going to try a short season variety of Sweet potatoes called Beauregard (90 days t0 harvest). Getting slips of it in mail.