El jardín de José

[Josetom]

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First Rosella Purple

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BTL with Bronze leaf lettuce from the garden and home made bread Delicious!!!

[Josetom]

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My three container plants (2 Wildfreds and 1 Rosella Purple) that were plagued by BER. Before my technique was counting until 10 while watering, now I make sure I don't stop until seeing water coming out of the bottom and that seems to be making the trick.

Still battling spidermites just with sulfur @Wildcat82 , not great results but well.. I will try more spraying, crop rotation, planting more companions and early treating of spider mites infestation.. Not going the mitecides route yet..

My wife always joke about how the garden it's not saving money so I have this idea of trying to produce the cheapest tomatoes ever. I will try with a Floradade, using half old potting mix, maybe in a 5 gallon container (probably I will save more in ground or with raised bed)

[Wildcat82]

Be careful with the sulfur since you said you live in a warm climate.

"Do not use under the following conditions:
When an Oil Spray has been applied within the past 2 weeks.
When temperatures are expected to exceed 80°F."

https://www.arbico-organics.com/product ... se-control

[Josetom]

I relocated the, from left to right, Rosella Purple and Wild Fred x 2, they're loaded, no more BER since I corrected my watering

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First WildFred LOL that has been picked at first blush, with Tiny Tim for reference

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Speaking of my Tiny Tim in the 3 gallon container, next time I will try a 5 gallon, I have seen Tiny Tim grow bigger

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This morning was the first time I saw a green Lacewing

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"Oh my god, "the Lion of aphids " have you come to make true all the organic gardening books and blogs promises and eat all my spider mites " I thought

Then it flew at my face, I screamed "aaaaaaaaaa" and then flew away.... At least I saw it and hope to see it more

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The Dragon Bush beans are doing great

[Josetom]

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Harvest from my raised bed Rosella Purple, sadly it was plagued with too many spider mites, I haven't have time/energy/will to spray more often

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Rosella Purple container

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WilFred 1

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WildFred 2

BER has almost dissapered.
Dwarf tomatoes seems to me a little more resistent to Spider mites damage.
The most important lesson it's that a little stick won't do it. I will cage most dwarf from now.

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Cherokee Purple holdin' on

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First Green zebra

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Indigo Rose doing relatively good. Family was impress by the color, my aunt even ask me for seeds. Flavor 6 or 7/10. Just regular. But very pretty!

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More container tomatoes aisolated from the spider mites affected ones. 2 Maglia Rosa, Blush, Wherokowhai, Sweet Sue and Karma Purple MF

[MissS]

Yes I agree. Pruning a dwarf to one stem is like pruning a determinate. You loose more than half of your crop. I just prune out a few leaves from the center to help with air-flow.

[bower]

I spotted a lacewing in my garden last summer... they are rarely seen here.
But perhaps you will see lots of them? (Yes... organic dream come true! )

[Josetom]

You're @MissS my idea was supporting the unpruned dwarf with just a stick didn't last..

@bower hahaha absolutely, I remember reading your post (I believe) that when you have many spider in the plants the mites didn't grow too fast.. I have read about biological solutions but I don't like really having to buy good bugs to my garden, I may as well try to attract them.. lots of Ladybugs on my peppers eating aphids but they didn't care about mites..

[bower]

@Josetom where I live has very low diversity compared to where you are in the tropics, but even here they take care of most of their own insect pest dynamics (with a bit of bird help). I bet you have specialists for every pest, so attracting the good bugs makes even more sense for you. It would be crazy to buy bugs. Patience is a virtue...

[Josetom]

Today I planted this beauties after reading they're heat-tolerant.. Planning to transplant them in October (your April) at the beginning of spring

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Dwarf Johnson's cherry, Homestead 24, Super Sioux and Arkansas Traveler

[Josetom]

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A la izquierda Rosella Purples, a la derecha WildFred

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WildFred it's loaded, do not make the same mistake I did with the stake lol

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Blush

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Not-sweet-sue , I just realized that Sweet Sue it's potato leaf and my plant it's regular leaf, so surprise tomato I Guest, the plant it's very healthy and early

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Wherokowhai taking his time

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Little Karma Purple MF

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Mini Maglia Roses, I hope this one it's half as good everyoneeee said so

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de izquierda a derecha Pink Passion, Purple Heart and Uluru Ochre

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this green zebra it's cover in part with Nasturtium foliage who seems to protect them from Spider mites, very happy with how this it's going

My very first time growing Dwarf tomato project tomatoes and I'm really happy, the goal for the next year would we to have at least 10 varieties with all the rainbow of colors included.. I'm really impressed by how beautiful are Blush and Maglias so I will grow the entire family of the Tigers and Bumblebees next year too

[MissS]

Your garden seems to be quite the success this year and you have learned so very much too. I can't wait to see what next season brings.

[Josetom]

You're very kind @MissS , thank you for all your encouragement and advice , I love been here in the Junction with you all

[Josetom]

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So I found another green Lacewing ... in the mouth of my carnivorous plant, Nephentes Gaia.. I'm even helping the bad bugs now

[bower]

I wonder if the lacewing can steal a meal from the plant....
At least it's a sign that there are more of them around, hopefully!

[indysun]

Why did my Arkansas Traveler do terrible this year vrs last year?? Seeds saved were "crossed" ??????

[Josetom]

Hello friends! Weather too hot and life too busy.. buuuuut, here some updates!

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The family of dark tomatoes:)
L to R: Cherokee purple, Wild Fred, Karma PM

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Cherries: Maglia Rosa, Karma PM and Blush

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First Wherokowhai tomato Really beautiful and delicious!

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The first head of my Autumn Beauty Sunflower

[Josetom]

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Hello! That's a photo from October 2023 with some tomatoes, many of my plants, including my experiments for the summer were beat by spider mites and extreme heat.. I myself took a break from gardening, this summer was pretty intense.. Now I just sowed

Dwarfs

1 Mr Snow
2 Peppermint
3 Strawberry Lemonade
4 Gloria's Threat
5 Eagle Smile
6 Johnson Cherry
7 Velvet Night
8 Sweet Sue
9 Big Green
10 Stony Brook Heart
11 Emerald Giant
12 Purple heart
13 Pink Passion

Cherries

1Pink BB
2 Purple BB
3 Sunrise BB

we will see how it goes

[Josetom]

Hi! Tomatoes are starting to roll here.. By growing in fall, winter I have practically just water, fertilized, and removed disease leaves.. No signs at all of spider mites

So, this is a quick view of the garden.. Dwarf tomatoes in pots and cherry tomatoes on raised beds

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And now pictures of the harvest

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Big : Emerald Giant, Mr. Snow and Purple Hearth
Cherry: Barry's crazy, Eagle Smiley, Jhonson's and Velvet night

unfortunately, I waited to much to taste my Emerald Giant and it rotted I hope this it's the last time

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Big: Mr Snow, Sweet Sue, Stony Brooke Heart and Pink Passion
Cherries: I grew the collection of variegated round cherries from Fred Hempel and was not dissapointed, truly beautiful Also in the photo are the dwarf cherries and Rosella cherry..

I cannot really "pick" a favorite cherry, I love them all !

Some early goals for next year would be more dwarfs (of course) and I would like to try the ones with "cool" leafs - Chartrusse, variegated.. For "garden coolness factor" as Craig says

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Today's was the first time we got to try our Raspberry, my daughters and wife were very excited, we have 1 one but were very good

[bower]

Gardening is so worth it, and for the little ones, it's priceless!