Jerseygardengirl
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Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:05 pm
Location: Central Jersey

Slow Slow Slow!!! Tomato plant flowers.

HI everyone. Due to the extensively cool and wet weather we've been having here in the northeast, my tomatoes are a few weeks behind where they should be. They are about 5' tall now and for the better part of the week we've had hot, dry weather. I see TINY little buds that will become flowers eventually, but they are taking FOREVER. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process? Thanks!

worldharmony
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Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 5:25 pm
Location: NE Ohio

Hi! I don't have an answer for you as far as speeding up Mother Nature's process, but I too have tall tomato plants that are slow to flower. The worst thing is that I did have ONE flower last month. It either fell off or the deer got it when they munched the tops of our plants. Now that we have netting and the plants have recovered, we are waiting in vain for new buds. I hope the plants produce, but it's only July so I'm not too impatient yet.

Jerseygardengirl
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Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:05 pm
Location: Central Jersey

Thanks for responding. Well I'm fortunate in that my area is too urban and a city for deer. I have every other type of pest though sigh. Here's hoping for tomatoes for both of us soon!

petalfuzz
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The weather has been wacky for everyone, it seems. I'm west of you and my tomato plants are behind also. The tallest one is about 2.5' tall, shortest is still a few inches. But almost all of them are blooming finally.

My peppers, however, are barely bigger than when I planted them 5 weeks ago. They are stunted, little runts! And I planted 5 varieties, too :(

I'm just trying some epsom salts in water (about 2 tbsp per gallon with a touch of dish soap). We'll see if it does anything...

Jerseygardengirl
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Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:05 pm
Location: Central Jersey

There are varying thoughts on the epsom salts idea but I use it also. I spray it on the blooms as I have heard that it helps the fruit set. I guess it can't hurt even if it doesn't work as all it is, is magnesium.

Woolly
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Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:03 pm
Location: Montana

Jerseygardengirl wrote:HI everyone. Due to the extensively cool and wet weather we've been having here in the northeast, my tomatoes are a few weeks behind where they should be. They are about 5' tall now and for the better part of the week we've had hot, dry weather. I see TINY little buds that will become flowers eventually, but they are taking FOREVER. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process? Thanks!
Mine are doing the same thing. I have 1,200 tomato plants that are sitting there looking at me. :lol: Everyone around me is having the same problems. This has been a VERY strange year to say the least I have ALL SORTS of pests that I NEVER had before I sure have gone through a lot of Neem, Bioinsecticide and Pyola It has cost us a small fortune this year to keep ahead of the beasties.
Anyone have any good way to get rid of grasshoppers organically......I feel like the invasion of the plant snatchers this year.........No fun Keep your head up this too shall pass. The weather will warm and we will have tomatoes. We might have to cover them this fall though so we can get some fruits or else we won't get any after the frost (ours is sept 15 :( )

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rainbowgardener
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Location: TN/GA 7b

Type grasshoppers in the search box in upper left of most pages and find what's already been written here about them. Here's a link to one of the earlier threads:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1604

Here's a reference re organic control of grasshoppers:

Predators include snakes, toads, cats, mice, a number of birds (bluebirds, sparrows, mockingbirds and others), chickens, ducks, geese, spiders, horsehair nematodes.

Barriers: grasshoppers are said to be repelled by horehound, cilantro, calendula, garlic oil, and nitrogen-fixing crops like peas and sweet clover.
Row covers, like Reemay, or screens can be effectively used to keep them from your crops.

Garlic Oil Spray
To make: Combine 3 ounces of minced garlic cloves with 1 ounce of mineral oil. Let soak for 24 hours or longer. Strain.
Next mix 1 teaspoon of fish emulsion with 16 ounces of water. Add 1 tablespoon of castile soap to this.
Now slowly combine the fish emulsion water with the garlic oil. Kept in a sealed glass container this mixture will stay viable for several months. To use: Mix 2 tablespoons of garlic oil with 1 pint of water and spray.
https://www.ghorganics.com/page12.html

Woolly
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Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:03 pm
Location: Montana

[quote="rainbowgardener"]Type grasshoppers in the search box in upper left of most pages and find what's already been written here about them. Here's a link to one of the earlier threads:

Thank you for the info. I have tried Nosema Locustae, clover, cilantro, DE, Neem, Pyrethrum, and bio-insecticides but they are getting worse. The trouble is the two properties E & W of me do not irrigate their pasture and that gives them a wonderful place to set up camp. One of them just believes in chemicals so I can ask him to do anything or else he will contaminate my 1 1/2 acres of market garden. The other person on the other side of me is gone most of the summer and won't do anything either........So I will try the garlic oil That sound good and it is cheaper than what I was using.........frustrating

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rainbowgardener
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Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Does indeed sound like a frustrating situation. Let us know how the garlic oil spray works for you. The other alternative is row cover; seems like even if you can't get rid of them, you can keep them off your plants.



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