Mulch Pile Plant

[Garf]

I normally plant in containers. I have terrible soil in my yard, EXCEPT one spot where a mulch pile has been for 30 years. I cleared the branches from the pile and put one Red Brandywine plant in that spot. That plant literally exploded. It's the healthiest plant in the yard. This tells me a great deal about my container mixes.

[Garf]

The plant is still doing well, but the lethal yellowing disease has found it. The plant is resisting it pretty well. So far I have found only one baby hornworm. Scissors made short work of it.

[Garf]

The plant has been attacked by what seems like snails. The damage is near the top of the plant. [img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/damage1.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/damage3.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/damage4.jpg[/img]

[Garf]

The plant has been attacked by what seems like snails. The damage is near the top of the plant. <img src=https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/damage1.jpg>
<img src=https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/damage3.jpg>
img src=https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/damage4.jpg>

[Garf]

THIS IS NOT WORKING!

[Garf]

So much for my ideas. I just found and killed 4 huge hornworms.

[DoubleDogFarm]

[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/damage1.jpg[/img]

[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/damage3.jpg[/img]

[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/damage4.jpg[/img]

[Garf]

NOW I remember. Something needs to be switched off to be able to post pics. This place is weird that way.

[Garf]

In the light of day, I found more damaged tomatoes for a total of 5 so far. I also found some leaf damage, then turned the leaf over to find a small hornworm, which got crushed. Now I need to inspect the plants every day and night.

[Garf]

I found 2 more hornworms, but very little more damage. If it was earlier in the season, I would use BT.

[Garf]

I am getting the first blush on the red brandywine plant. I hope I can stay ahead of the worms. I haven't used BT on this one. [img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/brandywine1a.jpg[/img]

[Garf]

Here are the first tomatoes from the mulch pile plant. The coin is a quarter.

[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/brandywine2a.jpg[/img]

[Garf]

The fungus has killed off the interior of the plant leaving it open and the exterior is almost untouched. Amazing how that works. It seems to be spreading outward.

[Garf]

The tops of the tomatoes have a rough texture. The larger cracks are from too much water. What is causing the roughness?
[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/Brandywine3a.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/Brandywine3b.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/Brandywine3c.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/brandywine3d.jpg[/img]

[Garf]

The plant is winding down. Only a couple of green tomatoes left.

[Garf]

On it's way out. One green tomato left. The last 2 rotted.



[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/mulchplant3a.jpg[/img]

[Garf]

Lost the last tomato. Time to pull the plant. I wonder if the seed can be used?

[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/mulchplant4a.jpg[/img]

[Garf]

Lost the last tomato. Time to pull the plant. I wonder if the seed can be used?

[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/mulchplant4a.jpg[/img]

[Garf]

Gone.

[img]https://www.mastercontrollinelinksite.info/Gardening/mulchplant5.jpg[/img]

[ReptileAddiction]

[MaryDel]

Garf, in your April 2 post, Those look like cracks from too little water, not too much. Cracks from too little water normally appear around the top of the fruit. Too much water makes them blowout and split usually in the bottom 2/3 of the fruit.

[Garf]

Can't seem to win. Maybe next season.