New to old gardener-Straw bales?

[nltaff]

Wow, that shot says, "I take no prisoners!"

[nltaff]

The straw bale jungle as of today. Some reeeealy good-tasting tomatoes are coming out of there!

I had very low expectations for the heirloom beefsteaks I planted. I figured with no "credentials" (so to speak) after the name, it would be susceptible to every fungus and virus and bug that came along. But, just look at those leaves! It is, by far, the healthiest plant I've got.

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So, you know how everyone seems to have left-over plants after planting out in spring? Well, I took pity on mine about second week in June. As much as it pained me (literally-had to break out the pick-axe and the digging bar), I planted the left-overs out behind the barn with a healthy handful of tomato-tone. I rarely speak to them, as they are on a timed sprinkler. One of them was an heirloom beefsteak, and guess what it said to me today? All I can say is that the previous owners long ago had a pony, and I'm sure this spot is an area where the pony lived, hung out, grazed, pooped, etc.

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[applestar]

Looks like success to me!

..but that pvc -- is it being pulled down by the weight of the tomato plant? Wow. I have heard some people use full length re-bar (or a thinner pvc or tubing) inside of the outer pvc for extra support.

[nltaff]

Yeah, if I do this again I'm thinking steel conduit. We do have a pipe bender, but I'm not really good at using it. High of 65, Monday with an overnight low of 49. I'm thinking it's gonna need a blanket.

[nltaff]

Sorry, applestar, Thank you for the compliment. While the tomatoes are growing gangbusters, the peppers did poorly. And the few peppers I did get were damaged by slugs, birds or bugs. Probably shouldn't have mixed the fruits in there. The tomatoes very quickly dwarfed the pepper plants. Thanks for the "thumbs up"!

[nltaff]

Got up this morning to find the temps hovering at 70! I immediately went out to sniff the blooming nicotiana all around the deck. So (per post above) the predicted high for tomorrow is only 65, and the low is 49?!? Just don't understand it, but I guess this is why.

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Last year, the tomatoes I planted in the asparagus garden (3 Black Krim) suddenly died overnight just about this same time (mid-late August). Never dreamed it was because of a chilly overnight temp. Anybody jump in here, do you think I should put that big plastic cover on now? I planned on re-installing it eventually, certainly by early Sept. or so. It does let in enough light for decent growth, it just means that I have to roll up the walls every morning, roll them down every (cold predicted) night.