Watering and supporting tomatoes
I'm glad you are watering. If you put ridges up a few inches from the plant stems, you enclose the water, and much more gets to the roots. It's almost impossible to over-water tomatoes in this hot weather.
Many people have the idea that to get your fruit to ripen faster, you should withhold water. That will, indeed ripen the fruit that is already close, because the plant is trying desperately to fulfil its destiny by leaving some viable seeds, before it dies from lack of water. But it will not continue to produce and grow more tomatoes in that situation, so you greatly limit your yield by reducing the water.
Regarding the plants falling over in the wind, without seeing them, I may not be a great deal of assistance. Do you have Stakes supporting the cages now? If you don't, I would get several 8'-long 2X2's, sharpen one end, and get help driving them into the ground 15-18" at least - and attached to the cages to support them and keep them from blowing over.
If you're already using 2X2's and they aren't strong enough, try it with 2X4's.
Many people have the idea that to get your fruit to ripen faster, you should withhold water. That will, indeed ripen the fruit that is already close, because the plant is trying desperately to fulfil its destiny by leaving some viable seeds, before it dies from lack of water. But it will not continue to produce and grow more tomatoes in that situation, so you greatly limit your yield by reducing the water.
Regarding the plants falling over in the wind, without seeing them, I may not be a great deal of assistance. Do you have Stakes supporting the cages now? If you don't, I would get several 8'-long 2X2's, sharpen one end, and get help driving them into the ground 15-18" at least - and attached to the cages to support them and keep them from blowing over.
If you're already using 2X2's and they aren't strong enough, try it with 2X4's.
posted by sam at 6:15 AM
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