Consider growing Bantam T51. It is the original sweet corn that all others are derived from genetically. Yellow corn. Not heirloom, or high-$, very available.
I have grown it 3-4 times over the yrs, in both AZ & TX. If it werent that I am growing popcorn this year and having cross-pollination considerations, I would give it a try here. Next year.
I'll be honest Shoer. Last fall I put some serious thought into the following spring plant. BUT- by the time I had configured everything down to seed model numbers. We were being propelled down camping lane on the cub scout bus to heck. By January I had come to my senses and tossed all those grandiose garden ideas of mine for whoever provided one stop shopping. Started with Home Depot, looking @ certain Burpee pouches, with quick turn into Walmart to see if maybe they had Ferry Morris seeds cheaper, where I ended finding the perfect camp stove instead. Then I came to a point where I used some fancy 4 letter language and went to Southern States with a proclamation- We ain't leaving this *&#%ing store till we have a garden. With the job done I came out with some horsing gizmo, I intend to use for boating. Naturally, tonight, it all ends with "dad, can we grow some popcorn"? Low and behold, in a bottle on his nightstand is a homemade noise maker from the school volley ball game, just a water bottle 1/3 full with.... dried corn kernels. I picked up the bottle, and looked at it briefly, and said quite calmly "yeah son, we can grow popcorn this year".
Seriously Jeffro, if I weren't deep into potty training and scoutcapades each week, I'd given more consideration to the flubbn' job. But it just aint gonna happen this year. I'm hoping this time next year my little one will close to 5 years old and more independent. Least nuff, I dont' have to break away from whatever I'm doing to watch him take a crap and have me clap vigorously while chanting words of encouragement.
On a lighter note, I have learned how to get my arse to Bashes. My wife currently hates me. I find that instigating fights with her has led to numerous pleas for me to go fishing, preferably for the entire weekend. Any no tell motels near you?
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Plenty of old motels scattered round in the woods around here oughta suit yur bill. They are no stranger to clandestine hook-ups and had their share of fish cleaned in the bath tub too.
Maybe rather than shoot for a bona fide garden at this point stick some seeds here & there, plant stuff fer Mater, etc., let the kids git familiar. Then once they get a little older you can give em both a trowel, work em like gov't mules.
Here's my brocojuana seedlings I'm growing. New variety that I engineered. Depending on the mood you can either eat em or smoke em.
Last edited by horseshoer : 01-09-2010 at 07:55 AM.
Ridiculous. Tomatoes need water, sunshine, and possibly a small dose of 5-10-10. They love light sandy soil & that should be what you have. What varieties have you tried?
First off, your compassion is unbelievable
I've tried all kinds, with little success. Some fungus gets'em and kills the plants.
If I ever find out that you can't do something I'm gonna call you ridiculous.
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Was a time many yrs in TX I shod horses at a little hole-in-the-wall boarding facility on the west side of Houston called Sunset Stables. One of the boarders was a container-grower and got permission to have a little area off in an out of the way part of the stable, and grew tomatoes, cukes, peppers, eggplant, beans, etc..... He was good. Used 20-30 gal tree pots and plenty of burlap for shade. Had em set as close to each other as possible in rows with walkways, looked like a darned above-ground garden.
If I ever find out that you can't do something I'm gonna call you ridiculous.
Your wait should be brief--the list goes on and on (except, of course, for catching bash-winning citation-size crappies and growing tomatoes.)
Back to the original question. Variety is important. The old standby's like Big Boy, Rutgers, Beefsteak, etc. lack the disease resistance which has been bred into the new and improved varieties. Get your plants at a supplier that offers lots of varieties & ask which ones have the best disease resistance. Get more than one of the good varieties--hedge your bets. For whatever reason, one variety may not like living with you. If it croaks, you still have the other one or two.
You can further improve the odds of a good crop by spacing plants 24" apart and using stakes, trellises, or cages to keep the foliage up off the ground and improve air circulation. Full sun is best, but they can tolerate a little shade. Avoid planting tomatoes in the same location year after year.
An occasional shot of multi-purpose tomato dust or spray will help as the vines fill in and fruit starts to develop. Watch for bugs & cutworms & apply insecticides as needed.
If you plan a large tomato patch, use 5-10-10 (sparingly, 8" or more from plants & worked into the soil) after the plants are well established and climbing. If your tomato garden is small, use Miracle Grow.
Water's important, but if it stands in your tomato row, you're finished.
I used to leave the suckers on my plants so the foliage would be thick, but switched to pinching them off as the plants start climbing. That seems to work better. If it has to support more than one main stem, the plant can be overstressed and start dropping fruit.
Locate your tomato patch away from your bedroom window so their rapid growing doesn't keep you awake at night!
Corker, I'm not mad at you anymore
Thanks for the tips. I'm still gonna try to grow in pots this year. Anyone know of a good source for the pots? Maybe Shellquacker? Jeff, that's pots with an "S"
Also, for the first time ever, I'm keeping a diagram of what, where, and when I plant. I forget which variaties of what from year to year.
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Corker, I'm not mad at you anymore
Thanks for the tips. I'm still gonna try to grow in pots this year. Anyone know of a good source for the pots? Maybe Shellquacker? Jeff, that's pots with an "S"
Also, for the first time ever, I'm keeping a diagram of what, where, and when I plant. I forget which variaties of what from year to year.
I have some larger pots laying around if that's the way you decide to go with the tomatoes. The only kind we grow in pots is the Jellybean variety, which is basically a small "grape" tomato for salads. They are really very tasty, but it would take a couple dozen for a BLT.
Don't let the uppity folk, "If you can't grow tomatoes, there's something wrong with you!" get to ya. They more than likely live in a area/neighborhood, with few, if any nearby peanut fields. The thrips that thrive on the peanut plants, spread the Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, for which there is no "cure". I made my tomato cages out of concrete reinforcing wire. I made some of them 6' tall for my larger varieties. As recently as 8 years ago, I'd have plants grow out the top, then hang down with tomatoes galore.
Once the TSWV arrived, it was all over.
I'll grow you some Amelia, which is RESISTANT to this disease. Meaning you still have to be vigilant and use good cultural practices. (Crop rotation etc.)
I'll also have some of Jeff's Big Beef, Better Boy, Early Girl (which has actually given me my best crops lately), San Marzano, Roma, and just regular cherry tomatoes.
The early crops, (cabbage, broccoli etc.) that you asked about, should be ready appx. the time of the Buggs Bash. I'll take a picture of them later.
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