Saturday, May 2, 2009

ENTRY # SEVENTEEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOUR

I know that you have heard of the last Rose of summer, well this is the first Rose of summer in Dad's Rose Garden for the year of 2009. I love roses and it looks like that we are going to have lot's of them. DAD
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This bud will be a beautiful red Rose soon.
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Good Morning.
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Time is so precious-do not waste it.
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I've learned that keeping a Tomato garden is worth a medicine cabinet full of pills.
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The sun never sets on Dad's Tomato Garden Journal.

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I am very happy with the weather that we are having, this Saturday morning we have a tempeature of 62 here a 3 A.M this morning, and we had several good showers yesterday and more may be comming again today, Real good for the tomatoes.

I am needing my coffee early again this morning, I already have it and the tea ready, so let's have a cup right now, so we can begin to think right, I am not going to do very much outside this morning since it is Saturday morning. Let's just rest a little longer this morning.

This will take you to Dad's Tomato Garden Album showing you our tomato crop of last year,2008. It shows the tomatoes from setting them out until the big red ripe home grown tomatoes begin to show up. We are going to be showing our 2009 crop soon, be sure and watch for it. Be sure and use the slide show when you view this. I am sure that you will enjoy it, let me know if you do.
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We do need to go up to the Eagle Web Cam this morning and see how they are doing.

Posted on 01 May 2009 by tomatocasual.com
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Reader Question:

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Tomato Seedlings and Light
Tags: ,

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Tomato Casual reader Justin writes:
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“I have about 15 big beef tomato plants in that have been growing since February under 2 48′ 40watts and 2 48′ 25watts florescent. I live in Ohio.
The ones under the 25watt have stems twice to three times as thick, extremely uniformly dark green leaves, tons more canopy, tons more hairs and stickyness on the stems, and a little more purple under the leaves.
The ones under the other light are lighter green, small stems, but no purple under the leaves and seem healthier?? They almost seem like different strains but are the same seeds from burpee.com. Do the dark ones have a disease??”
Hello Justin. What an intriguing problem! Thick stems and dark green leaves are actually signs of very healthy tomato plants. It is possible that they are somehow a different variety, though this is not likely.
Are the lights on each set of plants at the same height? Seedlings do well with the lights 2-3″ above your trays. As they grow, move the lights up to be 6″ above your growing plants.
Seedling plants need fluorescent lights that provide from 15-20 watts per square foot. Your 25watt bulbs are providing 12 watts per foot (since you have 2 lights). The 40 watt setup is providing 20 watts per foot. Your 25 watt setup is slightly low, but this would have produced weaker, lighter green plants, not darker ones, if they were truly having problems.
The purple leaves are something to watch, as this is one sign of phosphorous deficiency. Has it been coiler in your house lately? Your soil may be fine, but colder temperatures can inhibit the ability of your plants to use the phosphorous that is there. Too much water or too little can also affect the phosphorous intake. You may want to test the soil to see if the levels of phosphorous are adequate.
I think you should be fine with both plants. Remember to harden them off before placing them outside, so they can get used to natural sunlight. Good luck!
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Related Posts
Tomato Casual Answers Reader’s Question: What’s Up With My Tomato Juice?
TC Reader Question: Should I not use potting mixes with fertilizer when starting tomato seeds?
Tomato Casual Answers Reader’s Question: Storing Sun-dried Tomatoes in Oil

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Here is my thought for the weekend.

" Increase our faith when fruitless seems. The toiling hours o'er vale and hill; Teach our discouraged hearts to feel. Thy kindly hand is leading still."

The hymns that we sing each Sunday in our meetings mean so much to me. R.L . Allan and Son are so kind to grant me permission to use this, What a comforting thought this is. DAD
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This is going to be all untill I see you Monday morning, I do not write a blog on Sunday. Mary and I have about the same plans each week, our Sunday morning meeting and this week we will be in another meeting at 4 P.M.
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I hope that all of you have a nice quite weekend. Help keep that smile going if you can. Reading that thought above might help you do it.
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BYE BYE DAD.
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white6416r@aol.com.
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.615-850-5763

© 2009 Dad's Tomato Garden Journal all rights reserved.






6 comments:

Ally Lifewithally said...

Good Morning Dad just wanted to pop in and say hello and join you for a "Cuppa" ~ off out shortly to do the weekly grocery shopping ~ It is a lovely Sunny morning here in the UK ~ Hope you and Mary have a Good Weekend ~ Ally x

Becky said...

Morning Dad! We're getting a wee bit of rain here in southern California, too, and it's very welcome! Although I hope it is gone by morning because my daughter is going to be sitting outside selling the jewelry she makes at a crafts fair. Have a great weekend!

Helen said...

Good mornng Dad, we had some rain showers late yesterday afternoon and more during the night and even more expected today. I checked on the Eagle cam about daylight and all seemed to be well. Beautiful rose you have there. You and Mary have a great weekend. Helen

Hollie said...

Good Morning Dad,
We had some heavy rain & storms last night, but it seems to have cleared for now. The rose is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing it! I'm off to have a cup of that coffee...thanks!

baldy said...

DAD, I'M SURE YOU REMEMBER TOMATO VINES BACK IN THE OLD DAYS.
MAYBE NOT THOUGH. YOU MAY NOT HAVE LIVED ON A FARM IN YOUNGSTER DAYS.
BIG GARDEN DAYS BEGAN WITH OUR FAMILY WHEN I WAS ELEVEN YEARS OLD, THE 'GREAT DEPRESSION' BEGINNING.
DAD LOST EVERYTHING BEING IN HOUSING CONSTRUCTION. MOVED TO THE COUNTRY AND WITH LARGE RICH GARDEN AREA AND MY DAD'S KNOW HOW, WE HAD WONDERFUL GARDENS AND A CORN FIELD WORKED WITH A TEAM OF HORSES AND FARM TOOLS OWNED BY A NEIGHBOR. TRADED WORK.
WE HAD A SURPLUS WHICH THERE WAS NO DEMAND FOR. PROBLEM WAS HAVING MONEY TO BUY FLOUR, SUGAR BAKING POWDER AND LARD AND OF COURSE COFFEE.
BIG PATCHES OF TOMATOS. NO FANCY NAMETHEN. LITTLE YELLOW 'PEAR' TOMATOS, RED 'CHERRY' TOMATOS AND THE DELICIOUS COMMON RED ONES OF VARIOUS SIZES.
CHICKENS AND PIGS LOVED ANY TOMATOS PLACED IN THE PIG TROUGH.
I CAN STILL REMEMBER WALKING THROUGH THE TOMATO PATCH EARLY MORNING, HEAVY DEW AND THE SMELL OF THE DISTURBED BRITTLE TOMATO VINES.
SOME VINES BROKE OFF AND SEEMED TO RENDER THE PLANTS MORE PROLIFIC. LATER IN THE DAY THE HOT SUN BROUGHT THE PLANTS TO LIFE AND MOTHER CAME WITH BASKETS TO FILL FOR 'CANNING'. SHE ALREADY HAD WATER BOILING ON THE OLD WOOD BURNING KITCHEN RANGE AND WOULD 'PUT UP' DOZENS OF JARS OF THE DELICIOUS TOMATOS.
DEAR OLD MOTHER, SWEATING OVER THAT KITCHEN RANGE. SHE LOVED TO 'DO' FOR FAMILY.
NOW IN THIS PRESENT DAY, 'DAD'S TOMATO GARDEN JOURNAL' IS A GREAT HELP TO THOSE HAVING A DESIRE TO GROW FINE TOMATOS.
THANKS DAD. sam

jmuhj said...

Dear Dad and Ms. Mary:

I learned a lot reading today's tomato tips! Your red rose is gorgeous. I have some here, too, both Mom's and my own newer plant that I had put in last year. The eaglets are a lazy bunch today. Hope your weekend is a good one and that the weather continues good for growing plants. I'm enjoying my coffee and trying to SMILE! Love and hugs from Jamaka and fams