The erratic heat and cold of September delayed my summer plantings by nearly a month, but now, there are four 'Brandywine' and four 'Principe Borghese' tomato plants growing happily in the vegie patch. They are just starting to put out flowers, with the 'Brandywine' buds looking decidedly larger than the usual tomato flower. Various fast-growing plants that I planted between the tomatoes, such as basil, pak choy and lettuces, have been badly chewed by snails. I think it's time to open the snail pub.
The first sowing of beans are about to flower; they were planted about three weeks ago next to the Brandywines, as you can see above. The second sowing will be up in a few days.
My cherry varieties,'Broad Ripple Yellow Currant' and 'Tommy Toe', are also in and flowering. But I have a little problem. Where do I put my other tomatoes, the mixed heirlooms?
A more serious problem is the mysterious white leaf that has appeared on one Brandywine:
It looks worryingly like iron deficiency, and I've given the plant some seaweed tea. There isn't much you can do for iron deficiency, I understand, as tomato plants don't like lime much. I might be driven to adding lime if the problem continues.
The boys were unimpressed to see me planting lots of squash seeds, but the seeds were in fact out of date. If I get any squash plants, that will be nice -- if not, that's fine. The boys have also planted some 'World's Largest' pumpkin seeds, so we'll have to see how they go -- they aren't up yet. They are segregated under the lemon tree. I'm hoping my 'Turk's Turban' pumpkins, under the quince, will produce as they are so beautiful. To my astonishment, I discovered that my rhubarb there has resprouted. I thought the chooks had scratched it out!
A single cucumber plant has survived to grow up a trellis and flower. I can see teeny-weeny cucumbers on it.
Now I just have to figure out where to put all the seedlings I'm nurturing: more silverbeet, some salad onions, leeks, mini capsicums, eggplant, and ground-cherries. It is annoying that so many summer crops are Solanaceae; it's inadvisable to plant them in the same place each year, but I really don't have much choice (except to expand the vegetable garden...).
7 comments:
For what it's worth, Chookie, I cured an iron deficiency in a Grevillea with a liquid application of iron chelates (mixed up in a watering can). The leaves went from yellow to green in 10 days and the thing hasn't looked back since then. At the same time, an expert gardener friend said that good old steel wool tucked into the soil nearby will leach iron into the soil over time as the plant is watered. Either might be worth a try.
Doesn't seem to matter how many vege patches you make it's never enough I it.
My tomato patch is almost full and I don't have the Roma's or Tomatillos in yet. I ahve bought some of those big white buckets and am going to try Upside Down Tomatoes hanging from the deck.
Jamie, I think iron deficiency is due to a too-low pH rather than an actual absence of iron. If the plant gets worse I might try a smidge of dolomite -- so far, I've just given it seaweed tea.
Best of luck with the upside-down tomatoes, Greenfumb -- I'd probably forget to water the things!
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