There are a few plants Vero, that only get about 8 hours of direct sunlight a day but many in direct sunlight all day. I would think that with 50 some odd plants at least one would have blossoms.
Yes that sounds like plenty of sunshine. The only other possibility and that is slim is that they have recieved too much nitrogen and not enough potash. But even that shouldn't keep them from at least making a few blooms. If it's any help, mine grew very tall before they started blooming too but then they took off like crazy. Maybe the cold weather earlier had something to do with it.
I don't know the nature of mortgage lifters. Maybe since they produce such huge fruit there will not be as many tomatoes. My Parks tomatoes are loaded with fruit some as big as 3 inches across but the heirloom ones are just starting to bloom and one or two has little tiny tomatoes on them.
Mortgage lifters were actually developed in West Virginian in 1930 by some guy that had a radiator repair shop on a hill. Truckers trying to go up the hill would overheat and have to go to his shop. During the depression this guy, Radiator Charlie (I think) took four of the biggest growing tomato varieties and cross pollinated them to develop the Mortgage lifter. He sold plants for a dollar a piece and paid off his 6000.00 mortgage in six years. People in West Virginia would drive from 200 miles away to buy his plants.
I am aware of the history of Mortgage Lifters and actually I used to grow them, but it has been many years. After I discovered the Park's Whoppers and found out how successful they are here I don't grow anything else for my main crop. So many of the old heirloom varieties are not disease resistant and can develop all kinds of problems. I have tried both Brandywine and Cherokee Purple and was lucky to get a couple of decent tomatoes off each plant. The flavor is fantastic but it's just not worth the hassle for me.
Mac your plants may be doing good but mine aren't, but they have maters, I think we just had too much rain...I have yellowing leaves and some look burned? Each plant had 4 or more maters on, the largest about the size of a baseball...I will try to get a pic when my back quits screaming.
Personally I think Vero snuck over late one night and pinched all of the blossoms off....there is more than one way to make sure you get the first ripe mater,lol...
As far as I know Zeeti, with tomato plants you can get male and female blossoms. My plants must be sterile. I wonder if it has anything to do with the water. This is an area where we have what is called a cancer cluster.
I'm wondering if it's just our zone Judy. We haven't had any really serious warm weather yet except for the last week. All the rain has kept it damp and cool.
Mac..none of my tomatoes are doing much this season..not even my reliable Roma's. A friend suggested with the abundance of rain that perhaps the soil has a virus.
Look at my album Gardening 2009. I just added a couple of pics taken yesterday. I have no clue why some are having problems. My garden looks better right now than it usually does this time of year. All the extra rain has really been good for it. Usually I love to brag and out do you, Mac but now I'm not enjoying it. When the weather decides to work against you then you are helpless and that isn't fair. Another thought ... is your soil draining well or does water puddle where your plants are?
No puddling here Vero. The plants are in excellent shape. I'm thinking the warm weather is needed. The temps here have been very cool and just in the last week we have had temps in the upper 80's. Tomatoes love the heat.
I am guessing it's the coolness too Mac, if it was too much water you would be seeing yellowing leaves and disease spores from the rain splashing the dirt on the leaves...
I checked out the link Ronnie posted. Very informative. It looks as though the North East may have a tomato epidemic here in the months to come. That isn't really being said though. I started all of my plants from seed. I know that most people get their plants from the Home Depot around me. The mold spores that are coming from the Bonnie plants can spread very easily. I haven't heard any of this information on the news yet. I can't see people pulling infected plants and disposing of them properly. If people were that intelligent I wouldn't be tempted to insert a political comment here.
I went with a Super Booster Vero. Potassium level of 55. The Nitrogen level was 12. I wish I could have found something with a lower nitrogen level but the lower number also had less potassium. Now to wait for results.
The only nutrients I have given my plants in the new gardens has been the lime when I planted them and only one shot of miracle grow for tomatoes.all season. I should get a test kit. I have never had nitrogen rich soil before.
I have never had soil tests done.(Although I am sure they would really be helpful at times) My soil is pretty well balanced too. One time I decided to add a bit of nitrogen to make my tomatoes grow bigger. I added a very tiny amount, and those plants took off and just kept getting taller and taller and I didn't get any tomatoes off them all season. (That taught me not to try showing off by trying to grow monster plants) LOL
The Super booster should be ok. I think the amount of Potassium will over power the nitrogen. I use something called "Blooms Plus" when I can find it. I only use it in the green house though. Once they are in the garden I use 5-10-10 with a once a year feeding of Miracle Grow. I hope this works for you. You should see results in about a week. I think "Super Phosphate" has no nitrogen at all but I am not 100% sure. You buy it in granular form and scatter it.
Every time I look at Sue's Mortgage Lifter plants I am more disappointed. Of course the teasing helps. It's like we have 2 entirely different plants. Even the blossoms on hers look like an entire branch, lol. I can't see mine producing anything that size in a weeks time.
Don't you dare quit posting your pictures Sue. If I am to hone in on them to swipe a few I need all the help I can get to find my way around your garden.
They are male..maybe...cant have babies?
ReplyDeleteAre they getting too little sunshine maybe, Mac?
ReplyDeleteThere are a few plants Vero, that only get about 8 hours of direct sunlight a day but many in direct sunlight all day. I would think that with 50 some odd plants at least one would have blossoms.
ReplyDeleteYes that sounds like plenty of sunshine. The only other possibility and that is slim is that they have recieved too much nitrogen and not enough potash. But even that shouldn't keep them from at least making a few blooms.
ReplyDeleteIf it's any help, mine grew very tall before they started blooming too but then they took off like crazy. Maybe the cold weather earlier had something to do with it.
I don't know the nature of mortgage lifters. Maybe since they produce such huge fruit there will not be as many tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteMy Parks tomatoes are loaded with fruit some as big as 3 inches across but the heirloom ones are just starting to bloom and one or two has little tiny tomatoes on them.
Mortgage lifters were actually developed in West Virginian in 1930 by some guy that had a radiator repair shop on a hill. Truckers trying to go up the hill would overheat and have to go to his shop.
ReplyDeleteDuring the depression this guy, Radiator Charlie (I think) took four of the biggest growing tomato varieties and cross pollinated them to develop the Mortgage lifter. He sold plants for a dollar a piece and paid off his 6000.00 mortgage in six years. People in West Virginia would drive from 200 miles away to buy his plants.
I am aware of the history of Mortgage Lifters and actually I used to grow them, but it has been many years. After I discovered the Park's Whoppers and found out how successful they are here I don't grow anything else for my main crop.
ReplyDeleteSo many of the old heirloom varieties are not disease resistant and can develop all kinds of problems. I have tried both Brandywine and Cherokee Purple and was lucky to get a couple of decent tomatoes off each plant. The flavor is fantastic but it's just not worth the hassle for me.
Mac your plants may be doing good but mine aren't, but they have maters, I think we just had too much rain...I have yellowing leaves and some look burned? Each plant had 4 or more maters on, the largest about the size of a baseball...I will try to get a pic when my back quits screaming.
ReplyDeleteAll that technical gardening botanical talk..my intelligent comment was overlooked.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think Vero snuck over late one night and pinched all of the blossoms off....there is more than one way to make sure you get the first ripe mater,lol...
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know Zeeti, with tomato plants you can get male and female blossoms. My plants must be sterile. I wonder if it has anything to do with the water. This is an area where we have what is called a cancer cluster.
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling Mac...we haven't go blooms either. lol
ReplyDeleteNow Vic!!!!! Whose side are you on anyway????
ReplyDelete(Great idea! Wish I had thought of it) LOL
ReplyDeleteI've got to leave the dog out at night.
ReplyDeleteStocking up on doggy treats.
ReplyDeleteNow where will Vero get Daffyroni from. My dog is spoiled.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if it's just our zone Judy. We haven't had any really serious warm weather yet except for the last week. All the rain has kept it damp and cool.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if it's just our zone Judy. We haven't had any really serious warm weather yet except for the last week.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if it's just our zone Judy. We haven't had any really serious warm weather yet except for the last week.
ReplyDeleteI've tried three times to reply to Judy's comment and look what keeps happening...
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if it's just our zone Judy. We haven't had any really serious warm weather yet except for the last week.
Replies to Mac's comment just to see what happens.
ReplyDeletetries again
ReplyDeleteWaits for the 3rd attempt, lol.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteI think my quote thingy is broken.
ReplyDeleteSticks fake tomatoes on Mac's plants.
ReplyDeleteMac..none of my tomatoes are doing much this season..not even my reliable Roma's. A friend suggested with the abundance of rain that perhaps the soil has a virus.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they are tomato plants and not of the cannabis type with fake tomatoes hanging off of them.
ReplyDeleteLook at my album Gardening 2009. I just added a couple of pics taken yesterday. I have no clue why some are having problems. My garden looks better right now than it usually does this time of year. All the extra rain has really been good for it. Usually I love to brag and out do you, Mac but now I'm not enjoying it. When the weather decides to work against you then you are helpless and that isn't fair. Another thought ... is your soil draining well or does water puddle where your plants are?
ReplyDeleteNo puddling here Vero. The plants are in excellent shape. I'm thinking the warm weather is needed. The temps here have been very cool and just in the last week we have had temps in the upper 80's. Tomatoes love the heat.
ReplyDeleteI am guessing it's the coolness too Mac, if it was too much water you would be seeing yellowing leaves and disease spores from the rain splashing the dirt on the leaves...
ReplyDeleteLOL.. no they are true tomato plants. BTW I have heard that the spore causing the havoc here in the NE is called Late blight. Here is the link.
ReplyDeletehttp://weblogs.newsday.com/features/home/gardendetective_blog/2009/07/late_blight_of_tomatoes_update.html
Got the pics up of my mortgage lifters for you Mac.
ReplyDeleteVery tempted to start a tomato splat fight again....
ReplyDeleteLittle early here for a tomato splattin fight. Mine are green and hard and might really bean someones gourd. lol
ReplyDeleteThen you would have a bruised gourd....OUCH !!!!
ReplyDeleteI checked out the link Ronnie posted. Very informative. It looks as though the North East may have a tomato epidemic here in the months to come. That isn't really being said though. I started all of my plants from seed. I know that most people get their plants from the Home Depot around me. The mold spores that are coming from the Bonnie plants can spread very easily. I haven't heard any of this information on the news yet. I can't see people pulling infected plants and disposing of them properly. If people were that intelligent I wouldn't be tempted to insert a political comment here.
ReplyDeleteAwwwwwww go ahead Mac, so I'm not alone on political maters.(or matters) ROFL
ReplyDeleteI gave my tomato plants a shot of bloom booster yesterday just in case there is some deficiency in the soil.
ReplyDeleteHope it works,
ReplyDeleteMe too...seeing as Mike will be eating maters soon....
ReplyDeleteMac maybe it will warm up and yr plants will go nuts and you wont know what to do with all of them you will have so many matos
ReplyDeleteI went with a Super Booster Vero. Potassium level of 55. The Nitrogen level was 12. I wish I could have found something with a lower nitrogen level but the lower number also had less potassium. Now to wait for results.
ReplyDeleteThe only nutrients I have given my plants in the new gardens has been the lime when I planted them and only one shot of miracle grow for tomatoes.all season. I should get a test kit. I have never had nitrogen rich soil before.
ReplyDeleteI have never had soil tests done.(Although I am sure they would really be helpful at times)
ReplyDeleteMy soil is pretty well balanced too. One time I decided to add a bit of nitrogen to make my tomatoes grow bigger. I added a very tiny amount, and those plants took off and just kept getting taller and taller and I didn't get any tomatoes off them all season. (That taught me not to try showing off by trying to grow monster plants) LOL
The Super booster should be ok. I think the amount of Potassium will over power the nitrogen. I use something called "Blooms Plus" when I can find it. I only use it in the green house though. Once they are in the garden I use 5-10-10 with a once a year feeding of Miracle Grow.
I hope this works for you. You should see results in about a week.
I think "Super Phosphate" has no nitrogen at all but I am not 100% sure. You buy it in granular form and scatter it.
Every time I look at Sue's Mortgage Lifter plants I am more disappointed. Of course the teasing helps. It's like we have 2 entirely different plants. Even the blossoms on hers look like an entire branch, lol. I can't see mine producing anything that size in a weeks time.
ReplyDeleteMac I can quit posting if it bothers you......I was just trying to help......maybe mine are not Mortgage Lifters????
ReplyDeleteSue..don't you dare..you know men..it is ALL about size and rise-LMAO
ReplyDeleteLMAO Ronnie....
ReplyDeleteDon't you dare quit posting your pictures Sue. If I am to hone in on them to swipe a few I need all the help I can get to find my way around your garden.
ReplyDeleteI got pics this morning just for you Mac !!!!!
ReplyDeleteSize and rise aren't a concern to me. I'm not the type to go around all the guys I know and compare our "Tomato Plant sizes".
ReplyDeleteROFLMAO...good one Mac !!!!!! LOL LOL
ReplyDelete