OT Picked my first tomato yesterday

[The Spin Meister]

It didn't taste like a good T should. Couple more in a couple of days. Started to get some signs of blight so I spent this morning taking off all bottom branches. Have been using organic copper for first time, hope it helps. Garden looks great so far. Have been eating about half qt of black raspberries per day for a week! And have frozen several qts for winter ice cream feasts.

 

[fairgambit]

It didn't taste like a good T should. Couple more in a couple of days. Started to get some signs of blight so I spent this morning taking off all bottom branches. Have been using organic copper for first time, hope it helps. Garden looks great so far. Have been eating about half qt of black raspberries per day for a week! And have frozen several qts for winter ice cream feasts.

Nice!

 

[bdgan]

It didn't taste like a good T should. Couple more in a couple of days. Started to get some signs of blight so I spent this morning taking off all bottom branches. Have been using organic copper for first time, hope it helps. Garden looks great so far. Have been eating about half qt of black raspberries per day for a week! And have frozen several qts for winter ice cream feasts.

What does the organic copper do? Last year I had a huge tomato crop. The plants grew like crazy and I had tons of huge tomatoes. The problem was they rotted on the bottom as they ripened and I had to throw half of them away.

 

[The Spin Meister]

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Organic copper is good for diseases like blight. What you have sound like blossom end rot. You could add calcium but too much will make the soil alkaline. And it takes too long for it to work for this year Try adding some special products for end rot that you can buy at Agway or a big box store.

Another source to read

 

[psu1969a]

eat

It didn't taste like a good T should. Couple more in a couple of days. Started to get some signs of blight so I spent this morning taking off all bottom branches. Have been using organic copper for first time, hope it helps. Garden looks great so far. Have been eating about half qt of black raspberries per day for a week! And have frozen several qts for winter ice cream feasts.

fry and eat the greenies.

 

[dwiz]

That's definitely blossom end rot. Doesn't affect the fruit currently growing, but will kill the plant eventually. Removing the leaves is the correct move and water with a soaker hose, or directly on roots to keep the spores from moving around too much.

 

[psengr82]

Get some lime and bone meal worked into the soil right around each plant. Also, purchase a calcium spray at any of the garden centers made for blossom end rot and spray the plants often. Do not apply any fertilizer with nitrogen. It will take a few weeks but things should start to get better. You should also consider praying as sometimes this stuff won't go away.

 

[Class of 67]

What does the organic copper do? Last year I had a huge tomato crop. The plants grew like crazy and I had tons of huge tomatoes. The problem was they rotted on the bottom as they ripened and I had to throw half of them away.

You can also mix in egg shells (calcium) into the soil when you plant the tomatoes to minimize chances of end rot.

 

[Class of 67]

It didn't taste like a good T should. Couple more in a couple of days. Started to get some signs of blight so I spent this morning taking off all bottom branches. Have been using organic copper for first time, hope it helps. Garden looks great so far. Have been eating about half qt of black raspberries per day for a week! And have frozen several qts for winter ice cream feasts.

How is organic copper different from regular copper? Is it copper taken up from the soil by organisms rather than the mined mineral, and so what?

 

[john4psu]

I have already 7 berry berry tomatoes red and ripen and I have some yellow leaves which I'm hoping is from too much rain. I have used coffee grounds for nitrogen in the past but haven't yet this year. The grape tomatoes are all green thus far. The copper thing intriques me.

 

[fairgambit]

It didn't taste like a good T should. Couple more in a couple of days. Started to get some signs of blight so I spent this morning taking off all bottom branches. Have been using organic copper for first time, hope it helps. Garden looks great so far. Have been eating about half qt of black raspberries per day for a week! And have frozen several qts for winter ice cream feasts.

Save the bad ones for the next BOT meeting.

 

[The Spin Meister]

How is organic copper different from regular copper? Is it copper taken up from the soil by organisms rather than the mined mineral, and so what?

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Says copper sulfate on the label. Probably is the exact same thing, just with a different label and a much higher price!
I am guessing the process is different to eliminate or minimize toxins like heavy metals and/or hydrocarbons that would be used and left in the mix with a regular process.
I know in the old days, and some organic gardeners now, would stick a copper nail in the ground near each plant. Might have to try that next year on a few to see if it helps. Suppose you could use any copper like a small piece of copper tubing.

How is organic copper different from regular copper? Is it copper taken up from the soil by organisms rather than the mined mineral, and so what?

 

[m.knox]

It didn't taste like a good T should. Couple more in a couple of days. Started to get some signs of blight so I spent this morning taking off all bottom branches. Have been using organic copper for first time, hope it helps. Garden looks great so far. Have been eating about half qt of black raspberries per day for a week! And have frozen several qts for winter ice cream feasts.

I use Copper Octadecanoate called Soap Shield from Gardens Alive

http://www.gardensalive.com/product/soap-shield-flowable-liquid-copper-fungicide-3/lawn-care

I suffer the same thing, and every year I say I'm to spray it earlier. This year I have, so we'll what happens come mid September.

For BET, Gardens Alive also sells a Calcium Chloride solution. I make my own solution these days. Calcium from egg shells takes a while to decompose. Some varieties are more susceptible than others.

 

[The Spin Meister]

I use Copper Octadecanoate called Soap Shield from Gardens Alive

http://www.gardensalive.com/product/soap-shield-flowable-liquid-copper-fungicide-3/lawn-care

I suffer the same thing, and every year I say I'm to spray it earlier. This year I have, so we'll what happens come mid September.

For BET, Gardens Alive also sells a Calcium Chloride solution. I make my own solution these days. Calcium from egg shells takes a while to decompose. Some varieties are more susceptible than others.

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Looks like good stuff, I'll have to try it next year. I used the copper on my cukes, zucchinis, and melons as I have had some powdery mildew issues that last couple years. Seems to have helped. (I also used diluted milk spray) While the plants are damp I also broadcast some diatomaceous earth on them to control the beetles. Even with all the damp weather and cool nights, plants look awesome.

 

[Steve G]

It didn't taste like a good T should. Couple more in a couple of days. Started to get some signs of blight so I spent this morning taking off all bottom branches. Have been using organic copper for first time, hope it helps. Garden looks great so far. Have been eating about half qt of black raspberries per day for a week! And have frozen several qts for winter ice cream feasts.

sounds like you have 2 problems going on. The leaf yellowing and dying from the bottom up sounds like fusarium wilt. best way to counter act is with resistant cultivars (the F in the description) but also mulch soil so soil does not splash up on plants and water with ground level soaker hoses. The copper will fight it. The rot at the end of the tomatoes sounds like blossom end rot. Ultimately this is due to lack of calcium and uneven watering. Add calcium source to planting hole (won't help now) like dolomitic lime, egg shells etc. Use ground level soaker hoses and tick mulch to keep even sold moisture and limit nitrogen fertilizer when planting. Now the bast way to manage is to manage sold moisture.

 

[Mr. Potter]

It didn't taste like a good T should. Couple more in a couple of days. Started to get some signs of blight so I spent this morning taking off all bottom branches. Have been using organic copper for first time, hope it helps. Garden looks great so far. Have been eating about half qt of black raspberries per day for a week! And have frozen several qts for winter ice cream feasts.

Picked mine this morning as well as my three cucumbers pickle size, and have been picking my Colariabi (sp) for the last three weeks, Lettuce (Black seeded simpson) will be ready today for a shearing.

Love it