I Hate This Time of Year

[phoebe]

As opposed to the life-affirming, spirit-enhancing stages of tomato growing where we sow seeds, watch them emerge from the soiless soil and grow to viable seedlings under the artificial light, we now enter the real world . Oh sure, we're lulled into a kind of stupid bliss as we watch the plants grow gorgeous green leaves and thick stalks. And then lovely little yellow flowers pop out. And, if you've been good and are very lucky (at least that's what it feels like ) tiny, tiny tomatoes take the place of the now drooping flowers. Quite magical .
HOWEVER, we've also entered our own little version of Tennyson's "Nature, red in tooth and claw": the disease and bug phase lasts until the last withered leaf sinks into the dirt. . I've just spent at least an hour and a half squashing and rubbing out aphids that are rapidly laying eggs to reproduce their worthless selves on the undersides of my babies' leaves. It's like going on tick patrol after a hike in the high grasses. But at least I can attempt to do something about them. However when it comes to diseases like the different wilts that afflict tomato plants you are left with nothing to do but slump your shoulders and prepare to put the plant out of its misery. Of course this happens just as its loading up with unripe tomatoes, teasing you with what might have been.

OK. Thank you all for letting me vent.

[kuan]

I don't wanna hear it! Our average last frost here is May 16. Last year I got one harvest. It snowed in September.

Kuan

[cape chef]

Originally Posted by phoebe

As opposed to the life-affirming, spirit-enhancing stages of tomato growing where we sow seeds, watch them emerge from the soiless soil and grow to viable seedlings under the artificial light, we now enter the real world . Oh sure, we're lulled into a kind of stupid bliss as we watch the plants grow gorgeous green leaves and thick stalks. And then lovely little yellow flowers pop out. And, if you've been good and are very lucky (at least that's what it feels like ) tiny, tiny tomatoes take the place of the now drooping flowers. Quite magical .
HOWEVER, we've also entered our own little version of Tennyson's "Nature, red in tooth and claw": the disease and bug phase lasts until the last withered leaf sinks into the dirt. . I've just spent at least an hour and a half squashing and rubbing out aphids that are rapidly laying eggs to reproduce their worthless selves on the undersides of my babies' leaves. It's like going on tick patrol after a hike in the high grasses. But at least I can attempt to do something about them. However when it comes to diseases like the different wilts that afflict tomato plants you are left with nothing to do but slump your shoulders and prepare to put the plant out of its misery. Of course this happens just as its loading up with unripe tomatoes, teasing you with what might have been.

OK. Thank you all for letting me vent.

Gardening in an "in perfect" science, read,learn and wait for your next chance.

[phoebe]

I don't wanna hear it! Our average last frost here is May 16. Last year I got one harvest. It snowed in September.

You have a point Kuan. And you guys do know that I'm kidding
(kind of, sort of, not completely ). I just always forget that once the season gets going--however long or short it is --you're always in competition with the rest of the natural world, fungal as well as insectal (yes, I just made that word up).

[mudbug]

phoebe,

What did you plant in the same space last year?

[phoebe]

Hi Mudbug,

Unfortunately I don't have room for crop rotation, so some of the tomatoes go where they have always gone. In the winter, I use the same space for sugar snap peas, kale and lettuces. But the bedded plants are doing fine (so far ). It's the ones in 15 gal. containers that are popular with the aphids right now. The ones I thought had some sort of wilt were 3 Opalkas I'm growing for the first time. I checked over at GardenWeb and Carolyn Male reassured me that the droopy look is actually characteristic of the variety. So I've rescued the others by squashing the nasty buggers with my bare hands . The only potted on with a true disease is my one volunteer that's growing in last-year's potting soil. Big mistake.

[Pete]

If I remember properly, I was taught that average dish soap will kill your aphids. Just spray them with "Dawn", "Palmolive", etc. and that should kill them. And it is safe on your plants.