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Post by Olave H on Jul 29, 2021 8:15:47 GMT 1
I thought that hot weather causes tomatoes to lose moisture (pressure)...as stated in the article you quoted from...but maybe you'd care to enlighten us on your theory. It's not mine or anyone's theory. It actually happens. Exile understands why & has given his suggestion but maybe I could expand on this. A tomato is lot of water held together by it's non elastic skin. Under normal circumstances with slow or little change of temperature & hence volume (expansion) & pressure any increase or decrease in volume is slowly taken in or given out by the plant to maintain equilibrium. With abnormal changes in temperature, such as the recent heatwave, the plant cannot quickly absorb the 'rapid' rise in water expansion & pressure in the tomato with the result that the skin, which cannot flex like a rubber balloon, splits. I hope that explains why this splitting, which in this case is nothing to do with overwatering, occurs & that you now see why any apology you demand from me is not necessary. If on the other hand you feel your 4 minutes Googling experiences trumps my 40 plus years growing tomatoes under glass & in polytunnels I'm sure someone might be interested in hearing them.
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Post by Crystal on Jul 29, 2021 9:49:31 GMT 1
What a load of bo**ocks!
You know absolutely nothing about my gardening experience and just assume I know nothing… and feel free to belittle me.
You quoted word for word from an article on the internet, so, despite being a self-appointed tomato expert, you also felt the need to google…but unfortunately you slipped up by not bothering to read the context of your quote.
You couldn't admit that maybe you'd just overwatered a bit…No, once you'd had a go at ibis there was no turning back, was there? You had to find a way of changing the facts to make it appear that you were not wrong…because you are never wrong about anything…are you?
But your attack on me has nothing to do with tomatoes…you attacked me because I dared to challenge you…and for no other reason.
Whilst I understand that admitting you are wrong…or apologising…is too threatening for your fragile ego to tolerate, I refuse to be another victim of your compulsive bullying behaviour….so, I'm out of here.
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Post by Olave H on Jul 29, 2021 12:45:41 GMT 1
What a load of bo**ocks! You know absolutely nothing about my gardening experience and just assume I know nothing… and feel free to belittle me. You quoted word for word from an article on the internet, so, despite being a self-appointed tomato expert, you also felt the need to google…but unfortunately you slipped up by not bothering to read the context of your quote. You couldn't admit that maybe you'd just overwatered a bit…No, once you'd had a go at ibis there was no turning back, was there? You had to find a way of changing the facts to make it appear that you were not wrong…because you are never wrong about anything…are you? But your attack on me has nothing to do with tomatoes…you attacked me because I dared to challenge you…and for no other reason. Whilst I understand that admitting you are wrong…or apologising…is too threatening for your fragile ego to tolerate, I refuse to be another victim of your compulsive bullying behaviour….so, I'm out of here. Calm down dear, you'll give yourself a heart attack if you carry on like this. It's only tomatoes we were talking about. You decided to get involved by telling me I should apologise to somebody else for something I know to be correct & now get your knickers in a bunch when things don't go the way you wanted.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2021 20:09:57 GMT 1
Crikey! Who knew tomatoes could evoke such rage and passion!!!
Anyway, to get back on topic mine are still holding up. They won’t let the blight win!!!!
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Post by houpla on Jul 29, 2021 22:20:39 GMT 1
I'm still trying to figure out what the **** bitcoins have got to do with tomatoes Well, anyway, just harvested the first really ripe 1kg-per-fruit Grosses Italiennes, so Ratatouille production and bottling day tomorrow!
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Post by gigi on Jul 29, 2021 22:26:03 GMT 1
I picked my first tomatoes yesterday and more today, sweet and delicious, pot-grown.
i hope that those whose tomato plants have escaped blight so far will continue to be blight-free.
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Post by Olave H on Jul 30, 2021 10:54:24 GMT 1
I'm still trying to figure out what the **** bitcoins have got to do with tomatoes Well, anyway, just harvested the first really ripe 1kg-per-fruit Grosses Italiennes, so Ratatouille production and bottling day tomorrow! Wow! 1kg each. That's some weight.
I slice dry a lot of toms in a dryer & am sitting here thinking about how many slices I'd get on one tray.
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ibis
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Post by ibis on Jul 30, 2021 11:19:21 GMT 1
Working on a biologic farm above Nice we used a contraption pulled behind the trailer that "steamed" the soil killing all bad and probably good pathogens in the soil. this allowed us to plant tomato plants in the greenhouse each year.
This probably is not available to the amateur gardeners here but another way to combat blight is to place black plastic over the cleared, infected ground as heat will kill it.
Blight can be dormant in the soil 3-4 years after infection so if the soil is not treated in some way, it will always return. also, good hygienic practices are needed; washing hands after handling infected fruit or plants, bagging and disposing of infected plants - never in the compost heap. If you do nothing, it is probably best to find blight resistance seeds and expect a smaller harvest. Also, remembering the first rule of tomatoes; always give water at the base of the plant either thru drip or manually and do not overwater.
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Post by houpla on Jul 30, 2021 12:01:29 GMT 1
I'm still trying to figure out what the **** bitcoins have got to do with tomatoes Well, anyway, just harvested the first really ripe 1kg-per-fruit Grosses Italiennes, so Ratatouille production and bottling day tomorrow! Wow! 1kg each. That's some weight.
I slice dry a lot of toms in a dryer & am sitting here thinking about how many slices I'd get on one tray. They're grown primarily for rat and bottling... less peeling that way 😁 Would Coeur de Boeuf be better for drying? Hardly any pips, although they are very juicy 🤔
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Post by Olave H on Jul 30, 2021 12:09:46 GMT 1
Also, remembering the first rule of tomatoes; always give water at the base of the plant either thru drip or manually and do not overwater.
Plastic water bottles with their bottoms cut off & tops removed (or drilled) & buried inverted alongside each plant when planting seems a favourite around here. Water though the bottles to get the water down to the roots without spreading it around.
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ibis
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Post by ibis on Jul 30, 2021 12:19:53 GMT 1
If you want to sacrifice flavor for quantity then use them. Plum are the best for sun or machine drying and sauce.
Slicing them to dry??? Tomato crisps???
Suggest if you are going to slice them and dry them like bananas I would make a powder of the first tray of dried slices and sprinkle on each tray after that boosting the flavor you lose from slicing and drying.
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exile
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Massif Central
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Post by exile on Jul 30, 2021 12:21:56 GMT 1
Scientific tests show that Blight is killed by the heat of a compost heap. Just as your black plastic (I thought you said not to use it elsewhere) sterilises the soil through heat.
Blight can be dormant in the soil 3-4 years after infection so if the soil is not treated in some way, it will always return. also, good hygienic practices are needed; washing hands after handling infected fruit or plants, bagging and disposing of infected plants - never in the compost heap.
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ibis
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Post by ibis on Jul 30, 2021 12:23:49 GMT 1
Also, remembering the first rule of tomatoes; always give water at the base of the plant either thru drip or manually and do not overwater.
Plastic water bottles with their bottoms cut off & tops removed (or drilled) & buried inverted alongside each plant when planting seems a favourite around here. Water though the bottles to get the water down to the roots without spreading it around.
Perfect for the backyard gardener.
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ibis
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Post by ibis on Jul 30, 2021 12:32:45 GMT 1
Scientific tests show that Blight is killed by the heat of a compost heap. Just as your black plastic (I thought you said not to use it elsewhere) sterilises the soil through heat.
Blight can be dormant in the soil 3-4 years after infection so if the soil is not treated in some way, it will always return. also, good hygienic practices are needed; washing hands after handling infected fruit or plants, bagging and disposing of infected plants - never in the compost heap.
I still will follow protocols and bag and throw away effected plants - thanks though.
My black plastic example for sterilization purposes will not have holes cut thru it or plants planted on it/ thru it. You could use cardboard underneath the plastic also. Plastic comes in handy around the garden just like Vics' liter bottles all around the plants. I try to keep all plastic out of the garden soil but occasional use is ok. Micro-particles of plastic are a big problem; on land and water
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Post by Olave H on Jul 30, 2021 13:09:40 GMT 1
If you want to sacrifice flavor for quantity then use them. Plum are the best for sun or machine drying and sauce.
Slicing them to dry??? Tomato crisps???
Suggest if you are going to slice them and dry them like bananas I would make a powder of the first tray of dried slices and sprinkle on each tray after that boosting the flavor you lose from slicing and drying.
Little 'uns are cut in half. Bigguns sliced to about 8-10mm thickness. Dried until still pliable & then frozen. Maybe dehydrated is a better term although 'sun dried' doesn't seem to offend the pedants. Worked well for me for yonks & I've never heard that sliced & dried toms lose flavour, in fact common wisdom suggests it concentrates the flavour so I don't understand your 'sacrifice flavor for quantity' comment.
'Dry them like bananas'??
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