I thought I would share with you the newest harvest of grape and cherry tomatoes. For the most part, they are pretty healthy...
Instead of letting them ripe on the vine (out of fear that the birds would poke holes into them), I started to harvest them when they are an orange color. As you can see below, some of the tomatoes have ripened to a delicious red. The others are still catching up. I don't know what happened to the tiny one, but it started to change color before its size got any better.
Sadly, on about three of the tomatoes, there is a little bit of blossom end rot. It's not horrible, and the tomatoes are still edible. It's more annoying than anything else. Luckily, the larger varieties of tomatoes don't have any signs of this fatal disease... not yet anyway. I'm keeping an eye on it.Below: The victims
Cam and I have enjoyed several of the cherry and grape tomatoes. They do taste so much better, so much sweeter than the tomatoes you can buy at the grocery store. Yum! Every time I taste one, it's like a piece of candy in my mouth. Mm-hmm!
As an attempt to protect our tomatoes from the evil birds, Cam and I bought this funny looking owl to ward off predators! We put him next to the larger tomato varieties. We don't want to lose any of these tomatoes to the birds. Grr!!! So hopefully this plastic owl will do the trick!
Below: The owl...
We do move his position every few days, so maybe the birds will think he's actually real. My kitten, Luka, is scared to death of him. If we place the owl near her, she starts walking sideways, with her claws all out and her hair on its end. It's really cute. She hasn't pouched at him yet, but we try to keep the two separated!
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10 comments:
You could put some netting over the top of the tomatoes. Use a large enough netting that pollinators can get through but not the birds. Add some lime to the soil for you blossom end rot, it might help. That's a calcium deficiency.
Those grape tomatoes are soooo good. Before long you'll have them coming out your ears!
I was going to put up a scarecrow and forgot about it. I only had trouble with the birds on my strawberries. I am picking some of my tomatoes early, at the orange stage too. I think they taste just as good. I don't notice any difference and it does keep bugs and things down a bit if you don't have a garden full of overripe produce.
I love that owl and even if I don't need it,,,it wouuld be fun to have one. I need to decorate my garden more.
You must continue to move the owl around. We have one on the porch to deter the birds from nesting in the hanging plants. I some times see the birds on the owls head! Those birds can only be fooled a while before they catch on. I also put rubber snakes in the flower pots. They soon learn they are fake too! A bird actually incorporated the snake into the nest one time! Smart critters....
Poor kitty is fooled by the owl but in time will learn all is okay… Same kitty that ran into traffic and into an idling car! Go Figure… LOL
dp
As Dave correctly said it's Calcium deficiency.
Causes can be, drought stress, excessive soil moisture fluctuations or rapid growth due to excessive nitrogen fertilization. Root damage can also be a cause.
To avoid this in the future, keep the soil evenly moist by watering regularly. Laying down a good thick organic mulch can be a great help as it aids moisture retention.
I don't think they would have lasted long enough to have their photos taken...I love to pop them into my mouth straight from the vine!
Gail
Dave, Thanks for the advice. I just bought some netting at Lowe's and I'll be putting it up later this week. Do I need to add a whole lime and let it sink into the soil? Or pieces of one?
Dawn--Ooh I hope I do. I absolutely love them. Yum!
Eve-I'm not tasting any difference either. The tomatoes are delicious, regardless of whether they ripen on the vine or in the windowsill. Oh, a scarecrow is a great idea!
Skeeter-Aww, sad. I wish the birds wouldn't discover the owl is fake so soon... but we'll see. Hopefully not... but i bet all animals are smart. I'm going to put up netting, as dave suggested, just in case.
Mick-thanks for the advice. We've been in a drought for several weeks, no rain in sight. There was some last night, but it was very light. We're setting up a watering system, so this should help with our watering problems!
Gail-Growing tomatoes is rewarding, especially when they fruit. so delicious! i'd love to give some to you. :-)
I think the lime suggestion is the mineral not the fruit...
Skeeter- Thanks for letting me know. LOL!!! I feel so silly now!!!!!! I am new at gardening... lol.. I cannot stop laughing at myself!
I did get a chuckle from that but totally understand how you could misunderstand the comment. Dont feel silly, we have all been there. The main thing is, you are learning something new each day and that is what makes this fun...
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