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Tomato feeding question for short plants but already with flowers

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BarriedaleNick:
I very rarely feed tomatoes.  I plant them outside with a good helping of whatever manure I have and leave them to it.  They might get a tomato based feed late in the season if they look like they need it but nothing more than that.
Different here as I am getting used to conditions but I have toms that are in all stages of growth - some are just getting planted out but I picked a pound or so yesterday!

Beersmith:

--- Quote from: Tee Gee on June 16, 2021, 14:06:46 ---
--- Quote ---I'm so glad it's not just me with dinky tomato plants
--- End quote ---

I have noticed a similar situation with my plants.

Over the last few years, I have been noticing subtle differences with plants & seed germination.

Tg

--- End quote ---

Much to think about there TG.  The problem we have as amateur growers is that every season is different and it is extremely difficult to separate the long term changes from this season's weather.

My personal suspicion is that spring droughts are getting more common, but I don't have any hard data to prove it.

Tee Gee:

--- Quote ---Spring droughts are getting more common, but I don't have any hard data to prove it.
--- End quote ---

Neither do I!

I have been keeping records of my gardening tasks since 1986 and by using these records I built my website, but I did not record the weather.

In the early years I considered making notes on the weather, but it was so variable I decided not to!

At least with gardening tasks they tend to be one-offs on a given day, whereas the weather could change every hour of the day, making 'keeping records' a mammoth task!

Occasionally I would make a note if a weather pattern was particularly unusual, that is; it had affected my 'general' gardening in some way.

Something I did do over the last five or six years of when I had my allotments was observing when natural things took place.

To explain my website is laid out in week numbers (1-52) but so far as I know plants do not work to a calendar like we do, so I started looking at when certain perennials appeared to see if I could correlate these events with my website dates.

I have always thought that plants appear when  certain conditions are taking place!

I have a gut feeling that 'barometric pressure' has something to do with this, but can't prove it!

Likewise, I got to thinking that we gardeners often think in terms of things happening earlier/later than usual, or the seasons are coming early or later, and I decided to use new plant emergence as my benchmark!

So I used my collection of Spring bulbs as my 'barometer!

For example, I have seen Snowdrops in flower before Christmas, but in other seasons it might have been mid-January.

So I used this observation to 'mentally' judge the dates on my website to carry out tasks as per my website.

So if, for example; The Snowdrops flowered in December I would start up the seasons tasks as per my website dates but would think in terms of delaying my task by say a couple of weeks if the Snowdrops were later in flowering.

Similarly; When my Crocus appeared, I would consider starting up my 'half-hardy' stuff

When the Daffodils started to flower, I would think in terms of starting up my hardy flowers and vegetables.

When the Tulips flowered, I thought in terms of sowing Runner beans, Cucurbits etc.

Then when the Daffodils died back I considered that to be the time to 'plant out' where I would plant out my hardy stuff first and following on with the half-hardy stuff possibly a week or so later.

I have to say it worked quite well and had I kept on my allotments I think I would have found this method quite helpful now that (IMHO) there are no 'seasons' as such any more!

There I go rambling on again so as I think you will have got my drift by now I will close and if you want to humour an ancient gardener and ex-allotmenteer please respond to what I have written above (warts and all)

Tg

Beersmith:

--- Quote from: newspud9 on June 14, 2021, 22:17:06 ---My Moneymaker indeterminate tomato plants have started producing flowers but are only 2' high ...which I actually think is a bit short (they're usually double that before there's any sign of flowers).  I incorporate nitrogen for green growth at the start and then change to something like tomorite when the flowers appear.   Do you think I should do that now, or keep using the high nitrogen feed to get some more height...or even use both?   Thanks for all the advice

--- End quote ---

Back on topic, I am a little intrigued by your choice of variety. An old reliable standard with a reputation for good yields but mediocre flavour.  Is it a particular favourite of yours?  I thought it had been superseded and was a bit surprised to see that it is still available.

newspud9:
Thanks for all the interesting responses.  Beersmith, my choice of Moneymaker wasn't anything special so I'd be interested to know what others have thought to be "what a tomato should taste like" in previous seasons.  I did sow Red Verdant determinate also.

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