Get them out of the planters.... Never had luck doing that in Oklahoma heat....
https://www.trees.com/gardening-and-landscaping/epsom-salt-for-plants
https://www.trees.com/gardening-and-landscaping/epsom-salt-for-plants
No matter what method you do, inground, raised bed, etc, get a soil sample analyzed specifically for tomato's. The PH and nutrients in the soil made the difference in a bumper crop and a poor one. Do another mid season and adjust accordingly. Our well water is very alkaline so we have to add a sulphur mix to the garden to make it close to a neutral PH all season long when watering.
During the summers, my dad would use some old minnow seines to cover the plants that would limit the amount of hot summer sun getting to them.
Shade coverings in different grades, (50%-80%) can be bought at Amazon to allow in some sunlight but block the heat. We use one on the awning of our RV. In direct sun, it feels 15 degrees cooler while standing behind it vs the direct sun, yet some does get through.
During the summers, my dad would use some old minnow seines to cover the plants that would limit the amount of hot summer sun getting to them.
Shade coverings in different grades, (50%-80%) can be bought at Amazon to allow in some sunlight but block the heat. We use one on the awning of our RV. In direct sun, it feels 15 degrees cooler while standing behind it vs the direct sun, yet some does get through.
Also look at the days to maturity and if it is a determinate or indeterminate variety. Pick a early to mid maturity variety between 50-80 days. Why wait for the varieties that take all summer to get ripe.
strange that it's that difficult, the Inmates at the prison have them growing every where and all they have is seeds and water
I haven’t had any problems growing them. They do occasionally drop off production during the really oppressive parts of the summer. I just keep watering them and a little fertilizer if they look sickly.
I typically buy 3-4 different varieties so I get fruit spread out over the season. Plus normally at least one Roma specifically for fresh cooking.
I typically buy 3-4 different varieties so I get fruit spread out over the season. Plus normally at least one Roma specifically for fresh cooking.
I start off with a early soil sample with a PH of 6.8-7.0 Watering all year from our well will raise my PH .5 or more. Going to add a small amount 2lb/1000ft of aluminum sulfate each time I water from the well this year.
This woman is a local to Tulsa, she sells starters, and has longstanding experience in growing tomatoes in OK: https://www.tomatomansdaughter.com/planting-tips
Oklahoma has two growing seasons for these types of vegetables: Spring and Fall. Tomatoes and peppers, etc fail to pollenate through the Summer heat, so they grow and flower but you get very little fruit.
In order to get Spring tomatoes, your window is short, so you need to start your tomato and pepper plants indoors in late February, make sure you have plenty of light, room to grow and support, and harden them off through early April, planting them in soil no earlier than April 15 (last frost date). Or, you could simply buy the starters from Tomantomans Daughter or a nursery.
Plan to add partial shade like a sun screen or a vertical vining plant through the Summer heat (for most of your garden), and prune any useless growth back through late Summer, and in August start fertilizing for new flower to fruit growth as things cool.
Oklahoma has two growing seasons for these types of vegetables: Spring and Fall. Tomatoes and peppers, etc fail to pollenate through the Summer heat, so they grow and flower but you get very little fruit.
In order to get Spring tomatoes, your window is short, so you need to start your tomato and pepper plants indoors in late February, make sure you have plenty of light, room to grow and support, and harden them off through early April, planting them in soil no earlier than April 15 (last frost date). Or, you could simply buy the starters from Tomantomans Daughter or a nursery.
Plan to add partial shade like a sun screen or a vertical vining plant through the Summer heat (for most of your garden), and prune any useless growth back through late Summer, and in August start fertilizing for new flower to fruit growth as things cool.
Yea like @bibg159 said above. I typically do one of two things.
Plant them outdoors early and roll the dice. 9 out of 10 times.
or
Repot the little boogers and keep them inside until at or around Easter. Only 1 out of 10 times.
Most years I get lucky. Last year wasn’t one of them. So I just bought some more and started over.
This year I bought early like most years but had a sneaky suspicion it was going to be one of those years and we’ve had several freezes. Lucky I didn’t plant them outside.
Plant them outdoors early and roll the dice. 9 out of 10 times.
or
Repot the little boogers and keep them inside until at or around Easter. Only 1 out of 10 times.
Most years I get lucky. Last year wasn’t one of them. So I just bought some more and started over.
This year I bought early like most years but had a sneaky suspicion it was going to be one of those years and we’ve had several freezes. Lucky I didn’t plant them outside.
Get ready for another freeze the next few nights
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