The first two White Tomesol tomatoes had been nibbled! They were perfectly fine the night before and I had planned to pick them yesterday. That definitely is not nibbling from birds! I inspected the perimeter and didn't find any place where a rabbit or groundhog could have gotten in.
I came home and spent the day doing some canning and freezing. Yesterday was the first day that I canned any tomatoes and guess what???
A jar broke! I haven't had a jar break in years. OK, I guess it was due.
To make things worse, I couldn't find this
My ancient jar lifter....so of course I burned myself! How could I misplace something so big and bulky?? I know that I put it in a safe place.....still can't find it.
Yesterday we were supposed to get some much needed rain in the form of severe thunderstorns.....NOT ONE SINGLE DROP!!
This morning I went to the plots to do my morning watering to keep the plants alive. Everything went well, no more nibbling and they just filled the water tank! Yippee!
I have to say that the plants are not doing all that bad considering the weather we are having. The tomatoes haven't gotten any taller, but they are holding their own. They are not setting any new fruit though. I think that the peppers actually like the hot weather....the strawberries, not so much. I'm still pulling onions over there and harvested a pretty big zucchini today. The Long Island Cheese Squash is not happy with the hot weather. The other squash & melons are A-OK...so far.
It's going to be a tough week keeping the garden over there in shape (alive). Here is our extended forecast. I guess that I better get over to the plots tonight and find Steve!!
Sorry to read about your nibbled tomatoes! Sounds like you are stuck in the same heatwave as us.They keep calling for t-storms so I don't water and then nothing happens. So tonight I will water and it will pour...lol
ReplyDeleteHope you don't end up having those fat worms like I did eating up my tomato's...I take them in and let them ripen on the window sill..once the worm gets it "forget about it". I'm hoping for rain today too!~
ReplyDeleteOh no! Sorry to hear about your troubles Robin. I'm blaming the field mice again for those tomatoes. I had the exact thing happen to my tomatoes last year. Good news is that they only go after the low lying tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteWe had the same rain issue. So today I watered. And today was supposed to be our cool day of the week. It hit 90F. I'm really sad. They claim we will get a break starting Sunday. I hope so. I hate the heat.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about your tomato. If it had been my old garden the damage would have been from chipmunks. They ate everything, but especially liked tomatoes.
oh no what a day! i hope our dogs didnt scare my tomato-eater over to your place! yikes! hope your hand is ok. its sweltering here..ugh.
ReplyDeleteWe can certainly relate. Now you know why we brew wine! Glad to hear today was a better one.
ReplyDeleteYikes... what a day for you yesterday. Last year we had mice nibbling on the tomatoes. This year I'm suspecting lizards. Do they even eat tomatoes? I don't know but the bite marks are smaller.
ReplyDeleteBtw, how do the white tomatoes taste? Are they for slicing?
They need to put a well right in the middle of those garden plots! Sad about your tomatoes! It is HOT HOT HOT here too! Haven't even been out to the garden today!
ReplyDeleteThose are some crazy jar grippers. They look like a medieval torture device.
ReplyDeleteMrs.Pickles, This is supposed to be our worst heat wave of the season. No t-storms again today :(
ReplyDeleteGinny, don't your be sending your big fat worms up here!
Thomas, Yes, they were low lying tomatoes. Maybe it was field mice.
Daphne,They are saying that the heat wave may last through Sunday...I sure hope not!
Ohiofarmgirl, Now I know what happened...it was you! The heat is only going to get worse this week
Jody, At least you got a little rain yesterday! I think that I'm going to start making potato vodka!
Sherry, The White Tomesol tomatoes are quite good. They are very light tasting but good.
Shawn Ann, They are talking about putting a well in at the community gardens next year....we will see.
Jane, I did a post on my jar gripper last year.
http://cordarogarden.blogspot.com/2010/08/i-bet-nobody-has-one-of-these.html
The heat this summer has been pretty brutal. Oooh, I would have been upset if I found my tomatoes nibbled on like yours. I did lose a few raspberries to the deer. They also cut of the tops of some of the canes. I hope they find more food elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI too was hoping for thunderstorms to help water the garden today, but there were none by the time I got home from work. So I hooked up the soaker hoses and began watering in shifts.
I just came in from the garden because I got cold! I have never before been cold in July. Just weird.
ReplyDeleteI'd sit down and cry if something nibbled my tomatoes. Of course I don't have as many as you, I can't afford to lose any!
I broke one jar last year, and it was one of only three quarts of dill pickles I made. It couldn't be one of the zillion jars of salsa, oh no. It had to be the dills.
You're right. It is amazing that the plants are holding up as well as they are. I'll be out watering this morning myself.
ReplyDeleteSuch odd tomatoes. I honestly have never seen them before. So sorry they got munched. I've had this happen with my berries---waiting ONE MORE DAY to pick, and then they're GONE. Rats! I mean MICE!!
ReplyDelete:D
Hoping you get that much needed rain!
Rachel, you've got that right! Maybe August will be cooler with some rain!
ReplyDeleteGranny, This has been the strangest year weather wise! I'm just going to focus on keeping enough water on the plants for the next few days....it's going to be tough!
Tami, I'm glad that I didn't do much watering over at the plots early in the season. At least the plants are some what used to being dry.
Sue, No, we didn't get a drop of rain and there is no chance of rain until Monday. The temps Thursday through Saturday are supposed to be in the high 90's with heat indexes as high as 110! I'm going to be busy and tired!
Too bad about those tomatoes! I am guessing the critters are wanting the water. Something has managed to slip in your fortress!
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your misplaced jar lifter. We 'lost' a pizza stone. how do you misplace something that big???
I hate when I go to harvest something and a varmit got to it first!!! So disappointing. I've never seen that variety of tomato before--very cool looking.
ReplyDeleteVillager, it must have been field mice and your probably right in saying that they were probably looking for some water. That's too funny that you lost a pizza stone! I'm sure it will turn up in a crazy safe place!!
ReplyDeleteDorothy, Those darn critters always manage to get something every year! The White Tomesol is a very nice tasting white tomato.
We sure could use some drops of rain, too. Since our 2 weeks of rain last month, it has been dry since, although in this heat the sky teases us with heat lightning and clouds every night - but nuthin'! I've never broken a jar, either, but I'm sure I will this year - seems to be the "year of troubles" LOL!
ReplyDeleteErin, it feels like a blast furnace outside right now and the really hot days are yet to come!
ReplyDeleteSorry about your tomatoes, I've never seen a white variety before.
ReplyDeleteLOL Sometimes I put things in such a safe place I couldn't find it either :)
Mac, Everyone around here knows that when I put something in a safe place, it may not be found for years!
ReplyDeleteWe got some much needed rain yesterday. Our days have been full of threat - overcast skies - but no real rain. Then yesterday it tipped down
ReplyDeleteDon't those little pesks know there are plenty of other plots there to choose from? ;)
ReplyDeleteI hate when a jar breaks!
Hang in there Robin. It sounds like a furnace outside and days on end of it can really take the starch out of people and plants. Your strategy of just keeping everything watered is a good one - but be careful about how much heat you are subjecting yourself to too. Maybe I will bring some cool northwest weather with me when I am there next week?! One can hope at least!
ReplyDeleteIt definitely looks like mice of squirrels etc on the tomatoes and I bet they are mostly interested in the moisture more than the tomato itself. Maybe put a small dish of water below the tomatoes to give them an option?
Sue, you are so lucky to get some rain! There is no chance of rain in the forecast until Monday. It's going to be a long week!
ReplyDeleteAPGal, I know....there are 90+ other plots where they can get something to eat!!
Laura, I'm staying inside and watering at 6AM & 8PM through this heat wave. We are supposed to get a break in the weather on Monday and stay cooler until Friday.
I haven't found any more evidence of munching since Monday. You better package up that cool wet weather and bring it with you!