It’s not quite over, but the fat lady is tuning up. Are you aware that we’re halfway through the first month of 2024? Did I not tell you six months ago how quickly it would pass? When I tell you there’s cheese on the moon, you better pack your crackers. We only have a couple weeks left of what I call the “big seasons.” Of course, you can chase some snow geese, tree a few squirrels, and run some rabbits, but for the most part, it’s just about done. We will endure a long, hot, summer before dove season, football tailgates, and the next fall and winter cross our minds.
I can only hope and pray this summer won’t be as brutal as the one we experienced in 2023. I am noticing more and more dead pine trees every day. There will be some money spent this spring on tree removal. And as a reminder, if you have a dead tree on your property, and it falls on a neighbor’s home, you are responsible for the damages. Address these deadfalls, before something happens. No charge for this advice. But back to the topic.
Though I still have some hunting spirit left in me, I’m beginning to think more of what lies ahead. Sure, this could be turkey season, but it’s way down the list. Crappie fishing will begin in earnest shortly. I’ve already noticed a few stationary boats dangling minnows along the dam of Lake Caroline. The larger impoundments and the river oxbows will see plenty of boat traffic in the coming weeks. Please keep me in mind if you can spare a few extra filets. Rather than hunting and fishing, my thoughts have been consumed with those fresh tomato sandwiches that the summer growing season will provide. Though we are months away from harvesting those vine ripe tomatoes, now is the time to begin planning and preparing those beds for what will render the most savored fruit in the garden. I thought I would share some of my tips for successful production of the wolf peach.
Every home or building begins with a solid foundation. This also applies to having a productive, bountiful garden. In this case, our foundation is the soil. Soil science, in the formal sense, is very complex and years can be spent studying the medium from which plant growth is derived. I won’t bore you or get so far above you with chemistry, cation exchange capacity, or the soil colloidal complex. Just basic facts and what to do and what not to do will suffice for this discussion. So, hang on, this will be fun.
Before you purchase the first seed or potted plant this spring, I want you to take a soil sample from the area you will be growing your crop. Even if you plant only in pots, this needs to be your first endeavor. Taking a soil sample is very simple. Regarding a garden spot, take a spade and insert the blade into the soil about six inches deep and remove this to the side leaving a hole. Then take your spade and make a slice from the back wall of the hole you just created. This will resemble a pancake left on the blade of your digging tool. Take a handful of this soil from the top of the blade to the end of the blade and place it in a bucket. Remember, six inches is deep enough. Do this in six or eight places in your garden and place each handful into the bucket. Thoroughly mix this together then pour into a quart freezer bag. You will need about a pint of total soil for your sample. Label it with some nomenclature so when you receive your soil analysis, you will know where it came from just in case you have several garden spots. For example, G-1, G-2, etc.
Regarding containers, do the same thing, you’ll just need a scoop or two to create your sample. You can send you sample to Mississippi State through the extension service or use a private lab like Southern Soil and Plant Lab in Yazoo City. Both do great work. The report you receive will tell you exactly what you will need to apply regarding lime, phosphorous, potassium, and micro-nutrients. It’s easy-peasy, just follow their guidelines. So, to the next step.
My favorite recipe for amending the soil is as follows: I love Black Kow. This is a manure that can be found at any local lawn and garden retail store or co-op. I can’t give you an exact amount of how much to use, but I am very liberal with it. In addition, I also apply potting soil to my regular garden spot. There are numerous brands, but some look more like a bark mulch than soil. Don’t use these. You want a more “soil-like” additive. You’ll know what I mean when you check a few bags out.
The most important ingredient you can add to a garden, and specifically a tomato garden, is basic slag. This product is high in calcium and will prevent the most damaging tomato disease there is, blossom-end rot. This is one of my proprietary secrets that I am sharing with you. If you apply an equivalent of one to two tons per acre to your tomato garden, you will almost ensure that blossom-end rot will not be a factor. Regardless of my soil report, I always add basic slag each year. If you’re growing tomatoes in buckets or in larger containers, you will be very prone to experiencing this disease due to more frequent watering that is needed for containers and therefore leaching calcium. The best rule of thumb is to apply .2 pounds of basic slag for every gallon container size you are using. For example, if you have a 40-gallon pot, mix eight pounds of basic slag into the soil in your container. I haven’t had an issue with blossom-end rot in decades. The is one of the best tips there is for the tomato grower.
I like to plant on elevated beds, if possible, for drainage. Plants don’t like wet feet. Watering is more an art than a science, but the more you work at it, the better you’ll become. Clay soils are notorious for staying wet, but you can help change the texture by adding some of the “loose” materials I have already mentioned. Remember, you will need to apply the basic nutrients based on your soil test. Nitrogen will not be tested for, but you will need to apply nitrogen as needed. I normally don’t apply much nitrogen at planting. Too much, too early, will result in a lot of spindly plants and rank growth with very little fruit set. As plants begin the reproductive stages, more nitrogen can be added. Remember, many “experts” do not recommend much nitrogen. Believe me, nitrogen is a must for good fruit set. However, timing is critical. I use the rule of thumb to apply some nitrogen three weeks after planting. The other nutrients can be applied any time prior to planting.
Regarding “how to plant,” there are several methods that work. Some prefer to dig a trench about four to six inches deep and lay the tomato plant in the trench leaving the top three to four inches of the plant above the soil line. When I refer to the “top” of the plant, I mean the apical meristem, that being the growing terminal. If you plant using this method, you will need to slightly bend the top of the plant making sure you don’t snap it off. Re-enforce the bent part of the plant with extra soil to give it support. The traditional method of planting is to just dig a hole and insert the root ball and about two thirds of the seedling into the soil and then place soil around it for support. This will also work very well.
I usually stake or place cages around my tomatoes when I plant them. This will prevent root damage later by driving stakes, or wire, through the tender root system creating an avenue for pathogens and soil insects. Regarding cages, you will need to re-enforce them with stakes, rods, or whatever you choose to prevent lodging when summer storms erupt. Notice I said, when not if. Invariably, straight line winds will force large vines to the ground pulling the cages up with them. I see it happen every growing season. Plan and prepare well in advance of these summer storms to do everything you can to minimize the damage Mother Nature can inflict.
Gardens, including tomatoes, need at least 80% sunlight. It’s hard to grow plants in the shade. You can get by with some shade, but full sun for photosynthesis is preferred. I have noticed with extreme radiation and heat; shade cloths can provide protection from those harmful UV rays. Sunscald can be very harmful to plants. Pay attention to the weather and you can erect the landscape cloths over your plants to extend their life.
Numerous factors go into producing and maintaining a viable, sustainable, productive vegetable garden. I haven’t even mentioned some of my favorite varieties and what to expect from them. Insect pests and foliar diseases are also relentless. Ahh, but I have solutions and prescriptions for these creatures as well. As with one of my previous articles mentioning a sequel, for time and space, I will continue this discussion for our next column.
This is a lot of information to bombard you with at one time so early in the year. Take time this week to digest this and make some notes. Next week, I’ll delve deeper into some of the good stuff that I hope you will find useful. For now, take those soil samples and get them to the lab. Don’t procrastinate, for the growing season will be upon us soon, but before that, soil preparation must begin in earnest. Hold onto these thoughts until next week and we’ll pick up where we left off.
Until next time enjoy our woods and waters and remember, let’s leave it better than we found it.
