I'm about to have to get some netting too. Same problem here with the birds. Got me last year too and I'm about tired of it.

no birds, but the rolly pollys and tomato worms are starting to show up. Time to give them a liquid sevin bath. I've not put any fertilizer out, other than fish guts in February, and been pesticide free to this point. I was hoping to not have to use any, but no one gets a free lunch from me.

I am in Abilene. I had a very good crop of Celebrity and Big Beef eventhough my earliest crop were stripped from the vines during an Easter Sunday hail storm.

Question and Suggestions:

I have some Celebrity transplants that are 6-8 inches tall and wanting to plant them for a Fall garden. With the consistent 100 degree days and nothing cooler in site, would I be better off waiting until late in July to plant them or plant them now and hope I can get them to live in these heat? Suggestions appreciated as it is for a Fall garden and don't expect any tomato setting until late August or September. If I were to plant them now, how would you keep the direct sun off of them late in the p.m.'s when the temps are 103-106 every day right now.

I appreciate your help and suggestions.

Regards,
Mud-Dabber

I'd plant them now, they'll still grow, just no fruit.

I'd wait it out for 3 to 5 more weeks, if it were me. You could use a tarp, about 3 feet off the plants, to block them from the direct sunlight later in the day.

Forget the birds. This is the 2nd year in a row my dog (lap/rot mix) started picking the tomaotes off the vine. lol I guess she sees us picking them so she does too (seen her do it). She plucks them off, bites them, then drops them.. Very frustrating to come home from work and see tomatoes on the ground. Seems like if I go ahead and pick them just when they turn yellowish or just a light orange then I'm okay. If I wait till the whole tomatoes is orange or starting to turn red, she gets them first. Craziest thing.

Any of y'all grow mint? Mine was growing great up until a few days ago. There are a bunch of black things all over the leaves now and the mint seems to be getting weak. There were also a ton of little tiny white/clear liquid filled bubbles on the soil below the plants.

Any ideas on what it might be?

she probably thinks they are a ball. our pit did the same thing, but he actually liked them, so we had to build a better fence.

I had a friend whose dog would eat their cucumbers. Then cucumber plants would pop up in the weirdest places...

What makes tomato plant leaves curl up? I have a huge tomato plant that is just now starting to bloom and a lot of the leaves have been curling up. Seems like the plant overall is still doing well. But I don't want to wait too long if it's something that's going to damage the plant.
Not all of the leaves are curling. Just some.

Those dayum squash vine borers got my zucchini again. Time to replant.

I have been fighting the usual bugs , but last night discovered lil black sticky bugs on my su=quash , but just one plant , going to get something to spray and end that in the Morning...but I have one yellow pear tomatoe that is crazy full of tomatoes, so I tried the propigating thing , and so far I have gotten three more in pots from this one plant , and four rooting in the window from others , I have tomatoes on my Rutgers, Black Crim , Grape Cherries , and the Orange one , also have the little pattypan squash , Zuccini , and Yellow Bells , Mexi Bells , Sweet Bananas , and Anahiem's . Finally got Hubby helping me water , so I am getting lot's better results this year. I have some Herbs too , Garlic and Regular Chives , Dill , Basil , and Mint, Rosemary...makes Geart Baked Fish. I hope everyone gets lots from their plantings this year.

I moved my main plot to the north of the house this year so it would get plenty of sun and wind for the corn to pollinate. I finally gave up and mowed it yesterday. I might try another one if the hurricanes kick in.

Had to move all the potted plants under the trees and I may have to shade the tomatoes with tarp. Definitely going back to the east side next year.

My squash is not doing well now. The majority is burning up. I have watered everyday, but it's just too hot and windy. The tomato plants look pitiful. My melons, cantaloupes, okra, peppers and cucumbers are doing well, however.

OK,,,,I need a little help. This is only my 2nd year to gardening. It started as a hobby thing for my wife. I have three 4x8 raised beds that are doing well. Yellow squash and pattypan are doing ok i guess. This morning I noticed A BUNCH of bugs on the back side of the squash leaves. They look like stink bugs. Do they hurt anything? Im still getting squash. However, if I get 3-4 little ones at the same time on a plant, only one will grow and the others will die. Are the bugs causing this? I had something eating my pepper plants to the ground and blamed it on the rabbits. I put out some rubber snakes and they were attacked the 1st night. Chunks bit out of the heads and tails. Someone told me it was field mice (I live in Forney on one acre with open pasture on 2 sides of me). I put up an owl and move it often but the birds just sit it on its head and dump on it. I put a net over the tomatoe plants and its finally keeping the birds from pecking holes in the tomatoes as soon as the turn pink.

Grove Rat, google "squash vine borers" and check out the pics.

Well you guys are making making me feel a little better. I thought it was just my garden that was doing so pitiful this year. My squash and peppers are doing alright but my tomatoes just look terrible. The lower sections are all burned up despite me drip watering the garden for 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at night. I'm only keeping them around to see if the tomatoes that are on there will ripen up. After that I think I'm going to pull them up and plant some more squash or green beans.

Unloaded my 4 tomatoe plants this weekend and ended up making 2 qts of hot sauce. Just no way we could eat them fast enough. Bell peppers are slowing down some, 4 plants and only 4-5 small peppers right now, but then again, I've harvested 8-10 fist sized ones already (green and red). Cukes aren't nearly as good this year, so far. I might have enough pulled off yesterday to make 1 qt of pickles but that's it. Last year I had already made 3 qts. Was attacked by aphids early and set the plants back and right now they are vining and blooming well so maybe I'll just have a late harvest. Only water about every 4 days or so. Just hope to keep the plants going till fall rolls around although the cukes never seem to get past Aug. Usually the tomatoes have a really good Fall harvest.

Thanks for the info Skeeter.

Just looked on-line. I have Squash Bugs, not vine borers. Now I need to get rid of them.

Test

worked

I have been killing my squash bugs one at a time with Insecticidal soap. Is there anything better to use to kill them? I only chose the soap so I didnt have to worry about harvest time.

physical removal is the most effective least damaging to your crops. not a big fan of that soap ckrap. If you're over a week from harvest, use sevin.

You can also look at the leaves and if you find a lot of tiny brown 'spots' grouped together, tear that part of the leaf off the plant. Those are the 'eggs' of the squash bugs and you're about to have new enemies to deal with. Remember to look at the underside of the leaves as well. As JD pointed out, Sevin is probably the best option to rid yourself of an infestation. I hate to use poisons, but Sevin isn't too bad. I've had to use it twice this year now because of the bugs. Now I'm done with them.