I've got the tomatoes in the ground finally (I've got to grab two
more, I've got two more spots!). I've got all different kinds out
there, Big Rainbow, Boxcar Willie, Cherokee Purple, Lillians Yellow,
Abe Lincoln, Yellow Pear, Tomatoberry (grew that one from Johnny's
myself), Amish Paste, White Queen and Brandywine Pink.

I'm trying out that red mulch this season, it claims to be high-yield
tomato mulch, up to 46% more tomatoes in tests (they wouldn't lie,
would they? G), holds the moisture (natch), prevents weeds and
reduces blight caused by spoors in soil (I have a blight problem in
this yard no matter where I plant or how much I rotate).

I've also washed down my tomato cages, someone told me that they'd
heard different diseases could exist from year to year on them; it
didn't take much time to wash them down with a bleach solution and let
them dry in the sun. We'll see!

Anyone with any red plastic mulch experience? I'll post in the fall
with my own report.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

On May 29, 3:39 pm, Ann wrote:

I've also washed down my tomato cages, someone told me that they'd
heard different diseases could exist from year to year on them; it
didn't take much time to wash them down with a bleach solution and let
them dry in the sun. We'll see!

Anyone with any red plastic mulch experience? I'll post in the fall
with my own report.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

Tried it a few years ago; didn't have much yield, but it was one of a
string of low-yield not-very-hot summers.
My main gripe with it was it's thin and not very durable; my black
plastic mulch I get a couple of years out of, the red stuff was shot
after one year. And it's more expensive. This year I discovered the 30-
year heavy duty stuff at Home Depot (white, not red). Oh boy!!

Local Ag station did Real Scientific Tests with the red mulch, they
got good results, as apparently does everybody who tries it.

Carrying bacteria over year to year on the hardware or in the ground
is definitely a problem with tomatoes. The plastic mulch helps by
keeping the contaminated soil from splashing up onto the leaves when
it rains or gets watered. (another reason i use soaker hoses under the
plastic). I've tried to "solarize" the soil by keeping it under clear
plastic all summer to cook the bacteria, but all that got cooked was
the clear plastic. That stuff doesn't last at all.

I tried it a few years ago and noticed absolutely no difference in
production from previous years without it. I chalked it up to a waste
of money.

ctlady

On May 29, 3:39 pm, Ann wrote:
I've got the tomatoes in the ground finally (I've got to grab two
more, I've got two more spots!). I've got all different kinds out
there, Big Rainbow, Boxcar Willie, Cherokee Purple, Lillians Yellow,
Abe Lincoln, Yellow Pear, Tomatoberry (grew that one from Johnny's
myself), Amish Paste, White Queen and Brandywine Pink.

I'm trying out that red mulch this season, it claims to be high-yield
tomato mulch, up to 46% more tomatoes in tests (they wouldn't lie,
would they? G), holds the moisture (natch), prevents weeds and
reduces blight caused by spoors in soil (I have a blight problem in
this yard no matter where I plant or how much I rotate).

I've also washed down my tomato cages, someone told me that they'd
heard different diseases could exist from year to year on them; it
didn't take much time to wash them down with a bleach solution and let
them dry in the sun. We'll see!

Anyone with any red plastic mulch experience? I'll post in the fall
with my own report.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

This is the first year we've tried it (and we're using red plastic table
covering you can get from any party store).

My husband planted all of his tomatoes on the same day and initially only
put the red plastic under one of them. Within 3 weeks, it's amazing at the
difference in size between that one and all of the rest - it's huge. NOW,
otoh, we'll see if it makes a difference in production.

Cheryl
"ctlady" wrote in message
ups.com...
I tried it a few years ago and noticed absolutely no difference in
production from previous years without it. I chalked it up to a waste
of money.

ctlady

On May 29, 3:39 pm, Ann wrote:
I've got the tomatoes in the ground finally (I've got to grab two
more, I've got two more spots!). I've got all different kinds out
there, Big Rainbow, Boxcar Willie, Cherokee Purple, Lillians Yellow,
Abe Lincoln, Yellow Pear, Tomatoberry (grew that one from Johnny's
myself), Amish Paste, White Queen and Brandywine Pink.

I'm trying out that red mulch this season, it claims to be high-yield
tomato mulch, up to 46% more tomatoes in tests (they wouldn't lie,
would they? G), holds the moisture (natch), prevents weeds and
reduces blight caused by spoors in soil (I have a blight problem in
this yard no matter where I plant or how much I rotate).

I've also washed down my tomato cages, someone told me that they'd
heard different diseases could exist from year to year on them; it
didn't take much time to wash them down with a bleach solution and let
them dry in the sun. We'll see!

Anyone with any red plastic mulch experience? I'll post in the fall
with my own report.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

On May 29, 12:39 pm, Ann wrote:


Anyone with any red plastic mulch experience? I'll post in the fall
with my own report.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

Hi Ann
No experience with red mulch, but just have to say that my
husband and I enjoyed our first tomatoes tonight. OK they
were 'just' Sweet 100 and there were only 2 ripe ones, so
we each had one for Dessert! Oh the flavor and the delicious
juice. Two more should be ready tomorrow.............
Emilie
NorCal

mleblanca expounded:

Hi Ann
No experience with red mulch, but just have to say that my
husband and I enjoyed our first tomatoes tonight. OK they
were 'just' Sweet 100 and there were only 2 ripe ones, so
we each had one for Dessert! Oh the flavor and the delicious
juice. Two more should be ready tomorrow.............
Emilie
NorCal

Doesn't matter that they were Sweet 100's, the first tomato of the
season is something to celebrate! I can't wait....
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

In article ,
Ann wrote:

mleblanca expounded:

Hi Ann
No experience with red mulch, but just have to say that my
husband and I enjoyed our first tomatoes tonight. OK they
were 'just' Sweet 100 and there were only 2 ripe ones, so
we each had one for Dessert! Oh the flavor and the delicious
juice. Two more should be ready tomorrow.............
Emilie
NorCal

Doesn't matter that they were Sweet 100's, the first tomato of the
season is something to celebrate! I can't wait....

I'll have to wait:-( Central Valley, north to south grows most of the
produce in the US. Emilie is the perfect example. I'm near the coast.
Had fog and overcast for the last ten days. This mornin' it was foggy
and misting.

- Bill
Coloribus gustibus non disputatum