More Heat

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Note: There will be a lot of text observations because I need to record this data for future reference.

Temp in Bucktown got to 99 or 100F, it doesn’t matter which.  Everything watered last night so everything should be OK on main roof.  Need to do another complete watering tonight.  Temps forecast circa 100F for until Friday and perhaps beyond.  This climate is significantly different than the last three years at least by my off the top memory.

Todo: Try and download temperature data for the last decade.   Update on tomato health observation later this evening if there’s anything different.

Update Fri 7/6:  Rained 7/5 afternoon so did not have to water anything.  Another 100F today, all tomatoes showed leaf curl at 4:30pm so only watered them to hopefully cool their roots a little.  Maybe should have done that a few hours earlier.  Will water them again tonight.  Skipping fertilizing until heat wave is over on Sunday.

Update Sat 7/7: Heat wave broke today.  Temp currently 73F at 9:30pm.  Only got to mid 80s during day even though wunderground.com predicted 100F today.  They always seem to miss weather changes.  All tomatoes have leaf curl.  This could be bad news.  Containers still seem moist so skipped watering tonight.  Must checkup during day tomorrow.   Perhaps I watered too much — I don’t know anymore.

Update Fri 7/8: Tomato leaves still curled.  Fertilized everything on main roof.  Hopefully things will improve tomorrow.

Observation: Heat

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Rained somewhat the morning of 7/1.  Did not water evening 7/1.  Temp reached upper  90s 7/2 (today).  The tomatoes did not show wilt at 3pm.  I expected some wilt.  This could mean the containers are retaining more water this year.  Mushroom compost does impede drainage and was added this year to most containers.  I have to water everything this evening.

Update: I planted Big Boys not Better Boys as tomatoes.  After watering in the evening a Big Boy tomato in caged position 13 sufferred wilt and seemed to be the only one.  I suppose I should have watered at 3pm.  Overall the Big Boy plants seem larger than Celebrity tomatoes.  Some plants of both types have started to fruit.  I’m not sure what date this occurred in previous years.  Flowers look good on all tomato plants.

Caged Eggplants on Main Roof

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Caged position 2 (left) and 3 (right).  Celebrity tomato in position 2, two eggplants in position 3.  These eggplants are the largest so far of the 8 planted this year.

Update: I usually plant 3 eggplants in these 20 gallon tubs but only put 2 in this year.  From the looks of this container 3 would have been too crowded.

Caged Position 14

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Caged position 14, the last caged position, contains 1 eggplant, 1 Cleome, and a bunch of volunteer snapdragons from last year.  This is an end container in the tomato line.  These three plants seem to be getting along OK so far however the Cleome looks a little stunted.  Some of the Cleome seedlings from Gesethemane were duds and I got no volunteer Cleome from the plants grown last season.  Eggplant grow like a weed on the rooftop and are heavy producers.

Update Note: Since this container contained volunteers from last year its soil was not turned thus mushroom compost was not added.  This could be an influence on plant size.

Caged Cleome

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Caged position 1 contains two Cleome.  These were put at the two ends of the tomato line to help protect against whatever plagued end tomatoes in the past and to attract bees.  The Cleome blooms are big and colorful and receive lots  of bee business.  These Cleome are about to have their first bloom.  They bloom all summer long.

Tomato status

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Caged positions 10 and 11. Position 10 (left) is a Better Boy. Position 11 (right) is a Celebrity. All other tomatoes of similar size at this time. Pic taken on 6/25.  Celebrity and Better Boys are the only types of tomatoes planted this year.

Catnip

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Here’s a nice shot of catnip in full bloom in sunset light on veranda level north wall.  This is catnip’s glory days.  After seeding out it pretty much dies and should be pulled.  Cats go crazy for the white flowers.

First Lily Blooms

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For some reason I planted lilies this year and here is the first bloom (I forgot the exact name of this lily — they all look the same to me IMHO) on the very north west corner veranda.  I don’t think the lilies will survive the onslaught of morning glories that have begun to amass in force.

Raspberry and Catnip Blooms

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A raspberry bush and catnip grow in the front parkway container.  This raspberry bush (foreground)  is in its third year and started from a single root purchased at Menards.  The white flowers in the background are catnip in bloom.

Logbook Entry: First fertilization 6/13/2012

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I never recorded when I start fertilizing so  not sure if I’m early or late this year.  I use that Miracle Grow 3-1-2 blue water soluble fertilizer that comes in packets.  One scoopful into a two gallon bucket is good for 2 1/2 tomato sized containers.  My main concern are the tomatoes — the only plant that has been a perpetual failure for me year after year.  Everything on the main roof was fertilized and all house plants on the veranda.  I’m debating whether or not to expand the fertilizer regime to other plants.

I normally try and fertilize once a week.