My garden sucked last year

[bearfan454]

My tomato plants were 6 feet tall with all kinds of yellow flowers on them and very few tomatoes. In fact it was the worst garden I've had in about 10 years. I did some research and found out 2 things I did wrong. First I watered every day. When it's 95 to 100 every day it seems dumb not to water. Second I gave them too much nitrogen. I tilled in chicken compost, added slow release nitrogen bb's, and hit the plants with Miracle Grow for tomatoes once a week. It was too much. It's the same thing I've done every year and had great results. Everyone at work and all the neighbors said their tomato plants sucked too. I would much rather have 4 foot plants with gobs of tomatoes. Mrs bearfan told me her mother used to put epsom salt in the dirt for magnesium and potassium. Did anyone else run into this problem? Any suggestions?

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. It really was the excessive heat. Most tomatoes will not set fruit in temps over 90.

I had the poor fruit set issue, as well as rampant Septoria leaf spot. Worst garden in my 30 years of gardening! I am aiming to get things going much sooner this year.

[wildeyed]

2. Mine were awful.

Too hot. If I recall, you should water with the epsom salt right as the plant sets bloom, at least with peppers.

[Denninmi]

3. Heat and excess N can both do it.

My particular problem last year was deer and woodchucks. Had you asked me in mid-July if I'd get any tomatoes, I would have said probably not. In the end, I got enough, but it was fairly late.

[Suich]

4. I'm trying this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=246&topic_id=12904

Thanks to Lyric!