Tomatoes- How to Prune/ Water/ Best Practices
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- Important general guidelines for how I grow my tomatoes. How to prevent tomato blight, fungal diseases, and bacterial diseases, splitting, cracking, blossom end rot, Sun scald, How to prune tomatoes, irrigation, etc.
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Mark's Garden Life LLC.
P.O. Box 72 Street, MD, 21154
I'm 70 years old and not to invest in what I believe are the best tomato cages I've ever seen. Certain they must last pass 20 years and would expect that plus many more seasons and would be windproof once the tomato plants pass 30",
I've got you as one of two you tube teacher that I listen to the hardest,SIR!
Thank you for the teaching Sir
I recently found your channel and am certain that we could chat for hours about tomatoes. I am from Southern Minnesota and have been deemed the tomato whisperer around the area. This year I am only growing around 150 plants and 16 varieties. Finally narrowed it down to my favorites. I string and sucker and always take all foliage below the first clusters from the get go. One tip that I would love to share with you and your subscribers, when you first fruit begins to ripen, start watering with a few tablespoons of Blackstrap Molasses per 5 gallons of water about once a week and you will be totally amazed . It greatly enhances the sweetness!! Love your enthusiasm for tomatoes👍
Hi Paul!
I'm sure we could talk for hours!
Please do me a favor and send me an email with the varieties you like, etc...
I'll need to experiment with the molasses thing... That sounds interesting!
Take care,
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 Maybe you could make a video about the use of molasses in tomatoes in the future :)
There's something special about a true tomato nerd. And I agree about the watering
lol Hey Mike! Yep!!!
-Mark
I continue to get caught-up with all of your videos, Mark and continue to glean lots of helpful information. Thank you again!
Hi Doug!
Glad to hear you're catching up and picking up some new information. You're very welcome of course! Thanks for watching!
Doug, you have a great day! All my best, -Mark
You’re previous videos contributed to a really good tomato crop for me this year. Thank you!
Hi Bryan!
Great to hear! And your very welcome!
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 what size are your tomato raised beds?
Hey Mark. Thanks for the tutorial. You always provide great content and your gardens are so lush and beautiful. Great Job my Friend!!!
Hi Billy!
Your so welcome! Thank you! Appreciate that!
-Mark
Great Informative Video....
The word you were looking for when talking about how a tomato
or a grape can taste different from place to place is TERROIR.
TERROIR = Soil Conditions, Climate, Frequency of Rain, etc.
I watched your video of how you prepare your soils in advance of planting.
I do the same things, with the exception that I also add epsom salt to my mix.
Epsom Salt helps any plant life, be it vegetables, flowers, shrubs, or trees,
take up and exploit nutrients and minerals even better.
Your tomato plants have EXPLODED! They are huge!! I also cannot believe you don't water them!
In my raised beds, I feel like the soil dries out fast and that I "need" to water. Will have to try watering less and see, you've peaked my interest. I haven't had to water anything in a couple weeks because of tons of rain. The idea that the roots go down deep and soak up the terroir of the region is interesting and makes complete sense. I got seeds for ananais noir but will have to wait until next year to try. Great video!
Hi Michael!
The only time I would water if we get into a bad drought and I noticed plant stress. I've practiced the don't water unless completely necessary for years and it works for me anyway. Glad you liked the video! Thank you! Thanks for watching and it's always good to hear your comments!
Take care!
-Mark
Wow that great 👍 thank for your sharing this beautiful video
Hi Sieb!
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching/commenting as well.
Best,
-Mark
GREAT advice Mark. Do not over water. Prune is good, especially removing the suckers.
Thank you!
-Mark
Mark ,I took two Tomatoe plants and ended up with 80 plants.I would keep transplanting the little shoots that would come out at the bottom of the plant and just plant them .I was amazed
Yes, that is a lot!
Thank's for sharing. Have a good gardening season...
Thanks, you too!
-Mark
Hey Mark! Loved this video! I’ve had a horrible time with early blight this year, especially while I was on vacation for a couple of weeks. It took hold quick .But I cut off all the affected leaves, sanitized and things are improving. Fruit so far tastes amazing and are plentiful. Glad to see you sanitizing your garden tools!! I started doing that last year after cross contaminating a few plants in my landscape. Oops. By the way, that “uniform and symmetrical thing going on everywhere” issue is called OCD. Unfortunately, I can relate. LOL. I guess that’s why I love the layout of your garden so much! Cheers.
Hey Scott!
Thank you! It does move through a plant fairly rapidly. Glad you caught it in time. Sanitizing......a habit you learn to do when in the greenhouse business. OCD!......what, me! lol Never! Where did you head for vacation?
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 Hawaii (Oahu and Maui), so don’t feel bad for me. 😃 It was much needed after the last year. The diversity of plant life in Hawaii is amazing. Incredible Orchid farms and beautiful botanical gardens. I wanted to bring back a plane full of that rich volcanic soil! LOL.
lol Ok Scott, I won't feel bad for you! Hawaii is on my bucket list of many places I'd like to visit. I'm sure it was a great trip!
-Mark
There are many tips in this single video which I will begin implementing in my garden this weekend!
Hi Lonnie!
I'm glad it was helpful! As always, thanks for watching and commenting too!
Take care!
-Mark
Great video!! I just ran outside and moved the cedar mulch away from the bases of my tomato plants!?!?! LoL
Hi!
I'm glad you enjoyed and learned something too! lol Cedar mulch may not be as much of a issue as other things such as grass. Thanks for watching and commenting too!
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 Ya I figured that it has that anti-bacterial/fungus qualities that why I use it when I can find it. Thanks for the reply and keep up the excellent work Mark!!
Thank you!
Thanks for the great info. Glad to see you back at the videos..
Hi Rajish!
Your very welcome and I'm glad to be back!
-Mark
I experimented with hard pruning and 100% sucker removal. I was tentative at first. For a few weeks just the leaves close to the ground. As they began to flower I gradually removed leaves 1/3 the way up. Or to the first fruit nodes. It's end of July now and I'm 2/3 up the main stalk. I allowed a lot of branching, I'm pruning up to the fruit nodes on those. Have to leave enough solar collectors. Sun doesn't hit them till 10 a.m. Gets shady around 8 p.m. I don't have near the work load you do tho. I'm getting great bunches on all the varieties. I love thes
I love these plants to obsession!
Hi Jeff!
Classic Method...
I think if I didn't plant so many, I would grow more like you...
My problem is,
If I don't stay on top of them, they will outgrow the pace my pruners can keep up with haha. Inevitably, it seems, the season reaches the point where I just let the plants run wild, my theory is, I just give them the space to do so.
I am thinking of doing a single stem bed next year...
Just to experiment with/ trial a bunch of different varieties.
Currently, with only 8 plants per bed, I have to be more selective than I would prefer.
And I totally agree with the obsession part lol. But, there are worse things to obsess about I guess haha.
Take care Jeff,
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 Ha! I wouldn't even bother with you're beds for sure. Maybe half of one on yours lol. Again, love you're place, and the videos.
Thanks Mark! I'll be pruning my plants today! I've always removed the suckers but never thought about taking off the lower branches! Everything you've explained makes perfect sense to me! Thank you!
Dag! You did a great video and lots of great advice as it matches must as I know and heard from the best tomato farmer buddy that I've ever heard about tomatoes thanks for the teaching Sir
Hi John!
lol Glad you found the video helpful! Thanks for watching/commenting!
Happy Gardening!
-Mark
That is a really neat and super robust tomato cage system. Thanks for the video, Mark!
Hi Charles!
Glad you liked it! I like the fact I can stack and store them also. They also can be used for tents over the tomato plants early on if you want to plant before the last frost and cover the plants on cool nights. Thanks for watching and of course commenting too!
-Mark
Thanks Mark, this helps answer my question in another video. I had the exact problem of browning from the bottom up that you described. The weird thing is I'm using a self watering container system and never water from above. I did thin it some and it's on an upper deck with great air flow and sun all day. I'm not sure what I could have done better.
I made a huge mistake and didn't plant marigolds this year...the pest pressure has been fierce!
Hi Miranda!
They do help. I've noticed if you have a Japanese Beetle problem, use the white Marigolds. They seem to draw the beetle to the blooms. Thanks for watching and commenting too!
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 Good to know! I will definitely interchange those with orange ones next growing season! Thank you for your content!
You are so very welcome!
Best,
-Mark
I just stumbled across your channel and you legit solved every single issue I'm having right now. Pruning which I was totally doing wrong, watering which in western PA has been nuts with rain so I think they may have too much idk. The tomatoes were splitting which I couldn't figure out why. You've totally helped with the mulching and have hope now that I can save my plants. I don't have a large area. About 3' wide and 25' long. I tried to plant my tomatoes about 18" to 24" apart. Do you think that's adequate for my varieties? San Marzano, Roma, Early Girl, and Purple. I know you have comments galore so anyone else feel free to chime in. I'm stoked about this channel and will be telling my fellow gardeners about you. Thanks so much for keeping it real. Again, fantastic thing you're doing here.
Very cool, thanks for the education Mark. Love all your videos.
Glad you like them! Thank you!
-Mark
Thanks for your video. I pruned the bases of my tomatoes right after watching your video. Sanitized shears too. Great advice!!
Glad it was helpful!
-Mark
What do you do if rain is not very frequent? Is there a certain number of days you will go without rain before you need to water? Fascinating vlog....thanks.
First time view your video ... thankyou ..
Hi Saara!
Your so very welcome! Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Great video
Thank you!
-Mark
Good morning Mark 🌞 another beautiful day to spend on my allotment.Like a couple of your subscribers say its a very relaxing time tending the tomatoes,chillies,cucumbers...nice and quiet and calming 😊 My tomatoes got planted out late due to the cold conditions but they are looking fantastic,nice green foliage and the fruits about the size of yours,so lm very very happy.Like you lm a bit of a stickler when it comes to planting,l do like to see a beautiful tidy and well kept garden/veg allotment weed free hahaha but them weeds are determined.l shall be taking photographs in the next 2/3 weeks so l would like to send you a few.Yes up till now its all going good....not swamped with bugs 🐛and very few cabbage whites 🦋 However it very concerning as there are hardly any pollinators about.... as for the bees l could count on two hands how many lve seen this year.OK Mark really enjoyed this video as do l all,very helpful tips,much appreciated thankuou.Have a wonderful weekend and all the very best 🌱🌱🌱💕🇬🇧
Hi Joyce!
I'm glad to hear your garden is looking good! We have bee hives here on the farm, so I've not experienced that problem, but I know it's a huge problem with the decline of honey bee hives. I look forward to seeing your pictures!
As always, thank you so much for watching and commenting too!
Take care!
-Mark
Can’t wait for a tomato harvest video!
Hi!
I can't either!!! That means I'll have lots of tomatoes to eat! Thanks for watching!
-Mark
You have the best looking tomatoes and hands on videos out there. I grow tomatoes, but mine never get so full. What do you feed the tomatoes and how often do you do that during the growing season.
Hi Diane!
Thank you! My hands look like hands to me! Someone told me my feet were pretty also, but they look like big feet to me! lol Thank you for the compliment though! It's always nice to get a compliment! Feeding......I don't feed at all. It's all about preparing the soil ahead of time. If you get a chance, watch the video titled "Building Garden Soil For Raised Beds" that I did a few months ago. Diane, thanks for watching/commenting!
Happy Gardening!
-Mark
Thank you Mark for all the great videos . I'm getting alot of extra mid season rain which is causing alot of tomatoes bursting open . It's all good though I plan for issues by growing extra plants . Plus my chickens get an extra treat with these cracked tomatoes.
Hi Joe!
Your very welcome and I appreciate you watching them! I have the opposite situation here with not enough rain this summer. Some well fed chickens!
-Mark
another good video!
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Best, -Mark
Thank you for the tips. Mine are growing with drip irrigation and plastic mulch, but I still get septoria leaf spot and early blight. I'm going out now to prune; I had taken lower leaves, but not as much as you.
Hey!
Your very welcome! I'm surprised you need drip up in NH with all the summer rainfall you receive. You have cool periods and that may contribute to early blight. I know while in Vermont during the summer, I've experienced some very cool weather at times. Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Great information. Thank you very much
Hi Terry!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching and of course, commenting too!
-Mark
Looking good and healthy! Great tip about the hand sanitizer, have quite a bit of that on hand. I think the shears look good. I saw some like that at lowes the other day. I should have picked them up. I have been using scissors and, you are right, they are awkward. Have you been able to harvest anything yet? Many of my "cheeries" are ripening like Sweetie, sungold, champagne bubbles, and Barry's Crazy Cherry. I am a day or so away from Sunrise Bumblebee and Brad's Atomic Grape. But I already feel tomato rich and my salads are so yummy! I love those cages too, I just don't think I have the room to cage like that. I end up having to prune a lot and train them up cord. Last year I did single stem, this year I'm trying more stems. It's definitely a lot of up keep, but I find it relaxing. I don't know why.
Hi Tracey!
Yes, so far they look great. I didn't get them planted until a little later this year though because of spending so much time with Kiera and having a shortage of help this year as many business owners dealt with, so mine are a good ways from being ready. Our last average frost in our area is approx. May 10th also. Where are you located btw? If you get a chance, send me some pictures. The relaxing part.......yes, very much so I find. Enjoy your harvest! Thanks for watching too!
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 I'm in Illinois zone 5b, what about you? I was wondering that myself. I'm going back to your original video about your 2021 varieties. I don't know why, but the myriad of tomatoes out there is just fascinating! I'm doing like 28 varieties this year I think, trying to find what I really like. But I have a feeling I'll just keep trying new tomatoes every year. I'm buying seeds already for next year. Plants are amazing!
Maryland in zone 6A-6B. Tomatoes......it is amazing the number of varieties. I want to keep trying new ones every year as well. You'll have to let me know your favorites at the end of the season if you would. I love your Chicago Botanical Gardens btw. Been there a few times. I travel up to Ball Horticultural in West Chicago every few years too. They have a beautiful trial garden there if you ever get the chance, check it out.
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 its not the end of the season, but I will say my favorite cherries to snack on in garden are champagne bubbles and sun gold. Barry's Crazy Cherry is pretty good too. Blue Berries is a big disappointment. Just blah. I have four of those too...they will just get dehydrated. Everything is better dehydrated, more flavor. My favorite beefsteak is Thorburn's Terra Cotta so far, but have not tried them all. I'll happy update everyone later:) I love watching tasting videos or overviews of each of the varieties to help me decide on next year. I don't know why trying tomato varieties is addictive, but it is. I'm going to try Isis Candy on your recommendation. Are you into peppers at all?
Thanks, love your videos
Hi Karen!
Thank you so much! Glad you like them! Thanks for watching and commenting too!
-Mark
Hey Mark! Another great video. Hopefully next year I get a chance to put in a real garden and your tips are going to be quite helpful!
Hey WJS!
Thank you!!! I'm glad you are enjoying them. There is nothing like fresh produce, so I hope you do get to put one in next year. Thanks for watching!
Take care!
-Mark
I was curious how your plants look so great. You're in a humid, wet summer region like I am and I fight fungus constantly. Moving to drip tape and plastic mulch has been a game changer. I can't believe you don't water at all, that blows my mind! I was looking forward to seeing your tomato progress videos this year. Thanks!
He has really good soil under all that mulch!
I think, they have at least double the rain or even more than what I have in central Europe.
Good soil, air circulation and sun all day long are a huge help! I will do some more tomato videos as the season progresses. Thanks for watching and commenting as well!
-Mark
Water .. a gift and curse . Esp with high heat and humidity.
Always worried bout dry soil even in 80% humidity. The heat seems to just stress the main roots.
Gonna email you on high heat varieties. I guess I could grow sweet potatoes.
Growing in high heat, humidity has it's challenges! Strawberries and blueberries too!
Great video, keep it up.
Hey Garrett!
Thanks, will do! Thanks for watching too!
Take care,
-Mark
Question: I don’t have control over my irrigation at present. Water goes on 3x/day. 🤦🏼♀️ I won’t be able to tackle this issue til next year. What are your thoughts on a feeding schedule to keep the nutrients from depleting from all the watering?
I’m also single stalking with leaves trimmed at least 20” up on my indeterminates. This heat wave we’ve had over the past month has been brutal, 90°-100°+ every day! So not like my 6b zone! Lots of flower drops. I add natural forms of potassium and calcium but it didn’t stop the drop. Any advice you may have is greatly appreciated! Blessings! 🙏🏻🙌🏻
*Edit*
The hand sanitizer is an awesome idea! Definitely going to adopt that practice!!
Hi Mark, Great videos and quite enjoy following you. Have a question in regards to the Marigold flowers you have planted amongst your tomato's.......do you plant the flowers in your tomato beds for a particular reason or just put them in for ascetic reasons?
Hi Jay!
I'm glad you are enjoying my channel! I really have a great time making the videos. Thank you so much! Marigolds.....typically I use white Marigolds, but I had a problem with getting the seed, so I used the yellow. The reason I plant Marigolds is because the Japanese Beetle will go to the Marigolds before bothering my tomatoes. I don't know why, but the white seem to attract many more beetle to the flowers. Of course, they do brighten up the garden as well. Thank you for watching/commenting. Spread the word of my channel if you would. Thank you!
Jay, you have a wonderful week!
Take care, -Mark
Love the info! Question: how much rainfall do you get during the summer? I’ve got heavy clay soil amended with a lot of compost. I get less than two inches during the summer months so I’m wondering if I can implement your methods
Hi Darian!
We haven't got as much rain in June here at the farm as usual... 4.5" for the month of June in surrounding areas, but I doubt we got that here. It all depends on where those little thunderstorms fall for the most part.
A heavy layer of mulch insulation always helps... Clay does retain moisture the longest of all soil types.
However, once it gets dry, it takes a while to saturate again... Even with compost added, it can be a slow process... A thick layer of natural mulch slows down much of the water loss due to evaporation that would otherwise take place after a quick heavy "Surface" rain, and allows the clay base and clay particles in the upper layer of soil time to soak up that water.
It helps capture/ soak up what you do get out of the sky and keep it there....
Things will improve year after year as your worms incorporate your compost into the clay on a microscopic level, creating more of a loam effect in the end, which will help things greatly.
It will take years but like anything else, all good things are worth waiting for.
If I were you, I would go easy on the compost, allow what you have in there already time to break down, and focus more on letting the mulch and clay take care of things going forward regarding water. Sometimes too much incorporation of organic matter can basically turn your soil into potting mix which dries out super fast...
I hope this helps...
Thanks for watching!
Best,
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 wow thank you so much!!!
Nice videos!👍 Do you keep all the tomatoes stems? And only prune the leaves for good air flow.
good tips. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Best gardening tip my papaw told me.dig a hole.put the plant in and let it grow .I always get healthy plants and huge fruit.no fertilizer nothing .
Hi Tracie!
Well, maybe you are just lucky enough to have great soil and growing conditions. It isn't always that easy as thousands of people could tell you. Thanks for watching!
-Mark
112 plants! You're so ambitious! I'm gonna try Ananas Noire next year too! Such a pretty tomato. When did you put your tomatoes?
I do Black Ananas every year - it has a very fruity taste, it reminds me almost a bit of permission...
Hey!
Ambitious or stupid! Not sure which one! lol I didn't plant the tomatoes until the 22nd of May. Our last average frost here is May 10th, but with being short of help here on the farm and dealing with Kiera's illness, I just could find the time to plant them a few weeks earlier. There is always next year! lol
Take care!
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 ah I thought maybe there was a method to planting them a week later. I'm in MD too. I planted mine probably 7-10 days before you. But you have more tomatoes than me but I have more ripe ones...even my ground ones. I was wondering if maybe putting them in later when the soil is warmer might help increase yield instead of just having them sit there while it's still cold. I had to cover them some nights!
I've often wondered if planting when the ground is still cool, cool day and night temp. etc. hinders a plant in some ways vs. planting after you get through those periods? I guess it really depends on how cool it actually gets and how often, cool rainy periods, etc. That may depend very much from year to year. I would guess though if you plant to early and have to much cool weather, the plant probably gets stunned somewhat and takes a while to get out of that condition. The farm here sits down in a valley in a frost pocket, so I never can plant as early as many areas can in MD. Where are you located in MD?
-Mark
Your video is very important to me..so thank you so much..I like your channel .... thank you so much for your video..... subb!!! Your channel
Oh man mark we had so much rain ive prune like crazy and laid down newspaper and still having issues am going crazy 🤪trying keep them happy. Where u get these nice tomato cages
Hi Augusta!
I built them. I do a video on how I did it, so check it out when you get a chance!
Thanks for watching!
Take care!
-Mark
Where can you get these cages? I really like your setup. I might have to steal your gardening style i already bought the wood for it 😎😎😎 and is your raised bed sit directly aligned to the ground
Hi David!
I saw you found my video on making the cages. Hope that was a help. Thanks for watching and commenting too!
All my very best, -Mark
Mark what fertilizer y'all use on them marigolds! Wow!.......also tomatoes look amazing and you seem to be more relaxed in presenting.....seriously though, what do y'all use on the marigolds? Coastal georgia here and marigolds just not growing right, b
Hey Burton!
Don't use fertilizer on anything really... very rare for me.
They are looking awesome right now... At least until the Japanese Beetles start tearing them up like last year lol... I'm crossing my fingers...
These are African Marigolds, The variety is called "Marvel Yellow".
I would check yours for thrips...
sometimes they can hit Marigolds...
they would be very hard to see but usually thrive in hot temps.
As always, thanks for commenting!
-Mark
Burton, it’s our horrible GA soil! LOL. Sandy on the coast up to middle GA and clay up here in the north. :-)
Not watering can't be advice for all, right? I live in high desert and they would die without water. No rain here! Do you get a lot of rain that you can not water? And what do you use if you get blight? Thank you.
Hi Trina!
Watering.....We do get in drought periods here most summers, but we are never as dry as you deal with. When you water, water slow (drip or very slow trickle) ,deeply and less often if possible to encourage your roots to reach deeper into the ground. If you see blight in your tomato leaves the best thing you can do is removed the infected leaves and sterilize with alcohol any cutting tool before using it on any other plants. Either burn infected leaves or place in a separate trash bag. Also, only trim on your tomato plants while leaves are dry. Hope that helps!
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 thank you. I get very little rain and snow in winter. This year only 7 days all year. California drought. I have a drip system that has .05 per gal. I just put them in but i just don't know how long to run them. If i put it right at the base of my tom is that enough? It doesn't look wet enough because the surface is so dry so i also hand water. However i have a lot of cracking even before rippening. I can't fine a utube video that can help. Can you help? Thank you.
Hi Trina!
I'd run them for 3 hours at a time if you have a .05 per hour emitter. That should allow water to go deeper and yes, place the emitter right at the base of the plant. I would not over water though. How often you water is going to depend on plant size, temp., humidity level, the amount of wind, etc. It isn't necessary to apply addition water if you are using drip irrigation. Hope that helps!
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 you are awsome for helping me. Thank you so much. I will do.
I live in zone 9b where it’s humid and rainy (New Orleans) do i still have to mulch?
Oh yes! The mulch will keep the fungus, etc. from splashing up onto the leaves. A barrier in other words.
Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Hi Mark!
Man this was a very good video, the tomatoes look soo beautiful and the cages are so good that i would like to make some and try them out here too, i really got a lot out of it thank you so much 😃
Also those Marigolds in between the Tomatoes look amazing. 🌼
I want to ask you do you have any Tomato and Marigold seeds available and if so i can pay and would you be able to send it if you can?
Gabriel
Hey Gabriel!
I'm glad you liked it! Send what you want to my email address and I'll take a look.
-Mark
Also sprayed the hydrogen peroxide and neem oil
I propagate my suckers to get extra later plants.
Hi Joe!
That's a good idea...
Do you use them to fill in behind early crops like peas?
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 , yes I do . Then I have second crop of tomatoes to take me into fall.
How much space around the crown should you leave? I'm in CA where it gets so dry, any exposed soil turns to dust or rock or clay so fast.
Mulching heavily with straw/pine needles should help with the dry soil. I trim mine up by a few feet at full height only leaving a single branch to cover the lower fruits from sun scald.
Hi Jeffrey!
I'd leave 4 inches. As Garrett mentioned below, straw, pine needles would help a great deal. Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Why not remove some of the foliage to protect the fruit?
I think you possibly could mean to have said why not leave some foliage to protect the fruit and you can.
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 yes, that is what i meant. In the high desert i am worried about sun scald. Thks
😍😍😍👍👍👍❤❤❤
Thank you!