No kinks to restrict flow seems to just be a pressure problem.
I water all my veggies figure I paid money for the sets and want fruit so I water to keep them growing well and I think water helps with the size and juiciness of the fruit Like tomatoes that are juicy to begin with.
I bought a swan soaker hose and it wasn't worth the fuel to bring it home, posted a review on there web site along with many others who said it was junk.
Have one of the hoses that you lay out along rows in the normal garden that works good. But it is to long and waste water in a raised bed. So far the best thing I have found is a regular plastic bottle like water comes in and drill tiny holes in it and they are slick enough they slide between the plants with no damage.
8-8-15



:greengrin: Al

I think you're absolutely right to keep those tomatoes watered. Soaker hoses are so dependent on good water pressure but some are a little too finicky about that.

8-16-17



Al

Nice! What tomatoes are you growing?

A grape, one sweet 100. 3 early girl, one mystery plant and a lemon boy.

Squash and egg plants.



Al

Nice! Do the eggplants do well for you? How long have you been growing in raised beds?

This year 4 for my raised beds. I started year one with a single one for tomatoes and yellow crook neck squash. Was so impressed year two I added two more from recycled lumber. Been working at over coming problems I found like tomatoes plants 7 feet tall, taught my self to prune them and keep the tops clipped after they get 5 to 6 feet tall.



egg plant did great both the normal blob looking ones, and the Italian type.



I stopped the growing of the egg plant even one plant produces more than I can use as they all seem to come in at the same time. I had a hard time giving them to people who would use them.

Al

Al - your tomatoes must really like the raised bed approach. Where are you that you have to prune your tomatoes? I've heard of it being done in some of the warmer places with longer seasons.

I'M IN Michigan and I prune so I can reach THE TOMATOES with out standing on a ladder.

I have one red grape tomato this morning and a second one that is orange. I pruned that plant to open it so the sun could reach the fruit.
You can prune no matter where you are. Removal of suckers is one reason to prune.

http://www.creativevegetablega...


Al

The valve for my system.




The trickle.






Al

How early did you get your tomatoes planted? Nice irrigation system. Did you overcome the problem from a few days ago?
I do have tomatoes on my 5 plants but they're nowhere near ripe yet. Maybe a week before I see any red ones.

I guess about Memorial week. I also once a week for the first 3 weeks spray with Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food from a hose end sprayer. I want a good start in the beginning.

Al

Adjusted the well pressure switch and my water system is working much better than this.





Harvested 3 yellow crook neck Summer Squash. Plan on making a dish My aunt used to make back when I was a wee boy in the 1950's

Al

And what dish did your aunt make? I've used the yellow squash here to make a squash/potato/tomato/cheese thing - can be done either as a gratin in the oven or a foil packet on the grill.

Do not know what it was called and could not find any thing in my moms cook books or her card file of recipes for it.

I just have fond memory's of it so taking the ingredients I started fixing what I thought would work over and over till I got what I like.

A good pound, pound and a half of burger form any critter other than a pig fried in butter.

Cup and a half of long grain white rice steamed with a dollop of butter when near finished.

2 Russet potatoes cubed in 1/2 inch cubes.
3 or 4 yellow summer crook neck squash quartered and cut into half inch chunks. Boil the potatoes till they are near done add in squash just long enough to tenderize it but not make mushy.

Reduce heat to just keep the potatoes and squash warm add in the cooked rice stirring while doing so. Add in fried burger Add seasonings to taste I prefer just enough salt to remove the bland ness and some black pepper, also add in about 2 cups of chicken broth I have made ahead of time. I want it thick but not to thick so it is a judgment call on what you like as the seasonings.

I figure it is to thin to be a stew and to thick to be a soup.

I also make a creamy yellow squash soup with them, for that I use the Kraft foods Creamy Cauliflower soup recipe I have adjusted to the creaminess I like since squash has way more moisture than Cauliflower. Older yellow crook necks I still use but peel the hard skin off of the same as above.

Al

Sounds yummy! I've never thought about peeling the yellow crook necks.

I should mention that when the skins on the yellow crook neck squash get thick and tough enough you peel them you should also probably remove the seeds too.

I myself do not mind the seeds but Kare doesn't care for them, but she also thinks I should just leave the potatoes out of it too.
But I am the cook and I do it my way to my taste, what she doesn't eat leaves more for me I happen to like my cooking.

Al

When some of the crook necks get large, I will remove the seeds. More apt to do that with cucumbers though.

Harvested these Sunday so Kare could take a few to her sister at a birthday party Sunday afternoon. Ones with the bumps have tough skins and big seeds most times, so are peeled and seeded before cooking unless deep frying then just peeled.




Also two of my early girl tomatoes.



Al

Al - those tomatoes are perfect! I have been harvesting 'Matt's Wild Cherry' tomatoes - smaller than any other cherry tomato I've seen but packed with "real" tomato taste. My first "real" tomato is slowly ripening - 'Black Krim'. I chop and freeze any excess summer squash and zucchini for later use, especially for winter when they're so expensive in the stores.