Any growers in NV?

I've had absolutely no fruit set from overwintered plants.  Has anyone in NV been successful? I feel like my next hope is to wait for fall since it's gonna get hot quick.  All my plants are in containers.  Some clay, some plastic.  All with plenty of mulch.  Mostly use Miracle Grow Tomato food as fertilizer.  I get a lot of flowers but they all drop it seems like.  Real frustrating.   
 
Flower drop occurs from flowers not getting pollinated or when temps are too high/low.
 
If your temps are decently optimal and you still got flower drop, then perhaps you don't have any bees doing what bees are supposed to do. So you should get in and do that job yourself. You can use a soft fine paint brush to tickle the flowers or flick the buds (lightly) or vibrate the stems with an electric tooth brush.
 
mcraighead said:
I've had absolutely no fruit set from overwintered plants.  Has anyone in NV been successful? I feel like my next hope is to wait for fall since it's gonna get hot quick.  All my plants are in containers.  Some clay, some plastic.  All with plenty of mulch.  Mostly use Miracle Grow Tomato food as fertilizer.  I get a lot of flowers but they all drop it seems like.  Real frustrating.
If I lived in NV,I would be using the summer like northerners do the winter and would be sowing seeds for a January plant out.
 
have you bumped up extra potash ? my o.w.'s are loaded with pods , they even gave me a few through the winter . just sitting in the south bay window . bump up a little more phosphorous and extra potash . while still on your m.g. schedule .    :onfire:
 
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mcraighead said:
I've had absolutely no fruit set from overwintered plants.  Has anyone in NV been successful? I feel like my next hope is to wait for fall since it's gonna get hot quick.  All my plants are in containers.  Some clay, some plastic.  All with plenty of mulch.  Mostly use Miracle Grow Tomato food as fertilizer.  I get a lot of flowers but they all drop it seems like.  Real frustrating.   
Im up here in Northern NV, Reno to be exact. I have ~150 plants still in my greenhouse due to adverse typical NV spring conditions here. I have pods forming on everything expect chinese right now.  When did you start your seeds? what soil are you using? How high is that tomato food in Nitrogen? For the hot summers here, and by hot I mean 110F in the shade, shade cloth is almost a requirement in the desert. I plan on putting up shade cloth on my entire garden next month. 
 
taziknez said:
Im up here in Northern NV, Reno to be exact. I have ~150 plants still in my greenhouse due to adverse typical NV spring conditions here. I have pods forming on everything expect chinese right now.  When did you start your seeds? what soil are you using? How high is that tomato food in Nitrogen? For the hot summers here, and by hot I mean 110F in the shade, shade cloth is almost a requirement in the desert. I plan on putting up shade cloth on my entire garden next month. 
 18-18-21 on the fertilizer.  All plants are overwintered.  Some pots have organic soil for vegetable and some have miracle grow soil for vegetables.  Do you mind sending me a pic of your greenhouse set up and then one when you put the shade cloth up?  I've been wanting to do that for awhile now but I'm limited on space.  
 
mcraighead said:
 18-18-21 on the fertilizer.  All plants are overwintered.  Some pots have organic soil for vegetable and some have miracle grow soil for vegetables.  Do you mind sending me a pic of your greenhouse set up and then one when you put the shade cloth up?  I've been wanting to do that for awhile now but I'm limited on space.  
the greenhouse is a harbor freight 10x12 i got on sale plus had a 20% off coupon as well. Only part of the directions i didnt follow was to dig down and set the frame in the ground. I built it on the ground and concreted a 6x6 border around it and bolted it down. No NV wind blowing this thing away. I also screwed every panel in with self taping screws that I could. We've had 60 mph winds and I havent lost a single panel yet. 
 
 
taziknez said:
the greenhouse is a harbor freight 10x12 i got on sale plus had a 20% off coupon as well. Only part of the directions i didnt follow was to dig down and set the frame in the ground. I built it on the ground and concreted a 6x6 border around it and bolted it down. No NV wind blowing this thing away. I also screwed every panel in with self taping screws that I could. We've had 60 mph winds and I havent lost a single panel yet. 
 
Real nice set up.  I might need to make a mini.  
 
its not perfect this year.. dont have nice shelving and im still working on a cooling system, and a long term heating system for winter, but for now, it fits the bill perfectly
 
Yea, this can be a frustrating hobby.  There are SO many variables...
 
FWLIW, most of my OW plants down here in S. Az - with winter/spring temps about 5 degrees warmer than Vegas - are flowering well. 
 
That said, there is plenty of variability between plants.  My Fatalii already has at least 100 pods going well, while the Bih-J is just now setting tiny fruit.  Why that would be, I can't begin to guess.
(The Annums are already ripe!)
 
I've been using a weak dose of plain old 24-8-16 MG with each watering.  About 1/2 teaspoon in 2 gallons. 
Plus an occasional dash of epsom salt and occasional dash of home-brew calcium acetate. 
 
All I know to suggest is to make sure they're not getting water stressed. That and perhaps try experimenting with your fert dose.  They may want more, they may want less, they may want something else entirely.  :confused:
What sort of sun do they get?  Earlier in the year, as new foliage was coming in, my plants seemed a bit stressed by too much direct sun.  Placing them where they got mid-day shade seemed to help, and just might have improved blossom set. 
 
Good luck!
 
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