The Shed

The Shed
The Shed

Friday, September 7, 2012

DEFOLIATION VIA AGENT AGNES

Howdy! Aunt Agnes here and I'm happy as Uncle Mac with a case of Genuwine Napoleon Brandy and the Packers on TV! They's gonna let me do a trial post even though Farm Girl and Delacroix are "watching over" me while Ah do it which is completely unnecessary of course.

HOOOWWDYY!

Anyway this post is inspired by one which we found in Incoming BYTES, written by the inimitable Raymond A. Kukkee.

Raymond grew a shi, uh, a whole bunch of termaters this season, and he attributes this in part to the fact that he exfoliates them. As you...

What's that, Delacroix? He defoliates them? Exfoliate is what Ah do in the shower? Oh Ah hardly think so! Now Ah'm red as a termater myself!

RAYMONDS DEFOLIATED AND ABUNDANT TOMATOES!

Ok then, Dearie, thanks for the correction.

Anyway Uncle Mac no sooner read about the defoliation technique than he decided to try it himself. They's a big ass old Brandywine termater vine next to and climbing up and over the north garden gate, and Uncle Mac says, "Let's defoliate that sucker, see what happens!"

Then he gave Farm Girl the clippers.

Now, here is that Brandywine prior to defenestration...

BRANDYWINE, UNSHORN
Now what,  Farm Girl? Defenestration means "to chuck out a window"? You ever see Mac make his sauce? But yeah I forgot for a sec.

Here is Mr. Brandywine after his shave...




And his haircut...



There now! Looks tip top to me.

Now Raymond tells you all about this on his blog but essentially the idear is to encourage air circulation, suppress dampness and also to deny shelter to termater eating pests. This makes perfect sense, we'll tell you how this experiment works out but Ah have a feeling that when it comes to ripe, healthy termaters, exsanguination is the way to go.


You're a real buttinsky Delacroix you know that? Oh shoot that's right, defoliation! They's a whole lot of what'cher call syllables in that word to remember 'em all right out the chute!

Well now that went well Ah think! Read Raymonds post, the link is up top yonder, and you may well want to try this technique!

This is Aunt Agnes and that wraps it fer this one!

4 comments:

Raymond Alexander Kukkee said...

Mac, nice pics! Aggie sure did a number on that Brandywine, is that an indeterminate tomato? I hope she left you a few leaves here and there. Now watch it start growing like there's no tomorrow. Great post! ":)

Mac Pike said...

Brandywines, indeterminate, heirloom, big and yummy. Thanks Ray!

Raymond Alexander Kukkee said...

Thanks Mac, and you are always welcome! Brandywine tomatoes sound good! I did not realize they are a heritage type, but I discovered I do have a source for seeds for them, I'll be trying them next season! Your plants look great!

Glorygarden@msn.com said...

Great idea...must remember.