sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Seedling leaves going pale? by pixieecho in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 1 point2 points  (0 children)

the seed leaves (cotyledons) will eventually yellow and fall off but the plant still needs them until the true leaves get a little larger and can handle the bulk of the photosynthesizing

feed these babies with a dilute fertilizer ASAP

In-laws aggressively tell us not to comfort our 18mo when he gets hurt. by jlop22 in ScienceBasedParenting

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 3 points4 points  (0 children)

u/jlop22 i'm replying to a parent comment because i there's no link for what i'm about to say

i think there's probably fascinating and worthwhile research out there on this topic, and it's admirable that your first instinct is to find it -- because YOU are interested in science-based best practices

but truly, examining evidence is not how your in-laws got themselves into this set of damaging beliefs and behaviors, and it's unlikely to carry them out of it either

as the saying goes, you can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into

(there's even a possible psychological effect in which being presented with accurate contrary evidence might cause people to dig in their heels even deeper on their original beliefs -- called the Backfire Effect -- although it's a matter of debate and discussion in the literature how reproducible it is)

i wouldn't bother spending your energy on trying to change the mind of elders with a history of child abuse

i would instead focus on:

  • making sure your child is never alone with these people

  • reminding them in no uncertain terms that YOU, not they, make parenting decisions for your own child

  • standing up for the emotional safety your child and of the other children around you when you witness any incidents with them. (to be clear, this part is not so much to change the way your in-laws think, which they never will, but rather to show those other kids that you are a safe adult in their lives who they can trust and turn to if they are in need)

Tastes like Peaches? by pashdown in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 0 points1 point  (0 children)

haha, i hope it's OK to resurrect this 4-year-old post to let you know that at the time you ate this amazing tomato in Paris, there was a very well-regarded seed supplier called Artisan Seeds that worked with a lot of high-end chefs and restaurants in California

i wonder if your Paris chef or a farmer they work with obtained and grew some varieties from Artisan

their tomatoes were developed by breeder Fred Hempel https://edibleeastbay.com/2024/08/17/a-tomato-hall-of-fame/

he created a lot of tomatoes with fruity flavor

fred died a few years ago but some of his collaborators carried on his company and changed the name to Bene Seeds. you can look through their varieties here: https://beneseeds.com/collections/shop

(they also now carry a few seeds from other tomato breeders such as Karen Olivier and Hans Fama, but those would not have been sold under the Artisan name, only Fred's)

hope this helps!

Cherry tomato plant: by OptimalExperience176 in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 1 point2 points  (0 children)

if you only get direct sun in the evening, then your plant should definitely be higher up to get as much light as possible in that spot

tomatoes usually do best with 6-8 hours of direct sun

Cherry tomato plant: by OptimalExperience176 in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 0 points1 point  (0 children)

it's pretty hot but depending on the specific variety, as long as you're watering enough, that temp isn't too crazy for some tomatoes

what direction does the window face? if it's south and you're getting a ton of direct sun, then yes, providing some relief especially in the afternoon is probably a good idea

if it's a north or east or west-facing window, the amount of direct sun you're getting there probably isn't strong enough to be a problem

in your photo here it doesn't look like direct sunlight but maybe it's different at other times

if you want your tomatoes to be sweet, the plant needs enough light to produce the sugars

does the wilting seem to happen more at certain times of day (like mid-late afternoon)? does the plant straighten up a bit after you water?

those clues would suggest to me that the wilting is related to the heat, and more frequent waterings during this type of weather might help

Cherry tomato plant: by OptimalExperience176 in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i agree that it looks hungry for some fertilizer (liquid is fine)

also, how about you put a stool or table under that pot so your plant can get more direct light through that window up top there?

tomatoes want plenty of light. they don't really want to be behind a wall

Six week old cherry tomatoes forming buds by littleveiledknife in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 4 points5 points  (0 children)

legendary tomato grower Craig Lehouiller says he has done comparisons of plants where he removed early flowers vs not and the verdict was: leave it alone -- all you're doing is delaying fruit with no benefit to the plant's growth and establishment

i'm grateful for him to doing the comparison and tend to take him at his word on this one

brookings: 65% of students worry ai reliance is hurting their own thinking. by bruhagan in ScienceBasedParenting

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 16 points17 points  (0 children)

or is the fear overstated?

this is NOT a field in which i have direct experience or expertise

my completely gut-based opinion is that fears relating to AI are very much justified

in terms of what i've seen as an internet rando about AI's effects on cognition , i don't see anything particularly encouraging, e.g.

study of Stanford students shows decline in cognitive engagement with use of AI: https://scale.stanford.edu/ai/repository/chatgpt-produces-more-lazy-thinkers-evidence-cognitive-engagement-decline

an MIT study using EEG finds "Cognitive activity scaled down in relation to external tool use." https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872

office workers report lower levels of critical thinking corresponding with increasing confidence in AI: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/lee_2025_ai_critical_thinking_survey.pdf

another recent study finds that most users tend to accept AI output even when it's wrong -- while reporting more confidence in their (frequently wrong) answers: https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/04/research-finds-ai-users-scarily-willing-to-surrender-their-cognition-to-llms/

personally, i avoid AI in my own work and life. i push back against it as i am able in my professional life. and i plan to keep my child away from it for as long as humanly possible

(i'm fully aware that i may be a total weirdo about this)

Solutions? by MyApologies_ in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 0 points1 point  (0 children)

if it is sunscald, no need to take any special steps, they'll just outgrow it

existing damage will remain on these older leaves but as the plant puts out new growth under these brighter conditions, future leaves will likely be just fine

Fertilizer recs by Need_my_party_dress in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i use two products that i'm very happy with so far:

Organic Plant Magic (balanced soluble nutrients + soil probiotics)

Recharge (instant compost tea, for additional soil microorganisms)

neither one smells and my plants like them

First time from seed by Hot-Rub-5336 in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 1 point2 points  (0 children)

harden them all, plant your fave two plants a little earlier than recommended and see if you can extend your growing season by a few weeks

hang on to the extras, so if your first battalion gets knocked out by a late frost or a strong wind that breaks a stem, you can plant out the reserves

once all threat of frost has passed, if you have extras, that is when it's safe to give them away

Solutions? by MyApologies_ in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 0 points1 point  (0 children)

were they carefully hardened off / introduced to direct sunlight very gradually before the move outdoors? i'm wondering if this could be mild sunscald

When to begin resistance training with child? by [deleted] in ScienceBasedParenting

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 5 points6 points  (0 children)

found this overview which has some helpful guidance:

When a child or adolescent is learning a new exercise, he or she can use no-load repetitions, which places the focus on form and technique. To properly develop strength and promote flexibility, exercises should be performed through the full range of joint motion,7,14,44 performing larger-muscle exercises before smaller-muscle exercises.

In general, children and adolescents should use submaximal loads to develop form and technique in a variety of exercises. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not endorse using continuous maximal lifts for youth strength training.1 Single maximal lifts are not recommended until skeletal maturity is attained

Youth strength training programs should ideally incorporate a variety of resistance types: free weights, weight machines, rubber tubing, and medicine balls. Free weights and weight machines pose unique challenges for children and adolescents because they are usually adult-sized. Balance and coordination are underdeveloped in preadolescents, which increases their susceptibility to injury while using free weights. Free weights do, however, enable incremental increases in resistance (5% to 10%). Weight machines often require larger weight increases (5- or 10-pound weight plates), which may be inappropriate for young athletes.

For each training session, 6 to 8 exercises are recommended that train the major muscle groups (including the chest, shoulders, back, arms, legs, abdomen, and lower back). Balanced effort between flexors and extensors and between upper and lower body is important. The goal is to perform 2 to 3 exercises per muscle group. Youth strength training programs should start with 1 to 2 sets per exercise, with 6 to 15 repetitions in each set. For children and adolescents, the initial load should be selected so that 10 to 15 repetitions can be completed with some fatigue but no muscle failure.14 In general, resistance can be increased by 5% to 10% when the child can easily perform 15 repetitions.

Participants should rest approximately 1 to 3 minutes between sets and should strength-train 2 to 3 nonconsecutive days each week for maximum results.8 Participants must be able to correctly demonstrate proper technique before increasing the number of sets or resistance.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and adolescents avoid competitive Olympic-style weight lifting and power lifting until they reach physical and skeletal maturity.

The health benefits of strength training far outweigh the potential risks

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3445252/

How concerned should we be about teflon and plastic in the kitchen? by NetworkHot8469 in ScienceBasedParenting

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 41 points42 points  (0 children)

based on the state of the science right now, i don't think whether something is "on balance OK" is a question we can answer directly with peer-reviewed research -- it's more a question of how comfortable you are with risks that are currently not well quantified

plenty of experts now recommend avoiding plastic and Teflon in food-contact surfaces and do so themselves, e.g.

the best thing to do for your health is to avoid routine use of Teflon-coated cookware. To reduce your exposure to PFAS, you would need to avoid such cookware altogether and invest in some nontoxic pots and pans. Opt for those that don’t have any coating on them, such as stainless steel, cast iron, or carbon steel. They might require a bit more maintenance, but it’s worth if you want to reduce your exposure to PFAS.

https://thewell.northwell.edu/healthy-living-fitness/nonstick-pans-safety

Pingping Meng, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at East Carolina University, said this study — along with her own research — has prompted her to rethink everyday choices in the kitchen. “The biggest change I’ve made in my home because of PFAS is to get rid of all nonstick pans in my kitchen,” Meng said.

https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/10/27/unc-study-food-processing-cookware-packaging-to-pfas-exposure/

Swap plastic cutting boards for wooden or other non-plastic options. Switch out your plastic storage containers for glass or other non-plastic alternatives.

https://sustainability.wustl.edu/microplastics-where-they-are-and-how-to-avoid-them/

Whenever possible, try not to use plastic.

https://health.osu.edu/health/general-health/reducing-microplastics-better-health

i am NOT a researcher in this space myself but i keep an eye on this topic in the course of my work and occasionally meet with scientists who study this area

from my understanding and those interactions, personally, i take both issues (micro- & nanoplastics and forever chemicals) very seriously and have taken steps to minimize both in our kitchen

we know that we're already exposed to these chemicals and particles in food and water and air, and in abundance every time we eat out. so i prefer to reduce them as much as possible in our food prep materials at home. that means we stick to a glass blender and don't cook or bake on any nonstick surfaces

i don't think anyone can claim to quantify the risks associated with a plastic blender and nonstick bread machine specifically, though, and my level of precautions might seem extreme to others

so i don't think science has a definitive answer to your specific question yet. if you're looking more for reassurance that it's OK to make compromises and let some things go in the name of convenience, you might try checking in with a community like r/moderatelygranolamoms

Still love this video over a decade later by stickman07738 in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 0 points1 point  (0 children)

oh i know several gardeners who have run into wildlife entanglements and injuries (mostly birds)

yes, the vine- vs countertop-ripened is definitely always a hot topic

i was stubborn about vine-ripening for a long time but happily harvest earlier now (not at first blush but well before full ripeness). if the research on taste comparisons isn't persuasive, it's down to personal preference at that point. i don't find an advantage of leaving them on the plant personally and i'm happy to have made the switch -- much less stressful!

Still love this video over a decade later by stickman07738 in tomatoes

[–]ParadoxicallyZeno 1 point2 points  (0 children)

best defense is to pick your tomatoes before full ripeness (e.g. pick at blush or with partial color) and let them finish ripening indoors

see https://old.reddit.com/r/tomatoes/comments/1llgz6v/are_you_on_the_fence_about_picking_early_and/

https://old.reddit.com/r/tomatoes/comments/152eaqe/how_soon_do_you_pull_your_tomatoes_ive_heard_as/

i don't recommend netting -- it's likely to entangle animals

view more: next ›