How are Things in the Tomato Patch?

[wifezilla]

my plants are going crazy. Tons of fruit but everything is still green. I should have done some pinching off, but oldest son was home from Iraq and i just let them go.

The only ripe tomatoes we have harvested so far were 2 romas. Good flavor but the texture was weird. If the rest taste that way they will all be made in to sauce.

The other tomatoes I have are black cherry, black krim, chreokee purple, an heirloom rainbow blend, and some climbing tomatoes. The climbing tomatoes are the biggest disappointment. Very little fruit set.

 

[vfem]

Mine heirlooms caught blight or mildew or something and had to be pulled. I didn't have any success last year with late season so I won't plant any more. But I am totally loving the creole tomatoes from the farm stand. I would grow them next year. They are famous here.

Obsessed, that is a FABULOUS idea!!! Save the seeds from the local produce and you should have the best of luck. You know they will thrive in your area right away. I am sorry about your tomato luck.

So far, I only started with 12 plants, and only lost one to stress and mildew. I managed to save 11. My Italian Market Tomatoes only have a handful of tomatoes on each one, I've only got 2 looking like there are ripening. My white wonder tomatoes were mislabeled and they turned out to be Purple Cherokee, and they have supplied me with over 6lbs of tomatoes so far! My Chocolate Cherry tomatoes are falling over covered in cherry tomatoes... but not as tasty as I had hoped. My Green sausage tomatoes are almost done I'm afraid, and more then 80% of them had blossom end rot, I gave them some egg shell and milk jug rinse, but saved them too late.

I'm going to pick up a couple on clearance for a late season crop this week. I so hope the have brandywine!!!!

 

[journey11]

I only planted two varieties this year. My Purple Cherokee are huge and I should have the first ripe ones in a couple of days. Looks as though I'd better get out the canner. There are more coming along than I can eat. I was beginning to wonder about my Mortgage Lifters. They kept getting taller but not setting fruit but now that they have started setting I should be well supplied with slicers if nothing goes wrong.

Just wondering, what are you fertilizing the Purple Cherokees with?

As for my tomato garden, I'm still waiting for the first tomato to ripen....*sigh*

I used some Plant Tone organic fertilizer from Home Depot. It's mostly composted chicken manure and ground feather. I haven't used all that much. I think the main reason for my success this year was that I turned under the sod on a lawn that has been there over 20 years. There is a thick layer of naturally composted grass about six inches down and I think that's what has been feeding the plants. Whether or not it will carry over to next year is a good question.

I've noticed that with new garden plots too. I think things are nicely balanced when you first break up the old sod. It adds tilth, and the minerals resident in the soil have not been drawn on so heavily as to deplete them. Almost makes me want to till up more of my yard every year!

 

[hoodat]

It used to be regular farm practice to let the ground "Lay fallow" every ten years or so. They planted nothing in it and just let it grow whatever it pleased for a season. Next Spring all the growth was turned under. The economic pressure these days doesn't allow that practice any more.

 

[chris09]

Well, I thought I would post a picture or two of one of my rows of tomatoes..

Chris

 

[hoodat]

Well, I thought I would post a picture or two of one of my rows of tomatoes..
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/7054_dsc_0220.jpg
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/7054_dsc_0221.jpg
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/7054_dsc_0222.jpg

Chris

Now those are some happy looking tomatos. Nice job.

 

[ducks4you]

My plants are all doing fine, but I lost track of what I started from seeds. I know that I started: Roma, Cherokee Purple (you all recommended it, you know ), Big Boy, and some kind of cherry. I can now recognize the Romas as they grow, and, of course, the fruit is distinctive.
On Illinois Gardener this week, a caller complained that her heirloom (I think it was Black Crim) had lots of foliage, only a few flowers and only one fruit. They said that was typical of heirloom tomato varieties, and suggested that the one tomato will be very sweet, indeed.
I have about 65 plants going. I don't know about you, but I'm cleaning up my pantry and one of the freezers in anticipation of canning/freezing this week. (I will be freezing sweet corn and planning on making relish from a few of the 13 cucumbers I harvested this week.) :bun

 

[wifezilla]

65??

 

[ducks4you]

65??

HEY!! After last years dismal crop, I'm taking NO chances!!!
**ducks4you pulls out a tommy-gun and mows down ANYBODY in the way of a good tomato harvest this year**

 

[chris09]

Well, I thought I would post a picture or two of one of my rows of tomatoes..
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/7054_dsc_0220.jpg
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/7054_dsc_0221.jpg
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/7054_dsc_0222.jpg

Chris

Now those are some happy looking tomatos. Nice job.

Thank You!
I have 8 rows that look just like that.. 88 tomatoes in all.
There about due for another shot of manure tea and fertilizer.

Chris