Tomato 2022

[Zeedman]

Still too early to plant here, I don't start tomatoes until early April. But after a recent swap, my grow list has finalized:

Cambron Orange (mid-sized orange slicer)
Elfin (OP red grape, DW's favorite)
Hungarian Heart (large pink oxheart)
Japanese (red paste/sauce)
Orange Beef Heart (orange oxheart)
Quebec 1121 (det. short-DTM red paste)
Santa Maria (red sauce/paste)
Sicilian Plum (red sauce/paste)
Solanum spontaneum (orange currant tomato, name is apparently foreign species)
Sunray Farm (red paste)
Tiffen Mennonite (large potato-leaf pink slicer)

Those will all be grown in our gardens. If DD or DS agree, we may grow another 1-2 varieties there.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

Still too early to plant here, I don't start tomatoes until early April. But after a recent swap, my grow list has finalized:

Cambron Orange (mid-sized orange slicer)
Elfin (OP red grape, DW's favorite)
Hungarian Heart (large pink oxheart)
Japanese (red paste/sauce)
Orange Beef Heart (orange oxheart)
Quebec 1121 (det. short-DTM red paste)
Santa Maria (red sauce/paste)
Sicilian Plum (red sauce/paste)
Solanum spontaneum (orange currant tomato, name is apparently foreign species)
Sunray Farm (red paste)
Tiffen Mennonite (large potato-leaf pink slicer)

Those will all be grown in our gardens. If DD or DS agree, we may grow another 1-2 varieties there.

My puppy is still chewing everything in sight and has a preference for softer plastics but for some reason really enjoys my metal plant plant tags. I may be in trouble this year. Your list just made me realize it.

 

[ducks4you]

Where one of my gardens is located, much of the topsoil was scraped away during construction of the house next door... they were bull dozing 10' onto my property as I came home from work. Even after some of that soil was returned, that area was still a reddish-brown silt clay. After about 10 years of cultivation, it was beginning to wind down. I've been adding charcoal, wood ashes, and shredded leaves to my home gardens for the last 2 years, especially to that one. The vigor of everything last year was outstanding, the tallest tomato plants I've ever grown here.

I KNOW that nobody wants to introduce any seeds to their mulch, but I would keep a lookout for "rained on hay". Only not-the-best cattle ranchers will feed it. NO horse owners will touch it.
It will, like grass, heat up and then start breaking down.
If you or a friend have a truck you could pick up about 20 bales and add it to your mulching. Might have hay seeds in it, btw.
Be SURE to cut each bale Open and spread it out and it won't catch fire!

Keeping Hay Fires from Spontaneous Combustion - Agricultural Insurance Management Services

Excerpt from Montana State University / D. Cash & R. Johnson Every farmer has heard stories of someone affected by a hay fire. It certainly isn’t a minor incident since it can damage property and threaten lives. While hay fires can occur during transportation, they are more likely to be caused...

www.aimscentral.com

Btw, well cured hay is Worth the $, at least to me! I store 400 bales hay and 50 bales straw from the hay season (July-October delivery for me), until late next month. I usually have about 50 bales left, and they can be stored and fed the next season. I store them in the loft of a 70+yo Wooden barn.
Funny, I gave two bales of straw 3 years ago to my Veteranian, who lives in the next town over. She never cut them open to use, just left them in a pile, yet she gardens. I don't tell ANYBODY how to garden.
I just shrug my shoulders.

 

[meadow]

I KNOW that nobody wants to introduce any seeds to their mulch, but I would keep a lookout for "rained on hay".

I would be more concerned about persistent herbicides than seeds. I was all set to use hay mulch this year but (thankfully) learned that there is one broadleaf herbicide in particular that is commonly used on grass hay... crop and manure from animals eating that crop should not be used around plants for 5 years! (according to mfg literature) Many gardeners are reporting a total loss of their garden after using tainted manure, hay, or straw and the soil is unusable for years. This chemical is banned in the UK.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

I would be more concerned about persistent herbicides than seeds. I was all set to use hay mulch this year but (thankfully) learned that there is one broadleaf herbicide in particular that is commonly used on grass hay... crop and manure from animals eating that crop should not be used around plants for 5 years! (according to mfg literature) Many gardeners are reporting a total loss of their garden after using tainted manure, hay, or straw and the soil is unusable for years. This chemical is banned in the UK.

This happened to me 3 years ago. Composted cow manure in a yellow bag. Actually 27 bags. Took the garden right out that first year and still was not completely gone the start of that second year.

 

[meadow]

This happened to me 3 years ago. Composted cow manure in a yellow bag. Actually 27 bags. Took the garden right out that first year and still was not completely gone the start of that second year.

How awful!! I'm so sorry that happened to you. This stuff ought to be banned.

Not even local orchard grass hay is safe. An enterprising young man* that lives behind us mows empty pastures around here and then sells the hay, but he also sprays when allowed to do so. I don't know what it is that he sprays, just meaning to convey that it would be very easy to buy something that has been tainted and be completely unaware.

*this guy is an impressive example of self-motivated, hard working and good work ethic from the time he was a teen.

 

[Zeedman]

I would be more concerned about persistent herbicides than seeds. I was all set to use hay mulch this year but (thankfully) learned that there is one broadleaf herbicide in particular that is commonly used on grass hay... crop and manure from animals eating that crop should not be used around plants for 5 years! (according to mfg literature) Many gardeners are reporting a total loss of their garden after using tainted manure, hay, or straw and the soil is unusable for years. This chemical is banned in the UK.

Keep in mind that lawns are often treated too... and that can find its way into municipal compost. A couple years ago, I ordered several yards of "garden soil" from a local landscaping company. They told me it was a mixture of topsoil, sand, and compost. It was black & friable, and once tilled in, made the soil in that area more workable.

But the next year, everything in that area was yellowed & stunted - even the weeds. Pepper plants there struggled, and never got over 12" high. The pole beans set a lot of pods, but 90% of the seed was severely deformed & had to be discarded. When I contacted the company that sold me the soil, they confirmed that some of the compost used was municipal. Fortunately the effect was much weaker last year. I had more "garden soil" brought in last year, to fill the garlic raised bed & add to a low spot... but from a different company, which assured me there were no herbicides in their soil.

 

[meadow]

Wow! That would be SO upsetting.

Keep in mind that lawns are often treated too... and that can find its way into municipal compost.

I was thinking about lawns being treated as I worked out in the garden today. The neighbor on that side uses something to kill broadleaf weeds and they also have trouble with trees dying, coincidentally only the ones surrounded by grass. No problem with the others.

Some of the people who've relayed their experiences have mentioned damaging or losing orchard trees.

 

[R2elk]

Wow! That would be SO upsetting.



I was thinking about lawns being treated as I worked out in the garden today. The neighbor on that side uses something to kill broadleaf weeds and they also have trouble with trees dying, coincidentally only the ones surrounded by grass. No problem with the others.

Some of the people who've relayed their experiences have mentioned damaging or losing orchard trees.

Years ago the city Parks Dept. used weed killer in the park across from the hospital and killed all the mature Hackberry trees. Hackberries are a slow growing tree so they replaced them with something else. They also revised their methods of dealing with weeds.

 

[catjac1975]

And they are off! 45 Steak, Super Steak, Roma And Sweetie Cherries on a 30 day countdown to ground! A Lot of the peppers are up also but that was enough for one day! View attachment 47440

I am glad that I saw this. It iwsway too soon for me. But holding myself back is always an issue. If it is time in Alabama is is surely too soon in Massachusetts. Thanks!