Hi, Yes I ate my third tomato from my garden. These tomatoes were raised from seeds last winter. I should say that my husband and I ate this tomato. This tomato weight 20 oz. It was of perfect in everything shape colour skin and taste. Françoise.
I picked my first this morning. I'd had about 6-10 cherry tomatoes, but this was the first real tomato -- a small one, but by no means a cherry. Late year, this.
Priscilla, in cool and damp Boston
I picked my first the last week of July here outside of Portland, OR. Some Juliet grape tomatos that have been coming in as big as small Romas. The Early Girls started to come in the next week. Health Kick, Oregon Spring, and Willamette have been coming in this week.
Once the Roma's start coming in, I'll start making some sauce for freezing. I've had a couple odd-balls ripen already in the Roma's, but I think it'll be next week before they start coming in.
I began with starts from 4" pots the third weekend of May. (I was planning on the second week, but something came up.) This was the first year I used sheets of red sheet mulch, and instead of drip irrigation, I placed a soaker hose in a big spiral patern in the garden under the red sheets.
I'm amazed at the size of the plants, and the number of fruits on them. I put just 9 plants in a slightly bigger space than I used for 12 plants in the past years. Before I realized it, they had outgrown their 5' cages, and the jungle is thicker than ever. And it's not all leaves. I think I'm going to have as much from these 9, if not more, than I would get from 12 in the past.
I'd have to say that the primary difference has been the red sheet mulch. It's not making much difference now, since sunlight only gets to the edges now. But by the end of June, if I had tried to tell the week based on the size of the plants, I would have guessed the third week of July.
Based on my limited experience, I highly recommend red sheet mulch.
Cool and damp in Toronto too. I ate my first tomato today. It was an almost ripe Sweet Million that would have been ready tomorrow or the next day, but I couldn't wait. It was OK. Sweet, but thick skinned. Found an almost ripe Ultragirl with bad blossom end rot and pest damage. But there are many more greenies on the vines that look fine. The Brandywines are huge and far from ripe. Many many green San Marzanos too. Sigh.
I thought that mine were late here in central Ohio but I've had ripe ones for 2 weeks now. First ones were the Sweet Chelseas. I eat one on the way into the house. After that my almost son-in-law eats them like candy. I was ashamed of my first Big Boy. About the size of a tennis ball. But now they are decent size. The Golden Boys taste good and look appetizing on the table. I should start weighing the Burpee's Delicious.
My daughter reminded me that Granddad used to keep a salt shaker in the garden. Marilyn in Ohio
Thanks for you reply, I really appreciate it. I googled Greenbrier (Smilax), and while there are some similarities, my mystery vine doesn't have tendrils and doesn't get woody stems. I've posted a picture of it over at alt.binaries.pictures.gardens under the same heading, Help with Weed ID please.
Thanks, Sue
I had my first one this week as well, a gorgeous Black From Tulia. There were actually two which were ripe but a squirrel or something got the other one (1" hole right in the side, no other marks??). The taste was unbelievable. The other tomatoes aren't close. I have no idea why these particular ones ripened so much earlier--especially since they're on the shadier side of the garden. Go figure.
LauraJ zone 6A Boston, MA
Because so many of you were also waiting to see some red on their tomatoes, I feel better; I am not the only one. In Montréal, the season is so short that we feel that we have no time to lose. In October, the season is finished here. Today I saw at least 4 big tomatoes almost ready. From now on I will have so many that I should be prepared for some work. It was the first time that I raised them from seed and I was not sure how they would turn up. So I planted 16 tomato plants. Crazy? For sure! My children are gone from the nest so we are only the two of us. My children who are living not too far will get quite a few tomatoes free; I imagine. Françoise.
Not to rub it in :) but I have already picked well over 100 pounds of tomatoes from my 60+ tomato plants. I grow over a dozen varieties (including the smaller "salad" type). The "extras" (and there are LOTS of extras, you can only eat so many tomatoes) go to 10 families in my neighborhood.
You're not so crazy. I live alone (well, I have three cats, but they don't eat tomatoes), and I planted 10 varieties of tomato this year. Only 1 or 2 plants per variety, but still....
Priscilla, nuts for homegrown tomatoes
Salt? Heresy! Sugar and vinegar!
Priscilla, with Vermont roots
Priscilla,
You must have some favourites. Can you tell us what they are. I may try to find some seeds to plant them here. Our season is quite short for tomatoes. Françoise.
I never heard this before, putting sugar on tomatoes.
Françoise.
I haven't had a chance to taste more than a few varieties of this year's because they haven't ripened yet. But I had a Tigerella today that was WONDERFUL! Great flavor.
I got my seeds from Seeds of Change. I recommend them. (No financial connection.)
Priscilla
Priscilla, I looked in my catalogue and did not find Tigerella tomatoes. I live in Canada and I guess we have tomatoes that grow well here since our season is quite short. I planted 2 kinds: Pilgrim and Big Beef. Their tastes are similar and both can be eaten without salt. The firmness is the same as well as they are both juicy and both are big tomatoes. Both their skins are almost as the pulpe. No hard skin. The Pilgrim is determinate but the Big Beef grows very high and needed staking. The Big Beef have produced more tomatoes on each plant. The big Beef needed more work do to them because the plants were very high and very heavy. The tomato gages were not enough to support the plants. We had to put big stakes besides. I had to cut many branches to permit the sun to reach the tomatoes. We have been eating them everyday now. A fresh tomato beats the winter one bought in the shop. Françoise.
Fran?oise quoth:
Maybe they're only on the website?
And that's no lie! :-)
Priscilla
I too am in Toronto Canada but very new to the gardening thing. My Mom grew up on a farm during the Great Depression and still has the "green thumb" skills. Anyway, I planted my own tomatoes for the first time back in early June; I got two boxes of Ultra Boy and they were practically giving the baskets away. I dutifully planted two sets of plants and placed baskets straight on top.
When my Mom came over I proudly showed her what I had done. "I hate to tell you, son, but you'll have to re-plant them!"
"How come?"
"You put four plants all together in one hole!"
"But they were packaged that way!"
Oh well, you live and learn. I actually had 8 plants and I dug them up and re-planted. Good thing the baskets were so cheap. Nor did I have to worry too much about watering over this very wet 2004 summer. The tomatoes are now ready for harvest and I have been supplying family and friends with very plump, round, red, juicy and scrumptious samples. My morning BLT never tasted so good.
Best, Denny
Image at
Priscilla,
Thank you for the address. I went to the site and these Tigerella tomatoes seem > Fran?oise quoth:
Denny, I love your story. Even when we have been gardening for sometimes, we can still make errors. This year I planted Lavatera for the first time. On the package, it was written to plant seeds in peat pots, which I did. It was also written to plant the seedlings 18 - 24 inches apart. I did not followed this instruction because I like crowded flowers. I planted
5 seedlings in an area 2 ft x 2 ft. For a reason 3 of them started to lose their leaves (maybe eaten by something) and died, 2 were not affected. Now the 2 lavateras are so big that they take at least 3 ft x 3 ft space and push> I too am in Toronto Canada but very new to the gardening thing. My Mom
For any Canadians reading the group,
Shirley Hicks Toronto, Ontario "A liberal is a conservative who's been through treatment."
- Garrison Keillor
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