snowyegret
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posted on August 6, 2002 05:04:02 PM new
You have the right to an informed opinion
-Harlan Ellison
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kraftdinner
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posted on August 6, 2002 05:08:36 PM new
A one pound tomato snowy - that's amazing! They sure look yummy! 
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saabsister
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posted on August 6, 2002 05:10:12 PM new
Way to go, snowyegret! They look wonderful. I have only two puny orange ones so far.
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antiquary
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posted on August 6, 2002 05:14:18 PM new
applause! applause! 
I've gotten some fruit from the heirlooms and will get a dozen or so more, but unfortunately mine were more susceptible to fungal diseases than the Arkansas Travellers and Jetstars, and the weather here was ideal for rapid spreading this year. Probably won't do them again, but the flavor is superior--not to mention the sheer size.
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snowyegret
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posted on August 6, 2002 05:18:34 PM new
I'm making sauce from the plums. The cherries are just for snacking. We have about a hundred of those. The big ones are Boxcar Willie, and all of those are big and tasty. The blacks are pretty good. The whites aren't ready yet, but we'll have a ton of those. I have 6 and 7 foot tall tomato plants with a ton of fruit. I call it the tomato jungle. Even our volunteers from last year are producing. Virtual tomato sandwiches for all.
You have the right to an informed opinion
-Harlan Ellison
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antiquary
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posted on August 6, 2002 05:40:07 PM new
The fruit from the Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifters and Brandywines that made has been large, mostly one to two pounds. Before the blights hit, the Mortgage Lifters were some of the most beautiful tomato plants that I've ever seen. I'm glad that I planted my regulars as a back-up though. They're much smaller tomatoes but prolific.
A good year for everything else, especially the cantaloupe, but they've all pretty much peaked. My wife's into making and freezing pesto and I found a really good price on pine nuts on the net so I ordered 6 pounds. I figure that we'll have enough pesto to last for several years. She doesn't cook a lot though so I thought it best to take advantage of the recent enthusiasm.
Good to know that the volunteers turned out well in case I have any next year. I've read mixed reports.
sp
[ edited by antiquary on Aug 6, 2002 05:41 PM ]
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rawbunzel
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posted on August 6, 2002 05:46:03 PM new
My mouth is watering! A BLT is sounding mighty good right now.
I could go check to see if I had a ny ripe tomatoes but it would be too depressing so I won't.  All mine were busts this year. Not one ripe tomato and it doesn't look like there will be any. The raccoons broke off the one promising branch and even those were the little cherry tomatoes. It hung on for awhile but it was broken completely off last night.
I am sick with tomato envy.
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antiquary
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posted on August 6, 2002 05:57:50 PM new
I would be happy to lend you sunny days and +20 degrees, Rawbunzel.
This is the time of year that I begin to think that maybe I really could settle for canned tomatoes, accompanied by -30 or so degrees.
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snowyegret
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posted on August 6, 2002 06:10:38 PM new
Rawbunzel, that's why we put up with the heat. Our plants exploded when it got hot. Too bad they don't ship well, I have more than enough to supply the RT.
My husband has really done a lot of work in the garden and it shows. There was a little 3x3 area that was fenced off with green plastic when we moved in last year. That was it. He built a small wall extending back about thirty feet with stones from the dirt the landlord brought over, and tilled in some mulch. We mulched like crazy last summer and this summer, and what was hard clay is pretty friable now. Except for the azaleas and roses, we grew everything from seed. We have some nice lisianthus this year.
This year, we're deciding which varieties we like. We didn't get many beans from our plants, and not too much broccoli. Lots of Brussels Sprouts for DH. Taste wise, the Radiator Charlies, the Boxcarcar Willies, and the Pantanos are the best. The Pantanos are what the old guys in Jersey used to grow, and they look great when they're sliced open. Gave DH a taste from his childhood back. Our red Mortgage Lifters haven't done as well as the RCMLs, and they are supposed to be more resistant to fungus. There is an Australian Morgage Lifter. The volunteers are Arkansas Travellers, and I have a lot of seeds, so I'll probably put in a couple of those each summer.
You have the right to an informed opinion
-Harlan Ellison
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rawbunzel
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posted on August 6, 2002 06:25:39 PM new
Only thirty degrees?I may have to think about this a bit more. I love tomatoes but I hate heat. ****sigh****
Snowy, I think you've done great since you've only been there a year. Did you move there from a cold climate? My husband is from Kentucky and he lusts for a good tomato.Even when we get ripe tomatoes they aren't the same as those grown in the right climate. A huge difference. I keep hoping that as I age I'll need more sun...like the old folks that move to Arizona. Nothing yet. I'm ever hopeful.
you're sure they don't ship well?
[ edited by rawbunzel on Aug 6, 2002 06:28 PM ]
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antiquary
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posted on August 6, 2002 06:36:23 PM new
Sounds like the same type of soil as here. Requires quite a bit of amending. Very fertile, but with a little high PH level. I add quite a bit of organic matter yearly also, in order to make it workable, and peat moss helps lower the PH. Most beds are raised one to two feet now. I think that this fall I'll work a couple of inches of sand into all the beds that aren't planted in perennials.
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Helenjw
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posted on August 6, 2002 07:04:47 PM new
Beautiful! Snowyegret
What a fantastic red!
I'll take a photo of mine tomorrow.
Now, in addition to the birds, I have a wild rabbit living in the middle of the tomato patch. He isn't afraid, and just sits in the middle while I pick tomatoes.
Helen
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saabsister
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posted on August 6, 2002 07:54:16 PM new
Helen, did you ever plant the aggressive blue flowers? My love-in-a-mist,viola odorata and forget-me-nots grew well and then went to seed. The morning glories finally climbed the fence but haven't bloomed yet. (I'll see if any of them are feisty enough to reappear next year.)
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profe51
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posted on August 6, 2002 08:51:51 PM new
what beautiful tomates! it was so hot and has been so dry here for so long that this year I decided not to plant...at the last minute I couldnt bear it and put in one plot of tamale corn and some beans, but decided to forego all the more delicate stuff...the corn will be done in another 2 weeks, we'll be roasting and eating and drying for a while..and the beans will stay on the vine till they frost down in the fall, then we'll have a bid old stomping party and harvest them. I love those BrandyWines, most of the newer beefsteaks don't do well here because they sunburn so easily, but the BW's produce so much beautiful foliage that their fruit is well protected from el sol....
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Dejapooh
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posted on August 7, 2002 10:21:49 AM new
about 3 years ago we planted a grape vine and a passion fruit vine. The passion fruit produces about 100 pounds of fruit twice a year. The grape gave up one stragley string of grapes last year but exploded with nearly 150 pounds of grapes this year. next year we are going to turn off the sprinklers... That'll slow'em down a bit...
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snowyegret
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posted on August 7, 2002 01:32:22 PM new
More fun. Black Prince and white Hugh in front. 1 lb+ each.
Let's eat.
Dejapooh, you could be making some wine with that many grapes.
You have the right to an informed opinion
-Harlan Ellison
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Helenjw
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posted on August 7, 2002 02:28:19 PM new
I've got some too!
Saabsister,
I missed your question about the blue flowers...I flunked that assignment. HaHaha.. I did have good intentions!
Helen
[ edited by Helenjw on Aug 7, 2002 02:33 PM ]
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snowyegret
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posted on August 7, 2002 02:30:41 PM new
Helen, all I can see is the pizza box.
You have the right to an informed opinion
-Harlan Ellison
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Helenjw
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posted on August 7, 2002 02:31:46 PM new
Well, I'm advanced, HaHaHa!
I'll keep trying.
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snowyegret
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posted on August 7, 2002 02:37:14 PM new
There's the sauce! Nice ones! What kind are you growing?
You have the right to an informed opinion
-Harlan Ellison
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Helenjw
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posted on August 7, 2002 02:46:53 PM new
Snowyegret
They are Better Boys and an assortment of plum tomatoes.
Helen
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antiquary
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posted on August 7, 2002 04:31:03 PM new
profe51,
I think my brandywines are hardier than the mortgage lifters, though the latter seem to have even a little more foliage. By August I usually have to cover my tomato plants on the days when the highs reach into the upper nineties and beyond to prevent sunburn and keep them alive into the fall. They're presently all sheeted.
Good-looking tomatoes, Helen. I bet that you can't wait to dust off that pressure cooker and start canning.
What's the flavor like with the black and white varieties, snowy?
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saabsister
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posted on August 7, 2002 04:42:56 PM new
I'll have to visit the local farmers' market tomorrow. I want a yummy tomato sandwich after looking at those pictures and all I have are two two inch 'maters.
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