Sunday, August 14, 2011

State of Tomatoes

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Yesterday, I spent a few hours cleaning up the back garden, which had become hopelessly overgrown and difficult to navigate. I pulled up my two Petit Gris melon vines and found several half-eaten orange-sized melons. Too bad we didn't get a chance to taste them this year. It seems every summer, there's always at least one veg variety that is a total failure.

I also ripped out my beans and trimmed up my tomato plants. While the tomatoes have been slow to ripen this year, we should still get a decent crop if the weather stays warm in September. The plants have a ton of green fruit left (the San Marzanos on the left are prolific) and we should get our first bulk harvest of ripe tomatoes today.

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My Gold Medal and Brandywine (Sudduth's Strain) tomatoes have been slower to mature then the purples I'm growing this year. However, the fruit are enormous and have resisted cracking.

11 comments:

  1. The plants are looking great and you have a big harvest coming! You'll be happy the major picking happens as the weather gets less hot--it will make processing them a little easier!

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  2. Lucky you to have all those beautiful ripened and ripening tomatoes on the vine. Our weather went cool again and the tomatoes have gone into a stall out mode again. Honestly, I am just feeling good to get enough fresh tomatoes for our fresh eating needs. I am resigned to having to purchase a box of tomatoes for processing yet again this year.

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  3. Our peaches and grapes were a complete failure due to critters. Either raccoons or squirrels got to them. Your tomatoes look excellent! I need to rig up a new trellis system. I Like yours.

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  4. Your tomatoes look great. I ripped out all heirloom tomatoes, most of the beans, and all but one zucchini plant on Friday. I am trying to get into fall garden mode. Mine was an overgrown jungle as well...it is now partially tamed.

    We did pizzas on the grill/stone again tonight- I can't tell you how often I use this method thanks to you. Homemade crust used to be a cold weather thing in my house. Well no more!! I did one pie using Moody Blue (an AMAZING smoked blue), fig paste, caramelized onions, and thyme. Paired it with a local un-oaked chard and it nearly brought me to tears. Life is good. :) I promise to blog one of these days.

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  5. Fabulous. Sadly I have to stay inside until my asthma calms down. It is so frustrating to not be able to garden right now.

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  6. Your tomatoes look awesome! Mine split on top of everything else. Oh well. Learning curve.

    Do you shade your tomatoes when it gets really hot? Just curious.

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  7. Things are out of control here as well :( With the heat wave and health issues the weeds have taken over everything. Hopefully the fall crops will do better and next year will be more successful. I'm keeping fingers crossed for a late tomato crop too!

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  8. The tomatoes look great, ours are slowing down from the heat and a few had to be ripped out, but the Brandywines are still chugging along!

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  9. You are a wonderful writer! Your love for the world shows in your pictures too. Peace all

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  10. The garden has been good crop rotation in tomato because there are good and healthy tomato that can be enjoy in this garden.

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