# Let's see your tomatoes



## 066blaster

We grow mostly Brandywine heirloom tomatoes. We get 3.50 a pound for them. Sold 250 pounds last week at the farmers market. We put a shade cloth on the hoop house. Keeps the temps down. Really makes a big difference in the quality of the tomatoes. In fact we are going to buy another one next year to block some of the morning sun. The plants and tomatoes are bigger under the shade cloth..


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## USMC615

066blaster said:


> View attachment 438082
> View attachment 438083
> View attachment 438085
> We grow mostly Brandywine heirloom tomatoes. We get 3.50 a pound for them. Sold 250 pounds last week at the farmers market. We put a shade cloth on the hoop house. Keeps the temps down. Really makes a big difference in the quality of the tomatoes. In fact we are going to buy another one next year to block some of the morning sun. The plants and tomatoes are bigger under the shade cloth..


Nice, 066.


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## awol

We grow a few heirlooms, Mortgage Lifter, and Amana Orange mostly. The fruits weigh about one pound each, and we sell them at our store and local farmers markets for two dollars a pound.


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## USMC615

awol said:


> We grow a few heirlooms, Mortgage Lifter, and Amana Orange mostly. The fruits weigh about one pound each, and we sell them at our store and local farmers markets for two dollars a pound.
> View attachment 439963


Nice awol. Makes me wanna 'mater sandwich with mayo and a good shot of pepper.


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## alleyyooper

Second year doing raised beds. Never ever had them grow over a couple feet tall in the open garden but I have them well over 6 feet tall even after the deer ate the tops out this year They did the same last year too. 

The chain link fence is 5 foot tall and does keep the deer out but the electric fence works too. First time in 30years I have had trouble with deer in the gardens.

















I think next year I am going to learn to prune them and keep them shorter. Hard to keep them upright being this tall even when I use a 6 foot stakeing system the wind has blowen them over.

 Al


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## jakethesnake

Little late but tomato trellis trick concrete wire with the big holes bend it into a round and wire that together drive wooden stakes around that and I've never had my tomato plants go down it comes 5 ft high just cut it with a torch or grinder you have to fight them but they last indefinate


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## Del_

jakethesnake said:


> Little late but tomato trellis trick concrete wire with the big holes bend it into a round and wire that together drive wooden stakes around that and I've never had my tomato plants go down it comes 5 ft high just cut it with a torch or grinder you have to fight them but they last indefinate



That's what I use but I cut it with bolt cutters. I find I get about ten years on them and the ends that touch the ground rust badly but that only shortens them by six inches.


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## alleyyooper

5 feet don't cut the mustard when the plants are over 7 feet tall that is 2 feet taller than your 5 foot wire.

Going to learn to prune.

 Al


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## jakethesnake

Sound like nice plants I've never measured mine but I let em go they stay off the ground anyhow even if they droop over the top I've never pruned just being nosey you in full sun?


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## alleyyooper

Full sun from sun up to sun down every day we don't have cloud cover.

 Al


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## jakethesnake

Well maybe this spring summer you could show some pictures I usually grow about a dozen celebrity tomatoes type. They seem to stand well in my cages and do get tall always try a couple two three diffrent variety a well I'll prune one too just to see how that variety responds be a while it's bout twenty degree here


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## amberg

You guy's have some beautiful tomato plants, I have been growing some brandy wines for three years, and they seem to do pretty good, I can also get them up to about 7' before they fold over, but they still grow a big tomato that will fit a slice of bread, but they just don't bear many per plant. 

Wish I could do pictures like you guys.


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## alleyyooper

Posting pictures are as easy as falling off a log.
Go to photobucket.com and open a free account. Once you have the account just up load your pictures there. Once you have your pictures there you can click on the picture and it will go to a single large picture then scroll down and there is a menu on the right with the last being* img*. Copy that and then paste it on the web where you want people to see the picture.

 Al


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## amberg

Well I guess I need to buy a camera and try to get my daughter to show me how to use it.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

nice pix, great thread theme... enjoyed seeing all the tomatoes and plantings...

some fall tomatoes currently being enjoyed and fall 'maters 2015..

current fall tomatoes, more on vines:






2015 fall 'maters






more 2015 fall 'maters...


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## amberg

WOW! I do love mater's, that is just beautiful. can't wait until first of may!! need to get bread and mayo, salt, pepper,


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## Del_

We are planting our tomato seeds this evening, indoors of course. They will be about one foot tall or so when planted out around May 1st. We start in small 4 cell packs then transplant up to a pint sized pot then on to quart sized and then outdoors.


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## amberg

My neighbor up the road does the same thing, that is where I get my plants from, which makes them about a foot or so tall when I get them. He sets about 60 to 75 plants a year in the rotten cow manure he gets from me. (he also sets mine for me) I like the brandy wines myself.


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## Conquistador3

Over the past few years I've switched over to Russian and Ukrainian cultivars since they taste better and are generally far more resilient and higher yield than locally available ones.
I am presently waiting for a batch of seeds of some little known cultivars such as Kosmonaut Volkov to arrive so I can have the plants ready for transplant in late April/early May. They should be here any day (hopefully). You never know with shipping from Eastern Europe.  

In the past I've tried raising Brandywines but met with little success. I've also planted Lebanese tomatoes (Omar) for a couple here but, plainly put, the weather here is not hot enough for them and they don't grow big enough. I ended up giving the seeds I had saved to a friend who moved to Uruguay.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

Conquistador3 said:


> Over the past few years I've switched over to Russian and Ukrainian cultivars since they taste better and are generally far more resilient and higher yield than locally available ones.
> I am presently waiting for a batch of seeds of some little known cultivars such as Kosmonaut Volkov to arrive so I can have the plants ready for transplant in late April/early May. They should be here any day (hopefully). You never know with shipping from Eastern Europe.
> 
> In the past I've tried raising Brandywines but met with little success. I've also planted Lebanese tomatoes (Omar) for a couple here but, plainly put, the weather here is not hot enough for them and they don't grow big enough. I ended up giving the seeds I had saved to a friend who moved to Uruguay.



if you get a chance post up some pix of those 'big' European tomatoes... never have seen a Kosmonaut Volkov tomato. oic... Kosmonaut... cosmonaut... astronaut... took me a 2nd glace to catch that... imagine that! interesting post; all the way from Europe...

well, I had to check him out... year in space station and 3 space walks.... sounds scary to me! lol... found quite a few images of 'your' Kosmonaut Volkov tomato:

Kosmonaut Volkov Tomato


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## Conquistador3

Apart from Black Zebra (which has a strong tendency for apex rot like the Italian San Marzano), Russian and Ukrainian tomatoes have never let me down. 
I've been experimenting because, plainly put, there are literally thousands of cultivars to pick from. 
If the seeds ever get here, if they prove viable and if the plants do well, I'll surely post some pictures.


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## Del_

This years tomato crop. Brandywine, Opalka, Amish Paste, Roma, Italian Heirloom and a few Tommy Toe cherry tomatoes. Also Italian peppers Marconi, Jimmy Nardello and Super Shepherd.

Total count of 9 trays each having 10 plastic 4 cells=360 cells.

Planted on 2-1-2016 and under a HPS light with a reflector and on a light mover. We use 12" wide aluminum flashing as a side reflector. Only some are tomatoes, the rest are collards in the plates, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower started on the same date. Bricks help to keep the flashing round so the light reflector doesn't rub it. Three layers of 4 mill plastic on the floor.

This is all sitting on the floor about six feet behind me.


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## jakethesnake

Where you from del you plant all that for yourself or you sell plants looking nice I haven't even thought of starting any yet I'm in delaware I usually buy a dozen and plant some that are just barely started for a day or two in the ground as soon as they come up


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## jakethesnake

Usually celebrity are what I buy had some brandywine Mountain pride and a couple others I can't remember last year celebrity always does the best for me full sun here all day


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## Del_

jakethesnake said:


> Where you from del you plant all that for yourself or you sell plants looking nice I haven't even thought of starting any yet I'm in delaware I usually buy a dozen and plant some that are just barely started for a day or two in the ground as soon as they come up



I'm about 40 miles N/E of Atlanta GA along US85. Grew up in Delaware near Georgetown. These plants are all for our own use. We plant a larger number of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and collards for a fall crop.


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## jakethesnake

I'm a farmer so I'm never leaving here lol in harrington I garden pretty hard too just to be nosy any good input on where to get seed do you mail order or have a nice seed store around I used gourneys a couple times but my garden wasn't the best I'd ever had and they seem pricey to me I'll not blame their seed just didn't do any better than some random things I got from southern states


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## blkcloud

I had a couple of German pinks that were probably over 10 feet tall.. They were growing crooked but.. It's 8 feet to where boards change.. No fertilizer or anything.. Lol


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## Conquistador3

The seeds were in yesterday mail. I will seed them indoor next week, as to have the plants ready for transplant in the second half of April. 
I am really intrigued to see how these Russian/Ukrainian heirlooms will turn out.


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## ChoppyChoppy

Jeez, if I planted anything now they'd be a few feet tall by the time the ground was thawed. Don't normally mow the lawn till mid June.


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## 066blaster

For any of you that start plants indoors..have you ever had any issues watering with soft water?


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## Conquistador3

066blaster said:


> For any of you that start plants indoors..have you ever had any issues watering with soft water?



Honestly? No. But I am using a homemade cutting/seeding compound which has proven far superior to John Innes.


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## USMC615

Nice tomatoes and veggies fellas!! Time consuming but the outcome is sure worth it and homegrown simply has a taste all its own.


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## Conquistador3

jakethesnake said:


> I'm a farmer so I'm never leaving here lol in harrington I garden pretty hard too just to be nosy any good input on where to get seed do you mail order or have a nice seed store around I used gourneys a couple times but my garden wasn't the best I'd ever had and they seem pricey to me I'll not blame their seed just didn't do any better than some random things I got from southern states



It depends what you are after. I usually get Russian and Ukrainian cultivars from an eBay seller called Nikitovka Seeds. As they are based in Ukraine you should have no problems getting them to deliver in the US, but bear in mind Ukrainian posts are not the fastest in the world so order early. 
Otherwise you may look around for Sasha's Altai tomatoes. They are probably more popular in the US than in their native Russia. These are Siberian tomatoes so chances are they'll do well any climate, including Delaware. For sure they do great here: they are the first to go into production and the last to stop. Being a non-patented heirloom you can reproduce them yourself.
I am presently waiting for news of how they do in hot climates as I sent a batch of seeds I harvested last year to a friend living in Uruguay.


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## farmer steve

jakethesnake said:


> I'm a farmer so I'm never leaving here lol in harrington I garden pretty hard too just to be nosy any good input on where to get seed do you mail order or have a nice seed store around I used gourneys a couple times but my garden wasn't the best I'd ever had and they seem pricey to me I'll not blame their seed just didn't do any better than some random things I got from southern states


iv'e seen a few greenhouses around harrington when we come down for the nascar race. you should be able to find some good cultivars at one of those. i know there is a pretty big on on rt 14 heading towards denton. here's one place i buy from and i think they sell smaller package sizes.http://www.twilleyseed.com/Home.html
we camp at the fairgrounds when we come down for the races.


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## jakethesnake

Thanks farmer steve I'll check into that it's really not about price anyhow I just like waking out back to get supper time veggies I was up in Lancaster pa last summer getting a Perkins gen set checked out at Smuckers sales seems like you guys had an awful nice looking corn crop then round those parts last summer I saw many pioneer signs up there and some awsome looking alfalfa hay getting baled made me wonder how those boys bale such green hay without mold powder issues??? I figure must be in the mountain climate damn fine hay


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## farmer steve

jakethesnake said:


> Thanks farmer steve I'll check into that it's really not about price anyhow I just like waking out back to get supper time veggies I was up in Lancaster pa last summer getting a Perkins gen set checked out at Smuckers sales seems like you guys had an awful nice looking corn crop then round those parts last summer I saw many pioneer signs up there and some awsome looking alfalfa hay getting baled made me wonder how those boys bale such green hay without mold powder issues??? I figure must be in the mountain climate damn fine hay


them amish boys over in lancaster co grow some good crops. it was a good haymaking year up here last summer. i had some of the nicest hay (grass/clover mix) in a long time. won 1st place at our local fair with my second cutting.


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## chuckwood

What's the best variety in terms of being fungus/blight resistant? This is my biggest problem with growing tomatoes. The blight seems to be everywhere in the soil on my garden spot, which has been in steady use for around a century. Moving the tomatoes to a different spot doesn't seem to have any effect. Fungus was also attacking my okra to the point that I had to start a new plot for okra that's around a 100 yards away. That worked well for the first couple years, but last year the fungus started hitting my okra again. I've been spraying with copper fungicide, but it seems I'm always too late with the spraying. I understand that once you see the leaves turn brown and die off, spraying won't do much good anymore.


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## Del_

Chuck are you familiar with tobacco mosaic virus?

Any chance you or anyone around your plants smoke cigarettes?

Cages can carry disease year to year.


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## Conquistador3

chuckwood said:


> What's the best variety in terms of being fungus/blight resistant? This is my biggest problem with growing tomatoes. The blight seems to be everywhere in the soil on my garden spot, which has been in steady use for around a century. Moving the tomatoes to a different spot doesn't seem to have any effect. Fungus was also attacking my okra to the point that I had to start a new plot for okra that's around a 100 yards away. That worked well for the first couple years, but last year the fungus started hitting my okra again. I've been spraying with copper fungicide, but it seems I'm always too late with the spraying. I understand that once you see the leaves turn brown and die off, spraying won't do much good anymore.



Is this Early blight (Alternaria solani)? Or Septoria leaf spot (Septoria lycopersici)? Septoria is relatively easy to control, Blight not so much. 
There are blight-resistant tomatoes, of which Legend (developed by Oregon State for the purpose) is the most widely available. Mind that no plant is 100% immune however. 
Best treatment for blight is a two pronged attack.
First, use plastic mulch sheets. Alternaria spores winter in the ground, but do not attack roots, only leaves and stalks. Insulating the plants from the soil can help a lot.
Second is to treat with copper fungicides on a schedule. I cannot stress the importance of scheduled treatments enough. I usually treat my tomato plants just before transplanting them, then every two weeks. If the weather's rainy, make that every week. 
Once plants are at least 3ft high, it may also be a good idea to eliminate the lowest leaves to reduce the chances of contagion even further.


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## farmer steve

check this one out Chuck. multiple disease resistance including late blight.
http://all-americaselections.org/winners/details.cfm?WinID=562


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## amberg

Del_ is smoke not good for the plants?


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## chuckwood

amberg said:


> Del_ is smoke not good for the plants?



It's not the smoke itself, its the virus that could be on your hands when you are fiddling with tobacco products. If your are a tobacco chewer, you could also transfer the tobacco virus to your tomatoes.


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## amberg

Thanks, that is good to know,


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## chuckwood

Del_ said:


> Chuck are you familiar with tobacco mosaic virus?
> 
> Any chance you or anyone around your plants smoke cigarettes?
> 
> Cages can carry disease year to year.



I'm not a tobacco user. Even the cages can carry disease? Well, I've been using one of those giant propane torches people use for killing weeds and melting ice - and burning up my tomato plants after harvest is over, hoping to kill fungus spores that way.


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## chuckwood

Conquistador3 said:


> Is this Early blight (Alternaria solani)? Or Septoria leaf spot (Septoria lycopersici)? Septoria is relatively easy to control, Blight not so much.
> There are blight-resistant tomatoes, of which Legend (developed by Oregon State for the purpose) is the most widely available. Mind that no plant is 100% immune however.
> Best treatment for blight is a two pronged attack.
> First, use plastic mulch sheets. Alternaria spores winter in the ground, but do not attack roots, only leaves and stalks. Insulating the plants from the soil can help a lot.
> Second is to treat with copper fungicides on a schedule. I cannot stress the importance of scheduled treatments enough. I usually treat my tomato plants just before transplanting them, then every two weeks. If the weather's rainy, make that every week.
> Once plants are at least 3ft high, it may also be a good idea to eliminate the lowest leaves to reduce the chances of contagion even further.



I know I've got Septoria, and probably have early blight as well. I've tried using straw as mulch, thinking that would prevent spores from splashing up on the tomato leaves, but that didn't seem to have much effect. I'll try black plastic mulch this year instead. I'm always behind schedule with tending my tomatoes because I've got too many other chores competing for my attention. Also, because of the blight problem I plant twice as many as I should need in order to get any decent crop at all. But twice as many plants means twice as much maintenance and I start losing interest. This year I'm spacing my plants at around four or five feet apart and planting half as many. Can I be bringing in fungal spores via organic mulches like straw or leaves? Plastic mulch is easy to install, but won't constant walking on it while doing maintenance and harvesting cause it to rip and tear up? 

If I'm constantly spraying copper fungicide on the plants won't the copper eventually build up in the soil to toxic concentrations? I've also got Daconil to use up, but I'm not real happy about spraying that stuff on the food I'm ultimately planning to eat. Serenade sounds like a good alternative fungicide, first I've heard about it here.


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## farmer steve

red plastic is supposed to be good for tomatoes. 3 0r 4 feet wide then leave a walk row between the tomato rows. this is a pic of mulch laid with a plastic layer. it also puts the drip tape down.




stakes are then driven in every 3 plants and string ran around the stakes. it's called a florida weave.


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## amberg

WOW! Looks like a lot of tomato canning and juicing there.


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## Conquistador3

chuckwood said:


> I know I've got Septoria, and probably have early blight as well. I've tried using straw as mulch, thinking that would prevent spores from splashing up on the tomato leaves, but that didn't seem to have much effect. I'll try black plastic mulch this year instead. I'm always behind schedule with tending my tomatoes because I've got too many other chores competing for my attention. Also, because of the blight problem I plant twice as many as I should need in order to get any decent crop at all. But twice as many plants means twice as much maintenance and I start losing interest. This year I'm spacing my plants at around four or five feet apart and planting half as many. Can I be bringing in fungal spores via organic mulches like straw or leaves? Plastic mulch is easy to install, but won't constant walking on it while doing maintenance and harvesting cause it to rip and tear up?
> 
> If I'm constantly spraying copper fungicide on the plants won't the copper eventually build up in the soil to toxic concentrations? I've also got Daconil to use up, but I'm not real happy about spraying that stuff on the food I'm ultimately planning to eat. Serenade sounds like a good alternative fungicide, first I've heard about it here.



Septoria can be get rid of by plowing the soil over immediately after removing tomato plants at the end of the season and not planting Solenaceae there for two years. Plant leaf vegetables, pumpkins and beans instead.
Its spores are nowhere near as resilient as Alternaria's and if they don't find a host will die out in a year or so. 

Copper fungicides are very very low toxicity and you are not exactly going to use tons of them: typical concentration is 7g of copper sulfate per liter of water. My grandfather used it for decades and it wasn't copper poisoning that killed him.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

farmer steve said:


> red plastic is supposed to be good for tomatoes. 3 0r 4 feet wide then leave a walk row between the tomato rows. this is a pic of mulch laid with a plastic layer. it also puts the drip tape down.
> View attachment 487673
> stakes are then driven in every 3 plants and string ran around the stakes. it's called a florida weave.



*impressive tomato patch.* I see the red trays being sold in some seed catalogs for tomatoes, etc.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

*More 'Mater Matters:
*
these are some 'early tomatoes' from grow zone 9a; ie: my garden.  they have been growing kinda slow past few months, but steady. actually these early 'maters are on fall plants. Solar Fire. but when we are harvesting these kind of 'maters... this time of year, we call them early 'cause no one else in our neighborhood we know of has tomatoes on vines and they are ripe or ripening. I have lots of small tomatoes that have just set or are in setting process...thot some of you might like to see what is in my kitchen currently... as of this date. 

_early 'maters, grow zone 9a_


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## Backyard Lumberjack

and should any readers think... ah, heck... that *Backyard Lumberjack* guy just went out and bot them at the grocery store... well... here is comparison shots. lots of 'maters, homegrown and storebot. the storebot are the ones that come... 'on a vine'. and yes, the homegrown taste significantly better... 

_homegrown and storebot 'maters




_

*Test:*

which 'maters are homegrown? (hint-see post above this one.)

a) on L

b) on R

c) A and B

d) none of the above


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## amberg

Well my guess is (a) The ones on plate (b) look like they were pulled of the store mater vine. and they look more shiny to.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Well my guess is (a) The ones on plate (b) look like they were pulled of the store mater vine. and they look more shiny to.



Grade: A+


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## Backyard Lumberjack

here is a tomato shot everyone is sure to like! 

biggest, newest early first tomato on the tomato plants I planted this spring... imo, seeing such early sets never fails to put a smile above my chin... perhaps you, too! ?

* bush early girl




*


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## amberg

Again I envy you, will do mater's in June.


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## Conquistador3

The nursery is coming along nicely: all Kosmonaut Volkov's and Stars of Moscow have sprouted and are growing very nicely. If the weather stays on schedule, like it seems, I'll start hardening them next week and transplant them after the 15th of April. Highly impressed so far by both varieties.
I had to replant part of the Chernyy Slorn, but that was to be expected: "black" tomatoes seem to have low germination and seedlings often die within a few days of sprouting. 

As an aside: has anyone ever heard of putting fish offal underneath tomatoes and eggplants as a fertilizer boost?


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## Backyard Lumberjack

Conquistador3 said:


> The nursery is coming along nicely: all Kosmonaut Volkov's and Stars of Moscow have sprouted and are growing very nicely. If the weather stays on schedule, like it seems, I'll start hardening them next week and transplant them after the 15th of April. Highly impressed so far by both varieties.
> I had to replant part of the Chernyy Slorn, but that was to be expected: "black" tomatoes seem to have low germination and seedlings often die within a few days of sprouting.
> 
> As an aside: has anyone ever heard of putting fish offal underneath tomatoes and eggplants as a fertilizer boost?



those certainly are some unique names for tomatoes... quite different from ours... better boy, early girl, solar fire... big boy, etc...

we don't as a rule use fish or parts to fertilize our gardens over here. in the past, yrs ago... the early pioneers did put fish whole out in their gardens and crops to up the soil's nutrients...

a popular fertilizer here is 13-13-13... nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium... %'s....a side dressing of 13-13-13 will 'bump' almost any crop... 07-20-0 better for root crops like spuds...

any pix from Russia? you got any Russian gardening pix? am sure many here would enjoy seeing... I, for one, would like to see some Stars of Moscow...


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## Conquistador3

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> those certainly are some unique names for tomatoes... quite different from ours... better boy, early girl, solar fire... big boy, etc...
> 
> we don't as a rule use fish or parts to fertilize our gardens over here. in the past, yrs ago... the early pioneers did put fish whole out in their gardens and crops to up the soil's nutrients...
> 
> a popular fertilizer here is 13-13-13... nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium... %'s....a side dressing of 13-13-13 will 'bump' almost any crop... 07-20-0 better for root crops like spuds...
> 
> any pix from Russia? you got any Russian gardening pix? am sure many here would enjoy seeing... I, for one, would like to see some Stars of Moscow...



The tomato plants are still small, and will be put in thefield no sooner than 15 days: it's still too cold outside for them or anything else but early salad, which I've sown last week. 

When I moved here a few years ago I found the soil here was very poor. The vegetable patch I built has got about 2" of compost each year, plus two or three NPK fertilizer applications per growing season according to crop. This year I got my hand on a trailer full of manure so I shifted to that.
I am still not fully satisfied with yields, so I am looking for ways to improve them: a common practice here, when planting fruit trees, is to bury 3"-4" of manure underneath the root ball to give the plant a boost during early growth. As tomatoes and other Solenaceae are not big fans of manure, I was thinking of using fish offal for the same purpose.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

Conquistador3 said:


> The tomato plants are still small, and will be put in thefield no sooner than 15 days: it's still too cold outside for them or anything else but early salad, which I've sown last week.
> 
> When I moved here a few years ago I found the soil here was very poor. The vegetable patch I built has got about 2" of compost each year, plus two or three NPK fertilizer applications per growing season according to crop. This year I got my hand on a trailer full of manure so I shifted to that.
> I am still not fully satisfied with yields, so I am looking for ways to improve them: a common practice here, when planting fruit trees, is to bury 3"-4" of manure underneath the root ball to give the plant a boost during early growth. As tomatoes and other Solenaceae are not big fans of manure, I was thinking of using fish offal for the same purpose.



being in Texas, there is no shortage of manure here!  all along the dusty trail, or pasture... lol.  in fact, I have no shortage of it at my farm... lol  however, I don't use it or horse manure as it is too hot. it might be ok if you do plant it real deep as u say. have you looked at the utube vids on making compost? lots! simple process, pick your scale. I have 6 compost piles. all kitchen fare biodegrade, ie vegs etc go in. and this or that bio, leaves, some grass cuttings, pine needles, etc. I never bother turning it. just let it break down on its own... great stuff. simple plan is merely getting 50' roll of welded wire, about 5' high. then cut 16 1/2' lengths, roll into bins, secure with ends of wire... as in bend back to make a latch or loop on welded wire on other side. then fill at ur leisure. it is not a 2-week process, but I have been doing it for years and have emptied mine several times... makes super compost...

how deep does ur poor soil go? can u remove it and replace with compost? or is to too rocky? etc? or too much clay?


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## Conquistador3

Manure here is used after it "matured" meaning three months for that coming from cattle and six for horses. Never had a problem with mature manure. 
Rabbit manure is the only one that can be used "as is" because it's a cold one. But I don't keep rabbits: I've eaten so many connies when I was a boy the mere mention of the name causes me nausea. 

I make my own compost, but it's not only never enough but I suspect, being mostly vegetable matter, it's not that great to start with. I mostly use it for ornamentals with low fertilizer requirements now. 

Not a big fan of soil replacement and given my vegetable patch is terraced it would mean a lot of back breaking work for little reward: better to improve things a bit at a time and hope I'll be able to move away from here.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

Conquistador3 said:


> Manure here is used after it "matured" meaning three months for that coming from cattle and six for horses. Never had a problem with mature manure.
> Rabbit manure is the only one that can be used "as is" because it's a cold one. But I don't keep rabbits: I've eaten so many connies when I was a boy the mere mention of the name causes me nausea.
> 
> I make my own compost, but it's not only never enough but I suspect, being mostly vegetable matter, it's not that great to start with. I mostly use it for ornamentals with low fertilizer requirements now.
> 
> Not a big fan of soil replacement and given my vegetable patch is terraced it would mean a lot of back breaking work for little reward: better to improve things a bit at a time and hope I'll be able to move away from here.



sounds like a gardening challenge! but if you are on terrace, perhaps you have to very nice views to help compensate... regarding fertilizers, do you have 'feed n seed' stores there where u can get it? gardening centers? 13-13-13... of course, it is real good stuff, but not a substitute for good, friable soil... are you located near or in a large city or town?


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## Conquistador3

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> sounds like a gardening challenge! but if you are on terrace, perhaps you have to very nice views to help compensate... regarding fertilizers, do you have 'feed n seed' stores there where u can get it? gardening centers? 13-13-13... of course, it is real good stuff, but not a substitute for good, friable soil... are you located near or in a large city or town?



I've been using for years Compo fertilizers. German stuff, they've been around for decades.
Still, as you say, they are no substitute for decent soil, and soil amendment takes years of constant work and lots and lots of manure/compost/fish offal/whatever. Soil here is pretty much a mixture of rocks and clay... that anything grows at all is nothing short of a miracle! 
I make my own compost but, plainly put, is never enough to get around: with such poor soil continuous applications are needed and it mostly goes into hedges. 

To get back to tomatoes, I think this weekend I'll start hardening them outside and I hope to plant them in a couple of weeks, if the weather stays on course and we don't get the usual mid-April temperature drop.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

more tomato pix and exciting tomato garden stories to come...

*"Real Tomato Stories of the Myway Patrol"*


----------



## jakethesnake

Snowed here yesterday...


----------



## Conquistador3

jakethesnake said:


> Snowed here yesterday...



And here one of the dogs rampaged across the newly planted tomatoes and also took a walk over freshly seeded salad. 
Not very optimistic about my prospects this year...


----------



## amberg

jakethesnake said:


> Snowed here yesterday...



Snowed here also. More rain tomorrow.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

Conquistador3 said:


> And here one of the dogs rampaged across the newly planted tomatoes and also took a walk over freshly seeded salad.
> Not very optimistic about my prospects this year...



we have a product called 'welded wire' readily avail here. I use it to make my compost bins. etc. light weight, should easily make a simple fence if u have it avail there...


----------



## 066blaster

Getting started. We put them in our big hoop house during the day and put them in here at night, heated and several grow lights. Some of the plants have a little sunburn, they'll be fine.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

066blaster said:


> Getting started. We put them in our big hoop house during the day and put them in here at night, heated and several grow lights. Some of the plants have a little sunburn, they'll be fine.View attachment 499261
> View attachment 499262



awesome, looking good. 'Bonnies' got nothing on you...


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## amberg

There is no way not to like that!! Look's good!


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## Greenthorn

400 mixed varieties.........from the greenhouse......


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## Backyard Lumberjack

Greenthorn said:


> 400 mixed varieties.........from the greenhouse......
> 
> View attachment 499711



nice! like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words! you got 400 sets there?... in any event, nice looking tomatoe plants. do u sell them - tomaotes?


----------



## Greenthorn

Sell the plants at flea market. Actually there is 432 plants in that greenhouse! We will raise about 150 and give the rest away if they all don't sell.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

Greenthorn said:


> Sell the plants at flea market. Actually there is 432 plants in that greenhouse! We will raise about 150 and give the rest away if they all don't sell.



impressive by any standards!


----------



## amberg

Nice plants, I like that green house you got there to. it looks to be the perfect size. Looks like it has water and electric in it to.


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## Backyard Lumberjack

my tomatoes doing very well. some pix. the first one is of sweet 100's, there are 12 cherry tomatoes setting on the vine, or close to, ie flowering... plants has other groups flowering, too.





some other tomatoes - in - progress pix:









all of my tomato plants have set fruit... or are about to as flowers fading into lil green dots... setting.


----------



## amberg

Looks like they are well on the way to becoming mater sandwich's! My buddy bought 4 plants down yesterday evening and set them for me, He raises his own plants every year from his best tomatoes that he keeps the seeds from, 2 of them were brandywine, he thinks the other 2 are early girls, which is good for me. He also set 3 pepper plants for me to that he got out of his green house. He sets about 80 to 90 for him self. ( He is a tomato nut ) I will be very happy if I get a ripe one by the 4th of July!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Looks like they are well on the way to becoming mater sandwich's! My buddy bought 4 plants down yesterday evening and set them for me, He raises his own plants every year from his best tomatoes that he keeps the seeds from, 2 of them were brandywine, he thinks the other 2 are early girls, which is good for me. He also set 3 pepper plants for me to that he got out of his green house. He sets about 80 to 90 for him self. ( He is a tomato nut ) I will be very happy if I get a ripe one by the 4th of July!



_>He also set 3 pepper plants for me_

I have some of the pepper plants have already made small green peppers.


----------



## amberg

View attachment 501055
View attachment 501055
View attachment 501055


Hope this works,


----------



## amberg

Trying again


----------



## amberg

One more time.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> One more time.



sharp! looks good, I like it... now doubt will produce you a 'kitchen full' of nice tomatoes. what kind are they?


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

I was checking my tomatoes other day, as I do almost daily... and noted my romas are really looking like lil romas... will snap a pix soon... I don't normally grow them, but fell into a _'deal I could not refuse'_ at Lowe's... and so got some add'l varieties. several beefsteak types, if I only get one tomato off them, I will be happy... each has many flowers, so am optimistic! iukwim ~


----------



## amberg

The first two are brandywines, the other two are early girls. I will try to get a shot of the tater patch. This picture taking thing is new to me.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

got some roma tomato pix, well one pix, couple tomatoes, one getting big already ...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

well, here is a prized tomato pix! first tomato of this season. Early Girl Bush... got 8 more right behind this one... and a whole bunch of flowers setting, too. about baseball size. picked it so I can watch it further ripen day by day in kitchen.  watching the baby tomatoes show up is sure a fun time for me as a gardener...

first tomato, 2016 Early Girl Bush...


----------



## amberg

Red taters, snap beans, and maters, Mouth is watering!


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## amberg

My little pepper patch, believe it will be awhile before I can pick any. Hope the one in the middle makes it.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> My little pepper patch, believe it will be awhile before I can pick any. Hope the one in the middle makes it.



plenty soil there. definitely a raised bed! keep the little on shaded if hot n sunny out during hot time of day... extra water wont hurt...

ms. Honey was in N end of town today, stopped at nursery there... wanted some more parsley... and low and behold they were giving away FREE plants. sets. omg... take one sign sid. one? no, whatever you want.... ! omg. so got some more romas, and cherries, and some peppers... *mariachi reds, mildly warm... yeah, rite!  *and got also a poblano pepper plant. had one pepper set already... and a shoot coming off the mother plant. I wanted to separate it. did a tomato first, one of the romas had a side shoot... once dialed in... took off the pepper shoot. 'bingo!' came off perfectly well with a bit well connected root ball. so off into my pepper nursery it went... should do well... I head roasted poblanos with cheese pretty good! 

when ur plants r 1' - 14" tall side dress with 13-13-13... when they start flowering... a 7-20-0 will help blossoms... and when lil green pepers grape size, side dress 13-13-13 again... should do very well... this is how I do all my plants... 

pinched off an end of tomato stem n leaves... tossed it to garden patch to mulch in. then other day noticed the lil guy has an attitude! it rooted and had started to grow... so I gave him an honored spot... or is it a her? lol....


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

Grow Zone 9a; BL's first picked tomato of season, ripening status: today


----------



## amberg

Not much longer for that one. I think I have a few lbs. of 13-13-13 left that I can side dress them with. The dirt that the tomatoes and peppers are planted in is pure rotten cow manure. It does need a dusting of lime every year to help with blossom end rot. I have been using miracle grow on the maters, don't know how good it does, but they usually get about 6' tall.


----------



## amberg

This is a picture of one of the rotten manure piles. I have several people that come every spring to get it by the pickup and the trailer loads, they say it helps to make the soil lighter.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> View attachment 501579
> Grow Zone 9a; BL's first picked tomato of season, ripening status: today



picked two more today, too...  bit smaller, but red and orange and yellow running thru it... they were noticeably greener this morning when I picked them, then they sat out in warmth of day as I worked... another 10 hr day... and when I shot the pix, noted they had ripened up noticeably. looking fwd to eating them... maybe a 'mater sammy, or maybe a toasted BLT!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> One more time.



amberg - did u grow those sets? or buy? do you have D-ick Raymond's The Joy Of Gardening? he was troy-bilt and Garden Way's gardening experts guru... awesome book. been out a long time, I still have mine. if u don't have it, I think you would really like it.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0882663194...qmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_931ds2xkpv_e


----------



## amberg

I have a buddy up the road from me that grows them in his little green house from seeds that he keeps from his best tomatoes, He also grew the pepper plants from seeds to. He also gets a lot of the cow manure from me every year.

I will check out that book, thanks.


----------



## Conquistador3

OK, time for a little update. 
The decimated plants have been replaced with a mixture of Marmande and some brand new Italian cultivars to try out. The surviving Russian tomatoes are doing nicely. 
I also have a few tomatillo plants to try out this year and they are coming along more than nicely: they are already setting fruits. 

Tomorrow I'll probably make the first parsley harvest and in a few days the first salad should be ripe for cutting.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

Conquistador3 said:


> OK, time for a little update.
> The decimated plants have been replaced with a mixture of Marmande and some brand new Italian cultivars to try out. The surviving Russian tomatoes are doing nicely.
> I also have a few tomatillo plants to try out this year and they are coming along more than nicely: they are already setting fruits. Tomorrow I'll probably make the first parsley harvest and in a few days the first salad should be ripe for cutting.



I did a bok choy stir fry tonite and had fresh parsley and cilantro in it from my garden... nice touch to it...

C: _and in a few days the first salad should be ripe for cutting_ - not sure what u r saying?


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

well, here are some show us your tomatoes pix:


----------



## amberg

Limas going in the ground, wet or not.


----------



## amberg

amberg said:


> Looks good! Beautiful!!



I want a mater sandmich to!!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Limas going in the ground, wet or not.



a: is that your normal distance tween seeds for planting limas?... wondering...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> I want a mater sandmich to!!



like this?


----------



## Conquistador3

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> I did a bok choy stir fry tonite and had fresh parsley and cilantro in it from my garden... nice touch to it...
> 
> C: _and in a few days the first salad should be ripe for cutting_ - not sure what u r saying?



Sorry, translation issue. It happens when you have to joust between three or four languages. 
Around here we call leaf lettuce such as Salad Bowl "salad" and butterhead/iceberg type "lettuce". 
I meant I was about to cut the first leaf lettuce of the year.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

Conquistador3 said:


> Sorry, translation issue. It happens when you have to joust between three or four languages.
> Around here we call leaf lettuce such as Salad Bowl "salad" and butterhead/iceberg type "lettuce".
> I meant I was about to cut the first leaf lettuce of the year.



lol; clear as a bell now. was just over here in this thread... _thanks!_


----------



## amberg

( roma ) me like!!


Backyard Lumberjack said:


> a: is that your normal distance tween seeds for planting limas?... wondering...



Yes,They should take over the trellis, as they did last year I hope. A folded cow panel. ( hope to have pictures this year if you want to see pictures )


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> ( roma ) me like!!
> 
> 
> Yes,They should take over the trellis, as they did last year I hope. A folded cow panel. ( hope to have pictures this year if you want to see pictures )




pix... pix... omg pix... don't bother if you want:



lol.


well, I thot they were kinda close since limas produce such large bush like plants... but if u post pix, I guess we will see how your plant planting...[lol] fares...

cow panel good trellis... maybe ur limas bush limas?...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> ( roma ) me like!!



a: do u think those mater s-ammy maters are roma? they are early gilr bush. here is what romas look like, but I am sure u know... just not sure why u mate that statement unless u just wanted to 'bellow' it out... as a matter of fact. lol

roma tomatoes in green stage - BL's garden...


----------



## amberg

Still a long ways to go, Did get some cages on the maters, also a couple squash hills in there to. been to cool here yet it was 38 degrees this morning and more rain tomorrow.


----------



## amberg




----------



## amberg

Oh well, might figure it out one day!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Still a long ways to go, Did get some cages on the maters, also a couple squash hills in there to. been to cool here yet it was 38 degrees this morning and more rain tomorrow.



Garden On!! ~


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

found this guy today, on my goliath plant... surprised dint see him sooner, but is in squirrel bag, so think i will just let him be and fully vine ripen...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

my cherry sweet 100's doing well... counted over 5o today already set... and many more flower clusters too


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## Backyard Lumberjack

speaking of flower clusters... this early girl bush seemed to have slowed down to snail's pace... but noticed a nice flower pack developing... hope they all set! cool weather at nite stil holding... 69F tonite... no shortage of water... lol...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

bonus shot or two..


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

season's first fully vine ripened tomato. ripened on vine. a goliath... this plant's care has been influenced by the goliath tomato patch poster earlier on in this thread...

she's a beaut!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> View attachment 503424
> View attachment 503424




how's ur tomato garden doing?


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> how's ur tomato garden doing?



Not to good, We are still flooded out here. Dumped three and half inches out the gauge again this morning. The planter been ready for over 4 weeks, Will update the maters soon.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Not to good, We are still flooded out here. Dumped three and half inches out the gauge again this morning. The planter been ready for over 4 weeks, Will update the maters soon.



is that your place? pretty grasses, in any event... I like the pastures and the tree lines off in the distance... nice pix... only rural is rural... 

well, if ur bed/planter is having probs... mite consider raised beds. and good mulch around... tomatoes seem to like and do well as to rooting etc even if wet. but I am sure u know all about that... thanks for pix...


----------



## farmer steve

here's what i'm getting ready to plant. also some hanging basket type called tumbling tom that i bought the other day at produce auction. they are a x-lg cherry type designed for hanging baskets. the flats are mountain fresh. also a few pepper plants.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

farmer steve said:


> here's what i'm getting ready to plant. also some hanging basket type called tumbling tom that i bought the other day at produce auction. they are a x-lg cherry type designed for hanging baskets. the flats are mountain fresh. also a few pepper plants.View attachment 504421
> View attachment 504422
> View attachment 504423



that's great, FS! looks like u got it together with the sets, too!  I liked seeing your cherries. what kind? I had posted some of my sweet 100's in green stage... but noted today... that group is now turning red. they are a nice, large cherry tomato... looking forward to adding them to kitchen routines... so will you plant all those and then sell the produce? auction or farmer's market...?


----------



## farmer steve

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> that's great, FS! looks like u got it together with the sets, too!  I liked seeing your cherries. what kind? I had posted some of my sweet 100's in green stage... but noted today... that group is now turning red. they are a nice, large cherry tomato... looking forward to adding them to kitchen routines... so will you plant all those and then sell the produce? auction or farmer's market...?


the cherries are called tumbling tom. going to plant all those as soon as it dries out and sell most through my market later this summer.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

farmer steve said:


> the cherries are called tumbling tom. going to plant all those as soon as it dries out and sell most through my market later this summer.



imo, one he** of a 'gardening operation'. glad I got to see the pix... truck farming, any one! ??


----------



## amberg

Not a lot of progress yet. They just had another down pour on them right after I took the picture, makes the third one today. They have a long way to go before I get my mater sandmich!


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> is that your place? pretty grasses, in any event... I like the pastures and the tree lines off in the distance... nice pix... only rural is rural...
> 
> well, if ur bed/planter is having probs... mite consider raised beds. and good mulch around... tomatoes seem to like and do well as to rooting etc even if wet. but I am sure u know all about that... thanks for pix...



Yes it is my place, It has been in the family since the 1880's. The ol man said the house was built in 1890. I can try to get some pics. if you want to see them. 
The tomatoes are on sort of a raised bed, That cow manure lets the water drain through pretty good. My buddy had his set out in regular dirt and they had so much water on them that they turned yellow and died.


----------



## USMC615

Nice tomatoes fellas, regardless of what type. Two thumbs up to all of ya...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Not a lot of progress yet. They just had another down pour on them right after I took the picture, makes the third one today. They have a long way to go before I get my mater sandmich!



looking good! i see *tomatoes!!*  the only thing i would do if that was my tomato patch is i would mulch around the base of the plants... keep rain and water splashing mud off them, also helps reduce evaporation at the root ball level. and... if they were mine, and... given their size, if you haven't... then i would... side dress them with 13-13-13!  enjoyed seeing...

never seen a farm, a barn, a pasture, a herd... nor garden, i din't like!!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> *Yes it is my place, It has been in the family since the 1880's.* The ol man said *the house was built in 1890. *I can try to get some pics. if you want to see them. The tomatoes are on sort of a raised bed, That cow manure lets the water drain through pretty good. My buddy had his set out in regular dirt and they had so much water on them that they turned yellow and died.



pix? more? see ur 1880's 'homeplace'? of course... please by all means.... 

as I said:

_never seen a farm, a barn, a pasture, a herd... nor garden, i din't like!! _


----------



## amberg

Here is a couple I got today between storms. The old chimney is all rocks from the creeks, It has a fire place down stairs and up stairs.


----------



## amberg

A couple more from the front poarch and the truck seat.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

oh, u got them up. hadn't seen these...

really nice place! lots of tractors!!  great looking grasses. great looking working farm. is the fireplace a working wood burner? LR and bedroom upstairs, too? I see an outside pipe, thinking maybe a wood burning stove...

lots of outbuildings... and paddock cross fencing, too. and in same hands over 130 years... omg, what stores that farm could tell... the car, the airplane, WWI, WWII, television, computer, man on moon and the AS! lol 

ok, more pix plse. kitchen, fireplace, etc...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

been eating them as fast as them been coming in of late... but the garden is starting to win in this race... so here is a shot of whats on my counter currently... ripening inside...





now, nothing to crow about given some of the ag/toamato activities I have seen here on AS. but... this is home garden stuff... and as any home gardener knows... it matters not... one tomato or two tomaotes... any that make if off the vine and into the kitchen are all rated .

so to me... show me one tomato you grew at home... or an acre or two you 'truck farmed' up... and I will say: _way to go!!!!_


----------



## Ash_403

Nice tomatoes. Makes me hungry. I shouldn't have to wait too much longer for mine to start producing. Especially the Sweet 100 cherries.

No fruit from my garden yet. I just planted the tomato (and pepper) starts Tuesday last week. The biggest plant is about a foot and a half tall, but they are starting to grow now.

The pole beans are starting to climb. Lima (bush) are nearly a foot high now (the other thread convinced me to try lima this year). Pepper starts are quite small still.

I'm also trying Okra this year. Five plants that are still quite small.

The initial wait is part of the fun, I suppose.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Not a lot of progress yet. They just had another down pour on them right after I took the picture, makes the third one today. They have a long way to go before I get my mater sandmich!



amberg: this un's for you ~


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

Ash_403 said:


> Nice tomatoes. Makes me hungry. I shouldn't have to wait too much longer for mine to start producing. Especially the Sweet 100 cherries. No fruit from my garden yet. I just planted the tomato (and pepper) starts Tuesday last week. The biggest plant is about a foot and a half tall, but they are starting to grow now.The pole beans are starting to climb. Lima (bush) are nearly a foot high now (the other thread convinced me to try lima this year). Pepper starts are quite small still.I'm also trying Okra this year. Five plants that are still quite small.The initial wait is part of the fun, I suppose.



thanks! also have some lima project posts n pix over in the lima bean thread... u been there? my limas are podding well, and the beans inside 1/2 - 2/3rds ready to harvest. should get tons. lots of nice pods now and flowers galore...

I agree, growing it all is part of the fun. 2nd only to eating it... lol

I do some okra. like it pan fired best. many ways to cook it... also, if I pick tender pods 2" or so... I like them boiled too served with some butta'... of course, pretty good in a gumbo, too. 5 okra plants will get BIG, you just wait and see... lol


----------



## amberg

Update, They are starting to grow now, still long time before a mater sandmich! (but I am a waiting )


----------



## amberg

This is a couple pics. from my neighbor up the road. Some maters, peppers, mellons, and lopes, and some cukes and strawberrys.


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> oh, u got them up. hadn't seen these...
> 
> really nice place! lots of tractors!!  great looking grasses. great looking working farm. is the fireplace a working wood burner? LR and bedroom upstairs, too? I see an outside pipe, thinking maybe a wood burning stove...
> 
> lots of outbuildings... and paddock cross fencing, too. and in same hands over 130 years... omg, what stores that farm could tell... the car, the airplane, WWI, WWII, television, computer, man on moon and the AS! lol
> 
> ok, more pix plse. kitchen, fireplace, etc...



The outside pipe is the vent for one of two pellet stoves in this old cold ass house, along with three propane stoves, two with blowers and one wall mounted in the bath room, and five electric heaters. I am not able to cut enough fire wood to keep four or five wood burners going any more. I can remember back in the early sixty's when there were six fires going at one time here. (I have cut my share of fire wood) 

Ten heaters in total and still cold!!
And four air conditioners in the summer, and still hot!!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Update, They are starting to grow now, still long time before a mater sandmich! (but I am a waiting )



why all that shade? I see a sunny spot couple feet to the R...  j/k... well, they look good, any flowers yet?


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> This is a couple pics. from my neighbor up the road. Some maters, peppers, mellons, and lopes, and some cukes and strawberrys.



interesting...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> The outside pipe is the vent for one of two pellet stoves in this old cold ass house, along with three propane stoves, two with blowers and one wall mounted in the bath room, and five electric heaters. I am not able to cut enough fire wood to keep four or five wood burners going any more. I can remember back in the early sixty's when there were six fires going at one time here. (I have cut my share of fire wood)
> 
> Ten heaters in total and still cold!!
> And four air conditioners in the summer, and still hot!!



all them heaters, u just need to do like the Indians did... circle the wagon train... then sleep in the middle! 

cold? maybe u got your windows too far open on a cool night... lol . u got tall ceilings in that house? is it the original home-place? from 1880's... when built?....


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> why all that shade? I see a sunny spot couple feet to the R...  j/k... well, they look good, any flowers yet?



Not really any shade until real late in the evening from the old walnut tree about 40' away. Haven't seen any yet but will look today because I have to replant my limas because only 2 of them came up. ( For which I not very happy!! )


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> all them heaters, u just need to do like the Indians did... circle the wagon train... then sleep in the middle!
> 
> cold? maybe u got your windows too far open on a cool night... lol . u got tall ceilings in that house? is it the original home-place? from 1880's... when built?....



The two pellet stoves usually do all the heating until it gets down below 15 degrees then we can turn on the propane stoves to help keep up. Burn about 7 tons off pellets a year, which is WAY better than $700.00 to $800.00 a month on propane. Electric heaters are used no more than necessary. The ceilings are only 8' and the windows let in lots of air when the wind blows.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Not really any shade until real late in the evening from the old walnut tree about 40' away. Haven't seen any yet but will look today because I have to replant my limas because only 2 of them came up. ( For which I not very happy!! )



given the rains u have advised us of, maybe u planted too deep. for my bean seeds I like a friable soil underneath, the bean seed just dropped on it... then covered lightly with grass cuttings... produces excellent consistent germinations. until I tried this approach I would loose to rot in soil if got too wet, or was less than about 3/8ths deep... and I ain't measuring no stinking seed's depth! lol...


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> given the rains u have advised us of, maybe u planted too deep. for my bean seeds like a friable soil underneath, the bean seed just dropped on it... then covered lightly with grass cuttings... produces excellent consistent germinations. until I tried this approach I would loose to rot in soil if got too wet, or was less than about 3/8ths deep... and I ain't measuring no stinking seed's depth! lol...


I know, had to replant the squash and limas today.

Just a start for Backyard. You asked so be it!!

Please pay no attention to the mess!


----------



## farmer steve

amberg said:


> The two pellet stoves usually do all the heating until it gets down below 15 degrees then we can turn on the propane stoves to help keep up. Burn about 7 tons off pellets a year, which is WAY better than $700.00 to $800.00 a month on propane. Electric heaters are used no more than necessary. The ceilings are only 8' and the windows let in lots of air when the wind blows.


here's the 'mater patch @amberg .there is one row of eggplant along the tomatoes. the other two are my one patch of early sweet corn and the pepper patch.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> I know, had to replant the squash and limas today.
> 
> Just a start for Backyard. You asked so be it!!
> 
> Please pay no attention to the mess!



good pix... good static 'Slice of Life' views... hey, its an old farmhouse... the 'really big deal' thing is ur family still owns it and... its still standing. I know where I would be sleeping on a cold winter's night... just off center of the wood burning fireplace... in my artic sleeping bag! 

thanks for posting.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> The two pellet stoves usually do all the heating until it gets down below 15 degrees then we can turn on the propane stoves to help keep up. Burn about 7 tons off pellets a year, which is WAY better than $700.00 to $800.00 a month on propane. Electric heaters are used no more than necessary. The ceilings are only 8' and the windows let in lots of air when the wind blows.



>Burn about 7 tons off pellets a year, 

>WAY better than $700.00 to $800.00 a month on propane. 

>The ceilings are only 8' 

> the windows let in lots of air when the wind blows 

but on a pleasant spring or fall evening... _priceless!_


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

farmer steve said:


> here's the 'mater patch @amberg .there is one row of eggplant along the tomatoes. the other two are my one patch of early sweet corn and the pepper patch.View attachment 506630
> View attachment 506631
> View attachment 506632
> View attachment 506633



FS: quite a view! definitely 'no need to say I'm sorry!' pics and ops... nice. impressive to say the least... especially for a backyard home garden...  are those soaker hoses by the tomatoes? what is ur plant spacing for tomatoes and eggplants? just wondering... do u hand pick all those tomatoes? diff types or all the same?... I have only seen one 'tomato patch' bigger than yours... up in McComb, OH... and it was about 20 acres... maybe more... and another one right next to it...

commercial cannery supplier...


----------



## farmer steve

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> FS: quite a view! definitely 'no need to say I'm sorry!' pics and ops... nice. impressive to say the least... especially for a backyard home garden...  are those soaker hoses by the tomatoes? what is ur plant spacing for tomatoes and eggplants? just wondering... do u hand pick all those tomatoes? diff types or all the same?... I have only seen one 'tomato patch' bigger than yours... up in McComb, OH... and it was about 20 acres... maybe more... and another one right next to it...
> 
> commercial cannery supplier...


those are "drip"lines. couldn't grow without it. here's a link to the place i buy mine at. https://www.martinsproducesupplies.com/products/drip-tape-0 in row spacing for most everthing is 18". we did do a few at 36" to accommodate some of the big cages i'll use on some. the others will get the florida weave.  rows are about 5' apart. all the same variety except for a few grape and cherry types. all are hand picked by yours truly.


----------



## amberg

Very nice indeed farmer, I presume you don't have to water the sweet corn. Does your well supply the water for the drip lines? That corn looks likes it is really starting to hump now. ( I love my sweet corn )

That is a whole lot of picking!! 

Also love the eggplants!


----------



## farmer steve

amberg said:


> Very nice indeed farmer, I presume you don't have to water the sweet corn. Does your well supply the water for the drip lines? That corn looks likes it is really starting to hump now. ( I love my sweet corn )
> 
> That is a whole lot of picking!!
> 
> Also love the eggplants!


lucky enough to have a separate well for the produce. not quite enough for the corn although i get nervous when it gets hot and dry in late august.


----------



## amberg

Finally, It is about time. I did get a couple patches off sweet corn up. As you can tell we had another down pour last night. Not going to catch up with yours though farmer. It was planted last saturday so it did come up pretty quick.


----------



## amberg

Backyard, I did find a couple maters and some blooms, They have decided to finally grow.


----------



## amberg

amberg said:


> My little pepper patch, believe it will be awhile before I can pick any. Hope the one in the middle makes it.


 
The measley little pepper patch update, They have grown a little.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

farmer steve said:


> those are "drip"lines. couldn't grow without it. here's a link to the place i buy mine at. https://www.martinsproducesupplies.com/products/drip-tape-0 in row spacing for most everthing is 18". we did do a few at 36" to accommodate some of the big cages i'll use on some. the others will get the florida weave.  rows are about 5' apart. all the same variety except for a few grape and cherry types. all are hand picked by yours truly.





Thanks FS - interesting... never heard of that method before... but that don't mean anything! lol... I had a bunch of drip hoses, soakers... oodles... picked the lot up at a garage sale for $3.00!  din't really use them so an older guy that me  one day at Lowes... was trying to buy some... asking some questions of their 'experts'... and I told him I had some, and he could have them for free!  was his look! then... ; free? yep. free... ok. ok, foller me... and I gave them to him. glad they were gone and could be used. I was invited to go see his garden and how he was going to lay it out with the soakers... but never did...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Very nice indeed farmer, I presume you don't have to water the sweet corn. Does your well supply the water for the drip lines? That corn looks likes it is really starting to hump now. ( I love my sweet corn ) That is a whole lot of picking!! Also love the eggplants!



_>That is a whole lot of picking!!_ 

that is what I was thinking, too!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Finally, It is about time. I did get a couple patches off sweet corn up. As you can tell we had another down pour last night. Not going to catch up with yours though farmer. It was planted last saturday so it did come up pretty quick.




swell 'garden plot'... did u machine plant the corn or by hand... or roller?


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Backyard, I did find a couple maters and some blooms, They have decided to finally grow.



if you don't mind the pun... lol setting fine!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> The measley little pepper patch update, They have grown a little.



70 gallon potted plants planter! ~ WOW ~

I got sweet bells growing fast... and I got two others growing slow... guess just the strain...


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> swell 'garden plot'... did u machine plant the corn or by hand... or roller?



I used the old AC planter, If a machine can't do it it don't get done any more for me.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

currently on my kitchen counter... coming in almost daily... am thinking BLT's, 'mater sammies... etc. just an example of some homegrown goodness!!


----------



## StihlKicking

amberg said:


> Well I guess I need to buy a camera and try to get my daughter to show me how to use it.


Or if you have a smart phone download the tapatalk app. That's what I'm using it makes it super easy to post pics straight from your phone.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> View attachment 507507
> currently on my kitchen counter... coming in almost daily... am thinking BLT's, 'mater sammies... etc. just an example of some homegrown goodness!!



Nice, I guess you are going to fry that green one.


----------



## amberg

StihlKicking said:


> Or if you have a smart phone download the tapatalk app. That's what I'm using it makes it super easy to post pics straight from your phone.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



StihlKicking, I did buy buy me a camera and learned mostly how to use it, Dropped it this morning and broke it, I am pissed!! As for my phone I have a simple flip phone. So I had to go to amazon to get get another camera like the one I broke. ( still pissed )


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Nice, I guess you are going to fry that green one.



no. I just decided to pick it because it was close to size of those ripening... I will let it just sit... and wait. as it will eventually ripen. might not be a 100% as to flavor, but 98% good enuff for my needs!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> StihlKicking, I did buy buy me a camera and learned mostly how to use it, Dropped it this morning and broke it, I am pissed!! As for my phone I have a simple flip phone. So I had to go to amazon to get get another camera like the one I broke. ( still pissed )



sorry to hear about that amberg. I would be PO'd too... did it have a hand strap? most cameras new come with one...

for me, I take my camera out of case and while holding it put other hand thru hand strap. I never deviate! always got hand strap over wrist. cameras do not do well when dropped once they hit pavement etc. and I always have my lense cap ON. I turn camera on lense cap is on. I leave it on. when I want to take a pix, I remove it, set up, focus... shoot and replace the lense cap. and always camera strap over wrist until camera in case...


----------



## amberg

It did have a strap, the problem was that I was not using it. ( And still PO'd )


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> It did have a strap, *the problem was that I was not using it.* ( And still PO'd )


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> It did have a strap, the problem was that I was not using it. ( And still PO'd )




well, depending on the damage... maybe u can have it repaired at an authorized repair center and then sell it. or sell it as is... how bad did u damage it? any pix?...


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> well, depending on the damage... maybe u can have it repaired at an authorized repair center and then sell it. or sell it as is... how bad did u damage it? any pix?...



Looks like you hit the lens with the round end of a ball-peen hammer.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Looks like you hit the lens with the round end of a ball-peen hammer.



YIKES! oh no!!! say it ain's to Sam... but, the lense is removeable ... usually. so then u can replace it if the body is ok. or get new lense sell both as a kit... std lense and one that adds creative spider web effects... ideal for the Halloween season... blow it out on ebay! ~


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> YIKES! oh no!!! say it ain's to Sam... but, the lense is removeable ... usually. so then u can replace it if the body is ok. or get new lense sell both as a kit... std lense and one that adds creative spider web effects... ideal for the Halloween season... blow it out on ebay! ~



Yes, I can see that it is removable, as when I picked it up and looked at it I threw it over in the back of the truck which pretty much removed everything in it.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Yes, I can see that it is removable, as when I picked it up and looked at it I threw it over in the back of the truck which pretty much removed everything in it.



there is a saying for situations like that: _'looks like u own it!'...._


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> there is a saying for situations like that: _'looks like u own it!'...._



I can't repeat what I said on here.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

picked a handful of sweet 100's yesterday, final ripen in kitchen...


----------



## Ash_403

Nice cherries, BL. How many S-100 plants did you put in this year?


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

Ash_403 said:


> Nice *cherries*, BL. How many S-100 plants did you put in this year?



*Thanks!*

lol!; only one ash! that one plant has me jumpin'... one is enuff for my needs. have u got some S-100s... ?

I look upon that one plant... and all I see are cluster, clusters and more clusters. lol... kinda like beehives hanging there... I remember waiting for the plant to produce... umm, those daze... lol... those daze r over!


----------



## Ash_403

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> lol!; only one ash! that one plant has me jumpin'... one is enuff for my needs. have u got some S-100s... ?



I put in four of the ten S-100 plants that I started. Three plants went to a sister, and the last three went in my mom's garden. She is a few miles north of me. We'll be up to our eyeballs in the S-100 cherries this year. Better than none.

Mine should start putting on blossoms any week now.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

Ash_403 said:


> I put in four of the ten S-100 plants that I started. Three plants went to a sister, and the last three went in my mom's garden. She is a few miles north of me. We'll be up to our eyeballs in the S-100 cherries this year. Better than none.
> 
> Mine should start putting on blossoms any week now.



you will have plenty to pick. I picked a bunch more today, too. prob will post them in Tomatoes later...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

today's tomato harvest...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

and also got some more sweet 100's... thinking I need to fry some of these in oil and butta'... in one pan, and do scrambled eggs in another... couple mushrooms on the side, scallions... and some toast and jam, too!


----------



## amberg

Thought I would check out the new camera with a little update on the maters and the peppers. they are starting to go over the cages now. I decided to plant a squash plant between the pepper plants, but I don't it is going to have enough room in that little space.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

got so many tomatoes had to cut those just beyond ideal stage, get rid of bad spots and made a nice pot of spaghetti sauce. yum!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

been cooking with my sweet 100 cherries. omg, so tasty! good in garden, awesome in pan and heated with some spices oil and butter... great some with yard eggs!


----------



## ropensaddle

jakethesnake said:


> Little late but tomato trellis trick concrete wire with the big holes bend it into a round and wire that together drive wooden stakes around that and I've never had my tomato plants go down it comes 5 ft high just cut it with a torch or grinder you have to fight them but they last indefinate


Yup


----------



## ropensaddle

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> been cooking with my sweet 100 cherries. omg, so tasty! good in garden, awesome in pan and heated with some spices oil and butter... great some with yard eggs!


I been enjoying a new to me variety called husky cheery for a month. Next year I going to plant much more of those lol. My cucumbers are producing way more than we can eat and my neighbors like me lol


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

ropensaddle said:


> I been enjoying a new to me variety called husky cheery for a month. *Next year I going to plant much more of those lol*. My cucumbers are producing way more than we can eat and my neighbors like me lol



I can relate to most of that!  but my one... single... sweet 100's cherries are producing so much... I wish I could have planted just 1//2 of a plant!! lol iukwim ~

oops, that's right, u don't!! 

j/k....


----------



## ropensaddle

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> I can relate to most of that!  but my one... single... sweet 100's cherries are producing so much... I wish I could have planted just 1//2 of a plant!! lol iukwim ~
> 
> oops, that's right, u don't!!
> 
> j/k....


Lol yes cherries are prolific but then they are so good lol I eat em like candy I did 100s last year they too were great these huskys have a tad more sweetness here on muh farm lol


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

ropensaddle said:


> Lol yes cherries are prolific but then they are so good lol I eat em like candy I did 100s last year they too were great *these huskys have a tad more sweetness here on muh farm* lol




good to know... I 'pop' them too from garden...  (popping sweet 100's) round, warm, sweet, ripe, rosey... but I do think they run away with it... once into the fry pan with some olive oil and *butta'*.... man, they sure are good. pure Italy all the way... and no terrorist threatened travels to worry about...


----------



## amberg

ropensaddle said:


> Yup
> View attachment 509371
> View attachment 509370



ropen, What diameter did you make those cages?


----------



## ropensaddle

amberg said:


> ropen, What diameter did you make those cages?


2 feet takes about 6 feet of concrete wire each. I use my klien linemans pliers and custom cut to where it gives a wrap wire and cut the bottom to where it has stab wire protruding from the bottom if I'm making sense? A roll of wire makes I think it was 16 cages its best to cost share with neighbors


----------



## amberg

ropensaddle said:


> 2 feet takes about 6 feet of concrete wire each. I use my klien linemans pliers and custom cut to where it gives a wrap wire and cut the bottom to where it has stab wire protruding from the bottom if I'm making sense? A roll of wire makes I think it was 16 cages its best to cost share with neighbors



Thanks, makes perfect sense.


----------



## ropensaddle

amberg said:


> Thanks, makes perfect sense.


great for cukes too !


----------



## Conquistador3

Not really many news.
This is a terrible year for tomatoes, peppers and Solanaceae here due to the weather: late blight is literally making life miserable for everybody from homeowners to professional growers here.
To this it must be added I had to spend three weeks in hospital and then in rehab due to a health problem and my potager was left to my brother, self-proclaimed owner of a "brown thumb". 
In short I don't expect much, if anything from tomatoes and peppers.
Zucchini and Summer squashes are doing quite well however and tomatilloes seem to have been spared most of their cousins' problems so far.


----------



## amberg

I might even get a mater sandmich before the 4th of july! Pulled these off today.


----------



## ropensaddle

We had terrible conditions in spring rain rain rain rain rain and more rain from march to last of april then hot hot and now hotter lol. My cantelope look good and just getting water melon. Cucumbers are daily lol


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

Conquistador3 said:


> Not really many news.
> This is a terrible year for tomatoes, peppers and Solanaceae here due to the weather: late blight is literally making life miserable for everybody from homeowners to professional growers here.
> To this it must be added I had to spend three weeks in hospital and then in rehab due to a health problem and my potager was left to my brother, self-proclaimed owner of a "brown thumb".
> In short I don't expect much, if anything from tomatoes and peppers.
> Zucchini and Summer squashes are doing quite well however and tomatilloes seem to have been spared most of their cousins' problems so far.



*brown thumb!* we read u loud and clear...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> I might even get a mater sandmich before the 4th of july! Pulled these off today.



the heck u say, amberg! why seems just yesterday they was wet, soggy plants. look good. what kind? nice vine ripened.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

I brought in a bunch more sweet 100's... some more Solar Fire... and some from neighbors garden, too. 9. as if I don't have enuff. theirs were more yellow... but ripe. had a *yaller* *'mater sammi* out of it today...


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> the heck u say, amberg! why seems just yesterday they was wet, soggy plants. look good. what kind? nice vine ripened.



I think the little one is going to die, it never did look very good. I did spray them yesterday with some Bonide rot stop, Don't know if it will help or not. I think that cow manure might need another dose of lime on it.

Notice the limas coming up on the other side of the patch.


----------



## amberg

ropensaddle said:


> We had terrible conditions in spring rain rain rain rain rain and more rain from march to last of april then hot hot and now hotter lol. My cantelope look good and just getting water melon. Cucumbers are daily lol



We had the same thing here to, That's why everything was planted so late, We are also still baling hay which should have been done over two weeks ago.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> I think the little one is going to die, it never did look very good. I did spray them yesterday with some Bonide rot stop, Don't know if it will help or not. I think that cow manure might need another dose of lime on it.
> 
> Notice *the limas* coming up on the other side of the patch.



good pix there amberg. enjoyed 'the view'... only one question, though... how come a farmer guy like you who does large plot patches of corn, potatoes and sunflowers... has his limas so scruntched in together in the row?...

_just wondering...._


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

ropensaddle said:


> We had terrible conditions in spring rain rain rain rain rain and more rain from march to last of april then hot hot and now hotter lol. My cantelope look good and just getting water melon. *Cucumbers are daily lol*



I can relate! my whole bottom drawer in refer... cukes. lol... wish we all could do a GTG and picnic... we could have cucumber sam-mies! ... I would even supply the bread... lol


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

some of my tomatoes!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

two more...


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

even more; sweet 100's....


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

omg, tomatoes... non stop!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

and even some more 100's... just a couple I quick picked... get that or bit more almost daily... take in let ripen... usually cook them vs salad...  yum!





so amberg?.... how's my tomatoes? ok for a city slicker dude? lol ......

do they pass the Farmer's Test and make the grade?

 for !


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> and even some more 100's... just a couple I quick picked... get that or bit more almost daily... take in let ripen... usually cook them vs salad...  yum!
> View attachment 510552
> 
> 
> so amberg?.... how's my tomatoes? ok for a city slicker dude? lol ......
> 
> do they pass the Farmer's Test and make the grade?
> 
> for !



I guess it is damn good, As she is mad at me for not planting any, And really mad now that she has seen the little bastards. Ha Ha Ha. As she loves the little 100's . I guess the blame must be on you!!! Ha Ha. Again. 

If all else fails, Blame it on me.


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> good pix there amberg. enjoyed 'the view'... only one question, though... how come a farmer guy like you who does large plot patches of corn, potatoes and sunflowers... has his limas so scruntched in together in the row?...
> 
> _just wondering...._



Because I am no longer able to take care of a giant garden like we used to have, since every one who used to help me has been long since passed, Except the wife's father and sister who are both at the age of 94 and 97 , in which my wife stays at least 3 nights a week with him. And finally got the sister in nurse home, Who still wants to live by her self. ( she is 97 ) imagine that!!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> I guess it is damn good, *As she is mad  at me for not planting any,* And really mad now that she has seen the little bastards. Ha Ha Ha. As she loves the little 100's . I guess the blame must be on you!!! Ha Ha. Again.
> 
> If all else fails, Blame it on me.



she is mad? guess u dint get no stuffed peppers yet, no? and I sent u the ez recipe, too...


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> she is mad? guess u dint get no stuffed peppers yet, no? and I sent u the ez recipe, too...



No, but I do have couple little ones coming on.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

expecting tomatoes to continue to produce. production way down, now, but still flowering on most plants... but will they set? don't know with this kind of heat. even wonder about Solar Fire...


----------



## amberg

Looking good BL, We are having a heat wave up here now to, over 100 heat index.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Because I am no longer able to take care of a giant garden like we used to have, since every one who used to help me has been long since passed, Except the wife's father and sister who are both at the age of 94 and 97 , in which my wife stays at least 3 nights a week with him. And finally got the sister in nurse home, *Who still wants to live by her self. ( she is 97 ) imagine that!!*



what? live by herself? or 97? to me, both are amazing. good for her.


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> what? live by herself? or 97? to me, both are amazing. good for her.



Long story, She fell and broke a hip.


----------



## chuckwood

ropensaddle said:


> 2 feet takes about 6 feet of concrete wire each. I use my klien linemans pliers and custom cut to where it gives a wrap wire and cut the bottom to where it has stab wire protruding from the bottom if I'm making sense? A roll of wire makes I think it was 16 cages its best to cost share with neighbors



Yeah, I've been using cages made from concrete remesh. I made mine using a small pair of bolt cutters, it's easy to cut the thick wire that way. And have "stab wire" on the bottoms as in my photo, this helps anchor the wire cage into the ground. I pound three tall oak stakes along the sides of the cage, evenly spaced, and that locks the cages in and keeps them from moving or falling over. These are the only cages I've had that work well, the ones you buy in the store are all too small and flimsy, and my tomato plants get quite large. This year I planted my 'maters a bit late, but they are coming along now that the summer heat is here. They start getting shade starting around 4:30 pm as my garden is a bit close to the woods, but this doesn't seem to affect them. In winter I may remove some more oak trees in order to get more sunlight on my garden spot. So here's a pic of my tomatoes at the moment along with one of my tomato cages


----------



## ropensaddle

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> expecting tomatoes to continue to produce. production way down, now, but still flowering on most plants... but will they set? don't know with this kind of heat. even wonder about Solar Fire...
> 
> View attachment 512408


Don't forget the fall crop we get down here in da south


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

chuckwood said:


> Yeah, I've been using cages made from concrete remesh. I made mine using a small pair of bolt cutters, it's easy to cut the thick wire that way. And have "stab wire" on the bottoms as in my photo, this helps anchor the wire cage into the ground. I pound three tall oak stakes along the sides of the cage, evenly spaced, and that locks the cages in and keeps them from moving or falling over. These are the only cages I've had that work well, the ones you buy in the store are all too small and flimsy, and my tomato plants get quite large. This year I planted my 'maters a bit late, but they are coming along now that the summer heat is here. They start getting shade starting around 4:30 pm as my garden is a bit close to the woods, but this doesn't seem to affect them. In winter I may remove some more oak trees in order to get more sunlight on my garden spot. So here's a pic of my tomatoes at the moment along with one of my tomato cages View attachment 513528
> View attachment 513529



nice tomato patch... has a certain _just right_ country look to it!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

just some sweet 100's sitting on my counter this afternoon. now in refer... guess will cook them, am thinking to go with some soft scrambled yard eggs...


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> just some sweet 100's sitting on my counter this afternoon. now in refer... guess will cook them, am thinking to go with some soft scrambled yard eggs...
> View attachment 513548



Assemble in small cooler with ice, ( Ship to Va. ) Overnight is better!


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Assemble in small cooler with ice, ( Ship to Va. ) Overnight is better!



should I put on container box... Fragile handle with care! edible tomatoes inside. please do not eat... on all sides???? lol...

I know a guy, did that to some lady he had met, he was in bbq business... boxed went UPS and arrived... empty!!! lol


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> Assemble in small cooler with ice, ( Ship to Va. ) Overnight is better!



amberg, pick the one u want, see what I ca do...

 tomorrow!


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> amberg, pick the one u want, see what I ca do...
> 
> tomorrow!



Thanks, more trouble than its worth.


----------



## Frogfarmer




----------



## amberg

Frogfarmer said:


> View attachment 514014



" Sweet " Perfect example!


----------



## amberg

I think my maters are dying,


----------



## 066blaster

our farmers market display.


----------



## amberg

066blaster said:


> our farmers market display.



Did I miss something? thanks!! 

charlie,


----------



## farmer steve

i missed these 2 earlier when i was picking last week and found them friday when i went through the patch. just a tad soft to sell so they became mater sammiches.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

amberg said:


> I think my maters are dying, View attachment 515297
> View attachment 515298
> View attachment 515297
> View attachment 515298
> View attachment 515297
> View attachment 515298
> View attachment 515297
> View attachment 515298



dying? heck amberg - those tomatoes are ripening.... lol !


----------



## 066blaster

amberg said:


> Did I miss something? thanks!!
> 
> charlie,





i guess pic did not load


----------



## farmer steve

here's a couple that i picked today. picked about 200 lbs. today.


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## chuckwood

I've just had my first experience with tomato hornworms. This was a volunteer tomato plant that came up out of some compost I'd applied to my okra patch. So it's no loss exactly. It was amazing how fast this giant caterpillar ate up the entire plant, stripped all the leaves off and just left the stems. There were no other tomatoes nearby so I let the caterpillar do it's thing. This one was over three inches long, the photo doesn't quite do it justice because there's nothing nearby to scale it. I've encountered one of the mature moths a few times at night in my tomato plants, and they really startled me. It's like there's a hummingbird buzzing around - and that just doesn't happen - birds aren't active at night. These things are huge.


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## 066blaster

chuckwood said:


> I've just had my first experience with tomato hornworms. This was a volunteer tomato plant that came up out of some compost I'd applied to my okra patch. So it's no loss exactly. It was amazing how fast this giant caterpillar ate up the entire plant, stripped all the leaves off and just left the stems. There were no other tomatoes nearby so I let the caterpillar do it's thing. This one was over three inches long, the photo doesn't quite do it justice because there's nothing nearby to scale it. I've encountered one of the mature moths a few times at night in my tomato plants, and they really startled me. It's like there's a hummingbird buzzing around - and that just doesn't happen - birds aren't active at night. These things are huge.
> 
> View attachment 521362
> View attachment 521363


we look for rhem and kill them by hand in our hoophouse, we just look for their crap on the weed barrier ,,,look up and you will find them. yeah the moths are kinda cool.


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## farmer steve

'maters are still producing. seeing some disease in the plants since some rain last week. had some cracking in some of the fruit that i think was caused by the rain. having some stinkbug damage too.


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## amberg

farmer steve said:


> 'maters are still producing. seeing some disease in the plants since some rain last week. had some cracking in some of the fruit that i think was caused by the rain. having some stinkbug damage too.
> View attachment 525239



You must have a secret to keeping the tomatoes going. Mine have been dead for weeks!!! 

( love the white corn ) And what rain? we have no rain here thanks!


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## Del_

amberg said:


> You must have a secret to keeping the tomatoes going. Mine have been dead for weeks!!!
> 
> ( love the white corn ) And what rain? we have no rain here thanks!



My tomatoes too.

I'm growing all heirloom but an going to try a few modern disease resistant hybrids next year. In Delaware where I use to live I'd grow tomatoes up until frost killed them. Not so here in Georgia.


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## amberg

Del_ said:


> My tomatoes too.
> 
> I'm growing all heirloom but an going to try a few modern disease resistant hybrids next year. In Delaware where I use to live I'd grow tomatoes up until frost killed them. Not so here in Georgia.



I also was trying to grow some heirloom Brandywines, in which they grew to about 7' tall and had only a very few tomatos on them. After we pulled about 8 or 10 of each plant they turned brown and died! I will go back to the early girls, and big boys next year. three of the plants are here.


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