From a crabgrass lawn to Salsa!

[Save$]

Last year I had a crabgrass lawn where this year, I have Tomatoes!
I lost one of three rows to Herbicide poisoning from trying to rid the lawn of crabgrass two years ago. But this year I am going to have some delicious salsa and several quarts of tomatoes.

[lakelady]

Wonderful! Looks like a great haul for you!

I was just in Maine this past week, how is tomato growing up there with the shorter season? I was wondering that as I didn't see too many tomato gardens driving around.

[Save$]

Originally Posted by lakelady

Wonderful! Looks like a great haul for you!

I was just in Maine this past week, how is tomato growing up there with the shorter season? I was wondering that as I didn't see too many tomato gardens driving around.

We start tomatoes in April and plant in the garden around Memorial day.
Lots of TLC. Lots of fighting pests, and blight. But it is an inner drive to outwit the elements and produce a good crop. I just love a BLT. Even better than our Lobster!

[lakelady]

oh boy....if you asked me to choose between Lobster and a tomato, I'd have a really hard time making a decision!

So your plant out is only about 2 weeks after mine, not too bad then! It is a continual battle against disease and pests but the rewards are so wonderful!

[Save$]

Originally Posted by Save$

We start tomatoes in April and plant in the garden around Memorial day.
Lots of TLC. Lots of fighting pests, and blight. But it is an inner drive to outwit the elements and produce a good crop. I just love a BLT. Even better than our Lobster!

Here in Maine, there is never a shortage of lobster, however, those big beefsteak tomatoes are only around for about a month and a half. Then it is all a memory until next year.
We got 46 pints of selsa from those tomatoes in the picture. Turned out so good.
http://www.pickyourown.org/pdfs/salsa.pdf

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Originally Posted by Save$

Last year I had a crabgrass lawn where this year, I have Tomatoes!

I know the feeling.
Here's a shot of my back garden. For years it was the spot of my girl's trampoline. The grass died underneath it and it was just rock hard dirt.

It was between putting in a patio off the deck or converting it to a garden. I wanted to expand the garden and instead of tearing up nice lawn, I started working that area.

This is what I have had the last two years instead of rock hard ground and weeds in that problem area.
What was once nothing is now my favorite part of the yard....
(Notice the trampoline is now off to the right so I am hoping for that area to be converted to a garden in the near future when that grass is all dead)

[Save$]

Originally Posted by BigBrownDogHouse

I know the feeling.
Here's a shot of my back garden. For years it was the spot of my girl's trampoline. The grass died underneath it and it was just rock hard dirt.

It was between putting in a patio off the deck or converting it to a garden. I wanted to expand the garden and instead of tearing up nice lawn, I started working that area.

This is what I have had the last two years instead of rock hard ground and weeds in that problem area.
What was once nothing is now my favorite part of the yard....
(Notice the trampoline is now off to the right so I am hoping for that area to be converted to a garden in the near future when that grass is all dead)

Those plants look to be in such good shape. I have seen so many gardens around here where the plants are all done. Mine are still growing, but it is hard to get to the fruit. I now have to use some "grabber" to reach into the plants and retrieve the tomatoes. Very neat garden there!

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Originally Posted by Save$

Those plants look to be in such good shape. I have seen so many gardens around here where the plants are all done. Mine are still growing, but it is hard to get to the fruit. I now have to use some "grabber" to reach into the plants and retrieve the tomatoes. Very neat garden there!

Thank you for the compliment. Most of my neighbor's gardens are really ailing and my buddy next store, well, I wouldn't even call it a garden anymore. I don't know what happened overthere.....more like a wasteland.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I know it can turn so fast.

The "grabber" is a good idea.
As usual, I have made the rows a bit tight and I have to crawl through most of it. Some areas I can still walk through but that's limited in the back garden. It's my youngest daughter's job to get to the hard to reach places.

Down below are also a few more shots from the past few days.
We've been here 14 years and the folks before us had absolutely no landscaping whatsoever, no garden, no nothing. All this good soil with nothing growing in it.

Best of luck to you!

Down below, the wall of tomato plants on the side of the backyard, then the pathway on the side of the house. When you are in and need to get out, just aim for the bench.
Those two along with the back garden are my three main gardens. Years back, nothing but an evergreen bush or two.....and weeds.

[BigBrownDogHouse]

I was out taking my usual garden photos and did a few reverse shots of the trampoline area.
Just goes to prove how you can change the scenery pretty quick!