my day ending up with the purchase of more tomato plants

danielnc84 · May 8, 2013

well today i was out and about and went to a couple greenhouses that i really like! I found some Delicious tomatoes, Oxheart, pink brandywine, yellow brandywine, and a black krim to add to my already full garden. my wife thinks its crazy that i want to plant a few tomato plants in the front flowerbeds which have zero flowers do any of you see this is an issue or do i just have tomato fever?

edweather · May 8, 2013

I quarantine myself from garden centers in the spring. I belong to Garden Centers Anonymous. I will have to visit one this week before Mother's Day though.

RobinB · May 8, 2013

Well, all of us here on Tomatoville have those same "issues". Garden centers around here only have the standard stuff that is not really meant to grow here in this area. I thought I was home free, until a month ago my favorite garden center got Brad Gates from Wild Boar Farms to come over and do a talk and he brought a whole bunch of tomato plants with him. Oh my, talk about trouble! He had all of his "standards" but also some that were so new that he isn't even selling seeds for them yet, so I had to have them. It took me over an hour with my garden plan to figure out where the new stuff would go. Other people think we're nuts to care so much about tomatoes. They just don't understand... so we gather here to talk about our obsession with people who DO understand and we feel normal.

barkeater · May 8, 2013

daniel,

Good choices and selections! I started my own Delicious and Brandywine this year because I love them, and Black Krim is one of the better Blacks and Yellow B was awesome the two I got one October

Unfortunately YB is too late for my zone.

FaithHopeLove · May 9, 2013

Robin sounds like you got pretty lucky. Like a kid in a candy store

Qweniden · May 9, 2013

I have 80 cages and 80 spots in the raised beds. That hard limit is good for me.

I'll admit that part of me considered doing some container tomatoes as well though...

We bought a house last October on 1/2 acre so I now have much more gardening space and prior to this year my max plants was around 30. One would think that 80 plants would be enough after that. it isn't....

ScottinAtlanta · May 9, 2013

I put 22 tomatoes among my azealas and irises in the front yard. I don't see why not - open ground is open ground.

Father'sDaughter · May 9, 2013

I have room for 28 if I also want space for peppers, eggplant, zucchini and cucumbers, so that's what I plant. I do have space within the garden fence for lots of grow bags, but I force myself to limit their use for the dwarf tomatoes.

My husband tells me I can always build a third bed and expand the fence, but I know if I do that the garden will require that much more of my time. I'm afraid to reach the point where it becomes a huge chore to maintain, because then it will stop being fun. It's not just caring for the plants, but it's also all the work cooking, canning and drying the harvest. For now, I settle for the 28 I have room for, enjoy the time it does take to grow them, and dream about the day I'll have the time to expand.

kath · May 9, 2013

Hi, Daniel- it's inevitable that many of us are unable to resist a purchase if we go to places that have varieties of tomatoes that are of interest- so we either don't go or we find a way to grow even more. Only you and your wife can decide if tomatoes in the front flowerbed will work for both of you- most of us here would probably say, "Why not- they're beautiful green plants with flowers and pretty fruits?!", but only the most fortunate of us have spouses who'll agree. So to answer your questions, yes, it's probably an issue and yes, you do have tomato fever. I hope it gets resolved in your favor, though.

kath

Father'sDaughter · May 9, 2013

The only greenhouse around here that sells interesting tomato plants wants more than $6 for a seedling in a four inch pot, so I just stay away. I did find a farm stand nearby that grows and sells a ton of heirlooms, so instead of buying plants that I have to find room for, my strategy will be to go tomato shopping there late this summer, have a tasting with my husband, and save the seeds from any I decide I want to grow.

kath · May 9, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

The only greenhouse around here that sells interesting tomato plants wants more than $6 for a seedling in a four inch pot, so I just stay away. I did find a farm stand nearby that grows and sells a ton of heirlooms, so instead of buying plants that I have to find room for, my strategy will be to go tomato shopping there late this summer, have a tasting with my husband, and save the seeds from any I decide I want to grow.

That's an excellent and thrifty strategy- not unlike attending local tomato-tasting events and bringing along tiny bags & a marker in order to save a few seeds from one's favorites.

ginger2778 · May 9, 2013

Hello,
My name is Marsha and I am a tomato addict.
Marsha

JLJ_ · May 9, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

The only greenhouse around here that sells interesting tomato plants wants more than $6 for a seedling in a four inch pot, so I just stay away. I did find a farm stand nearby that grows and sells a ton of heirlooms, so instead of buying plants that I have to find room for, my strategy will be to go tomato shopping there late this summer, have a tasting with my husband, and save the seeds from any I decide I want to grow.

If you plan to do that you may want to invest some time chatting with the people who have the stand, in hopes that they are the growers, and find out whether they grow their own saved seed, whether they isolate the different types, or bag fruits for seed, etc -- or you may grow something from the fruit you buy that is totally unlike what you expected. Which is OK, of course, if your purpose is to experiment, but not if your purpose is to say "YUM! Let's grow some tomatoes like this!"

Deborah · May 9, 2013

Scott, I just love that ! Edible landscaping !

bughunter99 · May 9, 2013

Yeah.
If only I was just a tomato addict.
This morning I hit the local crack house, er I mean "the Growing Place"
My mission was a couple of borage plants since the birds ripped out my seedlings.
$136 later I left with:

A funky thick fleshed oregano that I don't even no if it is edible.
4 leeks
4 4" pots french vanilla marigolds (3 to a pot)
2 six packs of weird cosmos, that I bought because they were weird.
3 different alocasia that I planted even though it is probably a little early.
2 begonia
A sedum that I bought because it looked cool.
A zucchini plant that makes softball instead of elongated fruits (oh and I hate zucchini)

Did I get the borage? No I did not. I forgot.
Which means I have to go back.
Curses?

Stacy

May 8, 2013	#1
danielnc84 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: North Carolina Posts: 37	my day ending up with the purchase of more tomato plants well today i was out and about and went to a couple greenhouses that i really like! I found some Delicious tomatoes, Oxheart, pink brandywine, yellow brandywine, and a black krim to add to my already full garden. my wife thinks its crazy that i want to plant a few tomato plants in the front flowerbeds which have zero flowers do any of you see this is an issue or do i just have tomato fever?

May 8, 2013	#2
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 396	I quarantine myself from garden centers in the spring. I belong to Garden Centers Anonymous. I will have to visit one this week before Mother's Day though. __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

May 8, 2013	#4
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	daniel, Good choices and selections! I started my own Delicious and Brandywine this year because I love them, and Black Krim is one of the better Blacks and Yellow B was awesome the two I got one October Unfortunately YB is too late for my zone. __________________ barkeater

May 9, 2013	#12
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	12 STEP PROGRAM Hello, My name is Marsha and I am a tomato addict. Marsha

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May 8, 2013	#3
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	Well, all of us here on Tomatoville have those same "issues". Garden centers around here only have the standard stuff that is not really meant to grow here in this area. I thought I was home free, until a month ago my favorite garden center got Brad Gates from Wild Boar Farms to come over and do a talk and he brought a whole bunch of tomato plants with him. Oh my, talk about trouble! He had all of his "standards" but also some that were so new that he isn't even selling seeds for them yet, so I had to have them. It took me over an hour with my garden plan to figure out where the new stuff would go. Other people think we're nuts to care so much about tomatoes. They just don't understand... so we gather here to talk about our obsession with people who DO understand and we feel normal.

May 9, 2013	#5
FaithHopeLove Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Summerfield, FL Posts: 197	Robin sounds like you got pretty lucky. Like a kid in a candy store

May 9, 2013	#6
Qweniden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 267	I have 80 cages and 80 spots in the raised beds. That hard limit is good for me. I'll admit that part of me considered doing some container tomatoes as well though... We bought a house last October on 1/2 acre so I now have much more gardening space and prior to this year my max plants was around 30. One would think that 80 plants would be enough after that. it isn't....

May 9, 2013	#7
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	I put 22 tomatoes among my azealas and irises in the front yard. I don't see why not - open ground is open ground.

May 9, 2013	#8
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	I have room for 28 if I also want space for peppers, eggplant, zucchini and cucumbers, so that's what I plant. I do have space within the garden fence for lots of grow bags, but I force myself to limit their use for the dwarf tomatoes. My husband tells me I can always build a third bed and expand the fence, but I know if I do that the garden will require that much more of my time. I'm afraid to reach the point where it becomes a huge chore to maintain, because then it will stop being fun. It's not just caring for the plants, but it's also all the work cooking, canning and drying the harvest. For now, I settle for the 28 I have room for, enjoy the time it does take to grow them, and dream about the day I'll have the time to expand.

May 9, 2013	#9
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Hi, Daniel- it's inevitable that many of us are unable to resist a purchase if we go to places that have varieties of tomatoes that are of interest- so we either don't go or we find a way to grow even more. Only you and your wife can decide if tomatoes in the front flowerbed will work for both of you- most of us here would probably say, "Why not- they're beautiful green plants with flowers and pretty fruits?!", but only the most fortunate of us have spouses who'll agree. So to answer your questions, yes, it's probably an issue and yes, you do have tomato fever. I hope it gets resolved in your favor, though. kath

May 9, 2013	#14
Deborah Riding The Crazy Train Again Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, California Posts: 2,562	Scott, I just love that ! Edible landscaping !

May 9, 2013	#15
bughunter99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: zone 5 Posts: 821	Yeah. If only I was just a tomato addict. This morning I hit the local crack house, er I mean "the Growing Place" My mission was a couple of borage plants since the birds ripped out my seedlings. $136 later I left with: A funky thick fleshed oregano that I don't even no if it is edible. 4 leeks 4 4" pots french vanilla marigolds (3 to a pot) 2 six packs of weird cosmos, that I bought because they were weird. 3 different alocasia that I planted even though it is probably a little early. 2 begonia A sedum that I bought because it looked cool. A zucchini plant that makes softball instead of elongated fruits (oh and I hate zucchini) Did I get the borage? No I did not. I forgot. Which means I have to go back. Curses? Stacy