Pampering Earl

[Sherry_AK]

This Earl's Faux was one of the "chosen" plants to be brought indoors to finish, since frost can come anytime now. I really, really want this big one to ripen.

[tomatoaddict]

That's gonna be a beaut.....
ummm...... instead of my usual response to you, I will ask:

"Can I come eat that with you?"

[akgardengirl]

Ooolala...how many did you get on the plant?
Good job Sherry
I feel the nip in the air today. Just got in from washing the downstairs storm windows so it is getting close.
Sue

[barkeater]

Pick it now, Sherry. You can easily see by the picture it is already past mature green, and at the breaker stage. It will taste just as good picked and brought inside.

Leave the plant out, and cover well. We have a big cold snap coming Sat. and Sun. night, down to 30 possibly, so I just harvested 80# at the same stage to ripen inside just in case.

The long range forecast is for 80 next weekend, so I will cover up, not pull up.

[Sherry_AK]

t'addict -- I will, however, give my ususal response. Of course you can!

Sue -- There are only 3 tomatoes on that plant. The one in the greenhouse has more, but none as large as the one in the picture. I've been out in the yard all day trying to get some things done while the weather is nice. If it stays clear like this, I wouldn't be surprised to have a frost tonight. I emptied out the raised beds yesterday. I picked quite a few good-sized greenies to bring indoors before disposing of the plants. I also brought in a nice cluster of green Mother Russia fruit because the slugs have arrived. Yuck! And the squirrel has almost stripped the plants on the deck ... there are partially-eaten tomatoes spread all over the place! AND, the little brat (not the exact word we used) mowed down our little Japanese Maple bonsai. Ate it right down to the ground!

Sherry

[Sherry_AK]

bark -- I'm afraid our good weather has passed. We'll be lucky to see much over 60° at this point. And since the plant has only 3 fruit anyway, and since it's already indoors...

80# -- Wow!

Sherry

[mdvpc]

Sherry-Everytime I have done that, I brought lots of critters inside with the plant-aphids, etc. It breaks my heart when I know the plant can ripen more fruit, but I have had to stop doing that. Do you see that with bringing plants in the glasshouse?

[Sherry_AK]

With the vents being open, and sometimes the door open as well, I generally find that I don't introduce anything new into the greenhouse by bringing plants inside. This particular plant I actually brought right into the house. And, yes, it is a worry. I know I have brought aphids in on plants before, but they seem not to survive indoors for long for whatever reason. Maybe once I finally remove the spent tomato plants, there isn't anything else they like to eat in here. Or maybe they cannot tolerate the dry, heated conditions in the house during our winters. Far as I know, aphids are the worst thing I've ever brought in.

I did one year bring in some ivy geraniums to winter over in the garage under growlights. Those darned things were aphid magnets! I did have aphids in the garage all winter long. I'll never do that again! Much easier to buy new plants in the spring.

Sherry