Anyone else having a great year of gardening?

[whistler]

This is my first year of serious gardening, and my first with heirloom tomatoes (and most everything else I'm growing). So far it's going great.

My 59 tomato plants are loaded with green fruit, and at about 65 days in the ground they shouldn't take much longer to ripen. The plants are thriving, and my biggest problem is keeping them supported. I'm joining a farmers market to sell what I can sell after eating / freezing / canning the majority of it.

This was an investment year - new raised beds, seeds, pots, etc., and so far a good one. I was laid off in late April, and have had plenty of time to spend out in the fresh air with my hands in the dirt. I get my exercise, too, by choosing to water by hand and lugging 5 gallon buckets around. Now if I can turn this all into an income, that would be a huge bonus. If not, at least I will eat well for a while!

Thanks TV for the wealth of info and advice (and encouraging descriptions and photos of tomato possibilities) that helped make this a very cool year so far!

[matereater]

Nice buncha toms!!

[cottonpicker]

This season is the BEST one I've had in many years........

[recruiterg]

I'm jealous. Only a few Stupice and Sun Golds so far. I did have a salad with cucumber, sheepnose pimento and stupice last night, so things are looking up. Craig, you are still about 2-3 weeks ahead of me. Must be the containers (or the soil out west).

Pat

[Gobig_or_Gohome_toms]

Originally Posted by recruiterg

I'm jealous. Only a few Stupice and Sun Golds so far. I did have a salad with cucumber, sheepnose pimento and stupice last night, so things are looking up. Craig, you are still about 2-3 weeks ahead of me. Must be the containers (or the soil out west).

Pat

I did cheat a little on 4 plants the Brandy Boy and Cowlicks were two of them by starting them on I think March 6th so they were close to 2 feet tall when planted out on May 15th. the other two BWS and Lucky Cross still just have green fruit but should see some color in a week or so on those two and hopefully the rest of my plants as well.

Craig

[recruiterg]

I have tons of green fruit, but no ripe ones yet. I can't wait!!!

[habitat_gardener]

Great season here, too. Not sure why -- the main weather difference is that we haven't had the periodic heat waves we usually get starting in Feb. or Mar. It's been consistently cooler than usual. Yet for the first time in 7 years, I'm getting huge tomatoes rather than smaller-than-normal tomatoes. I used to think I couldn't grow huge ones because my garden gets some shade and we get cooling afternoon winds, and the summers are cool (70s). But most of the plants that got into the ground in March-April are setting big tomatoes.

What I did differently this year: I didn't have time to sift compost, so instead of planting each plant with 2-5 gallons of compost, I dug a deeper hole than needed and put a small handful of alfalfa pellets in the bottom of the hole. Then, since I had a bag of worm castings I hadn't used, I sprinkled a handful of worm castings around as I filled the hole, or for some I sprinkled them on top, just before adding a thin layer of mulch. I also added a tablespoon of humic acid ("soil optimizer"), which is supposed to help plants withstand lower temperatures later in the season.

And it's not only the tomatoes. For the first time, I'm getting eggplants and big peppers! I followed advice here and planted both in 5g containers, and in addition wrapped the cages with bubble wrap (would've used row cover, but had bubble wrap on hand). A couple plants in large pots have walls-o-water. I've never had an eggplant survive long enough to produce any fruit before, and so far I've already eaten a couple (small ones).

And more cucumbers than usual, too, and more squash. Last year it seemed like I never had enough cucumbers. This year, I've been getting cucumbers every time I go to the garden, and the patty pan and benning's (similar) squash are producing plenty as well. The squash I usually grow, Lolita, is producing a few squash but can't compete with the others. My cucumber strategy was to plant more plants and more variety.

Don't know how the beans will do; they were all planted late.

I also had a pretty good raspberry harvest in June, and have been picking 6-9 pints of blackberries every 2-3 days. All the clothes I wear to the garden have blackberry stains. All from one thornless blackberry vine.

[kath]

Third person from PA to say it's been a great gardening season so far. Last year at this time all my tomato plants were gone due to late blight and I hadn't even tasted many of them. This year have been able to try dozens of new varieties so far with another dozen ripening in the kitchen and many more yet in the garden. They have loved the heat and so far have been disease free with the exception of an occasional yellowing leaf needing to be pulled off.
Many thanks to those who shared seed with me this winter!
jwcace, and others, I'll gladly share the seed I'm now saving so you can try some new varieties next year.

[Paul R]

JW, heres a good place to start.

And welcome to the site.

http://tomatoville.com/forumdisplay.php?f=67

Paul R

[remy]

I'm so jealous of all those ripe tomatoes! I am having a good year so far. I hate to say that though because I feel like I will curse myself. I'm afraid some horrible calamity like the hail twice in one day will befall me again. The plants do look good though and there are a lot of green ones out there. The only ripes ones so far are Sungold and Halms Gelbe Topftomate.
So sorry to hear Berkeley Tie Dye died. I like the taste of that one.
Remy

[BigdaddyJ]

Having a super year here!

[pete]

Southwest Ohio doing average, has been wet and hot, but cherokee purple, kbx, opalka, sungold, rose quartz cherry, cowlick, NAR, C.E. rowdy red, Mrs. Benson, cherokee green, AGG, polish dwarf, J D's c-tex, gary o sena have ripened so far. Still waiting for more cowlick's, suddith's, and many more of the darks to try.

Pete Pics later

[FILMNET]

Picked a few already here by the coast in NE, there is first Berkley tie dye 1.6 lb.

[Mojo]

I'm still getting cucumbers in August!!!!

--cut me some slack, I'm lucky that my cherry (Golden Gem) is still alive, let alone trying to set fruit. Everything else died back in early July. But it was not a bad year.

[Paul R]

I like it. First taste is a bet sharp and then a good tomato taste, will grow again.

Paul R