Newbie dealing with death...

Talon1189 · October 6, 2010

I am a 1st time grower of tomato plants. I only grew 5 plants this season. I do know the routine that everything that lives will die

....... My 5 plants are slowly dieing here. I do realize this. Next spring seems Waaaaay away from enjoying fresh home grown tomatoes again

..............I am upset bad here

Does any experienced grower have any thoughts and advice for me?

rnewste · October 6, 2010

My best advice is to live vicariously through your fellow tomato growers on Tomatoville in Australia, Florida, Texas, etc. who are hitting "prime time" right about now. After all, your next seedling start date can be viewed as "only" a few more months away.......

Raybo

dustdevil · October 6, 2010

Rename 'em with Japanese car names and the passing will be painless;-)

Talon1189 · October 6, 2010

Edited for realistic ideas.

Elliot · October 7, 2010

I am experiencing the same thing. Its a feeling of loss of something you took care of for six months and now it is fading away. The people who feel worse than me are the friends who I have periodically given tomatoes to. They even feel worse than I do.

Talon1189 · October 7, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnewste

My best advice is to live vicariously through your fellow tomato growers on Tomatoville in Australia, Florida, Texas, etc. who are hitting "prime time" right about now. After all, your next seedling start date can be viewed as "only" a few more months away.......

Raybo

Thanks Raybo for the advice

I want to grow 5 more plants next spring. I just cannot decide if I should go with a company that has them shipped and ready to go already hardened off. I am dealing with only 5 plants here. This season I grew from seeds "2 Legend plants and a "Better Boy" plant. I was very proud of myself as all 3 plants did very well in near ideal conditions in Michigan

I am very sad to see these delicious producing plants dieing on me here

I will get over it and move forward with a better knowledge than before for next season.

>>>>>>>>>>Talon

macbettz · October 7, 2010

you need to get "hardened off" as well. be thankfull that you had healthy, producing plants. its not always the case as diseases and weather can wipe out your plants before you pick a single tomato.

garnetmoth · October 7, 2010

to everything, turn turn.....

you could throw in some kale or collards in their place- it might be getting a touch late for you, but you can probably get baby greens if you have some reemay or other row cover.

Tania · October 7, 2010

I hear you...

The end of tomato season always hits me very hard. It is depressing to see your plants dying and realizing you are going to be out of fresh home-grown tomatoes for a loooong time.

I think the site of my dying tomato gardens kills me the most.

But...

When I am just a few days away from finishing the garden cleanup, I always start feeling much better - as I start looking forward to the next season with all the new to me tomato varieties that I will have an opportunity to try out next year. This excites me a lot.

Then I spend the long winter months planning my next year tomato garden, going through the seeds lists and catalogs and through my seed stash, choosing varieties to grow. That's a lot of fun

Tania

Zana · October 7, 2010

The last of my plants pretty much died while I was away in OZ (got back Monday evening after 24.5 hours in transit from Sydney). So far have not found time to go do the "clean up" as I'm either catching up on sleep or unpacking boxes from the move or setting up at Oktoberfest. But I do feel your pain. This was the first time in 2 years that I was able to grow any tomatoes. And although I wasn't able to start any from seed - had to purchase all of mine - I at least got some harvested before I left. (Left them in the care of my next door neighbours and told them to help themselves if any of the tomatoes, peppers or eggplants ripened before I got back. There are still allot of peppers on the plants, but think the tomatoes are pretty much toast. However the herbs are still doing phenomenally well. Going to be making allot of pesto to freeze, this weekend.

Looking forward to starting seeds again next year. And although I won't have much to save from the few heirloom varieties I bought this year, I have to finish processing/drying the seeds from the B-N-W.N.Y. Tomato Tastefest. So I guess that might ease the "pain" a bit.....maybe ....sighhhhh.

I did however get to live vicarious checking out Tessa's garden in Perth, WA, Australia a few weeks ago. She has a great set up. And I envy her all the fruit trees and camellia bushes/trees that grow so easily there. Sighhhhhhhhh.

Zana

~ who will have to head south for a "green garden" fix over the winter.

October 6, 2010	#1
Talon1189 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Farmington, Michigan. Zone 5b/6a Posts: 421	Newbie dealing with death... I am a 1st time grower of tomato plants. I only grew 5 plants this season. I do know the routine that everything that lives will die ....... My 5 plants are slowly dieing here. I do realize this. Next spring seems Waaaaay away from enjoying fresh home grown tomatoes again ..............I am upset bad here Does any experienced grower have any thoughts and advice for me?

October 6, 2010	#4
Talon1189 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Farmington, Michigan. Zone 5b/6a Posts: 421	Edited for realistic ideas. Last edited by Talon1189; October 7, 2010 at 03:26 AM.

October 7, 2010	#9
Tania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anmore, BC, Canada Posts: 3,970	I hear you... The end of tomato season always hits me very hard. It is depressing to see your plants dying and realizing you are going to be out of fresh home-grown tomatoes for a loooong time. I think the site of my dying tomato gardens kills me the most. But... When I am just a few days away from finishing the garden cleanup, I always start feeling much better - as I start looking forward to the next season with all the new to me tomato varieties that I will have an opportunity to try out next year. This excites me a lot. Then I spend the long winter months planning my next year tomato garden, going through the seeds lists and catalogs and through my seed stash, choosing varieties to grow. That's a lot of fun Tania __________________ Tatiana's TOMATObase

October 6, 2010	#2
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	My best advice is to live vicariously through your fellow tomato growers on Tomatoville in Australia, Florida, Texas, etc. who are hitting "prime time" right about now. After all, your next seedling start date can be viewed as "only" a few more months away....... Raybo

October 6, 2010	#3
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	Rename 'em with Japanese car names and the passing will be painless;-)

October 7, 2010	#5
Elliot Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hicksville, New York Posts: 503	I am experiencing the same thing. Its a feeling of loss of something you took care of for six months and now it is fading away. The people who feel worse than me are the friends who I have periodically given tomatoes to. They even feel worse than I do.

October 7, 2010	#7
macbettz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: CT Posts: 40	you need to get "hardened off" as well. be thankfull that you had healthy, producing plants. its not always the case as diseases and weather can wipe out your plants before you pick a single tomato.

October 7, 2010	#8
garnetmoth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: cincinnati, oh Posts: 492	to everything, turn turn..... you could throw in some kale or collards in their place- it might be getting a touch late for you, but you can probably get baby greens if you have some reemay or other row cover.

October 7, 2010	#10
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	The last of my plants pretty much died while I was away in OZ (got back Monday evening after 24.5 hours in transit from Sydney). So far have not found time to go do the "clean up" as I'm either catching up on sleep or unpacking boxes from the move or setting up at Oktoberfest. But I do feel your pain. This was the first time in 2 years that I was able to grow any tomatoes. And although I wasn't able to start any from seed - had to purchase all of mine - I at least got some harvested before I left. (Left them in the care of my next door neighbours and told them to help themselves if any of the tomatoes, peppers or eggplants ripened before I got back. There are still allot of peppers on the plants, but think the tomatoes are pretty much toast. However the herbs are still doing phenomenally well. Going to be making allot of pesto to freeze, this weekend. Looking forward to starting seeds again next year. And although I won't have much to save from the few heirloom varieties I bought this year, I have to finish processing/drying the seeds from the B-N-W.N.Y. Tomato Tastefest. So I guess that might ease the "pain" a bit.....maybe ....sighhhhh. I did however get to live vicarious checking out Tessa's garden in Perth, WA, Australia a few weeks ago. She has a great set up. And I envy her all the fruit trees and camellia bushes/trees that grow so easily there. Sighhhhhhhhh. Zana ~ who will have to head south for a "green garden" fix over the winter.