Going off the Deep End

angelstiger · February 17, 2006

When I start talking tomatoes, the family thinks I am crazy. I worked on my tomato chart tonight, and I am wondering if they are right. I have plans to plant over 150 plants in over 100 different varieties. It isn't the fact that I am going to plant 150+ tomato plants. I always plant about that many. It is that I am planting so many different varieties. I have always planted maybe a dozen plants each of about a dozen varieties. This year its like one or two of each. I have never had to make a spreadsheet to keep track of it all, until now. I think I am obsessed. I can't seem to stay away from seed trades/offers and catalogs. And even though I am planning 100 plus varieties, I find myself thinking, " I wish I had seed for Wes, Earl's Faux, Chapman, .........." I really think you people have had a bad influance on me, LOL. I need to blame someone for going off the tomato deep end, it might as well be you people, RITJLMCAO. (Rolling In Tomato Juice Laughing My Crazy *** Off)

greggf · February 17, 2006

If you were to grow no tomatoes this year, or very few, or even what you have in the past, how much extra time would you have on your hands?

Would you spend any of that newfound time with your family?

TomatoDon · February 17, 2006

And I thought I was going off the deep end by selecting 15 varieties for this year with about 50 plants!

The one thing I learned. Don't over-do it where you have too much to do right. I learned the hard way I am much better off with 50 or less that I can tend to than having so many that all suffer from not enough attention. Until this forum I was hoping to have less than 40. At one time less that 30. Now it's 50 or so again and I have to cut it off there.

Happy tomato-ing!

Don

angelique · February 17, 2006

Hi Greggf,

I cannot speak for Angelstiger, but my answer would be "NO". The time that I spend veggie gardening would be spent learning a new hobby. Then again, I only started about 40 tomato plants. 23 varieties, plus a few backups. I also started 2 eggplants, and 4 peppers. I plan on starting other veggies later next month too.

My gardening time allows my husband time to do his homework, take the dogs to the dog park, watch football, go to the gym, yard work, etc. Most of all, the quality away time, really makes us miss each other. My response will probably be different once we have children. Until then, I believe that couples need alone time even if it is another room or outside.

Take care and happy gardening.

Cheers,

Angelique

Grub · February 17, 2006

Enjoy your hobby Angel. I'm sure the family will appreciate the fruits of your labour. Few things more healthy than gardening

Gregg,
I haven't read many of your posts before, but I sense a degree of negativity in the recent ones. In all due respect, and correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that your search for superlative tomato taste has been on a downward slide every since growing Sweet 100

all those years ago.

That's in stark contrast to my albeit limited experience. My search for better taste has been ably rewarded since growing my first one, also Sweet 100, four years ago. Thus, your anticlimatic experiences aren't reflective of everyone at this forum.

I do hope you all have a great growing season, grub

Catntree · February 17, 2006

Hi Angelstiger,

Let me say that when you plant that many varieties it's hard to give them all the attention they deserve. I don't mean growing, but properly tasting.

I know, I've done it. I've found I can taste/ compare around 60 varieties...otherwise...I eliminate the poorer growers, then end up growing 30 varieties again because they didn't get a good appraisal.

Probably growing about 80 varieties this year, but around 20 will be repeats because they are favorites and main-croppers.

Just my experience....

Good luck !!!

greggf · February 17, 2006

Read Angelstiger's post. He sounds as if he's suffering. Or at least his family is.

Grub, is it negative to suggest that we not hand him another beer?

I've discovered, over the last couple of decades, that tomatoes are great fun. Provided you don't go nuts and get carried away. In which case they become yet another convenient way of hiding from a fuller and more meaningful life.

Grub · February 17, 2006

Thanks for clearing that up, Gregg,

I couldn't imagine family taking a back seat for tomatoes. For me, it really is a fun hobby. Fun being the operative word. There are some tiresome parts, but I get that with golf, boating, fishing and other leisure persuits.

I think some of us, my partner and I included, have those fantical, obsessive personalities. We go headlong at one thing, then the next, then the next. Never idle for long. All good fun. Tomotoes will always be there in some capacity. And, now I am coming to realise, probably peppers, too.

- Best wishes. It's hot and I'm off for a Friday afternoon snorkel at the local rock pool

:wink:

greggf · February 17, 2006

Grub,

It has never looked here or at GW as if you and Mrs. Grub were suffering.

It looks rather as if you folks live in the Garden of Eden!

Enjoy a snorkel or two...

=gregg=

angelstiger · February 17, 2006

Quote:

Read Angelstiger's post. He sounds as if he's suffering. Or at least his family is.

I am not suffering. And my family actually work the garden with me, and enjoy it as well. They just belong to the "a tomato is a tomato club". It's not that it takes more time, as I always grow that many. I think my worry is just what you said cantree. With so many different, I may not be able to give them each a good assessment. Not that I am worried enough to cut down my list, LOL.

Tomstrees · February 17, 2006

angelstiger ~

grow on ~ Tom

cottonpicker · February 17, 2006

Gardening with an emphasis on tomatoes, both heirloom & a few hybrids, has always been a part of our life. I love the physical part of it & my wife appreciates all the fresh veggies I bring inside -- washed and ready for her to do her kitchen magic with! As we see it, gardening ONLY ADDS to our enjoyment of life and no other part of our life suffers from it. It's far from an obsession with us and, in addition, my wife of 29 years & I each have our own other interests besides. WE wouldn't want to be without a garden--ever!

**nctomatoman** · February 17, 2006

Yup. I've found it possible to be obsessed with tomatoes, as well as my wife, my dogs, certain sports, music, movies, cooking and wine - and keep very engaged at work. Of course, getting enough sleep is an issue....

I think that some people approach hobbies and take on many, so have breadth across many, but go into none too deep. Many of us here are more into specialization - hence depth....my problem is that I attempt both! Turning the brain off at night is challenging. (whatever brain I have, anyway!)

MsCowpea · February 17, 2006

My husband is much more upset at the time I spend on the COMPUTER (not counting this site of course

)
reading about tomatoes and such.

gflynn · February 17, 2006

I started doing it mostly to get the tomatoes but now I enjoy the challenge of finding yet another place to try and grow them in my yard 8)

The Garden(s) does seem like a nice place to hang out and find refreshment. Also, I love the comments from the nieghbors. One lady called me the tomato whisper; others are very protective of my plants near the road. Kids come up and eat some of the fruit and worry if the plants look ill. Its really very neat.

My young daughters enjoy helping me with the process of planting. They eat them fresh off the vine and will always remember the time we spent together.

My wife was first concerned about it a little but as Keith says when you consider the bad habits some other guys have its pretty tame.

Greg

February 17, 2006	#1
angelstiger Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 79	Going off the Deep End When I start talking tomatoes, the family thinks I am crazy. I worked on my tomato chart tonight, and I am wondering if they are right. I have plans to plant over 150 plants in over 100 different varieties. It isn't the fact that I am going to plant 150+ tomato plants. I always plant about that many. It is that I am planting so many different varieties. I have always planted maybe a dozen plants each of about a dozen varieties. This year its like one or two of each. I have never had to make a spreadsheet to keep track of it all, until now. I think I am obsessed. I can't seem to stay away from seed trades/offers and catalogs. And even though I am planning 100 plus varieties, I find myself thinking, " I wish I had seed for Wes, Earl's Faux, Chapman, .........." I really think you people have had a bad influance on me, LOL. I need to blame someone for going off the tomato deep end, it might as well be you people, RITJLMCAO. (Rolling In Tomato Juice Laughing My Crazy *** Off) __________________ Charlie

February 17, 2006	#3
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,523	And I thought I was going off the deep end by selecting 15 varieties for this year with about 50 plants! The one thing I learned. Don't over-do it where you have too much to do right. I learned the hard way I am much better off with 50 or less that I can tend to than having so many that all suffer from not enough attention. Until this forum I was hoping to have less than 40. At one time less that 30. Now it's 50 or so again and I have to cut it off there. Happy tomato-ing! Don __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

February 17, 2006	#5
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Lighten Up Enjoy your hobby Angel. I'm sure the family will appreciate the fruits of your labour. Few things more healthy than gardening Gregg, I haven't read many of your posts before, but I sense a degree of negativity in the recent ones. In all due respect, and correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that your search for superlative tomato taste has been on a downward slide every since growing Sweet 100 all those years ago. That's in stark contrast to my albeit limited experience. My search for better taste has been ably rewarded since growing my first one, also Sweet 100, four years ago. Thus, your anticlimatic experiences aren't reflective of everyone at this forum. I do hope you all have a great growing season, grub

February 17, 2006	#6
Catntree Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maine Posts: 177	Hi Angelstiger, Let me say that when you plant that many varieties it's hard to give them all the attention they deserve. I don't mean growing, but properly tasting. I know, I've done it. I've found I can taste/ compare around 60 varieties...otherwise...I eliminate the poorer growers, then end up growing 30 varieties again because they didn't get a good appraisal. Probably growing about 80 varieties this year, but around 20 will be repeats because they are favorites and main-croppers. Just my experience.... Good luck !!! __________________ Zone 4/5

February 17, 2006	#8
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Clarification Thanks for clearing that up, Gregg, I couldn't imagine family taking a back seat for tomatoes. For me, it really is a fun hobby. Fun being the operative word. There are some tiresome parts, but I get that with golf, boating, fishing and other leisure persuits. I think some of us, my partner and I included, have those fantical, obsessive personalities. We go headlong at one thing, then the next, then the next. Never idle for long. All good fun. Tomotoes will always be there in some capacity. And, now I am coming to realise, probably peppers, too. - Best wishes. It's hot and I'm off for a Friday afternoon snorkel at the local rock pool :wink:

February 17, 2006	#2
greggf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Boonville, NY Posts: 419	If you were to grow no tomatoes this year, or very few, or even what you have in the past, how much extra time would you have on your hands? Would you spend any of that newfound time with your family?

February 17, 2006	#4
angelique Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Rocklin, California Posts: 501	Hi Greggf, I cannot speak for Angelstiger, but my answer would be "NO". The time that I spend veggie gardening would be spent learning a new hobby. Then again, I only started about 40 tomato plants. 23 varieties, plus a few backups. I also started 2 eggplants, and 4 peppers. I plan on starting other veggies later next month too. My gardening time allows my husband time to do his homework, take the dogs to the dog park, watch football, go to the gym, yard work, etc. Most of all, the quality away time, really makes us miss each other. My response will probably be different once we have children. Until then, I believe that couples need alone time even if it is another room or outside. Take care and happy gardening. Cheers, Angelique

February 17, 2006	#11
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	angelstiger ~ grow on ~ Tom __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

February 17, 2006	#12
cottonpicker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SE PA..near Valley Forge Posts: 839	Gardening with an emphasis on tomatoes, both heirloom & a few hybrids, has always been a part of our life. I love the physical part of it & my wife appreciates all the fresh veggies I bring inside -- washed and ready for her to do her kitchen magic with! As we see it, gardening ONLY ADDS to our enjoyment of life and no other part of our life suffers from it. It's far from an obsession with us and, in addition, my wife of 29 years & I each have our own other interests besides. WE wouldn't want to be without a garden--ever! __________________ "Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause". Victor Hugo

February 17, 2006	#13
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Yup. I've found it possible to be obsessed with tomatoes, as well as my wife, my dogs, certain sports, music, movies, cooking and wine - and keep very engaged at work. Of course, getting enough sleep is an issue.... I think that some people approach hobbies and take on many, so have breadth across many, but go into none too deep. Many of us here are more into specialization - hence depth....my problem is that I attempt both! Turning the brain off at night is challenging. (whatever brain I have, anyway!) __________________ Craig

February 17, 2006	#14
MsCowpea Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S. FLorida / Zone 10 Posts: 369	My husband is much more upset at the time I spend on the COMPUTER (not counting this site of course ) reading about tomatoes and such. __________________ "When we kill off the natural enemies of a pest we inherit their work." Carl Huffaker

February 17, 2006	#15
gflynn MAGTAG™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Posts: 437	I started doing it mostly to get the tomatoes but now I enjoy the challenge of finding yet another place to try and grow them in my yard 8) The Garden(s) does seem like a nice place to hang out and find refreshment. Also, I love the comments from the nieghbors. One lady called me the tomato whisper; others are very protective of my plants near the road. Kids come up and eat some of the fruit and worry if the plants look ill. Its really very neat. My young daughters enjoy helping me with the process of planting. They eat them fresh off the vine and will always remember the time we spent together. My wife was first concerned about it a little but as Keith says when you consider the bad habits some other guys have its pretty tame. Greg