My first real season growing heirloom tomatoes

kenny_j · October 10, 2011

Looking back over this season, I had one of my greatest tomato patches ever. I built crw cages, 24, 2 ft wide, 5 ft tall. Ended up planting a little too close, and my neighbors called it the tomato jungle,

. But it was lush and green til late august when septoria showed up, and then it didn't really get hurt too much. I had added a second garden this year both at about 600 sq feet each. I have a blue tarp put down late in the summer for a third for next year. Gonna buy another roll of wire for cages.
I put out a roadside stand this year at the end of the driveway, first time to ever do this. Results were OK, but I was surprised at the number of people that took one look, and left with no purchase. It was just heirloom tomatoes. I had planned on a few peppers, but the plants I bought (didn't have seed) from a local nursery produced the worst tasting peppers I have ever grown, and I threw them out. It was a small table, shielded by a golf umbrella, with a money jar on an honor system, so I was only out there when I saw somebody pull in. Some people left before I could get out there to explain that in heirlooms, often ugly means good in the flavor department. I know I sold them too cheap, but the idea was to defray the cost of what I spent making cages and buying seed and plants. I went around to the local highway stands, and most were charging $1.00 for a single large (softball size) tasteless tomato, so that is what I charged for my larges. All tolled, I took in $230. After costs, I figure I worked all summer for 2 cents an hour,

. I did provide the close neighbors with free tomatoes, and family, and we ate a ton. I had gained a lot of weight from kicking my nicotine habit, and all the work and stuffing myself with tomatoes, I lost 40 lbs this summer!!!! So it was a total success in my book, plus I made some new friends and spread the word about heirlooms. I think I ended up with 2-3 customers that came back every other day and bought up my beef steaks ( BW suddeth, and mortgage lifter). I also had the cherries and juane flamme, and what turned out to be non-stupice, But the smalls didnt do as well once they discovered the big pinks !!

October 10, 2011	#1
kenny_j Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: holly michigan Posts: 380	My first real season growing heirloom tomatoes Looking back over this season, I had one of my greatest tomato patches ever. I built crw cages, 24, 2 ft wide, 5 ft tall. Ended up planting a little too close, and my neighbors called it the tomato jungle, . But it was lush and green til late august when septoria showed up, and then it didn't really get hurt too much. I had added a second garden this year both at about 600 sq feet each. I have a blue tarp put down late in the summer for a third for next year. Gonna buy another roll of wire for cages. I put out a roadside stand this year at the end of the driveway, first time to ever do this. Results were OK, but I was surprised at the number of people that took one look, and left with no purchase. It was just heirloom tomatoes. I had planned on a few peppers, but the plants I bought (didn't have seed) from a local nursery produced the worst tasting peppers I have ever grown, and I threw them out. It was a small table, shielded by a golf umbrella, with a money jar on an honor system, so I was only out there when I saw somebody pull in. Some people left before I could get out there to explain that in heirlooms, often ugly means good in the flavor department. I know I sold them too cheap, but the idea was to defray the cost of what I spent making cages and buying seed and plants. I went around to the local highway stands, and most were charging $1.00 for a single large (softball size) tasteless tomato, so that is what I charged for my larges. All tolled, I took in $230. After costs, I figure I worked all summer for 2 cents an hour, . I did provide the close neighbors with free tomatoes, and family, and we ate a ton. I had gained a lot of weight from kicking my nicotine habit, and all the work and stuffing myself with tomatoes, I lost 40 lbs this summer!!!! So it was a total success in my book, plus I made some new friends and spread the word about heirlooms. I think I ended up with 2-3 customers that came back every other day and bought up my beef steaks ( BW suddeth, and mortgage lifter). I also had the cherries and juane flamme, and what turned out to be non-stupice, But the smalls didnt do as well once they discovered the big pinks !!