Strike three...Aunt Gertie's Gold is out!

Raymondo · December 22, 2006

The saga of growing Aunt Gertie's Gold ...

2004 - Wiped out by disease and pests in a particularly humid year

2005 - Wiped out by a late freeze

2006 - yesterday, a massive hail storm decimated the garden.

Here is a picture of one patch just after the storm subsided:

Working from front to back we have (had) Jaune Flammée x Paragon F1 (my breeding project), Jaune Flammée, Paragon, Aunt Gertie's Gold, Kellogg's Breakfast, Tasmanian Blushing Yellow and Victoria.

It's way too late to sow more Aunt Gertie's Gold. I don't think I'm meant to grow this tomato! It will be interesting to see which ones recover.

As a consolation, it did look rather beautiful for a few hours. This was the view from the front door at 4pm yesterday, a midsummer's afternoon!!!

Oh, I should add that one month earlier we had snow followed by a hard frost!

Of course, global warming, as we all know, is not a serious problem.

**Patrina_Pepperina** · December 22, 2006

Oh WOW Ray, I'm really sorry to hear about your decimated plants by the fickle hand of fate

I think I'll just bite my tongue from whining about disease, drought and heatwaves after reading your terrible news *gulp*

Patrina

Rena · December 22, 2006

I am so sorry. Is there any chance of survival? I am very very sorry. Hugs from Georgia.

**carolyn137** · December 22, 2006

I'd even say a possibility of survival if it weren't for the fact that the plants are so stripped of foliage so late in the season. Leave them in a see what happens.

I'm so sorry to see what happened.

But why single out AGG, or is that one been your main nemesis as you indicated?

You've got to just keep plugging away at AGG b'c I think it's really worth it, truly.

JerryL · December 22, 2006

WOW!! What a bummer. So sorry to see that happen to anyone.

If you have room do as Carolyn suggested and leave them in. Several years ago we had a late frost (not a hail storm, but a killer none the less) and many re-grew from the ground up.

And I can assure you AGG is not at fault. It’s too good tasting to cause trouble. It was probably that Tasmanian Blushing Yellow that started it all.

remy · December 22, 2006

I'm so sorry! Seeing that ice all over the plants is so sad.
Remy

Raymondo · December 22, 2006

Quote:

But why single out AGG

It's been one I've really wanted to try. In each of the previous years other tomatoes managed to get through, or I sowed seeds of a short season variety just to get some fruit but AGG has continually eluded me. I will keep trying however. I'm nothing if not stubborn.

I intend leaving all plants in the ground to see what happens. I lost many after the frost a month ago but quite a few bounced back. What is left of them looks pretty battered but plants are such resilient things. Given half a chance they'll regrow. The plants all have well established root systems so I'm hopeful, despite there being only 100 or so days till frost sets in again.

TheDens · December 22, 2006

Hey, you never know! A Brandywine that I'd given up as lost after a dog stepped on it and broke it off at the soil line wound up coming back and producing for me last year.
Granted, this happened fairly early in the season, but it's worth a try.

montanamato · December 22, 2006

Ray ...How horrible....I really was anxious to see what you thought of Victoria....I have been lucky the last few years to escape the really nasty hail storms, but that is partly why I have gone to containers more and more....Seems even if I am not home, the patio plants get better protection than the garden, and if I am home I just drag them next to the house...

Good luck regrowing....I know how disheartening it is to have such good prospects "wiped" out in a flash...

Jeanne

**Mischka** · December 22, 2006

WOW.

Your photo made my stomach churn...that looks like one helluva hailstorm.

Here's hoping that the branches leaf back out and give you something for your hard earned efforts.

Spatzbear · December 22, 2006

Hey hey! Don't blame Tasmanian Blushing Yellow!
I blame the Auntie, too. I tried twice and haven't succeeded yet. No idea why. She's not in the patch this year.

Ray, sorry bout the devastation. Hope things pick up and you get to eat some of your vegies in the garden.

Ruth_10 · December 22, 2006

One look at your tomato plant remains--we all ache for you. Did you have any roof or car damage? We are currently driving a well-dimpled car resulting from a hailstorm two years ago and our house, when we moved in in 2003, was in the process of being re-roofed due to hail damage. It can be wicked stuff.

But as people have mentioned, give your plants some time to recover. They might surprise you.

Grub · December 24, 2006

Cripes!

I saw the news when I bought a newspaper from the kiosk up the river and read it on the boat and immediately thought of you.

Glad nothing more than the garden got hit, but very sad to read of the devestation of that.

Best wishes to everyone in Armidale.

Merry Christmas, Grubs.

December 22, 2006	#1
Raymondo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Saumarez Ponds, NSW, Australia Posts: 946	Strike three...Aunt Gertie's Gold is out! The saga of growing Aunt Gertie's Gold ... 2004 - Wiped out by disease and pests in a particularly humid year 2005 - Wiped out by a late freeze 2006 - yesterday, a massive hail storm decimated the garden. Here is a picture of one patch just after the storm subsided: Working from front to back we have (had) Jaune Flammée x Paragon F1 (my breeding project), Jaune Flammée, Paragon, Aunt Gertie's Gold, Kellogg's Breakfast, Tasmanian Blushing Yellow and Victoria. It's way too late to sow more Aunt Gertie's Gold. I don't think I'm meant to grow this tomato! It will be interesting to see which ones recover. As a consolation, it did look rather beautiful for a few hours. This was the view from the front door at 4pm yesterday, a midsummer's afternoon!!! Oh, I should add that one month earlier we had snow followed by a hard frost! Of course, global warming, as we all know, is not a serious problem. __________________ Ray

December 22, 2006	#2
Patrina_Pepperina Cross Hemisphere Dwarf Project™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New South Wales, Australia Posts: 3,094	Oh WOW Ray, I'm really sorry to hear about your decimated plants by the fickle hand of fate I think I'll just bite my tongue from whining about disease, drought and heatwaves after reading your terrible news gulp Patrina __________________ Truth is colourful, not just black and white. PP: 2005

December 22, 2006	#4
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	I'd even say a possibility of survival if it weren't for the fact that the plants are so stripped of foliage so late in the season. Leave them in a see what happens. I'm so sorry to see what happened. But why single out AGG, or is that one been your main nemesis as you indicated? You've got to just keep plugging away at AGG b'c I think it's really worth it, truly. __________________ Carolyn

December 22, 2006	#5
JerryL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: S.W. Ohio z6a Posts: 736	WOW!! What a bummer. So sorry to see that happen to anyone. If you have room do as Carolyn suggested and leave them in. Several years ago we had a late frost (not a hail storm, but a killer none the less) and many re-grew from the ground up. And I can assure you AGG is not at fault. It’s too good tasting to cause trouble. It was probably that Tasmanian Blushing Yellow that started it all. __________________ Jerry

December 22, 2006	#6
remy Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z6 WNY Posts: 2,354	I'm so sorry! Seeing that ice all over the plants is so sad. Remy __________________ "I wake to sleep and take my waking slow" -Theodore Roethke Yes, we have a great party for WNY/Ontario tomato growers every year on Grand Island! Owner of The Sample Seed Shop

December 22, 2006	#3
Rena Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Warm Springs, GA Posts: 1,421	I am so sorry. Is there any chance of survival? I am very very sorry. Hugs from Georgia.

December 22, 2006	#8
TheDens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Georgia (Zone 7b) Posts: 233	Hey, you never know! A Brandywine that I'd given up as lost after a dog stepped on it and broke it off at the soil line wound up coming back and producing for me last year. Granted, this happened fairly early in the season, but it's worth a try.

December 22, 2006	#9
montanamato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montana Posts: 1,038	Ray ...How horrible....I really was anxious to see what you thought of Victoria....I have been lucky the last few years to escape the really nasty hail storms, but that is partly why I have gone to containers more and more....Seems even if I am not home, the patio plants get better protection than the garden, and if I am home I just drag them next to the house... Good luck regrowing....I know how disheartening it is to have such good prospects "wiped" out in a flash... Jeanne

December 22, 2006	#10
Mischka Tomatoville® Administrator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Bay State Posts: 3,207	WOW. Your photo made my stomach churn...that looks like one helluva hailstorm. Here's hoping that the branches leaf back out and give you something for your hard earned efforts. __________________ Mischka One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

December 22, 2006	#11
Spatzbear Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Adelaide Hills, Australia Posts: 349	Hey hey! Don't blame Tasmanian Blushing Yellow! I blame the Auntie, too. I tried twice and haven't succeeded yet. No idea why. She's not in the patch this year. Ray, sorry bout the devastation. Hope things pick up and you get to eat some of your vegies in the garden.

December 22, 2006	#12
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	One look at your tomato plant remains--we all ache for you. Did you have any roof or car damage? We are currently driving a well-dimpled car resulting from a hailstorm two years ago and our house, when we moved in in 2003, was in the process of being re-roofed due to hail damage. It can be wicked stuff. But as people have mentioned, give your plants some time to recover. They might surprise you. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

December 24, 2006	#13
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Cripes! I saw the news when I bought a newspaper from the kiosk up the river and read it on the boat and immediately thought of you. Glad nothing more than the garden got hit, but very sad to read of the devestation of that. Best wishes to everyone in Armidale. Merry Christmas, Grubs.