Good tomatoes in a bad year - Page 2

Slg Garden · August 27, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

I have the opposit experience:

BAD TOMATOES IN A GOOD YEAR.

2015 has been the warmest rain free, sunny weather on record here in PNW. Yet my tomatoes have been late, and too few compared to last year.
I have yet to pick a single ripe fruit from my:
CP, RUTGERS, ANANAS NOIRE, BIG RAINBOW, BEAR CLAW, KB, ARBUZNYI, JBT and DRUZA.
Hey! it is almost September. Geeeez !
Of course I have been harvesting other varieties from mid July on.

Gardeneer

That's interesting. I'm in the same area as you and have harvested from all of mine, including CP and JBT. Must be some difference in our microclimates.

NarnianGarden · August 27, 2015

Absolutely, bower.. I think that given all the varieties that actually want to do what they're supposed to do (= be fruitful and multiply), why bother trying to force a stubborn plant to do something it doesn't seem to like

Is it just that novelty factor that makes people try KB year after year? Sure, if there is limitless space in the garden, experimenting can be fun... With my limited garden, I need to get maximum results for my investment ..

seasyde · August 27, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slg Garden

That's interesting. I'm in the same area as you and have harvested from all of mine, including CP and JBT. Must be some difference in our microclimates.

I'm in the same area too. Just got my first Striped German today. That leaves Brandywine (several of which are blushing) and Chocolate Cherry (got a late start and is in a less than ideal garden spot). I'm hoping the predicted rain/cool weather won't slow things down too much.

Slg Garden · August 27, 2015

I forgot to say thanks Lindalana for those great reviews. The weather you had is what is often typical in Seattle so I may have to try some of those next year.

Yes the forecasted cool rainy weather is not tomato friendly. But maybe I can get some lettuce and spinach to germinate now finally.

Timomac · August 28, 2015

I'm in the same region and my year was okay due to an older method of mulching I had discounted, until this season. Having returned to using plastic mulch this season I can say now, having experienced this year's wet conditions and a prior two season's of blistering hot weather, that the plastic mulch clearly helps mitigate the extreme conditions. I guess it works by being both a water barrier during the this spring's deluges and a water retainer a couple seasons back when we experienced weeks of 90+ degree weather.
Good results with much fewer cracks blemishes than I'd become accustomed to during the interim years when I'd tried other mulches.
I honestly can't remember a season in the last 8 years or so that hasn't presented some sort of weather dilemma. Really wet in the more recent past and really hot prior.
We're due for a bumper season I think.

August 27, 2015	#17
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	Absolutely, bower.. I think that given all the varieties that actually want to do what they're supposed to do (= be fruitful and multiply), why bother trying to force a stubborn plant to do something it doesn't seem to like Is it just that novelty factor that makes people try KB year after year? Sure, if there is limitless space in the garden, experimenting can be fun... With my limited garden, I need to get maximum results for my investment ..

August 27, 2015	#19
Slg Garden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Seattle area Posts: 76	I forgot to say thanks Lindalana for those great reviews. The weather you had is what is often typical in Seattle so I may have to try some of those next year. Yes the forecasted cool rainy weather is not tomato friendly. But maybe I can get some lettuce and spinach to germinate now finally.

August 28, 2015	#20
Timomac Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: SW Chicago suburbs Posts: 36	I'm in the same region and my year was okay due to an older method of mulching I had discounted, until this season. Having returned to using plastic mulch this season I can say now, having experienced this year's wet conditions and a prior two season's of blistering hot weather, that the plastic mulch clearly helps mitigate the extreme conditions. I guess it works by being both a water barrier during the this spring's deluges and a water retainer a couple seasons back when we experienced weeks of 90+ degree weather. Good results with much fewer cracks blemishes than I'd become accustomed to during the interim years when I'd tried other mulches. I honestly can't remember a season in the last 8 years or so that hasn't presented some sort of weather dilemma. Really wet in the more recent past and really hot prior. We're due for a bumper season I think.