Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[greyghost]

Marsha, your kitty looks exactly like my Jerry!

[TerriLaChicks]

Originally Posted by Zone9b

I've noticed recently a few Tomande tomatoes where the skin is intact but the insides appear to have turned all but entirely liquid. I haven't a clue. It is one of my favorite tasting tomatoes, good thing it is loaded with fruit. Maybe there will be some left for me.
Larry

Zone9b - where did you get seeds of Tomande? I've raised it for years but failed to find seeds so been using seeds I had in my freezer the past 2 years - it's my all time favorite tomato. I haven't been on this forum in a long time but when I saw your post I had to ask!

[kayrobbins]

It is too early to start tomato seeds but some of the peppers I planted are starting to germinate. I don't care how many times I plant seeds I am like a kid at Christmas checking them twice daily until I see those little sprouts start popping up. Tomatoes are the best since they germinate so quickly. It is almost instant gratification.

[Jimbotomateo]

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

It is too early to start tomato seeds but some of the peppers I planted are starting to germinate. I don't care how many times I plant seeds I am like a kid at Christmas checking them twice daily until I see those little sprouts start popping up. Tomatoes are the best since they germinate so quickly. It is almost instant gratification.

So true kayrobbins. I don't know how many times I've tried to describe the feelings one gets when they pop up and the growing process afterwards. I always draw a blank . I like your analogy.

[ginger2778]

Oh Kay, I knowwwwwww, Hee! I get this OCD thing going on and keep checking them. Sometimes I have very good self control and I let about 20 minutes go by between checks. I have also been known to do weird things like spitting on a helmet head.

[ginger2778]

It has been really a busy time, and I am just barely keeping up with my tomato plants. The downside to having all this fruit is what to do with the harvest, and you gotta go fast with op varieties, some of them have practically zero shelf life.
I got the dehydrator out, today I will dehydrate, and make sauce, then can it.

[KarenO]

you can hide a LOT of tomatoes in a vat of sauce what a great problem to have Marsha
KarenO

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by TerriLaChicks

Zone9b - where did you get seeds of Tomande? I've raised it for years but failed to find seeds so been using seeds I had in my freezer the past 2 years - it's my all time favorite tomato. I haven't been on this forum in a long time but when I saw your post I had to ask!

I bought my Tomande seeds originally from Tomato Growers Supply but they appear to no longer carry them. Reimer Seeds and Burpee both appear to have Tomande. I find that Reimer's carries a number of the varieties that I grow. However, I try to get everything in one order with them in order to average out the shipping cost.
Larry

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

It has been really a busy time, and I am just barely keeping up with my tomato plants. The downside to having all this fruit is what to do with the harvest, and you gotta go fast with op varieties, some of them have practically zero shelf life.
I got the dehydrator out, today I will dehydrate, and make sauce, then can it.

I agree. I cut 20 heads of Broccoli today. Good thing most vegetables are low in calories. I'm eating a boat load.
Larry

[kayrobbins]

Marsha you make me feel so good about only checking twice a day. And what is weird about using spit on helmet heads? Doesn't everyone?

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

It has been really a busy time, and I am just barely keeping up with my tomato plants. The downside to having all this fruit is what to do with the harvest, and you gotta go fast with op varieties, some of them have practically zero shelf life.
I got the dehydrator out, today I will dehydrate, and make sauce, then can it.

Marsha - What dehydrator do you have? A link would be great.

Anyone else want to chime in with what they have and if they recommend it or not.

Ginny - did you ever get a dehydrator?

I'm inundated with tomatoes too despite giving tons away to neighbors and people in contact with either myself or my husband. It's so weird because on December 1, I had 3 ripe big tomatoes. Two weeks later, more were coming in than going out.

I still have frozen sauce from last spring and gallons of it at my next door neighbors that I told her use it. I don't want to make sauce.

Thankfully, I grew some determinates like Skyway which are finishing their run.

I did a wicked thing today too; I took down one of my ICD plants; I couldn't keep up with getting the tomatoes off and they were splitting on the vine and fruit flies were coming. I salvaged many of the non-split trusses and boxed them up and gave to a neighbor.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Marsha - What dehydrator do you have? A link would be great.

Anyone else want to chime in with what they have and if they recommend it or not.

Ginny - did you ever get a dehydrator?

I'm inundated with tomatoes too despite giving tons away to neighbors and people in contact with either myself or my husband. It's so weird because on December 1, I had 3 ripe big tomatoes. Two weeks later, more were coming in than going out.

I still have frozen sauce from last spring and gallons of it at my next door neighbors that I told her use it. I don't want to make sauce.

Thankfully, I grew some determinates like Skyway which are finishing their run.

I did a wicked thing today too; I took down one of my ICD plants; I couldn't keep up with getting the tomatoes off and they were splitting on the vine and fruit flies were coming. I salvaged many of the non-split trusses and boxed them up and gave to a neighbor.

Hey Barb! I was wondering how you are, haven't heard from you in a few days. This is the one I have. It is now $30 cheaper than when I bought it still free shipping. I love it. You can't go wrong with the Excalibur.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/37017453?...&wl13=&veh=sem

[Jimbotomateo]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Marsha - What dehydrator do you have? A link would be great.

Anyone else want to chime in with what they have and if they recommend it or not.

Ginny - did you ever get a dehydrator?

I'm inundated with tomatoes too despite giving tons away to neighbors and people in contact with either myself or my husband. It's so weird because on December 1, I had 3 ripe big tomatoes. Two weeks later, more were coming in than going out.

I still have frozen sauce from last spring and gallons of it at my next door neighbors that I told her use it. I don't want to make sauce.

Thankfully, I grew some determinates like Skyway which are finishing their run.

I did a wicked thing today too; I took down one of my ICD plants; I couldn't keep up with getting the tomatoes off and they were splitting on the vine and fruit flies were coming. I salvaged many of the non-split trusses and boxed them up and gave to a neighbor.

What a bummer!

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by Jimbotomateo

What a bummer!

Need to remember to stagger the sowing even more next August. I will probably be whining in a couple months because I have very few flowers / fruit being set. Well except SunGold - that has not stopped pumping out tomatoes.

I did sow a few seeds for the spring season.

----
Marsha - Thanks for the link. Just to verify - it is model: 2900ECB ?
Do you use the dehydrator sheets? I know nothing about dehydrators.

https://www.amazon.com/Excalibur-290...et_feature_div

[efisakov]

Barb, I got Excalibur 9 trays few months ago. Love it. It was all Marsha's influence. Thank you, Marsha.
It is great, easy to use.