I must be insane!

DonnaMarieNJ · April 17, 2006

I'm embarrassed to say how many times a day I check on my seedlings...

This is my first year growing anything from seed and I cannot stop myself from checking the plants.

Will I get better after this first season?

I have two flights to walk up (and I am no spring chicken) and I do so numerous times a day. I peek, and peek and get excited every time I see something new!

Now, ask me how many times I run outside in my bare feet with a plant in my hand thrusting it into some, poor unsuspecting neighbor's face???

Am I insane or what?????? How can I stop myself????

**nctomatoman** · April 17, 2006

No, there is no hope. I've been doing this for 20 years, and am as or more obsessed than when I started...the problem is that I am starting many, many more seedlings than in 1986!

Take heart...it is not a dangerous affliction (but be careful on the stairs!)

DonnaMarieNJ · April 17, 2006

Up the stairs, down the stairs - eek! How much can they grow in an hour???

At least I am getting my exercise!

I actually had a neighbor shake her head at me (after I thrust a seedling in her face) and say (verbatim) "You're crazy!" My only thought was: "You'll be sorry...!" Then I felt guilty for being mean....

dokutaaguriin · April 18, 2006

When I first put out my seedlings in the greenhouse over night with the heater going, I always sleep very lightly. For the first couple of nights I check the temperature on the wireless thermometer when I wake up in the middle of the night concerned that it is too cold in the greenhouse, even though the wireless thermometer has a temp. alarm on it to go off when it gets down to 3C. Paranoid...perhaps.
"How often do you visit your tomato plants?" thread on that other board was a classic. It does not matter what stage of growth your tommies are at even the most minute change is a thrill for a tomato lover.
Jeff, who is off to check the greenhouse.

Goddessemer6 · April 18, 2006

Too true! I love looking at each and every seedling probably at least 2-3 times a day. And when they're in the garden I love it even more cause so many changes are going on all the time. Then I bore my husband for an hour telling him all about what I seen in the garden today, funny thing is he does actually listen and has gotten fairly active about helping me with projects. I'm about to leave for a 10 day vacation and I can't wait to see the growth difference when I get home. I'm such a nervous reck, I hope they're huge plants instead of dead!

Reign · April 18, 2006

I peek at mine often enough on my own. Then I have my husband...yelling downstairs to me..."which ones are Brandywine? Did Green Zebra sprout yet. Which one is the dwarf? Do these need water? Looks like another one is up. Which one is T-4 12? Are you leaving the light on to long? Which ones are Brandywine? Which ones are Brandywine? Which ones are Brandywine? Did you move the Brandywines?

Sometimes I pretend I don't hear him. Then my phone rings..."Are we keeping all the Brandywines?"

At least twice a week I say, "The spreadsheet is on a common share. Exercise that Ph.D. and match up cells to the spreadsheet."

bonekittyslug · April 18, 2006

Something is eating at our brains.....

Could it be a case of Lycopersicon Spongiform Encephalopathy (LSE)?

Yep, Mad Mater Disease!!

Tomstrees · April 18, 2006

It has slowed a bit for me as of late
(seedlings are 6+inches now) -
but in the first month of suprises -
it was no different than the above!

The misses thought I was missing
a few times ! ~ lol ~

Tom

jerseyjohn61 · April 18, 2006

Missing, but in action, Tom.

We are Tomato parents; kind, caring and sensitive
beings(despite the fact we eat our young).

:wink:

Who among us would not be constantly checking
on an infant?

I have given up on overtalking tomatos to people.
I offer plants to folks during the winter and early
spring, and if they don't bite, I just let them have
a few toms during the summer. After that they
are hooked. Then they either find room for a small
garden or are willing to chat tomatos with me
just to obtain tomatos from me....JJ61

SelfSufficient1 · April 19, 2006

Yup guilty! It does slow down after a bit and then you get them in the garden and they grow so FAST and you just have to go out at least twice a day to see how they are doing. I don't have close neighbors but have dragged Phil and my daughter Michelle down to the garden to see all the plants, lol.

supergirl · July 25, 2006

Just had to resurrect this, since it sounds like me these days, going out to see if anything is ripe. Had we gotten home before it was getting dark, I had every intention of dragging DH out for a tomato tour. I suppose tomorrow is another day...

**Lee** · July 25, 2006

Quote:

Had we gotten home before it was getting dark, I had every intention of dragging DH out for a tomato tour.

Hmmm.... it seems you aren't fully infested with "the tomato bug"... otherwise.... you would have been out there with flashlight in hand searching for any hint of ripeness, removing any would be destroyers of your precious plants, and giving a drink to the wilted plants that braved the sun and heat with no water for over 24 hours.

The cure, spend another 2 hours a day here for a week. (After checking on those maters!)

Lee

Insert Bully's disclaimer here......

supergirl · July 27, 2006

Oh, I was out there myself, just spared DH from having to go look. I made him look last night though, as well as the dahlia and lily tour. I have managed a few times lately to restrain myself and only go once per day rather than twice (morning before work and as soon as I get home is preferred, but have done post-work only a couple of times now!) I'm hoping it works like a watched pot, and if I check less frequently, the tomatoes will ripen more quickly. I bought big organza ribbon-gathered favor bags (like the little bags for bagging blossoms) to put over the ripening toms to keep the critters away from them, because squirrels or roof rats nibbled some of them last year.

jerseyjohn61 · July 27, 2006

Hey Super,
love the little one you have for your Avatar.
DW and I have a striped female tabby much
like your own. Pippin is her name, but we often
call her Coogie-Face, or just plain Coogie.
She is the most typical in feline appearance
of all our little ones and has the face of a
cougar. She is also the smallest, bravest and
cockiest of the bunch....JJ61

sirtanon · July 27, 2006

You're definitely not alone.

This past spring, when I would come home from work, I would walk in the door, give my wife a kiss, then walk out to the backyard and spend 15 or 20 minutes with my tomato patch, watering, trimming, picking, etc...

THEN I would come in and spend time with the wife

Nowadays, at home, I think I must be checking on my new seeds/sprouts every hour or so. I spent at least an hour at work yesterday, working up some new raised bed plans, and figuring out what plants are going where, to maximize growth, distribute color best, and so forth..

I think maybe someone should start TA - Tomatoholics Anonymous..

April 17, 2006	#1
DonnaMarieNJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northeast New Jersey Posts: 731	I must be insane! I'm embarrassed to say how many times a day I check on my seedlings... This is my first year growing anything from seed and I cannot stop myself from checking the plants. Will I get better after this first season? I have two flights to walk up (and I am no spring chicken) and I do so numerous times a day. I peek, and peek and get excited every time I see something new! Now, ask me how many times I run outside in my bare feet with a plant in my hand thrusting it into some, poor unsuspecting neighbor's face??? Am I insane or what?????? How can I stop myself????

April 17, 2006	#2
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	No, there is no hope. I've been doing this for 20 years, and am as or more obsessed than when I started...the problem is that I am starting many, many more seedlings than in 1986! Take heart...it is not a dangerous affliction (but be careful on the stairs!) __________________ Craig

April 18, 2006	#5
Goddessemer6 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NV zone9a Posts: 134	Too true! I love looking at each and every seedling probably at least 2-3 times a day. And when they're in the garden I love it even more cause so many changes are going on all the time. Then I bore my husband for an hour telling him all about what I seen in the garden today, funny thing is he does actually listen and has gotten fairly active about helping me with projects. I'm about to leave for a 10 day vacation and I can't wait to see the growth difference when I get home. I'm such a nervous reck, I hope they're huge plants instead of dead! __________________ ~Rose The beauty of being human is the ability to choose compassion over cruelty!

April 18, 2006	#7
bonekittyslug Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW VA Zone 6b-7a Posts: 176	Something is eating at our brains..... Could it be a case of Lycopersicon Spongiform Encephalopathy (LSE)? Yep, Mad Mater Disease!! __________________ More Harvest, Mark The life of a cat...Sleep 'til you're hungry...Eat 'til you're tired! Spay or neuter your best friend!!

April 18, 2006	#8
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	It has slowed a bit for me as of late (seedlings are 6+inches now) - but in the first month of suprises - it was no different than the above! The misses thought I was missing a few times ! ~ lol ~ 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

April 18, 2006	#4
dokutaaguriin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alberta, Canada Z3a Posts: 905	When I first put out my seedlings in the greenhouse over night with the heater going, I always sleep very lightly. For the first couple of nights I check the temperature on the wireless thermometer when I wake up in the middle of the night concerned that it is too cold in the greenhouse, even though the wireless thermometer has a temp. alarm on it to go off when it gets down to 3C. Paranoid...perhaps. "How often do you visit your tomato plants?" thread on that other board was a classic. It does not matter what stage of growth your tommies are at even the most minute change is a thrill for a tomato lover. Jeff, who is off to check the greenhouse.

April 18, 2006	#6
Reign Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: NY Posts: 130	I peek at mine often enough on my own. Then I have my husband...yelling downstairs to me..."which ones are Brandywine? Did Green Zebra sprout yet. Which one is the dwarf? Do these need water? Looks like another one is up. Which one is T-4 12? Are you leaving the light on to long? Which ones are Brandywine? Which ones are Brandywine? Which ones are Brandywine? Did you move the Brandywines? Sometimes I pretend I don't hear him. Then my phone rings..."Are we keeping all the Brandywines?" At least twice a week I say, "The spreadsheet is on a common share. Exercise that Ph.D. and match up cells to the spreadsheet."

April 18, 2006	#9
jerseyjohn61 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central New Jersey Z/6 Posts: 554	Missing, but in action, Tom. We are Tomato parents; kind, caring and sensitive beings(despite the fact we eat our young). :wink: Who among us would not be constantly checking on an infant? I have given up on overtalking tomatos to people. I offer plants to folks during the winter and early spring, and if they don't bite, I just let them have a few toms during the summer. After that they are hooked. Then they either find room for a small garden or are willing to chat tomatos with me just to obtain tomatos from me....JJ61

April 19, 2006	#10
SelfSufficient1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 188	Yup guilty! It does slow down after a bit and then you get them in the garden and they grow so FAST and you just have to go out at least twice a day to see how they are doing. I don't have close neighbors but have dragged Phil and my daughter Michelle down to the garden to see all the plants, lol. __________________ I could spend all day here!

July 25, 2006	#11
supergirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Palo Alto, CA Posts: 107	Just had to resurrect this, since it sounds like me these days, going out to see if anything is ripe. Had we gotten home before it was getting dark, I had every intention of dragging DH out for a tomato tour. I suppose tomorrow is another day...

July 27, 2006	#13
supergirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Palo Alto, CA Posts: 107	Oh, I was out there myself, just spared DH from having to go look. I made him look last night though, as well as the dahlia and lily tour. I have managed a few times lately to restrain myself and only go once per day rather than twice (morning before work and as soon as I get home is preferred, but have done post-work only a couple of times now!) I'm hoping it works like a watched pot, and if I check less frequently, the tomatoes will ripen more quickly. I bought big organza ribbon-gathered favor bags (like the little bags for bagging blossoms) to put over the ripening toms to keep the critters away from them, because squirrels or roof rats nibbled some of them last year.

July 27, 2006	#15
sirtanon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ (zone 9b) Posts: 796	You're definitely not alone. This past spring, when I would come home from work, I would walk in the door, give my wife a kiss, then walk out to the backyard and spend 15 or 20 minutes with my tomato patch, watering, trimming, picking, etc... THEN I would come in and spend time with the wife Nowadays, at home, I think I must be checking on my new seeds/sprouts every hour or so. I spent at least an hour at work yesterday, working up some new raised bed plans, and figuring out what plants are going where, to maximize growth, distribute color best, and so forth.. I think maybe someone should start TA - Tomatoholics Anonymous..