2013 Started as Sow's Ear May Be A Silk Purse Yet

marc_groleau · July 28, 2013

After torrential rains throughout June and record heat for 2/3 of July, plants weren't setting fruit and it was looking like a bad year. Now suddenly, the tide is turning. If counting my chicks before they're hatched doesn't jinx me, I'm hopeful for a decent season.

Many vines over 6' tall

Most containers are looking good.

Aker's West Virgnia beginning to set trusses like this.

Viva Italia Hyrbrid always a dependable performer.

Even Cuostralee is looking better. Plants are over 6' tall and full of blooms.

Brad's Black Heart is loading up as well.

Carbon is probably the best performer so far. Lots of beautiful good size fruit.

kath · July 28, 2013

What beautiful, healthy looking plants and fruits, Marc! They put mine to shame. Hope you're harvest begins soon.

kath

JamesL · July 28, 2013

Marc,
Congrats! Looking great.

ginger2778 · July 29, 2013

Jealous!

Marsha

Alfredo · July 29, 2013

That's a nice garden you have there Marc...pretty big too. Is that the Florida weave support system style you have set up? Looks like you have them all supported real good.

~Alfredo

marc_groleau · July 29, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfredo

That's a nice garden you have there Marc...pretty big too. Is that the Florida weave support system style you have set up? Looks like you have them all supported real good.

~Alfredo

Yes it's sort of a modified FL weave. As I understand it, the true FL weave is used largely for determinate plants. Correct me on that if I'm wrong. For my largely indeterminate garden, I still stake each individual plant but use the weave every 6-8' or so to keep everything straight. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to walk between rows.
Although right now it looks like this season won't be a bust, it's not going to be a banner year like 2012 or 2011. I'm hoping for a 7 out of 10.

I'd like to hear from other Southern Mass/ Northern RI and Eastern CT gardeners to see how the weather has affected them.

Thanks for the compliments

marc_groleau · August 1, 2013

What I have labeled here as Aker's West Virginia probably isn't. Right now it's a bit of a mystery but at least whatever it may be, it's ripening while everything else in my garden is looking promising but isn't turning color. I'm hoping everything that's hanging there and looking great, will suddenly turn because the clock is ticking here in the Northeast.

Redbaron · August 2, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by marc_groleau

Yes it's sort of a modified FL weave. As I understand it, the true FL weave is used largely for determinate plants. Correct me on that if I'm wrong. For my largely indeterminate garden, I still stake each individual plant but use the weave every 6-8' or so to keep everything straight. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to walk between rows.
Although right now it looks like this season won't be a bust, it's not going to be a banner year like 2012 or 2011. I'm hoping for a 7 out of 10.

I'd like to hear from other Southern Mass/ Northern RI and Eastern CT gardeners to see how the weather has affected them.

Thanks for the compliments

Yes that is a nice garden. and yes I will correct you. The Florida weave was developed for indeterminates. Commercial growers generally just let determinates sprawl. The Florida weave is a support system developed by commercial growers who wanted to grow indeterminates, often in pick your own operations.

marc_groleau · August 3, 2013

Thanks for clearing that up. I do appreciate it.

marc_groleau · September 8, 2013

The verdict is in. Although all tomato growers in my region have experienced very late ripening, I will eventually end up picking and using about 95% of my total produce. And what produce it was!

This has been a great year but so late.

Redbaron · September 8, 2013

Marc,
I found it to be a good year here too, after a horrible start!

So glad it worked out for you too.

manyplews · September 8, 2013

Marc,
That's a great tomato garden!
I don't see any sign of blight or wilt like much of the eastern US has this summer!
What is your secret?
Ron

marc_groleau · September 11, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by manyplews

Marc,
That's a great tomato garden!
I don't see any sign of blight or wilt like much of the eastern US has this summer!
What is your secret?
Ron

Those photos were taken fairly early. That really was the question... would the fruit finally ripen before disease took over? Well even though they took forever to ripen and disease did eventually creep up, the fruit lasted and I got just about every tomato off of about 50 plants.

I did keep fertilizing them well beyond the usual time. I know that doesn't cure disease but I hoped that a well fed plant would last longer.

July 28, 2013	#1
marc_groleau Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 444	2013 Started as Sow's Ear May Be A Silk Purse Yet After torrential rains throughout June and record heat for 2/3 of July, plants weren't setting fruit and it was looking like a bad year. Now suddenly, the tide is turning. If counting my chicks before they're hatched doesn't jinx me, I'm hopeful for a decent season. Many vines over 6' tall Most containers are looking good. Aker's West Virgnia beginning to set trusses like this. Viva Italia Hyrbrid always a dependable performer. Even Cuostralee is looking better. Plants are over 6' tall and full of blooms. Brad's Black Heart is loading up as well. Carbon is probably the best performer so far. Lots of beautiful good size fruit. Last edited by marc_groleau; July 29, 2013 at 07:29 AM.

September 8, 2013	#11
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	Marc, I found it to be a good year here too, after a horrible start! So glad it worked out for you too. __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

July 28, 2013	#2
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	What beautiful, healthy looking plants and fruits, Marc! They put mine to shame. Hope you're harvest begins soon. kath

July 28, 2013	#3
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	Marc, Congrats! Looking great.

July 29, 2013	#4
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Jealous! Marsha

July 29, 2013	#5
Alfredo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Clifton, NJ Posts: 554	That's a nice garden you have there Marc...pretty big too. Is that the Florida weave support system style you have set up? Looks like you have them all supported real good. ~Alfredo

August 1, 2013	#7
marc_groleau Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 444	What I have labeled here as Aker's West Virginia probably isn't. Right now it's a bit of a mystery but at least whatever it may be, it's ripening while everything else in my garden is looking promising but isn't turning color. I'm hoping everything that's hanging there and looking great, will suddenly turn because the clock is ticking here in the Northeast.

August 3, 2013	#9
marc_groleau Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 444	Thanks for clearing that up. I do appreciate it.

September 8, 2013	#12
manyplews Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SW Pa. Posts: 35	Marc, That's a great tomato garden! I don't see any sign of blight or wilt like much of the eastern US has this summer! What is your secret? Ron