Garden Growing

[Bird]

Kent, if it's any consolation for you, you'll probably have nice fresh tomatoes long after the heat and grasshoppers have finished mine off./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif But in the meantime, I'm eatin' fresh tomatoes every meal./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

In '93, I spent 4 months at Sayre, PA. We got there in early April and they were having flooding problems at the time so (according to the local newspaper) planting was late and they usually had fresh corn by July 4, but not that year; it was a couple of weeks later. And down here, this year, my corn was a little late; picked the first of it June 4 and the last of it June 14.

Incidentally, while we were there I noticed a lot of poke being grown in flower beds as an ornamental plant, but never found anyone who had heard of eating it, and down here a lot of folks eat it; makes pretty good greens if you know how to cook it (parboil and pour off the first, and sometimes second, water).

 

[BB_TX]

Bird - Just curious. Did your tomatoes do better than normal this year? I have never had tomatoes like I do this year. I only set out 4 plants, but have already picked about 75 tomatoes and they are still growing new ones. I am picking 5 or 6 each day. I did set them out a little earlier than usual (had to cover twice for frost). Unfortunately, I bought the plants at 3rd Monday trades days and forgot what kind variety they are./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

 

[Bird]

Bill, I don't know that I could say the tomatoes have done any better this year than in the past, but at least as well as in the past. I've tried several varieties in the past, but this year only Early Girl and Big Boy. I set out the plants this year on March 15.

Of course, there's a lot more about gardening that I don't know than what I do know. The first year we were here, I set out a few tomato plants in the little garden spot the previous owner had and they produced lots of tomatoes; plants were loaded with tomatoes that grew to a good big size and not a single one ever ripened or changed color; just stayed green right up to the first frost. I still have no explanation for that and have never seen or heard of it happening.

And now since we're not even picking all the ripe ones, they're starting to run a lot smaller than the earlier tomatoes. Is that because there are just so many on the plants, or because we're not keeping the ripe ones picked off, or because of the hotter weather, or something else? They're still good tomatoes; just not as big as the ones we picked last month.

 

[Mosey]

Chuck - "Do you use fresh clippings?"

I've let them dry a day or two, or used them right away. It doesn't seem to make any difference. My lawn sweeper seems to have an easier time if they're dry though.