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Old September 18, 2013   #1
BLTLOVER
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Default 2013 tomato growing review

Well, 2013 was the worst tomato crop I've had since I can't remember. We had a light frost on May 17th and my tomato plants were nipped a little. They were recovering nicely and then the monsoon season hit. We had torrential rain after torrential rain along with very cool weather until towards the end of June.

The new growth on my plants was stunted and, after some research, I learned that all of the nutrients were washed out of my soil. I started fertilizing weekly and they eventually came back but I basically harvested just enough tomatoes to keep us in fresh slicers and BLTs.

Oh well, next year!
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Old September 18, 2013   #2
newatthiskat
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I do not see how the farmers do it. One year can be good the next a complete bust. After several busts I am looking forward to next year and hoping I get enough to really process and get through the winter. Here is to determination!! Sorry BLTLOVER. May your next garden season be perfect and exceed all your expectations!
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Old September 18, 2013   #3
Alpinejs
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My tomatoes experienced a freeze while passing through Rock Springs, Wyo.,
and two freezes here in the Canadian wilderness. Additionally, they got hit
with an infestation of spider mites. I ended up with the worst looking
plants that you can imagine that pumped out more "maters than I knew what
to do with. I gave away bags to anyone that stopped by and tomato soup and
'salsa used a lot, but when we leave here on Oct. 4th, most all summer
people will have left. Right now, there are over 600 tomatoes on the vines
and I am making a list of likely blushing favorites to make the trip home with
us. I fear my Calif. garden was not well tended during my absense.

What do some of the tomatoville folks do with excessive production???
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Old September 18, 2013   #4
Douglas14
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BTLOVER,
We had about 5" of rain here in central MN in one night, around June 20th. That really seemed to stunt many of my tomato plants as well. Some of them never recovered much at all. Although I was able to get a few good fruit from them. My garden as a whole was quite poor. I'm guessing many of the nutrients were washed away here as well. Better luck next year, hopefully!
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Old September 19, 2013   #5
habitat_gardener
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpinejs View Post
...What do some of the tomatoville folks do with excessive production???
I've donated a box of tomatoes most weeks. One week I did some canning with a friend and left her the boxful we didn't get to. I've given them away at garden shares and garden meetings. In the past week I cut up a bunch and froze them. I give tomatoes away if I see anyone at one of the community gardens. Yesterday I gave my biggest Portuguese Monster to a friend who stopped by to chat.

I planted about the same number of plants as in past years, but this year I have at least an extra 10-20 tomatoes a week. In past years I gave away 1-3 tomatoes a week.

And my late-planted tomatoes (mostly cherry and currant varieties) have just started to produce!
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Old September 19, 2013   #6
Mark0820
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpinejs View Post
What do some of the tomatoville folks do with excessive production???
If you have a local food pantry, they are always excited to receive fresh veggies.
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Old September 20, 2013   #7
habitat_gardener
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark0820 View Post
If you have a local food pantry, they are always excited to receive fresh veggies.
Yes, but I've learned that my local one really prefers "normal" vegetables. At the beginning of the summer I brought them some purple pole beans, and the ladies looked at me kind of funny. I explained that when you cook them, they turn green, and that's how you know they're done.

I've also brought them Armenian cukes. I don't know if anyone else was bringing them, too, but I saw a pretty sorry looking one in the "take all you want" box 10 days after I brought them some.

They get the round red tomatoes. I brought 1 or 2 Ananas Noire and Purple Calabash, and had to explain what they were ("tomatoes -- they're supposed to be that color").

On the other hand, I brought sorrel, rainbow lacinato kale, and a bunch of basil and chives at different times, and clients were there who were happy to get them.

But I'm always worried that if I bring something unusual, it's going to go to waste, so I've been trying to find other outlets for the unusual stuff.
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