Some photos of my 2018/19 garden

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Whwoz

Talk about torture by photo (and Quarantine regs). Keep them coming

You have yours now too, right?

Originally Posted by guruofgardens

Tomatoes have been on my mind, just not in the palate. We tried a few cherries at Christmas and now are drooling over your pictures, knowing how great they must taste. I love Margaret Curtain, so the heart variety must be a keeper, too. Olive Hill was great last year. Looking forward to trying Bear Creek again.

Love all of the pictures, they help drive away some of the winter doldrums.

I actually prefer the usual Margaret Curtain to the heart version, but it's not bad. Olive Hill is one that has been grown every year, I just love it. Same with Bear Creek.

Originally Posted by PlainJane

KBX stands the taste test of time and it’s got such a wonderful texture.

Love the pictures!

Thank you. KBX is my favorite BLT tomato.

Originally Posted by sfoeyl

Your pictures are awesome. Again we are living vicariously until we can start our seeds. Keep them coming

Thank you, I hope winter is mild for you.

[Koala Doug]

I'm also enjoying the regular photo updates!

[ginger2778]

Thanks Doug. I need to take a day or 2 all my plants are coming down with really bad fungus, and they are tall and bushy. So much to trim and spray it's almost overwhelming. Plus photos, saving seeds, making sauce, ketchup and dehydrating them. Next year I have to cut back. 54 varieties, what do you guys think?

[Gardenboy]

Yes by all means, cut back. I use to grow 50 and 55 plants but have now cut back to 30 for the last 2 years. I try to grow 1 or two different varieties each season just to try a "new" one. I just grow my favorites and varieties that I know will grow and produce for our FL winter season. Even growing 30 varieties, I have so many tomatoes that I can't even give them away anymore. Freezer will be full of tomato sauce and salsa for the summer months. I puree a gallon of sauce and save it for pizza sauce. Saving seeds like crazy this week as well. Hang in there
neighbor!!

[efisakov]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Thanks Doug. I need to take a day or 2 all my plants are coming down with really bad fungus, and they are tall and bushy. So much to trim and spray it's almost overwhelming. Plus photos, saving seeds, making sauce, ketchup and dehydrating them. Next year I have to cut back. 54 varieties, what do you guys think?

I felt the same at the middle of summer. A bit overwhelmed. I am really cutting my numbers next year.

Marsha, I have to say huge thanks for the seeds of Candy Sweet Icicle. It was so beautiful and so tasty, and it is a great keeper too. We picked all green tomatoes from the plant before the first freeze (last week in October). I have them ripening in the colder temperature (65 degrees or so). I still have some that are ripe (more than 2 months past). Amazing! They taste great. Better than the store tomatoes.

[PlainJane]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Thanks Doug. I need to take a day or 2 all my plants are coming down with really bad fungus, and they are tall and bushy. So much to trim and spray it's almost overwhelming. Plus photos, saving seeds, making sauce, ketchup and dehydrating them. Next year I have to cut back. 54 varieties, what do you guys think?

So long as lots of those are KARMAs, lol.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Gardenboy

Yes by all means, cut back. I use to grow 50 and 55 plants but have now cut back to 30 for the last 2 years. I try to grow 1 or two different varieties each season just to try a "new" one. I just grow my favorites and varieties that I know will grow and produce for our FL winter season. Even growing 30 varieties, I have so many tomatoes that I can't even give them away anymore. Freezer will be full of tomato sauce and salsa for the summer months. I puree a gallon of sauce and save it for pizza sauce. Saving seeds like crazy this week as well. Hang in there
neighbor!!

Thanks Douglas January is tough!

Originally Posted by efisakov

I felt the same at the middle of summer. A bit overwhelmed. I am really cutting my numbers next year.

Marsha, I have to say huge thanks for the seeds of Candy Sweet Icicle. It was so beautiful and so tasty, and it is a great keeper too. We picked all green tomatoes from the plant before the first freeze (last week in October). I have them ripening in the colder temperature (65 degrees or so). I still have some that are ripe (more than 2 months past). Amazing! They taste great. Better than the store tomatoes.

I am so glad you like it.I do too, it's my second year growing it. I am growing Brad's Atomic Grape this season and it's the first antho I ever fell in love with. It is flat out delicious. You gotta try it.

[hl2601]

Hey Marsha-Just drooling over your Brutus photos. How does Brutus compare with Neves Azores Red ( if you have grown that)? The pictures remind me of Neves, which I love. Good luck with all those tomato and time balance battles. We all love watching the progress and bounty from your tremendous efforts!

[MdTNGrdner]

Yes, it's all appreciated Marsha, but stay well... sometimes too much is challenging and fun, other times it's just TOO much

On the other hand... Only 54??

Take care of yourself!

[jtjmartin]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Thanks Doug. I need to take a day or 2 all my plants are coming down with really bad fungus, and they are tall and bushy. So much to trim and spray it's almost overwhelming. Plus photos, saving seeds, making sauce, ketchup and dehydrating them. Next year I have to cut back. 54 varieties, what do you guys think?

I "cut back" every year in January . . . then I spit out the horrible little things that look an awful lot like cherry tomatoes in salads in January . . . and my selection list expands again!

It's an addiction - you can never grow enough tomatoes!

Jeff

[PlainJane]

Lol, it’s definitely an addiction. I’ve got no business trying to squeeze 36 tomato plants (plus peppers, beans, cukes, etc) into the space I have allowed myself. But here I am making up labels for all those tomatoes and getting ready to start seeds.

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Thanks Doug. I need to take a day or 2 all my plants are coming down with really bad fungus, and they are tall and bushy. So much to trim and spray it's almost overwhelming. Plus photos, saving seeds, making sauce, ketchup and dehydrating them. Next year I have to cut back. 54 varieties, what do you guys think?

Marsha - I've never had any fungal problems but had powdery mildew on quite a few of my plants. The weather here is crazy - hot then days of cold, etc. We are in another cold spell. I think mine reared it's head about on January 1, the same time the river started stinking really bad.

For a hybrid, Esterina is the worst with it.

I tried spraying milk, and also tried baking soda on a few plants that I was going to pull but I think actually worked. I finally did the neem oil in the hose end sprayer. Mine also seems to be worse with the plants that have much more fruit and also depends on their location.

It does seem that once I'm harvesting the tomatoes, the plant starts to looks better.

The other day, I just blasted them with water trying to keep any spores from spreading; it was windy out so the leaves were going to dry.

I can't believe how much ripe fruit you have already. My Kelloggs is just starting to lighten up. It is in an area that is unaffected by the powdery mildew (faces east - not on the river side).

It's always something.

[JosephineRose]

Looks amazing Marsha!

Delighted to see 1884 in your line-up. I have been sitting on seeds for that variety and it’s purple sibling for a while and haven’t gotten around to planting. Do tell us how the flavor and texture are.

Is midnight sun in your garden this season?

[MissMoustache]

Oh my goodness I'm drooling! Those pictures look amazing!

[DapsSeeds]

You know how much I luuuuuv your pictures.