Solution to Tomato Growing Addiction

pdxwindjammer · March 23, 2012

My name is Tamara and I have an addiction. There should be a TGA group for people like me!

I have been a gardener for years off and on. My tomato growing addiction began about 4 years ago. Each year I say I won't grow out as many plants as the last year and every year I am proven to be a liar by growing even more! there are just so many varieties!

This year I am growing out about 35 varieties but I only have room for about 24-26 plants in my community garden. I will be using the single stem method for several plants this year for the first time so I can squeeze in a few more plants and harvest a few good tomatoes to see how the variety does here in the PNW.

Now I am also having my fellow gardener friends grow out tomatoes for me! I have offered to give them a couple of different plants as long as they have a sunny spot, promise to care for them, report back to me when they got the first ripe tomato and also provide me with a few tomatoes of each plant so I can try them and save the seeds! From my facebook offer of plants I have about 10 takers so far!

This will allow me an opportunity to try many more tomatoes than I would on my own.

Now time to go to my TGA group meeting!

travis · March 23, 2012

Take a deep breath. Now throw away all your tomato seeds.

Go to a big box store and buy some cucumber and pepper seeds ...

... never mind. Senior moment.

pdxwindjammer · March 23, 2012

Someone will have to pry them out of my fists!

tam91 · March 23, 2012

haha. My addiction is also growing. I managed to squeeze 33 plants here last year. This year I have added a "surrogate" garden just down the road. And a friend wants me to put some in at her house. I think I may be busy!

Wi-sunflower · March 23, 2012

If you guys think you have it bad, pity this customer. She ordered my whole list -- over 300 varieties !!!

Carol

tam91 · March 23, 2012

I would... if only there were more space...

kath · March 23, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wi-sunflower

If you guys think you have it bad, pity this customer. She ordered my whole list -- over 300 varieties !!!

Carol

Thanks for sharing this, Carol- it's helpful for those of us who'd like to remain in denial.

kath

pdxwindjammer · March 23, 2012

300?! And she isn't a commercial grower?

delltraveller · March 23, 2012

I only have 72 varieties started....so far....

Elizabeth · March 23, 2012

If you are looking for people to talk you out of a tomato addiction, you are definitely in the wrong place!

I don't have a problem, no siree, I have space for 9 plants in my main garden, and I've started seeds of 46 varieties...ummmm.

Shuffling off to buy more smartpots now.....

Wi-sunflower · March 23, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdxwindjammer

300?! And she isn't a commercial grower?

Don't know but I doubt it.

She ordered the mini packs which are about 20 seeds each. She's in Iowa and probably just has a good area and/or lots of good friends.

I should mention I have over 300 varieties planted and about 2-300 more to go for this year and about 300 varieties I will hold off till next year because I just won't have enough time to process them all. As it is I'm trying to get a lot more done this year than ever before so I hope for a good growing year.

So I'm as addicted as anyone here if not more so.

Carol

Mudman · March 23, 2012

Last year I had about 30 plants squeezed in anywhere I could find room. This year I started about 50 varieties and plan on growing more than one of most of them. Oops.

Douglas14 · March 23, 2012

I can definitely relate. I'm planning on growing at least a few varieties out at my brother's place(about 6 miles from me). This will let me trial a few more varieties than I would have otherwise.

janezee · March 23, 2012

My mom goes to Chicago next week for 6 weeks. I already had plans for 6 tomatoes at her house, where she gets lots more sun/less fog than I.
She offered to host 'some' tomatoes for me when I was saying how many had come up and that I was potting them up into cups already.

Now, I'm planning on 12. Won't she be surprised when she comes home in May?

j

Boutique Tomatoes · March 23, 2012

We've had two dismal seasons in a row here; being the eternal optimist I figure we're due for a good one so I added another garden spot and have 200 tomato varieties started.

One of these years I'll be right and end up with several tons of tomatoes. THEN it will annoy my wife when I give her the restaurant delivery route.

March 23, 2012	#1
pdxwindjammer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 625	Solution to Tomato Growing Addiction My name is Tamara and I have an addiction. There should be a TGA group for people like me! I have been a gardener for years off and on. My tomato growing addiction began about 4 years ago. Each year I say I won't grow out as many plants as the last year and every year I am proven to be a liar by growing even more! there are just so many varieties! This year I am growing out about 35 varieties but I only have room for about 24-26 plants in my community garden. I will be using the single stem method for several plants this year for the first time so I can squeeze in a few more plants and harvest a few good tomatoes to see how the variety does here in the PNW. Now I am also having my fellow gardener friends grow out tomatoes for me! I have offered to give them a couple of different plants as long as they have a sunny spot, promise to care for them, report back to me when they got the first ripe tomato and also provide me with a few tomatoes of each plant so I can try them and save the seeds! From my facebook offer of plants I have about 10 takers so far! This will allow me an opportunity to try many more tomatoes than I would on my own. Now time to go to my TGA group meeting!

March 23, 2012	#4
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	haha. My addiction is also growing. I managed to squeeze 33 plants here last year. This year I have added a "surrogate" garden just down the road. And a friend wants me to put some in at her house. I think I may be busy! __________________ Tracy

March 23, 2012	#6
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	I would... if only there were more space... __________________ Tracy

March 23, 2012	#10
Elizabeth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: San Diego Coastal - Zone 10b Posts: 204	If you are looking for people to talk you out of a tomato addiction, you are definitely in the wrong place! I don't have a problem, no siree, I have space for 9 plants in my main garden, and I've started seeds of 46 varieties...ummmm. Shuffling off to buy more smartpots now..... __________________ Elizabeth If I'm going to water and care for a plant it had better give me food, flowers or shade.

March 23, 2012	#12
Mudman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NW Wisconsin Posts: 910	Last year I had about 30 plants squeezed in anywhere I could find room. This year I started about 50 varieties and plan on growing more than one of most of them. Oops. __________________ Mike

March 23, 2012	#2
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	Take a deep breath. Now throw away all your tomato seeds. Go to a big box store and buy some cucumber and pepper seeds ... ... never mind. Senior moment.

March 23, 2012	#5
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	If you guys think you have it bad, pity this customer. She ordered my whole list -- over 300 varieties !!! Carol

March 23, 2012	#9
delltraveller Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Iowa Posts: 481	I only have 72 varieties started....so far....

March 23, 2012	#13
Douglas14 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 602	I can definitely relate. I'm planning on growing at least a few varieties out at my brother's place(about 6 miles from me). This will let me trial a few more varieties than I would have otherwise.

March 23, 2012	#14
janezee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Whidbey Island, WA Zone 7, Sunset 5 Posts: 931	My mom goes to Chicago next week for 6 weeks. I already had plans for 6 tomatoes at her house, where she gets lots more sun/less fog than I. She offered to host 'some' tomatoes for me when I was saying how many had come up and that I was potting them up into cups already. Now, I'm planning on 12. Won't she be surprised when she comes home in May? j

March 23, 2012	#15
Boutique Tomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northeast Wisconsin, Zone 5a Posts: 1,109	We've had two dismal seasons in a row here; being the eternal optimist I figure we're due for a good one so I added another garden spot and have 200 tomato varieties started. One of these years I'll be right and end up with several tons of tomatoes. THEN it will annoy my wife when I give her the restaurant delivery route.