Tomato Plants

[HawgWild]

Anyone else started theirs? This picture was taken a week ago. Got another tray with tomatoes and peppers.

[Boarcephus]

A guy I work with does it the way you do but he gets into the exotic tomato plants.  I'm not sure he even grows a red one but I bet he puts out 25-30 plants.  Same with super hot peppers.

My wife's birthday is in the first week of April and we've always taken the first weekend and we hit every nursery in nw Arkansas.  I get my tomatoes and pepper plants and whatever she wants to plant, get a bite to eat out and make it a day.  I only put out 9 or 10 plants so it's worth it to me to pick out the healthiest ones and go from there.

[LSUFan]

In before Pharm hog starts posting mater pics and wagging his pecker around about how he has too many

[Boarcephus]

In before Pharm hog starts posting mater pics and wagging his pecker around about how he has too many

LOL!!

I need to come up with a way to prevent that blight I get every year.  I get one good rush of tomatoes but never any late except for my Juliet tomatoes which tend to outlive it.  Tried something different this past year and cleaned out all my mulch instead of tilling it in.  I'll hit it with a concoction of baby shampoo/bleach mixture and see if that helps.

[Boog41]

I wish Hawg.....

I'm officially giving up on growing tomatoes. I think I have too many oak trees hanging around in my yard. Most of the blooms never produce fruit and when they do, they are very small. The vines grow great, but that's it.

[DeltaBoy]

Mom and Dad got 2 flats going on the front porch.

[PharmacistHog]

I'm scaling back this year. I havent even plowed up my garden this year. I'm gonna try my hand at some muscadines and other grapes and scale the veggies back. My garden sucked last year with all the rain. Gonna try and keep it a little easier to manage. I'll just buy plants from farmer down south.

[PorkRinds]

I'm scaling back this year. I havent even plowed up my garden this year. I'm gonna try my hand at some muscadines and other grapes and scale the veggies back. My garden sucked last year with all the rain. Gonna try and keep it a little easier to manage. I'll just buy plants from farmer down south.

My momma's muscadine jelly is a little piece of heaven.

[PharmacistHog]

I had a friend give me a few gallons of muscadines last year. I made some pretty good jelly, especially for a first effort. My specialty is jalapeno jelly.

[HawgWild]

My specialty is jalapeno jelly.

Do you use Mrs Wages in this recipe as well?

I had a friend give me a few gallons of muscadines last year.

I saw where Post Winery sells muscadine juice. I'm going to stop by there next time I'm nearby and see about picking up a few gallons to make wine.

[PharmacistHog]

Do you use Mrs Wages in this recipe as well?

I saw where Post Winery sells muscadine juice. I'm going to stop by there next time I'm nearby and see about picking up a few gallons to make wine.

So now you gotta make fun of my mrs wages?

I made two batches of muscadine jelly. The first was just plain but the second I added some port wine and made a " muscadine wine jelly". Its some pretty good stuff.

[HawgWild]

So now you gotta make fun of my mrs wages?

I thought that was good for everything? I'm going to mix some up into a poultice to put on my knee. 

[PharmacistHog]

I thought that was good for everything? I'm going to mix some up into a poultice to put on my knee. 

Its got mustard in it so it probably would actually help. 

By the way, that stuff makes darned good pickles and pickled peppers.

[HawgWild]

By the way, that stuff makes darned good pickles and pickled peppers.

Yes it does, I'm using your recipe for pickled Jalapenos. 

[toshortrock]

i'm ready,i planted onion and some spuds before all this crap started,so i might have to replant,but yes,i will plant my 50 tomatoe plants like i do everyyear,and we just ate the last bag last week from last year plants,,i'm ready,,where s d sun,,lol

[Boarcephus]

Anyone else started theirs? This picture was taken a week ago. Got another tray with tomatoes and peppers.

Looking at your pics.  I plant the Cherokee Purples and tried the Black Krim last year.  Wasn't too impressed with that one but the CP's have been a winner for quite a few years.  I generally go with the Juliets, Jet Stars and a couple of Better Boys.

[HawgWild]

I plant all heirlooms. Neither the Cherokee Purple or Black Krim did well for me last year but I'm giving them another try. The Amana Orange (off to the left) Garden Peach, Vintage Wine and White Beauty (both in another flat) did the best for me last year. New this year is the Oaxacan Jewel and the two cherry types.

[Boarcephus]

I plant all heirlooms. Neither the Cherokee Purple or Black Krim did well for me last year but I'm giving them another try. The Amana Orange (off to the left) Garden Peach, Vintage Wine and White Beauty (both in another flat) did the best for me last year. New this year is the Oaxacan Jewel and the two cherry types.

Have you ever tried the Juliet's for your cherry tomatoes?  They're a grape tomato that I've planted for years.  Little larger than the cherry with kind of a roma tomato shape and produce well.

[HawgWild]

Never tried a Juliet. Thanks for the tip. I'll look for one at Lowes and/or the Co-op.

[Boarcephus]

Never tried a Juliet. Thanks for the tip. I'll look for one at Lowes and/or the Co-op.

I plant one each year and that is plenty.  The tomatoes grow in clusters like grapes.  Great taste and as I said, larger than cherry tomatoes.

[PharmacistHog]

I plant a few black cherry tomato plants. They are a darker color but almost tri-colored of purple, green, and red. They seem to produce forever and have a great taste.

[Pigasaurus]

I plant all heirlooms. Neither the Cherokee Purple or Black Krim did well for me last year but I'm giving them another try. The Amana Orange (off to the left) Garden Peach, Vintage Wine and White Beauty (both in another flat) did the best for me last year. New this year is the Oaxacan Jewel and the two cherry types.

My cherokee purples produced very well but rotted within days of being picked and put on kitchen counter.  Maybe I need to give a little wash after picking?

[Boarcephus]

My cherokee purples produced very well but rotted within days of being picked and put on kitchen counter.  Maybe I need to give a little wash after picking?

I've heard that is typical of the CP's.  They have a very thin skin and when you pick them you need to be ready to eat them.   They're a very low acid tomato and we love them but they will not keep like the Better Boys, Jet Stars, etc.

[DeltaBoy]

Love Better Boys and Those Early Girls.  With the Early Girls I get maters last week of May to 3 week of June at the latest.

[Boll Hawg]

I mentioned this in a post a while back, but never tried it.  An older woman that I work with swears that putting a few tomato plants in a hay bale works great.  She just digs out a hole big enough for the plant and drops it in.  Just like you'd plant anywhere else.  I can't wait to try it out this year.   

[PorkRinds]

I mentioned this in a post a while back, but never tried it.  An older woman that I work with swears that putting a few tomato plants in a hay bale works great.  She just digs out a hole big enough for the plant and drops it in.  Just like you'd plant anywhere else.  I can't wait to try it out this year.   

Seen it done, and it does work.

[crispy crittr]

I mentioned this in a post a while back, but never tried it.  An older woman that I work with swears that putting a few tomato plants in a hay bale works great.  She just digs out a hole big enough for the plant and drops it in.  Just like you'd plant anywhere else.  I can't wait to try it out this year.   

Seen it done, and it does work.

I've grown my tomatoes this way the last two years after seeing the post.
You need to Google "straw bale gardening" to get the info on how to prepare the straw bale. You need to start now.
My tomatoes have been slow to get going, then take off and do great. It was the same with my cucumbers and bush beans.
One of the benefits of this is that you don't have to bend over as far to harvest and almost no weeds.
Be sure to use straw bales and set them out like it says in the instructions.

[crispy crittr]

My straw bales mid season last summer. I was about 2-3 weeks behind others on my tomatoes.

[LSUFan]

I've grown my tomatoes this way the last two years after seeing the post.
You need to Google "straw bale gardening" to get the info on how to prepare the straw bale. You need to start now.
My tomatoes have been slow to get going, then take off and do great. It was the same with my cucumbers and bush beans.
One of the benefits of this is that you don't have to bend over as far to harvest and almost no weeds.
Be sure to use straw bales and set them out like it says in the instructions.

+1 for the info

[DeltaBoy]

That is a good Idea.