I know you can't really see it, but the tomatoes are very productive and should be ready to start eating next week! The Japanese tomato rings for the cherry tomatoes has had everyone asking what I'm doing there. But the number of cherry tomatoes and the health of the plants has convinced me that I will do the cherry toms like this forever more!The big garden is really starting to take off as well. Pictures are hard to capture the true size and health of the garden, but it's gonna be great! The first planting of okra has started to set blooms already (the first set was about 200 plants!) and the second planting is getting off to a good start. The birds have eaten the tops off a few, but they can be replaced, but as thick and healthy as they are I probably won't bother.
I didn't take any pictures of the long 162' garden, but there are thirty tomato plants, with onions, garlic, and sunflowers in between that seem to like the new soil. Today has been tomato grooming day. I have never really like tomato vines that are too thick to work in. I trim away any leaves that are dragging the ground to prevent any soil-borne bacteria or fungus, tie up the vines so that there is easy access to the entire plant (not to mention good airflow), and those suckers must come off! Then a quick scan of the tomatoes and to knock off any blooms that stick to them, a quick feed with water and nutrients, and I'm done! (I didn't tell you that this took almost all day since I have around a hundred plants!)
I have tomatoes down pat. I have always been successful with tomatoes, be it in a garden or on the deck in pots. They are easy, you just have to remember to follow the easy gardening rules. It takes less time to groom them than it does to try to figure out what the problem is when they don't produce or the vines start dying! My brother-in-law next door has really nice tomato plants - but he doesn't groom. He thinks it's sacriligious or something to break off leaves or limbs. Of course he has no tomatoes, and his vines usually live a very short life, but if he won't listen....?
Now I am on to other vegetables and try to sort out the secrets of mass production!
On a side note - did you hear about all the people getting sick from the salmonella tainted tomatoes? We will pray for their recovery, and for the CDC or the FDA to figure out where the problem came from. It just makes more sense to grow your own. At least you know where your food comes from and that it is safe to eat. I hope to inspire someone to get out and grow - it's the best thing you can do for yourself and your family's health. Not bad at relieving stress, either!
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