Tomatoes!

[draclvr]

So, some of the guys didn't believe Dave when he said he could get lost in the tomato forest. Hah!

[JKEerie]

Wow, Drac! Those tomato plants are huge and so full! They must love growing in your garden!

[Val]

Now I understand the bumper crop each year! Your soil and climate must just be perfect for them. ♥

[draclvr]

Yes, Val, they do like hot and humid which is our climate to a "T." The soil is pretty crappy clay type, but I keep it well composted and that helps. Heading out right now to "get lost!" I have to change clothes into a white T shirt and old jeans because when I come out, I am green! I can throw the clothes into a good bleach wash to get the green out.

[LadyKestrel]

Wow! You and Dave are the tomato champs, Drac!

[draclvr]

And we cut back *cough, cough* this year to only about 85 plants.

[Diat60]

What variety are you growing, Drac? We only have a few backyard plants, but plenty for the two of us. This year we planted a variety called, wait for it, "HEINZ"! It been very productive so far with several dozen toms, enough for us and some for the kids.

[draclvr]

This year I'm growing mostly Cherokee Purple and Big Beef. I also have 6 Aker's West Virginia and 6 Virginia Sweets. Then at the other end of the garden I have 32 paste tomatoes - 16 Opalkas and 16 Mama Leone's. I tried a new one they sent me a trial package of called Comstock. So far I'm impressed enough that I may grow it next year. I also have about half a dozen cherry and grape types in there!

[Kickaha]

Wow - I think of tomatoes as something that has to be grown inside a greenhouse!

[mbday630]

i have canned 20 quarts of tomatoes so far this year. I have about 10 plants. but now they have the tomato blight so I don't think I will be getting much more. My grand daughter helped with the first batch and that was her first year of canning so she might be a big help in the years to come.

[draclvr]

That's pretty impressive for 10 plants, mbday!!

I sprayed mine with fungicide twice and I have very little early blight this year. Mine are still going strong and as long as it stays warm at night, there are hundreds out there that will ripen. Got about 19 pints of salsa, 20 pints of pizza sauce, 14 quarts of spaghetti sauce and 14 quarts of tomato soup so far. Will probably give some of it away. Got lots of the chili sauce left over from last year.