!! THE RACE FOR JUNE TOMATOES IS ON !!

[Duh_Vinci]

Apple - truly amazing how quickly those guys can grow, isn't it?

kimbledawn - there will be more, I promise!

Gixx - enjoy your trip! I know you'll come back to a basket full!

Stalla/mtmickey - nothing wrong with July tomatoes, that's when I get most of the main crop. Just this time I decided to take a chance and plant early. Good luck you guys!

Tomatoes are coming in pretty much by a handful every day now. Bursztyn, Taxi and Stupice have shared their fruits now as well, and Noire de Crimee ripened first two fruits (50 days from the transplant)

[img]https://drphotography.smugmug.com/Garden/2010-Garden/2010firsttomatos0605/890383683_E6c55-XL.jpg[/img]

Taxi, Stupice and few more Bursztyns didn't exactly make it into the group above (or into the house for that matter - eaten in the garden =) )

Happy growing to all!

Regards,
D

[stella1751]

Duh_Vinci, I can never get enough of your gorgeous photos! You are without a doubt the best produce photographer I have ever seen. Have you ever considered submitting some of your shots to one of the garden catalogs or garden magazines? You are an artiste, honest.

[stella1751]

Stella, you've got a deal. I'm in the Northwestern Montana and so excited because last night it quit raining long enough for me to get the tomato and pepper plants in the ground It was a hell of a muddy planting session, but sure did good for the soul and things look good today, even in the pouring rain. Tomorrow we have a chance of sun, so maybe I'll get a few more things in the garden.

Mtmickey, I checked out Ronan on the map and decided you definitely qualify for our select July tomato Jubilee. I thought Ronan sounded a little familiar. I grew up in Eastport, Idaho, where my father was the chief agent for the Porthill, Eastport, and Troy, MT, ports of entry. I also lived in Sunburst for my first few years of grade school. Casper, Wyoming, may be a tad balmy, compared to your country

I need to caution you that I set my tomatoes out on May 10 this year. They haven't done much but develop some serious nervous tics, but lately I'm seeing growth. Because you appear to be in a mountainous region, though, I'll give you a one-week handicap. Maybe two weeks . . .

[mtmickey]

I need to caution you that I set my tomatoes out on May 10 this year. They haven't done much but develop some serious nervous tics, but lately I'm seeing growth. Because you appear to be in a mountainous region, though, I'll give you a one-week handicap. Maybe two weeks . . .

I'll take that handicap. Today is actually beautiful and sunny (so far)...gonna get some more plants in the ground. So far the tomatoes are looking good, not wilting or anything. Yeehaw!!!

[Duh_Vinci]

Stella,

You are too kind Photography is just a hobby for me, unfortunately don't have as much time to devote to it, but still enjoy it.

... They haven't done much but develop some serious nervous tics, but lately I'm seeing growth...

LOL they'd do it to you alright!

First tomato that was actually was "slicing" worthy, Noire de Crimee (whole in the picture above):

[img]https://drphotography.smugmug.com/Garden/2010-Garden/2010noiredecrimee0605/890398132_hdBer-XL.jpg[/img]

More ripening on that vine, very early 42-43 days from transplant. Tasty - yes, but still prefer Cherokee Purple and Black from Tula from "black" varieties. Though I have 6-7 other variety of "blacks" growing that I've not tried before, who knows, may find another favorite?

Regards,
D

[gixxerific]

Dang looking good there D_V, not just the photos we know you are so great with.

Your making my mouth water for some fresh mators. Like you said I'm sure I will have a bunch ready I get back on Wed. There was quite a bit getting ready before I left.

That photo makes me want to go home now, well that and that fact that is hot a hades here in Orlando.

[kimbledawn]

I am so furious That is a beautiful mater d_v. The squirrels took my second tomato too I refuse to buy a tomato and the little rats are stealing mine. I am going out of my mind, checking the garden, looking for maters!!!!

Dh said that maybe we'll have to let them ripen indoors What!!! Thats not vine ripened!! Guys what am I going to do!

[applestar]

Oh! How infuriating! I think you need to rig a cage around just the tomato fruit, or the tomato plant, or the garden bed.

DV - lovely tomatoes. What kind of surface where they sitting on to get those soft shadows?

[Duh_Vinci]

kimbledawn - completely understand your frustration! Our previous house was in a large subdivision with tons of old oak trees = squirrels like you've never seen before (number wise). Couldn't keep any fruits, so I eventually gave up trying for years. I have NO oak trees on my property now, and I have no squirrels! As apple said - maybe a some chicken wire around the cage?

As for removing tomatoes from the vine little earlier, I was talking to a nice old man while back at the farmers market. We got to talk about how much we both enjoy the taste of Brandywine Sudduth's, but how prone it is to cracking under the rain. What he does, if a rains are coming, any fruits that are showing colors - he removes, into the dark pantry, upside-down (laying on their shoulder), and in in his opinion - no degradation in taste. Try it?

Apple - one of those square plates, light is coming from the deck doors and the skylight.

BTW, two more Noire de Crimee to day, and the taste (intensity of flavor) is definitely up, very noticeably! Fresh bread, baby mozzarella cheese, fresh basil = yummmmm!

Happy growing all!

Regards,
D

[rainbowgardener]

Lots of you are way ahead of me, obviously. But here's my entry in the June tomato race, still on track to eat a ripe tomato before the month is out.
(Sorry for the blurriness, my camera just doesn't do the nice close ups some of you can):

[img]https://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt102/rainbowgardener/4024%20Paddock%20garden/june-tomatoes.jpg[/img]

I can't even call it blushed, but they are paler green!

[applestar]

Look what I found hiding under some leaves!
[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/Image7078.jpg[/img]
The smaller one is about golf ball size. This is Moskvich, Jr. (2nd generation from saved seeds).

[Duh_Vinci]

Apple, RG - looks like you will be getting your ripe fruit soon too!

RG - Point and Shoot cameras can be a little tricky at times, when it comes to the close-up (since you have less control of the focus, unlike DSLR). I have one and still use it at times. What I find to be useful, on the close-up, always switch "macro mode", and have to "half press" the shutter button more than once to ensure that the focus is catching on. The advantage to P&S cameras it's inherited large DOF (Depth Of Field, how much of the subject is in focus), much larger than those of equivalent settings on DSLR with precision interchangeable lenses, where at the same settings, that DOF can be razor thin...

Regards,
D

[gixxerific]

Go away for a week and this happens.

[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/Gardening/DSC03824.jpg[/img]

Something else weird happened I went to Disney World I get back and find these growing in my garden could it be a coincidence?

[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/Gardening/DSC03723.jpg[/img]

[applestar]

That is a really cool sculpture/garden ornament. What is it made of?

[Ozark Lady]

Hey, I think I see the beginnings of some buds... So, just maybe July tomatoes!

[gixxerific]

That is a really cool sculpture/garden ornament. What is it made of?

Not sure what it's made of, whatever the Disney "imagineers" to make that kind of stuff. Here are a few more.

[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/Gardening/DSC03722.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/Gardening/DSC03721.jpg[/img]

[Duh_Vinci]

Dono - so nice to come home, isn't it? Good looking produce! And looks like you have some Black Cherry after all =)

Tomatoes on the left - what are they?

Regards,
D

[hendi_alex]

Tomatoes, tomatoes everywhere. Are coming off like crazy now. Filled one bowl, filled a second bowl, then a third bowl, and now have an additional couple of dozen slicers sitting in most every available space in the house. Last week sent about 8-10 pounds to work with my wife. Gave a batch to one neighbor a few days ago. Then today sent five very large slicers home with my closest friend and neighbor. This is a dream season so far. have been exporting zucchini, cucumbers, egg plant, and tomatoes for about a week or longer.

[Decado]

Well my tomatoes that I put in Wall'O'Waters are quite big now, and I already have small green tomatoes. There's a good chance that I'll have ripe ones by the 4th of July. I imagine that's quite a feat for zone 4.

[stella1751]

Well my tomatoes that I put in Wall'O'Waters are quite big now, and I already have small green tomatoes. There's a good chance that I'll have ripe ones by the 4th of July. I imagine that's quite a feat for zone 4.

As a fellow zone 4-er, I am giving you a high five, Decado. Yes, that is quite a feat! I had been hoping for the same thing, but I don't see any tomatoes yet. I think they're there, but I don't want to mess with the blossoms to find out.

Tomorrow's high will be 43. Color me worried

[rainbowgardener]

My tomato plants definitely survived weather colder than that, down in the 30's, after they were in the ground (that was back in April!). I did cover them and they were fine. They didn't have blossoms on them yet, though. So the cold weather could trigger some blossom drop and you would have to start over on the quest for ripe tomatoes. But your plants if well hardened off should be fine.

[gixxerific]

Dono - so nice to come home, isn't it? Good looking produce! And looks like you have some Black Cherry after all =)

Tomatoes on the left - what are they?

Regards,
D

Not sure what those are. Maybe some BFT. To the right of those I believe is a brandywine. Than Black Cherry's and Isis candy and another mystery at the top right.

I have about given up on my labeling. I thoroughly screwed up somewhere. All the Black Cherry I have Were supposed to Spiridonovskie. And well not sure on the others. We will just have to wait and see.

I'm beginning to think the little ones at top right that I thought were Black Chery's area actually Spiridonovskie.

[applestar]

Alright Gixx, I know you get used to your own codes -- I have QAG and QAR peppers, for example, and let's see, PBT-D and B&BB tomatoes. What is BFT?

Rainbowgardener, about taking close-up photos, I find standing AWAY from the subject and using the tele-zoom upto approx. middle of the camera's range capability works well.

[gixxerific]

Alright Gixx, I know you get used to your own codes -- I have QAG and QAR peppers, for example, and let's see, PBT-D and B&BB tomatoes. What is BFT?

Rainbowgardener, about taking close-up photos, I find standing AWAY from the subject and using the tele-zoom upto approx. middle of the camera's range capability works well.

Black From Tula, I knew D_V would understand.

[Decado]

Rainbowgardener, about taking close-up photos, I find standing AWAY from the subject and using the tele-zoom upto approx. middle of the camera's range capability works well.

Ya it actually looks more like you were focused on the wrong area and less of a close up problem RBG.

[Brandywinegirl]

Cool!! I have tomatoes on all 15 of my plants and can't believe that by the end of June I will have some Cherry Tomatoes ripe & ready to eat. Has anyone tried growing Porterhouse Hybrid tomato seeds? Amazing!! Lastyear mine were 1-2 pounds each.

[garden5]

I'm glad to know I'm not alone, Gix. I planted seed that was supposed to be Eggplant. I then put the row in alongside my tomatoes. Guess what, you can't tell the difference, these are definitely tomatoes and I know that nothing was mis-labeled (at least on my part).

I guess there was a mix-up at the seed factory in the "labeler machine." Oh well, at least now I can look forward to some mystery tomatoes .

[rainbowgardener]

I planted seeds as part of my indoor seed starting this early spring that were supposed to be thyme. Guess what, they turned out to be some kind of mint! I was very disappointed/ irritated -- I did NOT need more mint and every blasted one of those seeds sprouted and turned into a mint plant... Mint plants are even hard to give away. Anybody that has any interest in it already has a lot!

[applestar]

Yeah. I tried that with a neighbor of mine. Took her a box of uprooted peppermints. She turned to her husband and said "She's trying to give me MINT PLANTS!" I came home with my box of peppermints to put in my "English Ivy and Mint dry compost pile" but she did accept the Japanese Parsley. I DID warn her that it's at least as invasive as mint if you let it reseed itself.

[TZ -OH6]

I have first blush on my early started, potted Stupice (small red), with a big yellow sure to follow (Native Sun). The garden plants are just now starting to bloom so my potted earlies will have to hold me until the end of July. I actually broke down and tasted a store bought tomato two days ago.... and spit it out. I totally understand people who say they don't like tomatoes.

It looks like it might be another bad Late Blight year so these might be the only tomatoes I get this season.

[jerseyguy1996]

Not sure if it counts, but I picked my first cherry tomato today.....red and beautiful!

[Liska]

Nothing I can pick yet, but one of my plants has 9 baby cherry tomatoes on it! And lots more flowers to go along with it- wooO! They're getting bigger every day, about the size of my thumb now, so maybe I'll get one in the next few weeks

[rainbowgardener]

My Ultimate Opener tomato pictured on p. 13 is now officially blushed! Definitely ahead of the Early Girls!

[applestar]

In a different thread,

On June 5, I took down one of the trees shading it, and it got a little better.

... You'd go to any length for The Race, eh?

[Ozark Lady]

I have lots of blooms in June, so getting something!

[Duh_Vinci]

In a different thread,

On June 5, I took down one of the trees shading it, and it got a little better.

... You'd go to any length for The Race, eh?

No kidding!!! So you will have a June tomato afterall

Regards,
D

[rainbowgardener]

In a different thread,

On June 5, I took down one of the trees shading it, and it got a little better.

... You'd go to any length for The Race, eh?

whatever it takes!!

No kidding!!! So you will have a June tomato after all!

I will indeed! Since the sun came out the last couple days, they've been making good progress and I have several blushed tomatoes. If we would have a couple more days of sun, I will have ripe tomatoes very soon!

[garden5]

Well, it's June and I do have tomatoes on the plants (had to put them in May 1)......so I guess, technically, I do have "June tomatoes."

[albucsfan]

Picked my first Brandywine a few days ago....we sliced it into BLT's before anyone got a chance to take a picture (so I don't expect it count) (I got really lucky with the weather, because I put them in the ground in late march!!)

But YUM!!

Even the boy (who doesn't eat tomatoes...he says they are "too juicy") seemed to really enjoy it....

As far as the grape tomatoes go, my little girl (2 years old) picks and eats them all before anyone else gets a chance, so I have no idea how may of those we've gotten

[rainbowgardener]

[img]https://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt102/rainbowgardener/June_R_tomatoes.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt102/rainbowgardener/June_R_tomatoes2.jpg[/img]

From left they are Big Beef, Ultimate Opener, Early Girl.

In the sliced picture, the middle one, UO, was sliced top to bottom, the other two were sliced cross ways, that's why it looks different.

Taste test: the EG was watery, bland and disappointing. The UO was tarter and tomato-ier, better. The BB was a little less acid than the UO, but very tomato-y and flavorful. Probably I would rate it by a small margin better than the UO, but that would partly be personal preference.

Breakfast this AM was three tomatoes!

I think I will give up on the EG's after this... The Ultimate Opener beat it in speed of ripening and taste as well as size, so why grow EG's any more!

First time I've actually done the head to head taste test like that; it was interesting and revealing.

(Something else interesting, if you click to enlarge, you see the cropped and edited version, other wise you are looking at the original. I don't know why that is.)