It's that time again ...
 

March is here and it's time to start planning the 2011 MAGTAG fest. I'm assuming that SW Area park in Baltimore is OK again this year. Any thoughts or suggestions?

I'm a little late with my seedlings, but Paul Robeson, Sungold, Black Cherry, DelMar, Chesapeake, and Brandywine are sprouting in the basement. Soon I'll be able to move them off the heat mat and replace them with some other varieties. I sure hope that this year's crop is more productive than last years!

Wow Cecelia I was just thinking of you. Last year I combined my trip to MAGTAG with a bridge tournament in Hunt Valley. I just 4 hours ago picked up the flyer for Hunt Valley which is Aug 15 to 21 this year. So thought I'd log on here and see when MAGTAG is planned for!

I cast my vote for Saturday Aug 20 same as last year.

Long-time MAGTAG attendedee Mary (Manure Queen) posted this on that other gardening site:

Hello Cecelia
I attended the Wash. Gardening Mag seed swap today. The president was commenting on the tomato tasting held in Va each Aug and mentioned that there was one in Baltimore that was an all day affair. I was able to give them the low-down on it including that we had a BLT bar and a tip-jar to help defray expenses.
Mary

Wow. Word is getting around ...

BTW, my seedlings are sprouting!

Cecelia, Gardener and Manure Queen,

Glad to hear that the word is spreading. I am for the 20th of August as well. Seems like a good time to do it. This year I am planting almost 30 varieties in my yard. I should be able to bring 10 to 20 of them depending on conditions. I am trying some green-when-ripes that are new.

I was impressed with Trudy's Absynth so I have some of those. Also, I got some Grub's Mystery Green and Green Doctor Frosted. As in years past I will also have Cherokee Green and for a second time I am trying Green Giant. I will regrow Morx Green and see if it tastes a little better. Hopefully I will have seeds from the greens available for all!

Further we should emphisize that folks should bring tomatoes for the tasting. I think we have gone overboard by ensuring to folks that they don't need to bring tomatoes if they have a bad year but this has been reinterpreted as, "We don't need to bring our tomatoes". Our operation is small-time so we need all the help we can get!

Also, even if the tomatoes are hybrids people would love to see how they taste for educational purposes if nothing else. It's not all about winning but about the love of tomatoes. :D

I want to see some Mountain Fresh this year... Hank??? ;)

Greg

Greg I will bring everything I can. Last year was my first year growing heirlooms, this year I hope to bring at least 8 varieties.

John

John,

Very cool! The more people and tomatoes the merrier.

If everyone just brought one tomato type we would have 36 varieties like that! Unfortunately Stinkbugs are supposed to be worse this year than last. They didn't destroy my tomatoes last year but they put a stop to my Peppers and Eggplant. I am hoping they don't affect my tomatoes this year.

Greg

Hey Cecilia,
We'll plan our year around whatever date is decided. No problem bringing whatever we can grow, Greg. Ah, Mountain Fresh. Everyone should try one plant to see. Thanks to previous meetings, we should have about 10 kinds to bring.
Hank and Cheryll

August 20 sounds fine to me. Shall we make it official? Not much response on the "other" gardening site.

Cecelia,

I just talked to DW (dear wife) and she says the 20th is great so we are on. Let me know the price of the pavilion and I will get you half.


Greg

I am so looking forward to this event. Have to plan what I am growing this year, but Purple Cherokee and Riesentraube are definitely on the list.

Gene from MI sent me some Bard's Black Heart seeds. That should be a good addition. I don't think we have ever had one of those!

Greg

I was at Lowe's to buy an 11 cent bolt and they had the really good 54" tomato cages so I bought 4 more and will expand my tomato space by 50% this year. 12 plants instead of 8.

Funny how you go to buy an 11 cent item and end up spending $30.

Nothing like expanding the garden. It keeps happening to me every year wether I like it or not :-) This year DowAgrow paid to remove some contaminated soil from my garden. The results were that they dug a 3.5 foot deep, swiming pool sized hole in my front yard. It was then filled with the best possible growing medium. I may add leaf compost to it this fall or next spring. This will radically affect my garden. I can't wait to see what I can grow in a garden with growing medium 3.5 feet deep!

Greg