Summertime Already... Next?

Keger · June 22, 2012

It's been a lot of fun and a lot of learning this first market season. My spring crop is about played out. Everything has done well. Lost a few plants to stuff, about 10 or so out of 200. Averaged about 60lb a plant that was usable.

This weekend I am going to pull Romas and a few cherry's that are about done. Next week it is going to turn 100*+ and I expect most of it to be done from the spring planting.

I know I am going to comcentrate on peppers and eggplant, good ole southern peas in the heat, but I am going to try some solar fire and a little summer stuff as an experiment.

Do I want to bother cutting back any of the spring varieties or just start new?

feldon30 · June 22, 2012

After 3 years of trying fall gardens and getting limited-to-no success, if I were market gardening in Houston and surrounding area, I'd focus on cherries and a few medium varieties like Black and Brown Boar and maybe Momotaro. Those last two seem to retain their flavor even as chilly nights show up.

I'd try to focus on other plants as much as possible. Tomatoes are great, but the window of productivity is so narrow. May 15th through July 7th if you really get lucky and are on the ball with everything.

As for cutting back plants, I know some people have had success. Personally, I start new transplants.

jhp · June 22, 2012

60 lbs per plant!

Holy cow! That would mean... 200 plants @ 60 lbs each... equals... 12,000 lbs of usable tomatoes??????????? Whoa.

Keger · June 23, 2012

I agree feldon, going to do a lot of crowder peas and so on, which will be great to till in when they are done. Focusing on eggplant, peppers, but I dont want to fight okra.

I am really leaning to transplants.

Keger · June 23, 2012

yeah JH, yhat a little much in the usable catagory I guess. About half that made it to sellable, and about half that gets sold. Lotsa loss through the deal.

All I know for sure is that I am REAL tired..

June 22, 2012	#1
Keger Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Richmond, TX Posts: 327	Summertime Already... Next? It's been a lot of fun and a lot of learning this first market season. My spring crop is about played out. Everything has done well. Lost a few plants to stuff, about 10 or so out of 200. Averaged about 60lb a plant that was usable. This weekend I am going to pull Romas and a few cherry's that are about done. Next week it is going to turn 100*+ and I expect most of it to be done from the spring planting. I know I am going to comcentrate on peppers and eggplant, good ole southern peas in the heat, but I am going to try some solar fire and a little summer stuff as an experiment. Do I want to bother cutting back any of the spring varieties or just start new?

June 22, 2012	#2
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	After 3 years of trying fall gardens and getting limited-to-no success, if I were market gardening in Houston and surrounding area, I'd focus on cherries and a few medium varieties like Black and Brown Boar and maybe Momotaro. Those last two seem to retain their flavor even as chilly nights show up. I'd try to focus on other plants as much as possible. Tomatoes are great, but the window of productivity is so narrow. May 15th through July 7th if you really get lucky and are on the ball with everything. As for cutting back plants, I know some people have had success. Personally, I start new transplants. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

June 22, 2012	#3
jhp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Danbury, CT Posts: 464	60 lbs per plant! Holy cow! That would mean... 200 plants @ 60 lbs each... equals... 12,000 lbs of usable tomatoes??????????? Whoa.

June 23, 2012	#4
Keger Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Richmond, TX Posts: 327	I agree feldon, going to do a lot of crowder peas and so on, which will be great to till in when they are done. Focusing on eggplant, peppers, but I dont want to fight okra. I am really leaning to transplants.