Some of Anne's 9a Garden 5-1-13

[aclum]

Hi,

I don't want to hijack other's treads entirely <g> and because I have so many photos, I thought I'd start a separate thread.

I'm attaching some photos of some of my plants that have set fruit. I think they're sort of interesting - esp. comparing all the hybrids, some of which others are growing as well as the goose creek that I know alot of people are growing. As I've mentioned elsewhere, I've been using mainly grandeur, katana, and sometimes momotaro for my rootstocks in grafting.

The first group of photos is from the "hybid section" of the garden with Dona F1 and then the 4 Japanese hybrids in order: Grandeur, Katana, Momotaro, and Odoriko. Following the individual photos is a group photo of the 5 of them.

I've also got a photo of my PL Brandwine OTV, that has my largest tomato so far - 3-1/2", a group of the PL Lucky Cross and KBX with their grafts which, for some reason (guess cuz they're so "big and strapping" LOL!), I think of as "the boys."

I took a photo of my Santa Clara Canner on Momotaro because I had a photo in the grafting thread of the ungrafted version. And I've got a photo of my goose creek (pink version).

And, finally, I have an overview of the east end of my garden where you can sort of make out 3 rows. In the foreground are the hillbillies and then "the boys." The middle row is the 5 hybrids, then an ungrafted goose creek and 2 OTVs (RL and PL) and 2 Purple Dog Creeks (RL and PL). None of the tomatoes in this row happen to be grafted. In the very back row, if you can make it out, are a Dr Lyle I'm growing to 3 stems, then "the wispys" - Wolford Wonder, Wes, and Prue with their grafts, followed by the SCCs.

I'm really happy with the fruitset I'm getting and attribute it to the use of the toothbrush to help with the pollinization.

Anne

[JamesL]

Looking great Anne!

[rnewste]

Wow, I am really impressed! Looks like you will have a bountiful harvest this Season.


Raybo

[Tom A To]

That is a serious tomato garden you have there. Looks like you've progressed beyond the Burpee Big Boy in the tomato cage phase.

When you grow that many, in raised beds, do you exchange the soil with fresh material from time to time? Just curious...

[kath]

Great job, Anne- so nice & neat, too!

kath

[aclum]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the nice words! Raybo, I'm pretty impressed with your EarthTainer Farm too! Your latest photos are impressive as always. Yeah, I do expect a bountiful harvest - not quite sure what I'll do with it all!

James, I hope you can get your garden in soon - horrible weather some people are having this year. It's been about perfect out my way .
Tom, I guess I'm a bit above the beginner stage, but nothing compared to some people on this forum!!

I had the raised beds built and filled with composted county "green yard waste" when we moved here about 6 years ago. (Had it tested by a lab to make sure it was suitable for veggies). I removed any big clumps of stuff and other undesirables and smoothed things out and started planting. Haven't turned over the soil or added any bagged materials over the years. I'll sometimes fertilize a bit at planting out and, rarely, use some dilute MG, but that about it. I bsically just weed, plant, water, and harvest (and weed some more).

Anne

[aclum]

Thanks Kath! I really like the string trellis method and pruning to one or two stems- makes it much easier to keep things organized (first year I've tried this).

Anne

[whistech]

Wow! Those are some great looking tomato plants. I noticed that the momotaro didn't have any tomatoes on the plant. Is it a later tomato, and if you have grown it before, how is the taste?

[LDx4]

Anne,

Your garden is beautiful! And your tomatoes are already so large -- I'm jealous! Most of my tomatoes are no bigger than golf balls right now -- you've certainly got a green thumb .
Lyn

[aclum]

Hi Lyn,

Thanks! I got a really early start this year, set the plants out very early with black plastic mulch to help warm the soil and a temporary plastic sheeting greenhouse type structure that I'd close up over the plants at night until the nights warmed up. All that really made a difference - plus fortunate weather conditions.

Wishtech,

If you look closely or enlarge the photo more you'll see a couple of small momotaros towards the lower left corner of the photo. I haven't grown momotaro before but it seems to get rave reviews from everyone who has grown it. I can't remember how big the plants were compared to the others when I set them out, but the fruitset on the momotaro was a bit later than I expected - no telling why.

Anne

[aclum]

]Hi,

Here"s an update for part of my garden - my "big" tomato bed with about 1/3 of my tomatoes.

To get a good look at things, you'll probably have to magnify the images and scroll through things. BTW, I just recently learned that you can enlarge (or shrink) the image on the screen by holding down the control key and using the scroll on your mouse to enlarge or shrink the screen images.

Anyway, I've labeled the pics in the file name. Here's a rundown of what's in each row with the fruit count and vine count for each plant in ():

First image is an overview of the bed. The bed in the forground contains 4 types of corn, Christmas lima beans, and Sarah's Choice canteloupe.

In the "big bed".......

Row 1 looking west to east:

Noir de Crimee RL (not?) - 13 (2)
Noir de Crimee PL (not) - 42 (2)
Black Krim - 14 (2)
Indian Stripe - 11 (3)
Indian Stripe grafted onto Prue - 7 (2)
Indian Stripe grafted onto Momotaro - 13 (2)
Amazon Chocolate RL - 10 (2)
Amazon Chocolate RL grafted onto Momotaro - 6 (1)
Vorlon - 14 (2)
Vorlon grafted onto Katana - 13 (2)

Row 2 looking east to west:

Mexico grafted onto Momotaro - 1 (2)
Mexico grafted onto Grandeur - 5 (2)
Mexico - 5 (1)
Mortgage Lifter - Estlers grafted onto Grandeur - 5 (1)
Mortgage Lifter - Estler's - 11 (2)
Prue grafted onto Momotaro - 0 (1)
Gary'O Sena grafted onto Katana - 5 (2)
Gary'O Sena - 13 (2)

Once they reach the top bar, I'll let them droop over then train them back down the second portion of line I have for each vine.

I'm really liking this trellising and heavy pruning - and the electric toothbrush!!
I've got some bugs and occasional diseased looking leaves (that I've just been cutting off), but on the whole things have been going great so far this year.

Anyway, enjoy and I'll post some more photos of my other tomatoes in a couple of days or so.

Anne

[aclum]

Hi Again,

Got mixed up on some of the photos. Here, hopefully, is the correct overview shot.

Also, sorry for the poor photo quality - don't have the greatest camera in the world....

Anne

[greyghost]

Really a neat and impressive garden. Thanks for posting photos!

[z_willus_d]

Hi Anne, I just found this thread. Your tomatoes all look phenomenal. I might have to switch back to single vine training with the goalie trellis setup again, looking at what you and others like Marla are accomplishing. I thought I'd get more and less sun-scalded fruit using, yes, the large 18" Burpee cages and letting the vines branch out, but it doesn't seem like it so far.

I'm curious how those hybrids do for you, both in production and in taste. I see others like Raybo like to grow them, but I'm not convinced yet. If they taste as good as or better than the best OP heirlooms, I'd try them out.

Please provide comparisons of same variety grafted vs. ungrafted plants. I'd like to know how size, productivity, health, etc. compare.

Keep posting the goodies.
Thanks,
Naysen

[aclum]

Hi,

I've been busy taking photos (trying to keep up with Raybo and others <g>) and am attaching a bunch of updated photos. They're pretty much all labeled, but I'll add a few comments.

I've got some of the usual tomato photos (including my line-up of hybrids), plus photos of other plants and projects. Have tried a bunch of different varieties so far, but only the Dona and Odoriko as far as the hybrids go. Both were very good, but expect them to get better as the season progresses. Wes, Vorlon, KBX, Amazon Chocolate, Indian Stripe, and Brandywine OTV have all been wonderful, but the one big unexpected surprise was Santa Clara Canner. I've never grown it before and the taste really knocked my socks off. It's my current favorite but I'm sure things will change as the season progresses.

I've got a couple of photos of DIY projects. As I have some medical problems, I use either a wheelchair or walker and really don't "do ladders." Our step stool steps are just a bit too tall for me, so I made an intermediate step and used it with a $10 rubbermaid step stool from the grocery store so that I've basically got a step stool with 3 - 7-1/2" steps that I can manage rather than 2 - 11-1/2" steps. It's about time to get to the top of my trellises and start training some of the vines over the top!

I also repurposed some 1/2" pvc hoops and misc. pieces lying around to make a mini-green house type thing over two of my currently unused "salad tables" on the patio. I plan to partially cover it with shade cloth and grow some herbs and greens, etc. When it cools off, I'll switch to heavy clear plastic sheeting and put on some doors.

Most of the photos are self-explanatory but the one called "Some grafts - Vorlon, etc." shows - from left to right - Vorlon on Katana, Vorlon, Amazon Chocolate on Momotaro, Amazon Chocolate, Indian Stripe on Momotaro, Indian Stripe on Prue, Indian Stripe, Black Krim, (not) Noir de Crimee PL, and (n0t) Noir de Crimee RL.

Enjoy!

Anne