On Sep 4, 11:09 am, (Glenna Rose) wrote:
writes:

I have done that, but like all americans i guess i wanted to take the
lazy way out. didn't work out in my favor. from now on i'm pulling
them. as i said, i'm a newbie to this.

Only half of my 16 tomato plants died, and the other 8 are doing
relatively well.

I wish you much success for the rest of your gardening. We newbies do
some things we later consider a bit odd later as we learn more. I
remember the first year I had this house (closed in May) and my first
almost garden which consisted of only tomato plants in an area about 10x10
feet. I knew nothing much at all, planted the tomato plants about two
feet apart (yep!), had not a clue about cages or such. After all, my
grandparents grew tomatoes for market, acres of them, and didn't stake.
So much for determinate versus indeterminate of which I knew nothing. You
plant, it grows, simple. In theory. LOL! When the plants went all over
the place, my husband said, "Why do you think they call them *vines*?" So
much for that. Also, that first year, I treated them like they were
truly fragile, something I find very amusing now - as long as we are
reasonably careful, they usually do very well. My husband, who had worked
at a large-city sewage treatment plant when it was being expanded in the
seventies, also said to me, "Remember how I told you at the plant, we'd
have tomato plants randomly growing? Those came from seeds in the
sewage." Well, that's food for thought regarding their hardiness
considering the extreme treatment of the processing done.

I even talked to them as I put them in the ground. Still do, but not for
the same reason, now it's just out of habit rather than thinking it will
make a difference.g If one could put a clip of me planting that first
tomato plant next to the one of the way I plant now, it would be comical.
That is not to say I'm careless, just realistic. I still dig the large
planting hole, mix a little fertilizer (natural), a handful of sweet lime
(calcium) into the bottom of the planting hole, fill it with water, set in
the plant, fill it again, and fill in the dirt, and thinking nothing more
about it. I just don't do it like the world depends on it. After laying
the soaker hose, mulching, adding the cages, all that is left is to turn
on the faucet for water, pull a few weeds (mulch keeps them at a minimum)
and harvest.

Around here (Portland, Oregon, area), we have had a cool August so it has
only been this past week that our tomatoes have been getting ripe. Up
until now, one would have thought it was early or mid-July. Mine were at
the end of August like the usual third week of July! Now that we have had
some seasonal weather, the tomatoes (and everything else) are responding
very well. Now, if we can only have enough warm weather left for most of
the green tomatoes to ripen, that will be good.

You will find each year is completely different. The best thing is to
just keep on doing it and noting the results from what you have done each
year. As I said, I wish you much luck and success and satisfaction from
your gardening endeavors.

Glenna



Thanks! I am learning what not to do more than i'm learning what TO
do. But my other plants are doing really well, so i'm not disappointed
that i'll just have to try and have a strong crop of tomatoes next
season. After all, it is a bit late to get them started again now,
right? I do live in florida, so it's hot or at least warm until mid-
december.