Ohioguy wrote:
I've decided to use the south facing side of the house to grow
tomatoes this year. There are no trees giving shade, so it gets full
sunlight all day long. In the spring and fall there is a small amount
of "heat island" effect due to the angle of the sun. There are also two
downspouts, and I'm sure I can figure out a way to capture water from
those in some manner, so that I can water them without having to use
tapwater.

The area is roughly 25 feet long, and I can install a lattice or fence
of some kind to support climbing plants.

My main focus is something prolific, with a second desire for disease
resistance.

I would also like to have some low acid plants, some large
sandwich/beefsteak types, and then something smaller for the kids to
snack on. (like the moby grape my sister grew last year) I might also
be up for a plant or two that is an unusual color or heirloom variety.

I bought loads of "tomato soil" on closeout last fall at Lowe's, and
I'm ready to start working up the soil. I just need to make up my mind
on varieties, order them, and then get the plants started on a
windowsill so that I can get them planted in a couple of months.

One question that I have is this: how close to the foundation/wall
should I place the tomato plants? If I place it within 2' of the wall,
I could potentially plant another entire row of lower growing plants
over by the property line. However, I'm not sure if this would be too
close.

Anyway, I'm open to suggestions on varieties this year. I should
probably order within the next 5 days or so.



"Better Boy" for slicing and all-purpose tomatoes. "Principe
Borghese" for plum tomatoes and for drying. I've planted lots of
other varieties, but I keep coming back to those two because they
taste good and they work.

Give 'em lots of nitrogen fertilizer early in the season to get a lot
of healthy greenery. (don't keep feeding it nitrogen or all you'll
get is greens g) That seems to help prevent late-season diseases
better than anything else I've tried. Blight resistant varieties like
"Legend" are a joke; YMMV.

* * *

Better Boy is a hybrid, but I saved the seeds their seeds last year
and that's all the toms I'm going to plant this year (even tho' I have
leftover BB seeds in the packet.) I want to see what my own
open-pollinated strain of BB turns out like.

-Bob