Tomato Analysis for May

For May 2009 we harvested 11 tomatoes overall, 0 in the front yard and 11 in the back yard, encompassing two plants.

In May 2008 we harvested 60 tomatoes, all in the front yard, encompassing four plants.

In May 2007 we harvested 98 tomatoes, all in the front yard, encompassing three plants.

I wouldn't make too much of the numbers.

This is the first month we've harvested back yard tomatoes in May. But this is mostly due to the fact that all the container plants are in the back yard this year.

In general...

The back yard tomato plants look fabulous. Not a bad one in the bunch. There are a few plants without tomatoes on them, but by and large they shouldn't have tomatoes on them as they were planted late in the season. By my unofficial count, 10 of the 36 plants are missing tomatoes. Of those 10, all six planted in May do not have tomatoes – entirely normal and understandable. Barring anything surprising we could have quite a large crop of tomatoes coming from the back yard.

The front yard, however, has been set behind due to prior bouts of vandalism. Mexico is the only plant to survive all the vandalism. Overall, the tomato plants are doing well even though they have been planted late in the season or have been damaged. By my count, 9 of the 21 are missing tomatoes.

The weather has been cooperating lately. It has been quite temperate, not getting above about 85 degrees and not getting too cool, either. This gives a chance for the late plants to catch up, produce blooms and later on, tomatoes. But if we have an extended period over 95 degrees in temperature in June, a lot of these plants in the front yard will produce very little fruit.

Something to note: In general, the front yard tomato plants grow and mature faster than the back yard tomato plants. There's simply less shade (more sun) in the front yard. That's another indicator that the front yard plants have a lot of catching up to do, and also an indicator as to how much damage was done.