Breaking alert...My wife found Red Currant at Green Arrow! She also bought German Orange Strawberry and one other.
We'll have to plant Red Currant in the back yard, but that's better than not having it at all.
FYI, Red Currant was our only “winner” last year, good taste and great production.
Last evening my wife and I planted Jeff Davis and Yellow Perfection in the back yard, as well as planting SunSugar and Italian Ice in containers. We put cages around Jeff Davis and Yellow Perfection – hopefully the dogs will stay away.
Sweet Olive continues to impress with its growth, and Cherokee Purple is now “reaching for the sky”. All the seedlings in the front yard look good as well.
Earlier this week, ladybugs had been put on plants in the front yard that were been invaded by aphids. The ladybugs appear to be doing their job, but there's many more aphids than ladybugs.
Last evening, we hurriedly got five more tomato seedlings in the ground, all in the “Corner Office” – Berkeley Tie Dye, Jaune Flamme, Black Zebra, Turkish Striped Monastery (what a name!) and Green Zebra.
I wanted to try Green Zebra in the back yard as we've really had no luck with this plant in the front yard – we end up with blossom end rot. I mentioned this to Scott during TomatoMania, and he indicated that he too is hit or miss with this tomato. But my wife wanted it in the front yard next to Black Zebra and Turkish Striped Monastery, providing a line of striped tomatoes. I couldn't argue with that – if it works it will be striking – but these tomato plants will be on the “front lines” – there will be no tomato plants between them and the setting sun.
Our “seed lady” will be coming by for lunch with more seedlings.
Also, I tried starting our rototiller, but no luck. I need to bring it in for repairs or to get it started, as I have a friend borrowing it over the weekend.
My wife watered the tomatoes yesterday and was watering the front yard this morning.
It was a fun and exhausting weekend...
I worked the TomatoMania event both Saturday and Sunday. Most of the time I was walking around among the customers and seedlings, helping out the customers as they'd ask questions and whatnot.
It was hot on Saturday. I don't mind walking around at all, but it was outdoors and all day. I wore jeans, hat and long sleeve shirt to protect from UV rays. Michael Jackson showed up with his son. No, not that Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson, the erudite, British accented radio talk show host. I immediately recognized him. I helped him and his son pick out tomato seedlings.
A customer talked about how her wife corresponded with this tomato grower who blogs about his experiences...and it turned out it was me. Small world.
The Berkeley Tie Dye seedling showed up in the afternoon! Now I have one.
From what I saw on Friday, TomatoMania was a madhouse. Saturday was quite busy as well, easing up a bit in the afternoon due to the rise in the temperature.
I went home in the evening fully expecting to plant a few tomatoes but simply couldn't get to any planting before darkness arrived.
Sunday had cooler temperatures, making it easier to walk around. My friend from hiking, Becky, showed up with her daughter Sophie and friend. Scott Daigre kept a Jeff Davis seedling for me!
It's a fun event and the event seemed better managed this year (though last year's issues may have been more due to the weather before the event destroying seedlings more than anything) and it's clear the event is a big draw.
When I got home, my wife decided it was time to take apart the gazebo. After about an hour it was broken down and the scraps put in the front yard. Somebody will pick it up. And sure enough, this morning someone did pick up the gazebo pieces.
I managed to put up a couple of tomato cages over our planted seedlings.
I took a shower and went to bed by 8:30 PM. My wife said I was snoring by 9PM.
TomatoMania is a blast!
It's been a busy couple of days...
My wife planted a bunch of tomatoes, filling out the “koi pond”. They look great, but as of now there's no identification. I do have a map of what's planted, but we need to use some popsicle sticks, write the tomato names and place them in the ground near them.
But she couldn't get to it and neither could I. We had to take apart a gazebo on the back porch before it fell into the house. We didn't get it apart, but we were able to move it onto the grass and out of harm's way for now.
Here's what I believe my wife planted yesterday, all in the “koi pond” -- Mexico, Nyagous, Gardener's Delight, Green Grape, Snow White, Kornesevsije, Oaxacan Jewel, Quedlinburger Freuhe Liebe and Jaune Coeur de Pigeon.
This morning, we went to Brent's Deli and then TomatoMania. We picked up a bunch of tomato plants when it opened. Man, TomatoMania was popular!!
My wife told me to check out the tomatoes on our list. I did, picking up a couple. But some of them weren't there. Noire Charbonneuse, Jeff Davis, Berkeley Tie Dye and Currant Red weren't anywhere to be found. But...they'll be new tomatoes on both Saturday and Sunday so it pays to go all three days!
When I met up with my wife she had a tray of tomatoes already picked out. I complained a bit, saying you asked me to look for the ones on the list, not pick new ones. Regardless, she has been taking care of them more than I am this year so far, so I pretty much accepted what she had selected.
TomatoMania was extremely busy. My wife said it was busier than last year's Friday.
I took today off from my main job, but neither I nor my wife could volunteer at TomatoMania. We were off doing other things.
We went to a couple appointments on the Westside. We came back and my wife rested, while I did chores.
I took the plants out of the back of the car and watered them.
Last night the wind had knocked a 4x4x10 piece of wood directly onto the Patio tomato. I took the post off of the tomato – but the cage absorbed the full blow, protecting the plant! The cage is a total loss, but the plant has been barely touched, if at all. A lucky break!
I did some work for a client for about 90 minutes.
I got the mail, went to a fast food place to bring food home for my wife and I, went to Green Thumb for compost and checked out the tomatoes (no Currant Red), drove to the Target nursery (nope, not there), drove to the Home Depot nursery (no luck there), then went to Trader Joe's to pick up a few things for the house.
I went home, put away the groceries, fed the cat, fed the dogs, took the trash out and took out the recycling bag.
I got my gardening gloves, a couple of eggs and thought I had time to plant two tomatoes. I started a load of laundry. When I started digging, the 7 PM church bell went off. I did have enough time to plant two tomatoes – Pierce's Pride and Italian Sweet – in the "corner office" and came in about 7:35 PM. For me, it takes about 15 minutes to plant a tomato. Put load in dryer.
I need to bring in our seedlings before the night is over.
So here we are! I'll be volunteering my help to the TomatoMania event over the weekend. I'll see you there!
My wife purchased an heirloom tomato yesterday called Yellow Perfection. She didn't get a chance to plant it, but she did plant vegetables in the vegetable area along the south side of the back yard. Also, she cleaned up a lot of the back yard. Oh yeah, she's been the one watering the tomatoes.
Cherokee Purple may be just starting to reach for the sky.
And remember, tomorrow and this weekend is the main TomatoMania event in Encino. See you there!
We had a friend visit us and take a dozen of our tomato seedlings. We showed him around the front and back yard.
We had a spirited discussion over the number of tomato plants that'll be in our garden this year. I think it will be around 40 – 45 plants, but both my wife and our friend think more.
My wife informed me over the weekend that what we thought was Snow White is actually Garden Peach.
The tomato plants in containers are already “reaching for the sky” and growing.
Let's hope last night's wind and cold doesn't do any permanent damage to the seedlings in the ground...
Got home and my wife was planting tomatoes! Snow White, Eva Purple Ball and Husky Cherry Red were planted in the “koi pond”. The buds on Cherokee Purple were removed.
Yesterday during lunch, I purchased a Husky Cherry Red tomato plant and brought it home. If time permits, my wife will plant it and a few seedlings today.
Cherokee Purple already has a blossom on it, but we'll take it off. It's too early for this plant to be thinking about growing fruit.
