For lack of research
When Patti and I started our garden, we didn’t really know much about how it’s done. And we had no trouble saying it either. I mean, we wanted to learn! We were eager!
We shopped both separately and together for plants and seeds. We shopped while hungry, I think. Hungry for Mexican & Italian food apparently because … we ended up with a lot of tomato plants.
Like, forty-some.
If you aren’t laughing right now, I’m prone to thinking you’ve never had a garden before.
Just a hunch.
And that’s just fine… we hadn’t either, so I assure you, that when I bought tomato plants on my solo excursion, I was expecting 10-15 tomatoes to be the yield off of each plant for the entire summer.
I’m saying, I thought each plant would kick off 10-15 and then shrivel up and die because it had given all it would give.
Someone grab a buzzer. I was so very very wrong. For as much as I google stuff, you’d think it would have crossed my mind to research tomato plants.
And so because we are sharing our plot and both our families love tomatoes, I thought for sure that forty-whatever plants giving us 10 (for the sake of easy math) tomatoes a piece would give each of us about 200 tomatoes this summer and that would be great for making sauce and eating and sharing and …
Let’s just put it this way.
This is half of what we picked yesterday:
This is what I picked TODAY, minus a few I shared on the way home:
This bowl? It’s more than a foot in diameter. So you can guess right there that some of those tomatoes are huge. I picked 45-50 tomatoes today
Umm, HELLO!
So I guess I’ve learned… tomatoes turn red overnight and WOW are they ever amazing. AND. 10-15? Out of the question. I’m going to guestimate … I don’t even know. I just don’t even know. I am excited to see what tomorrow brings though.
Local friends, don’t scratch your head if you find a care package on your doorstep. God is good, the garden is plentiful and we are so very very thankful for RAIN!
I really want to start a garden next year. The little seeds we’re growing in the kitchen window have been inspiring. As have been your hipstamatic tomatoes.
I might need you to come give me some gardening tips. Like- where do you find those super cute boots? 
Amy! You made me LOL. I am only 2 months into my gardening career you know, but I am pretty much in love with it, so I suppose that counts for something. Brian Ray could give you tons of great input. Come back and take a walk through the gardens sometime… It’s amazing! Truly though, I think you have your priorities already appropriately set. The proper shoes are of the utmost importance. We strongly recommend Target and the Tractor Supply Company.
Travis:Love this post agree with you. My husband and I are at the tuuabifel gulf coast beach of Destin, FL this week.What does that have to do with tomatoes? You know you’re a true Southerner when you take your tomatoes with you on vacation!!!We actually brought 9 tomatoes with us from our garden! No way was I leaving those precious home-grown fresh tomatoes to ruin while we are away.There is nothing better than a good old tomato sandwich especially at the beach (everything is better at the beach).They can’t be a fruit that just doesn’t seem right. Maybe it’s a southern thing!Have a great weekend at LPL Memphis would love to be there!Blessings to you and your family,Georgia Jan
have fun!
You’re lucky. Here it the UK I usually get a dcenet amount just a few plants in the garden but this year seems to have been a bad year . I think its been colder than normal over the summer months. Glad yours are doing ok though.
Here’s to my first successful comment and to your BEAUTIFUL tomatoes! And I’m sure with the mercy God has shown for your garden this season, there has got to be some eternal purpose for the myriad of tomatoes, right?
I like to believe so! He could have washed it all away in the flood but those little plants hung in there and now look! yay God!
This guy is correct. I’ve been gwnriog tomatoes and peppers for almost a decade, and his advice will save you years of screwing around. If you can afford to not be cheap, don’t be cheap. Make CRW (concrete reinforcement wire ) cages or get the Texas Tomato Cages. CRW cages rust, are hard to store and look like crap after a year or two, but they work well. The Texas Tomato Cages have a high initial cost, but will save you time and money in the long run. Plus, they don’t rust.
[...] The next day, all excited, I went out to check again and there were another 45 or so ready. Day after that? A(nother) solid 30. [...]
[...] is where the 40-whatever tomato plants becomes laughable. The peppers look awesome, but I’m afraid the tomatoes are a [...]