How's everyones tomaters' doing this year???

[Steve Clardy]

Sorry to hear that some of you are eating store boughts like me, but I'm glad to know I'm not the only one whose green thumb has paled. I guess I'm going to have to get out the Qtips and do my own pollinating. That's really funny because one of my nicknames is "Bumblebee".

Them store boughts are just plum nasty compared to homegrown.

I enjoy fresh tomatoes.

[Belinda Barfield]

Them store boughts are just plum nasty compared to homegrown.

I enjoy fresh tomatoes.

I enjoy fresh tomatoes too, Steve. With homegrowns you inhale the scent and your mouth waters. Then you take a bite and and they burst with flavor that dances over the tongue. Store boughts are just sort of a red, fleshy pulp with a faint tomato type flavor.

[Colin Giersberg]

We picked a couple before the plants died. Planted three more and, so far, they are still living, but nothing red yet.

[Randy Cohen]

I suggest you visit the local farmers market if your tomatoes failed and pick up something good to eat...stay away from the supermarket.

[Belinda Barfield]

I suggest you visit the local farmers market if your tomatoes failed and pick up something good to eat...stay away from the supermarket.

Randy,

I'm actually pretty lucky as I can tomatoes from my parents, but they don't grow Romas. Interestingly enough, we don't have much of a farmer's market here. The farmers who do bring in produce don't ever have Romas. If I recall correctly, you sell at your local farmer' market and it sounds like you have significantly more vendors than we do at ours. Is there a large variety of produce available?

[Randy Cohen]

Randy,

I'm actually pretty lucky as I can tomatoes from my parents, but they don't grow Romas. Interestingly enough, we don't have much of a farmer's market here. The farmers who do bring in produce don't ever have Romas. If I recall correctly, you sell at your local farmer' market and it sounds like you have significantly more vendors than we do at ours. Is there a large variety of produce available?

there is a very large variety available at the market i sell at. and on Saturdays there are about 25 vendors. some of them sell romas. i grow and sell san marzanos which are similar but better.
i'm surprised that a place like Savannah doesn't have a big market.

[julie Graf]

i am starting to get a ton of tomatoes off of my one plant - i've already picked and eaten about 8, and there are 3 more almost ready and a lot of greenies.
i also have zucchini taking off.
but my eggplant is not looking so good...

[Belinda Barfield]

i'm surprised that a place like Savannah doesn't have a big market.

I think it is because the area by and large is pretty rural and everyone has a garden, a farm, or access to such. Even people with small plots of land usually have a garden. At the farmer's market there is one "permanent" vendor, and on a typical Saturday at the height of the seaon there are maybe seven or eight other vendors - mostly selling watermelons, peppers, okra, squash, and corn. Actually there are a lot more produce vendors at the local flea market, but I'm not willing to fight the weekend crowds.

[Joe Pelonio]

With all the experts here I hate to change the subject but I could use help.

After growing various vegetables all my life I finally decided this year to try broccoli for the first time. I have no idea how one knows to pick it. They are about 18" tall, and have single heads about golf ball size. I'm thinking that's all I will get due to the cold and rain the last week+, and should probably just dip them in ranch dressing and finish them off. Do they grow new heads later, or will these get bigger if I wait?

[mark page]

Joe,
Pick broccoli when good and tender and not let go too far to seed. Once you pick a head, it seems two will take it's place, and soon you'll have broccoli running out your ears.

[Joe Pelonio]

That's what I wanted to hear, thanks. Mind you are growing season will last only a few more weeks. That's the reason I tried them, they should do better in fall than tomatoes do here.

[Sean Troy]

We've been so lucky this year with three different types of Tomatos. We have to keep giving bags away to keep up with them. Our Habenaro peppers are the same way. Cantaloup was terrible this year but the corn was excellent.

[Michael McCoy]

Joe - brocolli will survive a freeze. Looks like heck in the morning but it's sweet in the evening.

[Randy Cohen]

With all the experts here I hate to change the subject but I could use help.

After growing various vegetables all my life I finally decided this year to try broccoli for the first time. I have no idea how one knows to pick it. They are about 18" tall, and have single heads about golf ball size. I'm thinking that's all I will get due to the cold and rain the last week+, and should probably just dip them in ranch dressing and finish them off. Do they grow new heads later, or will these get bigger if I wait?

pick your broccoli while the heads are still tight. when the heads start loosening up they will go to seed pretty quickly. your picture looks like a fairly loose head.

[Joe Pelonio]

pick your broccoli while the heads are still tight. when the heads start loosening up they will go to seed pretty quickly. your picture looks like a fairly loose head.

Yes, a little looser than some others, so tomorrow I pick and eat.