Jenny, at least I'm glad to hear that these were not WSed tomatoes.

You husband did make several mistakes, but the next year he sows tomatoes from seed he can learn from his experiences.

He started his plants way too early. If he sows and germinates inside then count back six weeks from transplant date and start them then.

Pinching helps.

Burying a good deal of an elongated stem when transplanting will help foster root growth along that stem, making for a hardier plant.

Romas are prone to BER, you can help prevent some of that by consistently watering the soil and initiating proper feeding routine--stick with ferts recommended for tomatoes and feed them regularly by the directions on the package.

Do try WSing some early season tom seeds--something like Early Girl, Sub-Arctic Plenty, Moscow are all good choices for short season areas. Buy some plants also and at the end of season compare the quality of plants and fruits of the two.

T

How disappointing. Either buy them or start a few of your own at the right time, and tend to them as they should be. Tell DH, "these are MY tomatoes, hands off!"

For a really tall leggy plant, I would lay it on its side, and bury most all of it but maybe 4-6 inches. Starting your own sure affords the luxury of getting to try so many wonderful varieties that can't be found locally.

Hope you get more here soon without the BER.

Sue...a admitted tomatoholic

LOL, Thanks Trudi. The worst part is, he actually DOES know better! I think he was just being lazy or something. For goodness sake, he took master gardening classes years ago! And we have been gardening for ages and ages. He took over the vegetable gardens a few years ago. BUT I am taking them back! Right now the best thing growing in the veggie patch are the weeds, some which are taller than me! And the best tomatoes are from some volunteers inside the weedy mess.

I was reluctant to W/S tomatoes here, because of our short growing season. But I might try some next year.

Jenny P

Oh yes, I didn't mention it, but he did know to plant the leggy part. So these plants are very sturdy and healthy looking. We just can't eat the fruit!

Jenny P

master gardening classes

Where you learn for how to look things up.

Since my husaband and me bought our house two years ago, we definately agreed to split things up, we cannot agree on anything, what to plant where, how to prune, etc. He babies his plants, and I, well, I'm more like your husband and just kinda do things willy nilly. It stresses me out less with two little kids under feet all the time. But we are all different, that is the point! My husband and I each have our own tomatos. lol He pinches and thins like crazy, and I like mine wild and free. To each there own, right? But I know it's disappointing to not get tomatos when you count on them, they are so good! We didn't get them this year like we did last year either. :(

Here's to next year!

Everyone in my area - WSers or not (and most of them aren't - yet :)) is in agreement that this is a poor year for tomatoes in this area. I am just getting my first full-sized ones turning now, and the yield isn't even close to previous years. Every year I notice that it is a good year overall for some things, and a bad year for others. This year, tomatoes, not so good. As they say often in Red Sox Nation: There's always next year!

Drippy, I guess my toms didn't get the message! They have been growing like crazy, the bed is a tangled jungle, and I've been getting ripe ones for at least a month now. Of course, they're growing in a brand new lasagna bed, with loads of lovely compost, so that might have helped. My first time, too! But I can't take credit for winter sowing the plants, Fran (littleonefb) did them for me.

Well, dawiff, from what I hear, you're the exception rather than the rule, but what a good exception to be! I wish you many more wonderful tomatoes, and I'm sure I'll enjoy what I've got. And, like I said, there's always next year!

Bad tomato year here too. I have one plant that was started indoors (gift from FIL) and 7 that were WSed. JUST starting to get tomatoes from all of them. Four of them are cherry/grape tomatoes. In a normal year, I would have been harvesting cherry toms late June/early July.
Crazy.
Still, I'm convinced that Cherokee is my fav tomato. Out of the other three regular toms I have, it has the best flavor, not to mention a wonderful texture.
I'm glad to WS my toms...I can save indoor space for starting tropicals and "tropicalesque" plants. If my FIL gives me tom seeds to start next year, I'm going to inform him that they are going to be WS, regardless...or he has to sow them indoors at his house.

Linda

Drippy in general I share good results with dawiff and have been picking since early August. Most all of my maters were wintersown with just a few exceptions. My larger varieties are only producing a few fruit per plant but they have already ripened. My cherries are thriving and look to be going for a while, I also have plenty of large greenies that will supply my September appetite. I did experience a fair number of small plants, some planted in new locations where soil may not be so good.

We have been VERY dry this summer so I'm wondering if that's the reason so many are reporting this as a bad year. I use a soaker hose on most plants so mine do get sufficient watering.

Dawiff, thanks for the praise on WS tomato seedlings.
I have to agree with you too about their growth and with Rich. My plants didn't get the message either, though they've needed lots and lots of water this year as nothing is falling from the sky.

Mine are a jungle of plants as well. They are in pots that hold 1 1/4 cubic feet of soil, in full sun with bark mulch on the top of the soil and each pot has a marigold in it which helps to keep bugs away.

Been picking cherries for over a month, sweet 100, black cherry, warren's yellow cherry, lge cherry red and Xmas grape. the toms have been a little slower to ripen but are doing well and full of tomatoes, and setting more and more buds. Rutgers, cherokee purple, white wonder, jubilee.

My biggest problem has been the chipmunks. I've been forced to pick my tomatoes before they are fully ripe or they are eaten by the 4 legged critters or take a trip across the yard.

Below are pics from this weekend before my hubby had to cut off some of the tops of the vines. The wind started to blow them around and several of them snapped off and bent over while he was away for the day. They where 16 feet tall.
I did take off all the green tomatoes from the stems though to ripen in the house.

By the way, the local for the tomatoes was perfect for growing but not for painting the back of the house.

Fran
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Sorry about the bad news. This was my first year that I did somewhat decent. Usually my toms are still green by Halloween!
I used planters this year, and in the Terrazza planter I got from Garden Supply the two toms went nuts. I also had a few ten gallon ish sized that I salvaged from work and the toms in there did well. I moved from the backyard which was not sunny enough apparently to the side, next to the driveway in a concrete moat.
I can't say it's been armloads of produce daily but it's been enough for us, plus a few to the neighbors.

Does anyone know how to take the suckers and plant them for next year? I want to bring in a few from the cherry and the grape I liked, but I have no clue.
thanks!