Any hope for tomatoes?

Three of my tomatoes are ones bred for short seasons and cool weather -- Sub-Arctic Plenty, Silver Fir Tree, and good old Early Girl -- and almost everything, including the cherry tomatoes and the Brandywine, are flowering. But with the cool June we're having, and the cool weather predicted all summer, I am wondering if anything -- even the Sweet Million that have set already -- are going to ripen before frost.

How are others doing?

I think we are all in the same boat, one that is taking on water. ;)
I bought several mature heirloom tomatoes with short growing seasons,
and, like yours, they are blooming, but. . .

We will just have to wait and see. Even my spinach finally decided to grow a bit,
then promptly bolted. Crazy weather indeed.

It is frustrating indeed. I thought that one thing the cool weather was good for was at least nothing would bolt!

I had three generations of spinach going: winter-sown, nursery-bought, and direct-seeded a couple of weeks after transplanting the nursery plants. The first to bolt were the last ones planted!

The winter-sown are starting to bolt, too, but we got a lot of harvest out of them while they stood.

although the weather is cool, there is ongoing root development. When the weather warms up, the plants will go into overdrive to produce flowers that become the fruit.
There is always hope, but i am tired of waiting for the sunshine. The cooler weather brings a host of other problems in the form of mold, fungus, etc, and I just don't have money/time to throw away on tomatoes.
My advice is to cover your tomatoes with a heavy plastic: keep them warm & dry.

Look at mine, I have tomatoes even tho we are cold? Two varieties 100 Sweet and Early Girl have set tomatoes. This is the Early Girl...

Since everything else seems upside down - I thought it time to plant my first upside down tomato. It will be fun to watch, if nothing else. Of course, w/ Salmonella problems on other-grown tomatoes right now, it is an additional incentive to grow your own.

My tomatoes are doing poorly, but I expected that as this is my first year doing veggies and I started them from seed indoors myself... don't really know what I am doing. I started tomatillos as well, and they are actually doing better than the tomatoes. My peppers are doing better than both, which really suprised me.

I have a different veggie question, sorry to change the subject a bit... does leaf lettuce generally do ok around here? I planted a leaf lettuce mix batch of seeds (burpee) back in April, and it is supposed to be 45 days to harvest, but is not even close to harvesting. The germination rate was fine, and they look perfect (not eaten or anything), but they are just 1/2 inch tall and not growing. I don't get it. I have heard that head lettuce is a bit tricky (or at least for beginners), but that leaf lettuce is a fairly easy, cool-weather veggie. My spinach that is near it is doing pretty well, planted at the same time, is much bigger. Thanks!

Leaf lettuce is generally a very easy crop around here. My veggie plants have also been very slow growing (except for the spinach (planted in March) that is doing better this month.I think the cold weather has been slowing everything down and I don't know what to expect in the long run. Even my overwintered garlic has not begun to bulb much, and my early varieties are usually just about ready to harvest at this time.

I didnt even plant this year, just didn't work out right.
All the good days I had to work then my days off where bad weather days. The luck of the draw, I guess.
Hope they snap out of it for you, and we get some good weather Cat.

Thanks, me too! Actually I am a little nervous about good weather now... I am worried it will shock on my veggies that are now adjusting to the dark and wet! LOL :) On a brighter note, I have had three really yummy sugar snap peas right off the vine for the first time since I was a little kid... delicious! Hope the tomatoes make it, for all of us around here!

Yes! My peas are doing *great*! My pole beans haven't come up, and I think I'm going to plant more peas instead.

Mine are very slow but I didn't get them in on time either. Possibly if we cover them with row covers come September, we can keep them going long enough to ripen?

My lettuce is doing great!

Gwen

It sucks that everyone is experiencing trouble but thank goodness it's not just me! =) I was getting so discouraged by my garden this year. (I'm a 2nd year gardener.) I've had to restart all my squash and now it looks like I'll have to do the same with my cukes. (Well, that part is probably just me. =)) But at least I'm not the only one experiencing slowness. Even the herbs, leeks, and onions I've direct sown in the garden are not moving at all. My broccoli is the only thing I seem to be having good success with. Love reading your posts all!

Ummmm - I hate to tell you this (she says grinning) but we have been absolutely feasting out of the garden - ate baby beets tonight, along with so much asparagus (one more week of cutting and then resting for the season), saladings, and artichokes - yup artichokes and asparagus in the same meal - how decadent can you get! The radishes have been brillant (French Breakfast Radishes). the tomato plants are lush and setting (I have 3 short season ones this year, Latah, Millefleur, and something else, along with Earl of Edgecombe), and my two regular squashes - Jack be little and Crown prince are setting - with the two different butternuts (we are doing a growing and a taste test on Waltham and Unnamed) and Thelma Saunders sweet potato squash coming along nicely. the melons are disappointing, except for the watermelon which has blossom (but I do have it semi-underglass). The cukes in the greenhouse have 3cm fruit, and the peas and borlotti beans are climbing, the sweet peppers have buds like mad (greenhouse, nothing outdoors just yet). The basil outdoors is slow to regrow, but in the greenhouse romping away, and the sweetcorn is about .5mtr tall. I am also growing purple sprouting broc. which is doing fine and Cima De Rapa which is wonderful (new to me, it grows faster than purple sprouting, looks similar but tastes like a cross between the smell of new hay and hazelnut!) We have early turnip which is just coming ready. AND, the grape vine in the greenhouse has more grapes this year than even the black bird and her babies can eat (fingers crossed - I've never yet managed to get 1 grape to people ripeness without the BB getting it first) Sorry, I know you are all struggling with a wet wet spring, but I am such a happy gardener - hmmmm, such a happy gardener. I am singing that vegetable hoeing song....'come on over to my house, my house....hmhmhmmmm'. Like I said to Pix, there is a lovely little small holding just down the lane - nice 4 acres with a stunning thatched cottage and tin roofed barn.

My neighbour came over last night and we just stood in the veg patch for awhile. We both decided we really love growing vegetables. Really love it - the challenge is much bigger than the decorative garden. Excellent.

Laurie, thanks for the wonderful update! I was enjoying "seeing" it all. Wish I could stand in your veggie patch, too!
So how much does that 4 acres with thatched cottage cost, in US dollars? Sounds soooo tempting! Could you send us pictures?

Okay, we're not Zone 9! :D I'm not even sure we qualify as Zone 8 right now!

But we've been getting harvests out of the Garden of Union, too, since March. We share the produce from this apartment-house garden at community meals every Wednesday. March 11 we had the last of the winter salad greens and March 25 we had the first of our spring greens. We've had salads (for 20) every week since, plus a couple of side dishes, and three salads donated to other community events. Out of 70 square feet. :)

The cold-weather veggies are thriving: kale, giant red mustard, spinach, leaf lettuces, broccoli, peas, radishes, beets, turnips. The greens from the radishes and turnips have been especially sweet and tender, even after the roots are sized up to harvest; I tossed most of the leaves into the salads. And the kales, red mustard, and chard have all been salad-tender too. That is one nice thing about cool weather!

Yes, the veggies have been sweeter this year. I ate my salad yesterday of chinese mustard greens, spring garlic, sweet peas, lolla rossa and buttercrunch lettuce. I have a huge pot of rainbow chard soaking in the kitchen, waiting to be cooked. A gardening friend of mine stopped by yesterday and she left with nine types of lettuce, and three Japanese Maples (hopefully she won't eat them), wink! It's hard to believe that it is almost time to start the Fall garden!

Here is a recipe my DDH created last year for the chard. He started with olive oil, and onions, and thin slices of meat could be sauteed at this time as well, or leave it vegetarian. Then he piled on the sliced chard leaves and let them cook down, and seasoned them with Garam Masala. Just when everything was done, he grated a hard cheese on top and let it melt slightly. It was delicious!

Pictures, Laurie, we need pictures. Of your greenhouse AND the smallholding down the street!

Gwen

Yes, Laurie, you've done it now. We ALL want to move into the little cottage (and feast from your garden).

Anitra - good to hear about all the growing and harvesting you're doing. That's amazing.

Kathryn - I LOVE garam masala - I don't have chard of my own, but may have to buy some to try your DDH's recipe.

I will do my best to get photos (but someone does still live there, and I don't know them) - it is a stunning little cottage with a good stream on two sides of the property - and Gwen, it has an aga in the kitchen! (We were friends with the previous owners) I don't know the price, as far as I know it isn't listed yet - just neighbourhood gossip.

And Anitra! What a marvellous veg gardening project - I have always thought we just don't do enough food sharing anymore - sorry, this may be knocked out for politicizing, but I have always been a fan of Jane Jacobs writing, and think her views on community, involvement and sharing are absolutely the way towards prosperous, healthy communities! Anitra, my vegetable growing hat is doffed in your groups honour! Well done. Very well done.

And I am so glad to hear it is not all doom and gloom in the veggie patches, I just wasn't completely convinced that all of those greens had been washed away. Chins up gardeners, think about those wonderful wonderful salads and chards.

OMG, a stream -- 2 streams@ -- and an Aga. Now I really must have it!

Laurie, I really must get over there for some garden tours. When is the best time of year? I want to try and come standby using my mum's airline passes, so cannot commit to an exact date. But if I try and come a few days earlier than I would need to be there for a tour or something, it should work. Otherwise my option is to find an organized tour and come with them. But I had wanted to try and come in 2008 and it's not looking good. I feel I must come in 2009. It is the one thing in life I most want to do before I die. 2009 is my 'drop dead' date as my father died at the age of 54 from a heart attack, as did his father, and I will be 54 in November of this year. Cheery, aren't I? :) Just being realistic and trying to live life to the fullest.

Gwen

Gwen. Do you get checkups regularly? Doggone - we're not letting you "go" at the tender age of 54 . . . no way, my dear, no way!!!!!

Anitra, how wonderful what you're doing with the vegetables.

We have had small green tomatos for about a week now. They will need some heat to ripen but I think it's on the way.

The tomatoes I started indoors and placed in Wall of Waters right before the April snows are now 3 feet tall and have set some fruit. My cucumbers saw the sun last Thursday and dropped dead -- no roots from all the rain. So I replanted them via seeds. Scallions are doing fine, but radishes bolted to seed not unexpectedly: 50 degrees for days, then one day 85-90, then back to 50s, then 80's again. My dahlias and daylilies are fine, just a little behind schedule. I was ready to move back East to PA -- after 24 years here -- as I just am tired of the continual gray drizzly cold blanket. Thankfully, the 3 days of sun gave me increased tolerance to more of the same; this has been an especially trying spring. Hopefully we will at least be in the upper 50s and 60s for the next week and will survive the beginning of summer.

Veggie garden - my current two favourite beds

Sorry - I forgot to resize that before posting. I've corrected the next two so hopefully I don't slow this thread too much.

This message was edited Jun 19, 2008 7:29 PM

And now a second one - the artichokes are fantastic this year!

And last one - its just been the most glorious day in the garden, and its 8:30 and no where near dark (happy summer solistice tomorrow) - but I am absolutely whacked.

Hope you enjoy these - I just love working these beds.

I'm spell bound! And are the sheep yours as well?
Ok, that's it, I'm calling for a field trip to Laurie's ASAP.
Marvelous!

Laurie - the scale on which you're growing is marvellous. And is there anything you won't try. I love the idea of so many artichokes. They are my favorites.

Yes, are the sheep yours, too. Please, confess, these are just photographs put together to keep us Yanks dreaming of your bucolic Sussex countryside. Oh my, to think that you actually live there. Sigh.

I really love your window cloches, too. They are classic.

I can hardly stand it. Not fair of you to torture us like this! Your chokes are amazing. I would give almost anything to eat one of those! When will they be ready for eating?
Gwen

In reverse order -

Gwen, we have been eating the artichokes for the past month - I find artichokes are a)extremely easy to grow (will fruit first season from seed!) - almost no pest problem, love any soil, like lots of cool weather, rain, and are perennial, b) look marvellous and huge crop c) you get to eat as many artichoke hearts as you want! Bliss! In answer to your previous question about when to visit England - I would definately say June - particularly if you like flowers - the roses are magnificent this year - the entire garden is perfumed!


Katie - THIS is reality! I do love it here, and still can't quite believe that it is mine (well, and the dog and DH's too - oh, yea, and the banks! - but hey, its big, I can share). Plenty of space here (and weeeeeeeeedddddddddsss!) must get that magic bus going! Tils, how's the bus coming along? We have the most magical barn - every time I need something I seem to find it in there amongst the residue of previous owners - found the old windows stuck right back in the corner behind some old doors - bless those people who don't throw things out (sometimes). I decided to put coldframes over the cool weather melons to see if I can get them going a bit - they are a bit reticent to grow (Farm women cantaloupe and Musk Melon - Neo, I think these were on your list too).

Neo - the sheep are not ours, just the land (although we do the caretaking at the weekend - and sometimes doing the daily count, when they decide to hide, and it is pouring rain! sheesh - a couple weekends ago, two of the lambs got on the wrong side of the fence into the woodlands - stupid! Took over an hour trying to get them through the Bl**dy gate!) - one of the local farmers runs 25-50 ewes and lambs on our land - helps him keep more sheep, keeps our grass down. In return he harrows and tops out the fields, we maintain the hedges/fences. And occassionally he brings me a present of a trailer load of farm manure - what a happy girl I am.

Really pleased all of you like it - means alot to me. xo. Time for a quick shower and then out to fight weeds!

Simply wonderful Laurie, beautiful pictures and even better gardens.
Thanks for sharing, hoping my veggies will soon awaken.

Little tiny alarms clocks help -

Laurie, I hope you don't mind if I bust in and ask you a question? How come you have the clay pots upside down on the tall poles? I have seen that before, but just now thought to ask about it! :)

I love your veggie garden! Nice that you get the benefits from the sheep too. Veggie gardening is absolutely my favorite.

Laurie LOL, I will see if I can find a few...

Sue, the clay pots on the sticks are so you don't poke your eye out. Simple as that (and they look rather fetching, too).

Laurie, thanks for the good info, sounds like you really have your hands full with the sheep.
Yes, my Collective Farm Woman starts are starting to take off, actually one of the first ones to sprout. The Early Frame Prescott has barely sprouted, but I understood it to be a fav in England. Clay pots on sticks, what a great idea!

My Heirloom Multicolor and 'Sweetie' tomatoes, are just little sprouts right now. About 1" tall. Its really quite sad. But that old snowstorm killed them all off, so I started some new, and they have just been stagnant with all the cold.

I am thinking about getting some nursery plants, but I doubt I can get ones as cool. But then again, cool tomatoes that don't ripen are not all that cool, they are just green tomatoes.

But that's the way it is this year all around. The Oregon 2 Sweet Peas are about 3" tall, leaf lettuce is about 3" too. Onions are doing well, and the italian basil is also doing well. Garlic chives never even sprouted. Well a couple of small patches did, but not really enough to even discuss.

This is one heck of a season for my first year growing a serious vege garden and from seeds too. I can only imagine that 2009 has to be easier for all this learning I have gotten this year.

My tomatoes have all fruited, same with the tomatillos. The Zukes are revving up; Japanese eggplant wants to rev up; watermelon revved up & got mown down by a rogue slug. Peas were going fine, but got toasted by the hot spell - hmmmm, was that all of 2 days???
Basil is sighing in relief: garlic chives went gangbusters, so let me know if you want a clump AD. Had to start the beans, cukes, canteloupes & broccoli again.
Yes, this has been a memorable year for growing anything. We experience the frustration of the garden - I cannot imagine the anguish of the Farmer who makes his living this way. Yikes!
Best lesson learned & relearned for me is to have systems ready to go to keep plants warm & dry.

Katye, I agree about the farmers - how do they survive when sooooo dependent on something as quixotic as weather.