I planted seed a full 2 weeks later than usual, and then tried planting the seeds individually in six packs, not the normal, buncha-seeds in a single cell method. That didn't work, the small seedlings didn't grow any faster, so I still ended up transferring them to larger pots. Then we hit a warm spell around May 5th, so I set them all out on the east facing porch to toughen them up - worrying more about adapting them to the wind and low humidity than temperatures.

Then I planted them all out early last week, the plants were only 6-8 inches high out of the pots, and snuggled them with grass clippings. Keeping the soil very moist. We've had temps down in the high 30's low 40's every night.

The plants have doubled in size (they weren't that big to start with) and seem to be doing very well. The big test comes today and the next few days with single digit humidity and 35+ mph winds, high 70's temps.

In years past, that would turn the new, just out of the greenhouse seedlings into a drooping mess and they'd never recover.

I set out an embarrassing 110 plants. I planted them much closer together than I usually do - 2 feet apart instead of 3-4 feet. The past few years I've had a 50 - 60% mortality from curly top virus. One of these years, that virus won't hit, and boy, am I going to be in for a lot of work.

Here's a sturdy little Thessaloniki:

And here's a couple of rows of tomatoes, with the exquisitely designed and aesthetically pleasing '52 raised beds. These are all indeterminants, they easily get taller than the cattle panels, and I've got those plants jammed in there so thick that if half don't die, I won't be able to find a tomato in all the foliage come September.

Loved seeing everyone's lists. Bloody Butchers, Steve! LOL

I didn't return to CO until the first week of April, so not many for me this year and I had to get them at the local florist. But I'm growing Super Sioux, Red Robin and Early Girl. For those who know me, I will surprise you by saying all but the Red Robin are in the ground. Different for a container grower, but they are doing fine so far. Just keep the doggone hail away!

Good to see the familiar faces and some new ones.

Those tomato plants are gonna be fine, David!

Jali, Jali, Jali, Jali, Jali, Jali, Jali, Jali, Jali !

Lovely to see you again, my friend. No challenges on any of that - we will just assume that you are wrong, wrong, wrong! "Why look at that! She's growing an Early Girl and, in the ground!"

So kidding! Jali really knows her tomato patch and only hail from h-e-double-L can cause her the slightest snag along the way. (Somebody had better send her seed for '14 because she's obviously pared tomatoes down to the skin & bones!

Steve ;o)

*lopes up to Steve and gives him a big bear hug*

Nothing fancy this year for sure, but Super Sioux takes the heat and drought well. Already told the florist a number of varieties she should consider growing next year. LOL Yes, had to opt for Early Girl because they didn't have any Earliana this year. I always try to grow that as a tribute to my G'ma who always had that in her garden. Not one of the best, but traditions count too.

The seed box is intact. And I just put together a care package of seed for a friend in Houston for her fall crop. That in exchange for a tomato pie recipe she shared that makes me slobber just thinking about. :) I'll share later.

So good to see the whole gang again and new faces, as well. Great growing, everyone!

Traditions do count.

I am going to relate something that may seem kind of sad but I'm trying to come to terms with it. There may well be a bright side but I haven't shared any of the information with my Dad's youngest brother who gave me the seeds for my Grandmother's tomato about 20 years ago.

When I read a description & saw pictures of "Porters" - I told him that they seemed about the same. Luckily, I was face to face with the old fellow and could see his reaction. That was the last time I mentioned the word Porters. His mother called her tomato the "peddler's tomato" and had grown them since the Depression. I bought some Porter seed.

There seemed to be a difference in the plants when I grew Porters beside Grandmother's plants that year. The fruits were virtually the same!!! I still had that seed and grew more plants the next year. I'd labeled them in the garden or it would have been hard for me to determine which was which.

Several years have passed. I have again purchased Porter seed and I can see no difference whatsoever between those plants and Grandma's . . . Eighty years they may have gone their separate ways! I have to accept the idea that "the peddler" had Porter tomato seed. Uncle Marv is well over 80. His granddaughter tells me that he still grows that tomato.

Steve

I got 12 plants in down at the community garden. I am trying the Florida weave technique for support, since it worked so well for the peppers last year.

Giant Belgium
Ludmilla's Pink Heart
Galina's Yellow Cherry
Gold Currant
Black Cherry
Amish Paste
Earl's Faux
Box Car Willie
Neves Azorean Red
Gold Medal
Indian Stripe
Amazon Chocolate

Here at the house I have 6 plants:

Amish Paste
Aunt Gertie's Gold
Ludmilla's Pink Heart
Indian Stripe
Neves Azorean Red
Earl's Faux

You can't really see them in the picture though. Three of them are in the wall-o-waters, one is under that crate, and the other two are hidden behind the pepper plants.

I also stuck a couple extra Gold Currants in a pot.

Got no germination on the Virginia Sweets, Matt's Wild Cherry or the Anna Russian, so that's why I've got some duplicates this year.

Bonnie, I envy you the Neves, especially! That goes back on the list next year. Your gardens at home and the community garden are terrific! So good to see your peppers fruiting as well. You Mile High Pepper Maven, you.

Steve, that's a charming story. Love stories like that. It is neat how these things get started in a family and it happens with something in every family. Porter's is a great old variety. It survived the test of time for a reason, no matter the family or local name. A peddler, in your family's case. That's why it is important we keep them going for future generations (and throw in some exciting new crosses here and there, as well).

It would seem we had a frost last night or the night before - a few of the basil and pepper plants are toast as is one tomato plant, half the rest of the tomatoes look a bit shell-shocked with folded up leaves and a bit droopy. I hope they recover - I guess its a question of waiting a few days.

The joys of gardening around here - the forecast was for 41úF, so I wasn't too worried.

Well, I guess I got lucky here then. It got down to 38 ú last night, and no frost even down at the community garden.

Decided to take the training wheels off, and remove the wall-o-waters today. The 3 plants that have been inside them for the past two weeks are twice the size of the ones planted last weekend without them. Guess I need to buy more of those!

So sorry, David. We patiently wait and it still gets us. :( Glad you fared well, Bonnie.

Last night, the temps got very low out here on the plains. 33 at the airport, which is down in a hollow. Things are fine up here on the hill. I don't see any damage to any tender plants, thank goodness. Ahhh, gardening in the Rocky Mountain west. :)

I checked around with the neighbors, we had a nasty frost on the night of 5/31- 6/1. A lot of people had their peppers and tomatoes wiped out.

Its an interesting phenomenon that my plants, snuggled down in 6" of grass clippings, were largely untouched.

I wonder if there is enough heat generating fermentation/decomposition going on at the damp soil / grass clipping interface to keep the air around the plants above freezing.

Mine are starting to produce little round green things. I'm excited! I have 10 plants this year, and the varieties are all products of Lowe's garden center. The varieties I am growing are: Juliet, Sweet "n" Neat, Big Boy, Big Beef, Lemon Boy, and Bush Goliath. I have three in the Grow Box SWC containers, and the rest in my raised beds. All are growing in Mel's Mix (1/3 coarse vermiculite, 1/3 peat moss, 1/2 blended compost). The three in the Grow Boxes also have self-releasing fertilizer. The plants in the raised beds just have Mel's Mix, no extra fertilizer. I did it like that on purpose for comparison. I have 4 4x4 raised beds, and 3 Grow Boxes. I have a smaller 2x6 raised bed, but no tomatoes in it. I also have three individual planters but they are empty right now.