Beautiful!

I like your idea of rewards better than mine Janice, but I am so tomatoed out now, worried that I might die of overdosage. Here are 18 pounds (weighed) of rotten tomatoes, from 5 affected plants, after just 5 days of rain when I was sitting on my butt instead of going into the jungle to secure my rewards like you did. It's nearly 10% of all my production :-( Even a pound and a half of split rotting Sungolds under the pile. Biggest loss was 6 pounds from one Big Beef alone. I would have harvested, but laziness, overconfidence, and a jungle thicket leaving the penetrating smell of tomatoes on clothes and skin, mosquitoes, etc. were my excuses (But really I was waiting for a photo opportunity to showcase the plants filled with tons of ripe colored fruits but pushed it too far and had way more rain than expected - let me be honest). Ooops!

I always appreciate the professional pictures you take the time to compose. They look like a real reward. But someone has to feed the wildlife here, so they got a gift!.

Cheers

PC

Thanks gorbelly.

I am not tomatoed out yet PC. We did get a lot of rain, and I saw my first split Sungold. Most heavy rains are no match for sandy loam. Your neighborhood birds and varmints should be pleased.

if you compost what isn't edible, then at least it wasn't a total loss. this years loss is next years reward..

Homemade pizza with heirloom tomatoes on the bottom instead of sauce. The counter as of tonight. I will be sharing more then freezing.

Looks great! How do you keep your tomato slices from releasing too much water as they cook on the pizza? I use a dehydrator to dry mine out a bit before adding them to my pizzas.

What variety are those really dark tomatoes in the bottom right corner?

Before I slice the tomato, I poke it with a knife a couple times (in from the top where the stem piece is removed). Then I squeeze out a little juice. How much juice gets squeezed out depends on how juicy the tomato is. I used super ripe tomatoes. Some were juicier than others. Just a little juice removal seems to do the trick. The slices of tomato, when placed on the crust, don't seem to be any wetter than a sauce.

The dark tomatoes are Indigo Apples. Here is another photo showing several in different stages of turning. 'They are very photogenic.

Janice, your tomatoes look gorgeous. I am anxiously awaiting the days when my counters will [hopefully] be covered in tomatoes as beautiful. I have another 6-8 weeks before that happens, but all is going well so far. All 24 of my plants are flowering and perhaps one or two are setting fruit now - not sure - will have to inspect this evening.

ncrealestateguy: How do you keep your tomato slices from releasing too much water as they cook on the pizza?

Put them on top of the cheese, and make sure the oven is blazing hot. Use a stone or, even better, a stone on your backyard charcoal grill. When tomatoes make a pizza crust soggy, that's a sign that the oven isn't hot enough.

EDIT: Or your tomato slices are too thick. That can do it, too.

EDIT2: If you can't get your oven that hot, you can par-bake the crust half way, then add your toppings, then continue baking. Works really well.

Thanks nbm. I am sure you recognize the Dr Wyches. They are incredibly bright orange and gorgeous. They complement the reds, pinks, and blacks perfectly. They do not have the full complex taste of a pink heirloom like Earls Faux, but they are very very good. They are hardy, productive, beautiful and tasty.

I look forward to seeing your photos. Your climate makes beautiful plants.

On the pizza: my tomato slices are not that thick. The crusts are cheater crusts. They are actually pre-cooked pita bread. The crust on the right is a commercially sourced gluten free crust. I react to gluten these days, so I avoid it. I cook at 375 F and seems to take around 16 to 18 minutes. The oven is hot when I pop the pizzas in. Most of the prep time is in vegetable slicing/dicing.

The recipients do not complain about the crust. I know it is not the same as Papa Johns or real pizza. But it is a quick tasty alternative. I usually pile on the more veggies too to make it a little healthier.

I do recognize the DWY - aren't they the most gorgeous tomatoes? I found them quite unique in flavor. So delicious in fresh pico and on sandwiches. Juicy, fruity and amazing. I hope mine does well this season. Unfortunately, my SOTW plants were neglected early on and didn't do well, so I do not have them in the garden this season - kind of bummed because it always produces the most incredible tomatoes. Oh well, 2018 will be here before too long and I'll get another chance. :) I have Earl's Faux on the list for next season, as well.

I'll post photos of my plants soon - waiting for them to get some size so they're a bit more photogenic. We're expecting some very hot weather over the next week or two, so the plants should be kicking into high gear. :)

gorbelly, thanks for the tips. I have a pizza stone made from stainless steel. Much better than the "stone" ones. And I cook my pizzas at the very highest settings that my stove will go... 525 degrees, I believe. I will try to thin down my slices some and see if that helps.

You guys are inspiring me to make real pizza, actually real gf pizza dough. I have a couple mixes to trial. I will go look for the gardenweb gluten free forum. ;)

ncrealestateguy, if you're not doing so already, get the top of the pizza as close to the heat source as possible in addition to the other things. If there's danger it'll burn before the crust is done, slide some foil between it and the heat once it gets the desired amount of brown.

525 degrees for about 9 minutes does the trick for my pizzas. And that is with homemade crust. One has to have the "stone" preheated and I use parchment paper between the stone and the bottom of the crust.

That is one big Brandy Boy!

Those are some nice big tomatoes Sey. My Big Beef and DYW loaded up again after I picked them clean. They are amazing setters. Tough decisions ahead. I am unable to win the stink bug battle. I keep making the efforts but am getting overwhelmed. Time for bigger guns.

I ordered this: Surround. Old GW link; http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1520976/kaolin-clay-for-flea-cucumber-japanese-beetles-squash-borers  A 5 pound bag was marked down and the online seller offered a get $25 off of a $50 order. I had no trouble finding things to order for this fall: pumpkin, winter squash, and acorn squash seed. In the past the squash vine borers destroyed my summer squash and later pumpkin vines. The kaolin clay is supposed to work against those too.

I will be applying the kaolin clay to newly set Big Beef, DWY, Pink Accordian, Paul Robeson, Kosovo, Mortgage Lifter, and Rutgers tomatoes. They are showing some real gusto.

Others are dead: Prudence Purple, a weakened Big Beef, Orange Blossom. Others that are struggling and/or not setting: Brandy Boy (in the raised bed, I don't think this is the norm for this variety) , Indigo Apple, Green Zebra. Principe Borghese is not thriving. Sweet Million seems to be slowing.

My number one tomato pest right now in stink bug. But after spraying with permathrin and Savin, couple of times, seems that damage is reduced. I had also Horn worms but kept picking them, smashing them under my shoes. No more. Grass hoppers don't do much harm.

Sey