With the tomato plants, some years things go great and there is no desease. Other years (like this year) I have to keep spraying the tomato plants weekly to try and stay ahead of the fungal deseases. What can you do, need those tomato plants to keep producing.

I have been spraying with the Daconil weekly. Just did so again this afternoon. But before the spraying I did pick some. Mostly cherry and Juliet grape types with a few Beefmasters. When this batch of Beefmaster that still has a few to get ripe are done there are no more comming along for now. I did see a few blossoms so I hope they do set some more. But I don't know.

The Juliet tomatoes are doing the best. No fungus, no problems, just keep on making tomatoes.

Rita, I don't know if this rings true or not, but over the years
in our garden, when we had a lot of rain, the tomatoes
did not have as much flavor. Then after a a couple weeks
of dry weather, they were less watery and stronger in flavor.
Just noticed the difference during the season.

If true, just imagine what your best tasting ones would be
with dryer weather.

We have had lots of rain this year. I have never had to water except for newly planted or transplanted things and pots because those dry out dailey. But I have also read that tomatoes have more flavor if there is not too much rain so I am not surprised at your findings.

I do keep the tomatoes picked this year and not let them get totally ripe on the vine. Leaving them on the vine in prior years resulted in lots of splitting and cracking if there was rain. This year I got smart and pick them much sooner. No splitting and cracking. Also keeps them from getting too watery. I just leave them sitting on the counter to finish getting ripe.

Saw this sign/tshirt/apron in a catalogue today:

Gardening
is cheaper than therapy
and you get tomatoes.

I think that slogan is the pergect message.

so fitting.

I intend to be ready for next year. I ordered 25 tomato cages today from Lowes as they had a free shipping offer till September. Works for me. Easier than going to get them at the store.

I bought the same 47 inch collapable triangle green coated wire cages as the ones already here.

Didn't know you could do that. Great idea!!!

Earlier in the year I had bought green coated metal fence posts in 6 and 7 foot lengths at Home Depot when they had their free shipping promo. It really is easier than going to the store and lugging them back home. But I only do these kinds of things when I find the free shipping going on.

I forget where I posted about it but I had ordered seeds from BlueRibbonTomatoes on E-bay. So my seeds came today from BlueRibbonTomatoes.

Cowlicks Brandywine, in spite of the fact I swore I would never try any sorts of Brandwines again. But this one sounded like the one!

And also an old Kentucky Heirloom variety called PURPLE DOG CREEK. I picked it because they really raved about the complex and sweet flavor saying it won their own taste test trials. I have to try it.

So hopefully I will be growing these two varieties next year. :-))

Fantastic!!! More taste tests.

Oh yes. Definatly lots more tomato taste tests next year. I have decided I am going to be growing lots of new to me varieties. Also going to be bringing back the winners of this years taste test.

I'll look forward to your testing. Like to add new ones to try myself.

I have plans to order more seed in October from Heritage tomato seed. Mostly of the New Dwarf varieties.

I really want to plant the New Dwarfs I intend to start from seeds next spring inground. Looking around the yard for the spots most suited to these I have decided I have room to plant 8 of the dwarf plants. I think that will work out well as I have decided on four varieties. DWARF MR SNOW, SUMMERTIME GOLD, ROSELLA PURPLE and TASMANIAN PURPLE. So that means I will be able to plant two of each which I think will work out well for me.

Then I also plan to order a regular variety from them called Amazon Chocolate.

I also already ordered (but the seeds have not come yet) seeds from Wild Boar Farms. Really interesting varieties there which are their own intros.

I ordered -
Black And Brown Boar
Red Boar
Pink Boar
Sweet Carneros Pink
Pink Berkley Tie Dye

And I know I am not done yet with my tomato seed ordering!

Heritage-
http://heritagetomatoseed.com/...

Wild Boar Farms-
http://wildboarfarms.com/

Glad you included the links, Rita. Gonna look through these.
You have chosen quite a variety. Can't wait to see how they do.

Yes, these are really "out there" for me. I usually just buy the plants from the local nursery and those would be the hybrids like Big Boy, Better Boy etc. I still intend to buy those as well as Beefmaster and Early Girl.

And here I was trying to downsize the veggie garden.
Somehow it just never works out that way.

Nope. Doesn't work around here either!