You know I have never noticed birds eating any tomatoes. maybe because there are plenty of other things for them to eat?

Rita, maybe you never missed any tomatoes because you had so many plants.

Could be. But I know the birds won't eat the large varieties and I think even the grape varieties I grew are too big for them. Of my "cherry" types this year two are grape shaped (Sugery and Juliet). Sungold is yellow which fools the birds into thinking they are not ripe yet. And Sweet Million, which I have grown in years past but not last year, is overly large for a cherry tomato.

I am so ready for planting my veggies. Today I put out the tomato cages along the back of the driveways side garden. The one the butts up against the fence. I had my Juliet tomatoes here last year. I wasn't sure it would work but I had no more room so I tried it and yes, it worked perfectly. I knew I would put the Juliets back in the same place this year.
So I had them contained in these garden tellis things last year as I ran out of cages. I am using the same set up this year.

I plant four Juliets, that was plenty. They produce like crazy. Then down from them I set up six tomato cages which I will plant my Cubanelle peppers. Further down still I set up four tomato cages in which I will put four Sweet Millions. I figgure of four Juliets were plenty then four Sweet Millons should be plenty too. But maybe I can find another spot for the other two, we shall see.

And at the very end I have two tomato cages and in those will go Sungold and Sugery. So in back of the daylilies Pepper and Cherry Tomato Row is ready for planting.

Organised, organised, organised this year. Much more so than last spring. I really think that is because I put so much thought into expanding with the veggies late last summer. Expanded planting areas then so I didn't have to concern myself with it in the spring. And I decided (wise decision) to put my compost on early so I would be ready for planting. Like I said, really organised this year.

Rita in your area when can you expect to be sampling your first tomato ?

Early July if I am lucky. Then the Tomato run lasts thru to the end of September.

Orgininally I was only going to plant some of those six packs of Eggplant and Zucchini as I don't have room for all of them. So was going to plant maybe two of each? My brainstorm the other day was that I had these big pots that I had beans in last year. Well, this year I will be planting the beans in ground. So instead of tossing the exta plants I will just try them in big pots. Two pots I have tomatoes I last year also should be big enough. I think. After all I never grew either eggplant or Zucchini before. But I am excited to grow a veggie new for me to grow.

So maybe you will be eating some for the 4th of July. I am not an eggplant fan . I have heard that once Zucchini starts growing there is no stopping it and you will be begging people to take some . It is fun trying new plants. It is frustrating here that they tend to just stock the same things year after year. That is one reason I like to try seeds to get something new to me.

I like eggplant but never tried growing it. As far as an overabundance of Zuchini goes, I will just put some with each bag of tomatoes I give away if I end up with lots of them. They will have to take it or get no tomatoes! And my neighbor who is the great cook wants eggplants so I know I can give her some. and I guess I will be eating lots of zucchini and eggplant myself.

Sounds like a good plan, Rita !

I had so many tomatoes last year that I could barely keep up and was giving them to anyone I knew. And of course eating lots myself. Well, I expanded my tomato bed so I have even more tomatoes this year than last. I really have the tomato crazies and I must be crazy.

That is a good kind of crazy !

And I even have peppers again this year. Slugs ate the two plants I stuck in a shady bed last year. So I haven't had peppers since I had the veggie garden upstairs. But this year the peppers are back. I have a six pack of Cubanelles. They are a light green pointy frying pepper and really really tasty. Used to grow them years ago. Plus when I was in the nursery yesterday buying Holly Tone I also bought a four pack of peppers called italian frying. That is what I do with my peppers, I use them in stir frys. Sometimes use them in salads.

So along my driveway side mostly daylily garden is where I put out the tomato cages for the tomatoes and 6 of the peppers. I tried this last year, daylilies in front, tomatoes in back. Worked well.

Going to put 4 of my Sweet Million 6 pack here and not planting the rest.


6 Cubanelle peppers to be planted here.


And 4 of the 6 pack of Juliets here and again not planting the rest. I used these trellis things last year as I ran out of cages and it worked fine so set them up again.


I have to get creative in order to make everything fit!

Tomorrow is tomato planting day so I needed to be set up and ready.

My brocoli has been planted in pots cause I had no where else to put it! But it is doing well there.

I still have to go back outside and fix the markers the way I want to that I don't forget which tomato variety is which. Not that there is much chance I don't remember but this is way I do things each yeare so not going to change it now.

I am done with the planting for today. I have my Eggtplant, Zucchini, cucumbers and peppers still to plant. I think it is too cold still for the cucumbers and peppers. I was told that the eggplant really needs warmth and I don't know anything on the zucchini so am erring on the side of caution.

I have ten peppers to plant, the spots are ready and they will be in tomato cages. 6 Cubanelle and 4 Italian Frying Peppers.

My plan was only to plant the tomatoes today anyway so that is what I did. At least what I had, I planted. I gave away the Kelloggs Breakfast, Prudens Purple and Power Pops plants (one of each) and my extra plants (2 of each) of Juliet and Sweet Million that I had to a friend that stopped by to see what I was planning. I don't need another cherry and only plant 4 Juliets (space) and 4 Sweet Millions (space). Those other two are heirlooms and I am not really into heirlooms anyway and will never miss them. I know, I know. People are crazy for heirloom tomatoes but not me. Give me Big Boys or Better Boys any day!

Then those Beefmaster tomatoes, they looked aweful. I am not sure if the brown crud along the stems was bruising or desease but I can't risk my garden. I threw them out. I got them in a very good nursery and just can't believe they would sell deseased plants but for the price of a six pack ($4.29) I am not taking a chance.

So with my extra buys, givaways and thowouts I have 8 empty spots left. I will go back and try for the Beefmasters again later in the week and see what else.

All the other tomatoes are planted. 53 in ground as of right now and 8 spots to fill. I should end up with 61 tomatoes plants. Yikes! I have NEVER had this many, not even when I had the entire back yard bed for my veggie garden long before I got the daylily crazies.

And it seems that the neighbors notice what I do. While I was planting a neighbor from down the street that got plenty of tomatoes and cucumbers last year saw me and checked out the planting. He thought I was setting out the tomato cages and was suprised to see tomatoes in ground that I just planted. I was showing off saying tomatoes here and there and peppers over there. Remember no peppers last year. He was very dissapointed to hear that there were no halapenos. I said no, I don't like halapenos these were frying peppers.

He immediatly asked about the cucumbers (he loves them) and had to make sure I was planting cucumbers this year. I will be planting the same amount and same place as last year but its too early yet. But I am sure there will be cucumbers for all. And he doesn't even know about the eggplant and zucchini plants.

So that was my day planting tomatos. I hope they grow quickly!

Fun day, Rita.

Debra, how is your little raised bed veggie garden that you made in the backyard doing?

Well, when I buy my 5 or 6 tomato plants, I'm just going to plant them and not say a word. 50 something plants, wow Rita. You and your neighbors will have plenty to share. I envy them. You're something else. And all this wil the Tulips blooming and so beautiufl.

Mona, honestly I tried to cut back. When I first turned the backyard veggie garden into another daylily bed I grew afew tomatoes in pots plus I had a small stand near the front where I had 4 plants I think. I thought that would be plenty of tomatoes for me and I didn't have to give them away. Well, I had people asking for tomatoes and none to give out. I should have known it would never work. I started expanding my newly made veggie areas until now. Each year I had more tomatoes again. Last year really did well. Happy neighbors again. I found that I am not happy unless I have many to share. It makes me feel good to have plenty for all my friends and neighbors. And I do just like to grow tomatoes. If I had acerage I bet I would end up with 200 ha-ha.