nice Tom!

I my late start tomato plants here are all now finally tall enough that I went out and covered the ground under them with straw. Now they just need to take off!

I added a bunch of new seeds for fall harvest time this morning and when I went out to turn off the drip hose later this morning about 5 birds all scattered out of my garden. GAH. Little trolls! I JUST took the net off last night for the tomato blossoms! I bet they were eating my newly added seeds. The exact spots I put seeds in had gouges in the dirt. At first I thought they were just after the water, which is fine. I was all.. oh.. I should put out a bird bath for them. Yeah, not if they are going to dig up my newly placed seeds.

They like that disturbed ground. Maybe looking for grubs.

They can have any of THOSE they find.

robynanne said:They can have any of THOSE they find.

After I got back home this morning I put up the last of my Spring Celebrity Tomatoes and added some Jalapeno Peppers ( from last Fall ) and some homemade Chili powder. And ding-dang-it I knocked over one jar before I got the lid on it and it went everywhere.

Thomas75 said:After I got back home this morning I put up the last of my Spring Celebrity Tomatoes and added some Jalapeno Peppers ( from last Fall ) and some homemade Chili powder. And ding-dang-it I knocked over one jar before I got the lid on it and it went everywhere.

Oh no, that is a shame to have it wasted like that. But hey, we have all done something similar.

Thomas75 said:After I got back home this morning I put up the last of my Spring Celebrity Tomatoes and added some Jalapeno Peppers ( from last Fall ) and some homemade Chili powder. And ding-dang-it I knocked over one jar before I got the lid on it and it went everywhere.

oh no!!

I agree with you. As a chef, they all have different flavor & texture profiles. Beefsteaks is what I like to use for Caprese salads... (starting to salivate thinking of that! Yum.) Or create something that is to your taste by combining your favorites. If I had the space, I'd grow as many tomatoes as I could!

I am crazy for tomatoes. We all have our favorites but I seem to grow more and more plants each season.

I have never grown these Heatwave Tomatoes before but was assured by the lady at the feed store that they will grow great in our Texas heat. She also said that they are very meaty like the Celebrity, I will let you'll know as soon as I harvest any.

I'm a bit late to this party. But I've read that blending whole tomatoes with skin and seeds makes the most of their nutrition. This book was very intersting
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/...

I don't think straining would take away SOLUBLE nutrients ..just insoluble ones

My kids love the Ninja blender so I got the one with a large pitcher and a small cup. Better than a standard blender. You can put big chunks in and still get good blend.

and I have Celebrity and Early Girl too, waiting for them to start. Also Mortgage Lifter and Cherokee Purple. 2 plants each. Celebrity and CP have been some of my most tasty ones, but I've grown the others too. I was really happy that the nursery had all of them.

Thomas75 said:I have never grown these Heatwave Tomatoes before but was assured by the lady at the feed store that they will grow great in our Texas heat. She also said that they are very meaty like the Celebrity, I will let you'll know as soon as I harvest any.

They sound like just what you need for your Texas Summers!!

Hello @sallyg

I have to believe you are correct about the nutritional value of eating the "whole" tomato. Growing up as a kid ( way before blenders ) my folks would dice up whole tomatoes and make sauce to put up for the Winter. Now with the blender it is so easy to make juice/soup/sauce and paste and not loose anything. Sure hope these new tomatoes give me a good harvest and they taste good.

Thomas75 said:Hello @sallyg

I have to believe you are correct about the nutritional value of eating the "whole" tomato. Growing up as a kid ( way before blenders ) my folks would dice up whole tomatoes and make sauce to put up for the Winter. Now with the blender it is so easy to make juice/soup/sauce and paste and not loose anything. Sure hope these new tomatoes give me a good harvest and they taste good.

I hope you report on how well they do and how good they taste!!

That is very true. Eating fruits & veggies with the skin on is very beneficial... The skins have alot of fiber in them, which keeps you 'regular', but also helps you to feel more full for a longer period of time, so you won't end up eating as much. Also, fiber helps reduce bad cholesterol & raise the good ones. Can also help with blood pressure, too.

During tomato season, I think about half of them never make it to the house.

tveguy3 said:During tomato season, I think about half of them never make it to the house.

I stand at the kitchen sink and eat tomatoes that I have just picked. Make a mess so that is why I am standing over the sink!!

tveguy3 said:During tomato season, I think about half of them never make it to the house.

There is a special really nice taste in a tomato right off the plant out in the garden.

Sallyg, most things taste heavenly right off the plant from your garden... Because you did it. I especially love cherry or grape tomatoes or sugar snap peas. That's my kryptonite!

The kids from the neighborhood stand by the garden when I'm picking tomatoes at times and wait for me to had them a bunch to munch on. I think I'm training the next generation of tomato lovers. I was late getting them planted this year, so it's going to be a while yet for me.