Though we planted them a bit closer than 36″-48″ together (61-91cm), it wouldn’t have made much difference, all three plants just exploded up and out. I had to string up more twine and brace up the sagging cages with wood stakes.

More of a tomato heap than a garden but very productive, just hard to pick. It overwhelmed the 3 year old Japanese Pine tree.

The biggest is an Early Girl that really did start early and is STILL producing.

The other round tomatoes are Ace and the elongated cooking ones are San Marzano (part gene donor to the popular Roma) and both plants were fecund as well.

The San Marzano got blossom end rot so we fixed it with some plant dope I got from my dad.

Luckily it didn’t affect the other two plants. Not a disease, it’s actually a calcium imbalance within the plant.

The secret must be the contractor’s high-grade dirt used to backfill where they removed an Asian elm (Ulmus parvifolia-or whatever)  tree I always hated, because we only fertilized once when we planted-can’t remember the NPK.

To keep the cats off we staked down chicken wire on the bare soil after planting and caging. This gave mixed results in that the cats did not dig but the wire prevented weeding out the thick, tenacious zombie Asian Elm sprouts, always longing to return and seek revenge. Didn’t do the mower blade any good either.

I’ve given away lots of tomatoes and still have more than I want to eat even though I must say I can’t stand to eat store-bought tomatoes this time of year, even organic ones taste so weak compared to home-grown.

 

 

 

 

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