avidcat
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Joined: 07 May 2006
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| Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 4:58 pm Post subject: Picking Tomatoes |
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So this is the first garden I had in a bit, when is the best time to pick tomatoes. Do they need to be very red, firm?
We planted Roma and patio tomatoes.
Thanks,
Nick
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eileen
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| Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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Hi AC. I pick mine when they're red, firm and come away from the plant with ease. If you have to tug on them then they're not quite ready. Hope this helps. 
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avidcat
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| Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 4:02 am Post subject: |
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Thanks. Also how often do you water? We are doing it just once a night at sunset, but we are giving them plenty of water.
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eileen
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| Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 10:56 am Post subject: |
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That should be fine AC but remember when the fruits form it's also good to give them a liquid feed every few days as it encourages the plant to produce bigger and better tomatoes. I use an organic feed that's actually made from tomatoes but Tomorite or something similar is fine. Most garden centres have feed and it's not too expensive either.
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glendann
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| Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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I have tomatoes planted at different times so they don't all make at once.I will pull tomatoes early if I have bug are grasshopper problems .Just put them in a sunny window and they will ripen nicely.You are watering right just feed them as they start produceing and you will get lots of yield from them.
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SwissCharrd
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Joined: 17 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 5:15 pm Post subject: Pick a Peck of Tomatoes |
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I just read that at first if you leave a couple ripe tomatoes on the plant it encourages the others one to ripen also. Some type of super magic tomato gas drifts off the ripe ones. 
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avidcat
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| Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 3:22 am Post subject: |
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I have 4 tomatoe plants growing good in our garden, how long do they live for and produce fruit?
Our Roma plant is aobut 5 feet tall and only has 2 tomatoes so far on it, but the patio tomatoes are about 2 feet tall and have over 20 tomatoes.
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eileen
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| Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 11:47 am Post subject: |
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Once your plants have finished fruiting they tend to die back naturally Avidcat. I always plant new seeds every year - sometimes from the fruits of the previous years plants if they did well.
I have three yellow tomato plants at the moment and they are weighed down with fruit. It shouldn't be long now until I can pick them. 
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Hank
On The Way Up
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Location: Wisconsin (Map)
Posts: 188
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| Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, a 5 ft tall Roma. Again, I'm jealous (derned short Wisconsin summers  ).
Have you been feeding with a fertilizer prior to blossoming? If so, that will lead to a monster plant with smaller or fewer fruit. I fertilize right when planted, then leave them be until the fruits are set, then I really give the fertilizer to them.
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