Yesterday as I was walking in my field, which seems more like a bog at this point, I was amazed at how well some of the tomato plants were doing. I was even more amazed that some of the older plants are still producing harvestable fruit.
Like many of us the tomato plants have been through a lot this year. A late frost that kept them in the greenhouse longer than planned, incredibly hot and humid temperatures, excessive amounts of rain (over 15 inches in last 60 days), high wind gusts, and a tropical storm. But these plants have confronted these challenges and persisted growing big and tall, putting out flowers, and setting fruit over and over again.
I felt so appreciative of my tomato plants yesterday that while harvesting I actually said out loud “Good job guys!” I don’t normally verbalize my appreciation to my plants but I was surprised to find so many ripe tomatoes, on plants that I have to wear rain boots to get too as there is still some standing water in parts of my field.
With the less than ideal weather recently I had prepared myself to find tomato plants on their last legs, riding off into the sunset, signaling the end of the delicious tomato season. This is true for some of the tomato plants but many of the plants are doing so well that they are down right thriving.
So the tomato harvest continues and I got my fingers crossed that these strong, rugged tomato plants will make it another two months or until the frost comes.
Like you, I’m adjusting to growing tomatoes in the East. As long as I make sure to harvest before anticipated rains, I avoid having them split. Otherwise, they are going gangbusters. More tomatoes than we can eat–so canning is in my immediate future.