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On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Last year I posted some Timely Tomato Tips on this forum. There were about 10 or 11 tips. It takes time and it is a lot of work to do these. I had considered running them by Minnie Zaccaria before posting for any input she might have. Minnie has been helpful to me over the years. I don't want to do this unless a good number of growers here are interested in seeing them. There were not many comments about them one way or the other last year and so I felt noone was reading them. The other thing we could do on this forum is to post questions and let everyone tell what is the best way go in their opinion. An example of a question would be "How do you prepare your tomato planting hole?" Everyone could respond and we could all learn something from one another. Also it would keep us alive through the winter while we are not growing. So we could do a Question and Answer thing or Timely Tips or both or nothing at all. Comments please. These are just thoughts about things we could do looking for comments at this point. Marv

10/15/2011 10:29:45 AM

South East

marv do you test your tomato growing soil?
If so,,,what are you shooting for?

10/15/2011 10:36:07 AM

Hamilton Nj

i think it is a great idea to post a question and let everyone put in their thoughts!!!! so we all can learn!!!

also i thought your tips were great marv,would like to see u continue them too!!!!

id also like to see more people posting over the winter it is hard to keep this forum rolling!!! lately i havent posted much the fish are biteing ,lol, keep up the great work marv.

pizza

10/15/2011 11:28:13 AM

Mount Vision, NY

Next season will be my first for growing tomatoes for weight. I'd love to see any info, though at this point I don't have anything to add to such posts. I'm all for learning all that I can from those with more experience.

10/15/2011 11:55:04 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I'd love to see your tips again, Marv.
You could always do a Mater Book II, also :)

10/15/2011 6:36:51 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Shouck, first you need to do soil prep, and make your patch a good place to grow a tomato plant. Then you have to grow the best healthiest plant you can. THEN you can grow for greatness.

My best two putterouters this year were eaters...

Lubadub wrote "Giant Tomatoes" by Marv Meisner (his real name) and that is the best buckage you can spend for how to get started. Read the book a few times through, and go from there. Heh. And yeah, ask questions, we all do. Welcome aboard.

10/15/2011 6:40:32 PM

valparaiso, in

I like the Question and Answer idea for the off season, and I also like the Timely Tips for when they are timely.

10/15/2011 11:16:00 PM

valparaiso, in

Sadly I never knew that Marv was that Marv. Just want to say great book, and thanks for writing it.

10/15/2011 11:18:32 PM

Mount Vision, NY

I just ordered Marv's book and also "How to Grow World Record Tomatoes" written by Charles H. Wilber. I plan on reading both many times this winter. I've grown tomatoes most of my life, just not for size. Next spring won't be getting here fast enough for me. I look forward to learning as much as I can both from the books and this forum.

10/16/2011 12:55:21 PM

Nicholls Georgia

sounds good i like it

10/16/2011 6:43:47 PM

East Carbon, Utah

I read, downloaded, reread and referred to the timely tips several times over the past few months, so they were worth something to me at least! (Even at that, I don't think I had enough reminders, because my implementation of the tips was rather limited, as evidenced by...)

I agree that a Q&A format would be very useful as well. I have plenty of questions and might even chime in on occasion with an opinion.

Definitely not Not!

One issue with either approach is that a particular question may have been addressed months or even years ago. The thread might get buried when it's old. Most of us are not in the habit of digging for answers before we post a question. If an old thread is addressed with a recent comment, the thread remains way down the list - at least that's my perception of how this BP site is organized.

On the other hand, I suppose it doesn't hurt to ask and address the same question again!

Perhaps each new thread started which is specifically a question about growing tomatoes could be started with "Q&A..." as the subject.

What we see too often - and there have been some nerves rattled over this recently - is contributors getting way off topic or "hijacking" a thread. So if we do a Q&A approach, I think the occasional reminder to stay on topic might be in order. I will need such reminding as much as anyone!

10/17/2011 12:45:10 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I have a number of tomato related URL's... we can set one up for our own tomato site if you want.

giant-tomato-growers.com is currently parked...

10/17/2011 1:56:09 AM

Oswego,ny

thanks for your generosity Marv.

First you start with a quality seed..........

10/17/2011 7:32:36 PM

Muddy Waters

Good Idea! Lets do it! I think people do read & learn from posted info,I wish more would step forward & post positive feedback.Im in Marvin.

10/17/2011 8:25:51 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

I think it may be a bit soon to start now but I will begin to think about it. For those of you who are looking for something to do now, I would suggest cleaning out your patch, adding to it whatever organic stuff you can find including leaves and compost and tilling them in. Marv

10/17/2011 8:54:30 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Just finished that today in 40mph 'refreshing breezes' as it's about to freeze. Last 7 plants was 11 39 gallon garbage bags. I have enough tomatoes to feed half the county.

I always remove my plants totally and send them to the dumpster, not compost, in case I'm harboring something... I have plenty of other things to compost. Just my .00002 cents worth...

Go Marv Go!

10/17/2011 10:30:50 PM

Marion,IN

Marv,
I read your posts from last year and liked them very much. I'm trying to learn as much as I can on how to grow big tomatos. I do not have info to contribute, but I do look forward to your posts on growing tips.

Thank you,
Mark G.

10/18/2011 8:58:40 AM

Santa Fe,New Mexico

You're da man Marv! Unbelievable year for you! Most of us who read the tomato forum follow you and I read all your tips. Any tip you can give us is always appreciated and absorbed! Great book too.

10/19/2011 11:48:41 PM

Muddy Waters

I think every post on here repersents at least 10 people not willing to post.

10/20/2011 5:49:16 AM

valparaiso, in

At least 10.

10/21/2011 1:16:19 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Lets see. If you are reading this thread just sign in. You don't have to say anything but hello. Marv

10/25/2011 9:20:24 PM

Muddy Waters

Lots a luck with that Marv!

10/25/2011 9:42:38 PM

Massachusetts

good idea, lets see how many growers are out there.....

10/26/2011 6:33:46 AM

Linden, Mi.,

Yes Marv, I too would like to learn more about tomatoes. Thanks !

10/26/2011 2:54:02 PM

Trinity River Bottom

I never post anything but i'm a regular reader here. Feels much better to be out of the closet.

10/26/2011 3:04:57 PM

Littleton, Colorado

I'm also a regular reader here.

10/26/2011 3:16:48 PM

Nicholls Georgia

im here

10/26/2011 4:56:28 PM

Mount Vision, NY

I check out all new posts since I last logged on. Especially tomato posts.

10/26/2011 5:06:45 PM

50 Acres

I grew tomatoes for the first this year Iread here occasionaly What I don,t understand is prunning.

10/26/2011 7:41:30 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

I have decided that the best way to do this might be to ask a questionsuch as, "How do you fertilize your tomato plants?" Everyone could then post their answer and at the end I would post mine. The other way would be to just post what I do and then ask for criticism and input as to how others do it. There are many ways to fertilze as you well know from pumpkin growing and we could all learn by hearing what more than one grower is doing. What do you think? Marv

10/26/2011 9:01:55 PM

Nicholls Georgia

sounds good to me marv but i like the fisrt way you sed ask and let everyone chime in then tell what you do..lol....it would be funny to see how close or diff we are from you in the way others do it

10/26/2011 9:14:55 PM