I usually plant mine on the 6th of May so I know its early but the weather had been so mild.

Last year I got quite a few plants fruiting without putting any in the dirt, kept them all in pots with cages on them.

Has anyone tried those red mulcher things?They look like red plastic dirt coverings? They are said to encourage more tomatoes

I only got 24 plants this year. Last year I went totally overboard and kept buying tomato plants until I wound up with something like 40 or more plants. I had a tomato jungle out there come mid summer and I didn't have room for any other veggies.

I bought 4 pepper plants this year and still need to get some cucumber plants. Other years I have broccoli, sugar snap peas and string beans too. Was not organized enough this year earlier to get the peas and brocolli in and I just don't feel like planting beans. Maybe I will change my mind.

i harvested some seeds last year and stored the the seeds over the winter and then planted the seeds but if i could just leave a couple of tomatoes out there to self re-seed that would be alot easier.

by the way, for any of you looking for a huge selection of heirloom tomatoes, i ordered from lauries heirlooms and the plants arrived in immaculate condition-

Unfortunately, I can't use my little volunteers, I've just been weeding them out, but they keep coming up. in a pot that's for my peas.

I was at Hicks and honestly I just choose the last two plants on the fact that they were large and ready to flower.

Now last year I put in mostly heirlooms because everyone just raves about them. I had no problems with poor production as I had had a large load of compost delivered and the tomatoes got plenty and grew and set like mad. They did taste good but honestly, my tomatoes always taste good to me.

This year I mostly bought my selections at Home Depot early this year because the price was right.

I did plant seeds on the windowsill. Planted April 15 cause that's traditionally last frost. Through several frossts and they are still kickin'. Rest of the vegetable garden is planted; bush beans, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, radishes, carrots, potatoes, peppers, squash, corn, beets, cucumbers, kholorabi, broccoli and a few others i can't remember. Some of these I traded. I am still waiting for my Geogia Jet sweet potatoes to be delivered. Garden vegetables need warmer nights to grow and we have been having cold nights and rainy days. If you didn't plant a garden, google farmers market, your town, NY. Every weekend July till thanksgiving. You'll be hooked. The fruits and vegetables are grown on the east end of LI. They get harvested the day before to sell at the market.

Here are some of my tomato plants growing in the backyard.

"Milky Spore Grub Control - A host specific bacterium that is effective against Japanese Beetle grubs. In their immature beetle stage, the grub enjoys feeding on grass roots. The spores that are applied to your turf are swallowed by grubs during feeding. It controls grubs for 10 to 15 years. As the grubs die they decompose and release billions of new spores. Rate: 10 oz. treats 2500 sq. ft. or 40 oz. treats 10,000 sq. ft. Nat'l List"

I got Milkyspore at the Home Depot.

http://crowldawg.blogspot.com/