Have you ever grown the pear shaped yellow tomatoes?I love those.

The Yellow Pear variety? Yep! So sweet I call them garden candy. I'm also a huge fan of most black tomatoes. Such a sweet, heavy,meaty, very complex flavor.

In the good old days in early spring a guy would think about planting Tomatoes to get a crop before Christmas.
(Southern Hemisphere, upside down and all that stuff)
Next spring, I'm not going to bother....early blight, mid season blight, late blight, bronze wilt etc.etc. Think I'm raving? Then have a look at the USA Tomato forums, it is very depressing.

They're a special breed, Arthur. I assure you my tomatoes here in The DC look just like what you are raving about.

I get it even worse though because every year my plans eventually develop top growth shoe stringing, either one of a couple viruses or herbicide damage from drift from someone's yard spray. Can never tell which. Plants generally continue to grow, albeit stunted and at reduced yield

I always grew fabulous tomatoes in NY. Funny, I was just thinking about my vegetable garden. Always composted everything, never used chemicals of any type. Manure from local stables and I had great soil. Black gold!

Reading all the tomato forums about the problems people have and noticing all the 'cures' in garden catalogs makes me wonder why I never ran into those problems. Only the rabbits and sometime bugs would give me a headache.

Florida is another story. You have to start your tomatoes in Winter because the heat prevents flowering. The sandy soil has root nematodes so you can only grow in raised beds or containers. Tried an Earthbox last year but heat and bugs took care of the plants quickly. Never got one tomato.

How I miss homegrown tomatoes. There is nothing better. You brought back great memories.

Jane

You know jane, I've thought about hat a bit: all these things that can go wrong, but never see them. Unfortunately this is my annual summer reality, so I certainly share and sympathize with your agony.

Hi
Had very good luck with toms this winter. Grew them in my compost bin lol Got around 30 unblemished fruit so far from one vine . Only problem this year has been the usual Mocking birds . Should get another month or two if the weather gods are kind lol gary