That's great! Congratulations! My tomatoes are really taking off, too; I've got maybe a hundred Sun Gold cherries ripening, and my Lemon Boys are exploding. (Not LITERALLY exploding, that would be weird :) )

I wish I had your luck in the bird department, but they're starting to get curious over here. I'm going to have to hang my bird net over everything pretty soon to keep them out.

Yeah...I'm really very perplexed that the birds are staying away, because they certainly are enjoying nibbling at various bits in my grassy front yard. Hmmm...but maybe they're just in appetizer mode right now? lol...

Actually I think part of the reason may be that, due to the sprawling, horizontal nature of the plant (I never staked it...just let it run loose), it's so brushy that half of the 'maters are hidden from view. Even I have to really move a lot of branches (carefully) to get to some of the hidden ones. And my little garden area is on the ground, enclosed by pavers, surrounded by rocks. So maybe the birds find it a bit challenging to access? I don't know.

Anyhow, I've got the bird net ready if and when, just in case! Good luck with yours...sounds like you're going to have a great crop!

Must be the cool spring because this is the first year in 3 or 4 that I am actually getting some tomatoes. I nearly gave up and did not plant this year but someone gave me a couple, I started some seeds that were old and hanging around in my seed box......whodda thunk it. I've havested just a few but there's many 'in the oven' as you say. Birds are not bothering here either, dunno what that's about be am happy with it.

My best grower so far is the Atkinson, followed by Oregon Spring Bush, then a couple of Phoenix toms are just setting but they WANT the heat, Bloody Butcher trying to produce. The Oregon Spring likes cooler temps. Who knows?

Those darn birds! There's a mocking bird out front who's pecked a hole in about twenty nice big green beefsteaks, just so I'd have to throw them away. No hopes of them ripening.
Even with netting he managed to peck holes in a bunch on the bottom, outside trusses.

Congratulations xica, you are now a vegetable gardener. Or more accurately a fruit gardener.

tracydr a small injection of lead in a vital spot usually takes care of any mocking bird problem pronto.

Thanks, thisime!

Guess what? I just went out this morning and plucked 111 more ripe tomatoes! I'll try to give some to my neighbors if I see them around today.

Unfortunately, about a dozen of them had holes from what I suspect are worm larvae (I saw a cocoon growing on the side of one of the tomatoes, so I'll have to monitor this). And a couple seemed to have 'bird-bite' because I did notice a little feather left like a burglar's fingerprint in the leaves! Little rascals!

But the majority look great...although they're of varying sizes...some big, some small.

Mom says I can stick them in the freezer to use them for pasta sauce or salsa later on.

I also had a couple of ripe strawberries come out (they're shaded a bit by the tomato plant, otherwise I think they'd peter out completely). But the strawberries, although red, were more sour than sweet. Too bad.

Haven't had a problem with the birds eating at my tomatoes yet but they've pecked holes in a couple bell peppers and are eating the seeds out of them.
This has been the best year ever for tomatoes, mine has bunches or Romas, still green but hopeful will ripen without the birds attaching them.

Pam

Congratulations on the huge harvest, Xica and to everyone else getting some good tomatoes and/or peppers. Fun! This is the first year in awhile I'm not growing any so it's especially fun to hear these updates. My favorite for the last fifteen years or so is Sungold. Such great flavor!

Good luck all and happy eating/harvesting!
Grant