Another good summer to test their heat tolerance. I have some Cherokee Purples that are still very green that I've been watering a couple times a week. I doubt that's enough.
I'm losing my enthusiasm to keep stuff watered, especially if it's something off by itself and I have to drag the hose.

same here helen. CP set fruit early and i had one last week. good size also. had 2 aunt gertie's gold, 2 beefsteaks and prudencs purple is stating to break. the best performers by far are the grafted brandywine's. the average fruit size looks to be 12 oz's plus.
william

has anyone ever put soaker hoses underground in the row planted? seems it would stay wet longer.
donna

I have finally had about a gallon of smaller tomatoes from two volunteer plants; none from my planted regular sized ones.

Christie, like you I am getting tired of watering. At least I have three sets of hoses so I just have to drag each one about 50 feet.

I have buried soaker hoses in the past, but the pressure on the well isn't strong enough to do a 50 foot length so I gave up on them. I think for shorter runs it would be ideal.

Glenda it is the heat again. I am getting nothing from tomatoes planted at the normal time. As you may know I am impatient and when it was warm this spring so early I got some tomatoes in the ground. The cutest tomato plant is Earl of Edgecombe. The tomatoes are medium sized yellow orange. I am not exactly sure when they are ripe. The plant is short, cute even as a seedling and has nice foliage. It is just for fun; if you can or make lots of salsa, it is not a work horse tomato. Not bad for the size of the plant kneehigh is a stretch, it has produced 5 or 6 nice tomatoes and has green ones coming so it isn't just for looks. I got one Orange Minsk a big orange yellow beefsteak. I am not sure I will plant yellow tomatoes again as I like the black ones best to eat. Green Zebra has been a total bust. It needs more water and got blossom end rot. The wind blew the plant over and the tomatoes were exposed and sun scalded. It just doesn't seem to be able to stand up to my conditions. I have been eating Pale Perfect Purple for weeks. I put them out under walls of water very early. In the heat and drought it has produced well. The tomatoes that are everywhere and that I don't eat now that there are better ones are the earlies. Siberian has done the best. My friend will eat those little ones and let a beautiful big tomato rot. He doesn't eat them like I do sliced with onion and salt and pepper. He pops them in his mouth and if you have to slice them, he'll let them rot. I am glad someone likes those little ones.

I am hoping for a good crop this year. I used my last jar of salsa about a month ago. I make about 2 large batches each year just for me. DH is not a fan but will eat it now and then.

I am headed back to the orchard garden this morning to water. That is where I have the row of main crop tomatoes. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

I just planted two varieties, Granny Cantrell and I think Box Car Willie.

I am not a fan of yellow tomatoes either, except that tiny very sweet Sungold. None of those volunteered this year though.

I like the tomatoes with just Miracle Whip blobbed on top. Now I am eating a bowl of the cherries that same way.

I have Mule Team starting to get ripe. Those plants have lots of green tomatoes. Mule Team is supposed to be similar to Box Car Willie. Last year they were productive. My Granny Cantrells don't have many green tomatoes on them. I think they all need more water than I am giving them. I would have to have lots of sugar on cherries. Are you growing cherries sweet enough to eat without sugar?

The medium sized orange tomato under the huge Mule Team is Earl of Edgecombe. The big orange beefsteaks are Orange Minsk picked this week from one plant. Mule Team hasn't been that big usually this guy was hard to cut off the plant and had another large one so close I thought it was one monster. He is so ripe I may have to eat him tonight.

Impressive!
My grand total so far is two Cherokee Purple tomatoes but I have a couple more that are almost ready. I've been keeping my plants watered and put straw around them. They're hanging in there as well as anything else.