Ripe red tomato on the 4th, sort of

[Ranger J]

I got my first ripe tomato on the 4th of July.  It was about the size of an egg and had blossom end rot but it was a ripe tomato.  Hopefully as they start ripening regularly they will be bigger and better.  We got the first picking off the basil patch and turned the leaves into pesto, which we froze in some ice cube trays.  We got quite a lot of it so I guess I will have to start cooking some spaghetti.  We could use some rain in the Missouri Ozarks. 
RJ

[jvs]

I got my first ripe tomato on the 4th of July.  It was about the size of an egg and had blossom end rot but it was a ripe tomato.  Hopefully as they start ripening regularly they will be bigger and better.  We got the first picking off the basil patch and turned the leaves into pesto, which we froze in some ice cube trays.  We got quite a lot of it so I guess I will have to start cooking some spaghetti.  We could use some rain in the Missouri Ozarks.   RJ   

My Tomato Plants grow about 3 inches a day and have outgrown the cages and have plenty of green ones hanging, but nothing red just yet.  I suspect in about two weeks I may get a ripe one.  I think I will be needing 10 or 12 foot stakes to hold the tomato plants.  Then I will need a Step-Ladder to pick them...

The Pole Beans are still running up the poles with no flowers as yet, but it won't be long now. 

The Onions are doing real good, which surprises me because I never tried growing them before.  I will plant them every year from now on.

I picked a nice Zucchinni on the 4th and I can go out at any given time now and get another one whenever I want one.

The Concord Grape Vines I planted this year are off to a real good start.  They have already reached and are holding on to the bottom 'rung' of the support I built.

Horesradish is going wild and Rhubarb is holding its own in the heat.  We had 4 Rhubarb Custard Pies this year.

Okra is not doing so good so far...  they could take off any time now.  We'll see.

And my 'Bhut Jolokia' Hot Peppers are showing very slow progress.  Sometimes I wonder if they are growing at all.  I guess I have to stop looking at them every day.  They might be slow growers compared to other Peppers.

[dukkillr]

I'm not far north of you and I've already picked about 8 tomatoes... plus 4-5 will be ready in the next 2 days.  My problem is that my plants are hurting themselves under the weight of all the tomatoes.  I staked the main stalk, but the individual branches are breaking off under the stress.  Any advice?

[jvs]

One Stake is rarely enough to support the heavy weights.  Three or Four (or more) Stakes per plant may be necessary.  What ever it takes.  One year I made my own cages out of (5) 8' Iron Fence Posts per plant and Turkey Wire, which worked out just fine.  I have a chance to get 10 and 12 foot long strips of hardwood, which I will be doing shortly.

Any of the Hybrid Tomato Plants need higher stakes usually.  Unless you let them crawl along the ground.

[Odinbreaker]

Anyone know how to prune tomato  plant to get the best in the fruit

[Ranger J]

The traditional thought has been to remove the ‘suckers’.  These are either the sprouts, other than the main stem, that spring up from the root area and those that sprout between the main stem and the leaves on the stem.  Be careful not to cut the sprouts that have blooms on them off.  If you are just looking for large fruit, first choose a verity that produces large fruit.  The world record was off a verity named Delicious.  Then, like any other fruit or vegitable you are growing, pick all but a few of the green tomatoes off as they form or better yet snip off the other blooming sprouts and then all energy will be sent to a few tomatoes and they will get larger.  Lots of water and plant food help too.  These directions are only if you are interested in producing ‘bragging size’ tomatoes and are not interested in a normal crop.

RJ