Too many tomato plants?

Howdy Folks:

After I had planted as many tomato plants as we needed and a few more for the fun of it, we found a sale on some more. We figured $5.00 for a flat of 24 was just to good a deal to turn down. The only problem was each flat was all of one type so we asked the garden center if we could mix and match for a full flat. Sure, no problem. So we wound up with a mixed flat of Sugary, Roma Paste, Yellow Pear, Juliet, Rutgers and Red Grape. I struggled with finding the right places for each in empty squares and wound up ripping out a 2X8' bed that had cabbage in it that was past prime and used that bed. Still not enough squares. We called friends and neighbors - no one wanted any. Yes they were very leggy, but, the stems were quite thick and supported the plant, Looking around the barn I found a number of empty 4 and 5 gallon pails...BINGO. More Mel's Mix was made and the buckets filled. The long, leggy plants were trimmed of excess leaves and planted deep and seem to be doing fine. I will have to build a support frame around the buckets as the plants grow. We put the buckets in an area that we intend to put new Table Top beds (when we get round-to-it) and look fine on the new mulch we put in between beds last week. If they all make it we will have an over-abundance of tomatoes this year! I mean just how many tomatoes can two people eat anyway?

Speaking of mulch, the Yorktown, VA recycling center had the mulch for $6.00 per scoop and 3 scoops filled our full size pickup truck. They also have a wonderful compost for $10.00 per scoop that we mixed with our home-grown compost. If I counted right we have 8 different types of compost in the mix, all at a very low cost considering the amount we ended up with.

In our first year our SFG paid us back about half of what we put in it from the produce we harvested. Our second year was pure joy. Our 3rd year is going well. Now if I will just quit building boxes....

God Bless, Ward and Mary.

I just started SFG, I like to know when I have to add more compost with the existing and how?

Tonmoy02 wrote:I just started SFG, I like to know when I have to add more compost with the existing and how?

Howdy Tommoy02L

Add a trowelfull when you harvest a square and mix in it the square. You are now ready to plant the next crop. The rest of Mel's Mix, vermiculite and peat moss, never need to be replenished. If your mix has settled a bit you may want to go ahead and fill the box back up to the 6 inch level with more Mel's Mix. That is all there is to it.

God Bless, Ward and Mary.

you can never have too many tomatoes!! I need to stop rooting suckers. I am up to 30 tomato plants!