Garden

[GAQShopr53]

Can anyone tell me how long it took to see the CF tomatoe plants start to yield tomatoes? and if you could please give me some suggestions on how to get the plants to yield fruit.  I have ordered 2 sets and one set did not grow (died) and the other plants started to grow...but after 4 weeks still no tomatoes..      

[Lovs2shop]

Tomatoes need sun and warm temps to produce.  Make sure you have them in the best location for full sun and then be patient.

[SXMGirl]

@GAQShopr53, mine are doing great.  They need to be in full sun, water them, and I used Root Blast when I potted them.  Also, every week, I use Miracle Grow when I water.  Since I do not have a green thumb, if they grow for me, they will probably grow for anyone.  I always water early in the morning and then check in the afternoon to see if they need more water.

[drizzellla]

For many years I planted a garden. And it seemed like I would go almost the entire summer before I would get any produce. I would be picking my first tomatoes in late August. 

Our friends used to start his plants indoors about March. So he would get tomatoes by the 4th of July. That was always his goal. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

[Scooby Doo]

I planted my tomatoes the second week of May.  Now they have tomatoes about the size of a marble.   I think it takes between 60 to 72 days to get a ripe tomato, depending on the type.

[fthunt]

If you're in the mid to northeast - 4 weeks is nothing.  Typically tomatoes take 70 days (June - July - and half of August) to produce and that's with 80 degree days - full sunshine almost constantly.  You are expecting way too much from these plants.  (Northeast states - buy from the farmer's market - suggestion)

[GAQShopr53]

Thank you!!

[GAQShopr53]

Wonderful...I just purchased the liquid miracle grow and will take all of the valuale advise...hopefully I can post a pic soon of some tomatoes!!!

[FuzzyFace]

I generally don't buy tomatoes or any other kind of plant that isn't grown locally, and I've seen this same complain a lot about Cottage Farm plants.

I'm not patient enough to grow tomatoes from seed but I buy starts grown and sold locally, and I've always had good luck.

I live on the east side suburbs of Seattle and we have several nurseries that have oodles of locally grown flowers, shrubs, veggies etc. If you're in the area, or even if you have to go out of your way a little, Flower World in Woodinville (I think it's in Woodinville) is a gardenr's heaven. Molbachs (I think I spelled it wrong) in Woodinville is good too, if a bit pricey but they have gardening doo-dads (and all the essentials too) too, that would make a gardener's heart beat a little faster

Also in Woodinville--down the block probably less than a mile--is McClendons Hardware. Every time we go in there I want to buy at least one piece of everything in their inventory. They have a good selection of plants but I don't know if they're locally grown or not but I love the place.

[FuzzyFace]

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@drizzellla wrote:

For many years I planted a garden. And it seemed like I would go almost the entire summer before I would get any produce. I would be picking my first tomatoes in late August. 

Our friends used to start his plants indoors about March. So he would get tomatoes by the 4th of July. That was always his goal. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

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there are about a billion varieties of tomates (ok, maybe just a million ) and each variety has it's own conditions for growing and fruiting. Be sure to check to see if the conditions are right for the variety you want to grow. And don't give up; there is hardly anything as delicious as a home-grown tomato. The flavor can be subtle, there can be hints of other flavors, they can be big, they can be small, you can find grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, and heirloom tomatoes are making a comback in a big way.

One year we had a big windstorm just when the tomatoes started to flower; all the (yellow) flowers got blown off and that year we got nothing.

Also, don't be afraid to stress your plants a litte; i.e; let them dry up just a little and/or don't water them. Not enough to kill them but just enough to make them think, "I'm going to die! I better have babies while I still can!" The fruit you'll get will probably be a little bigger and/or more flavorful than tomatoes that get pampered/

Good luck and let us know how you and your tomatoes are doing!