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It was a very wet, cool spring here and almost every gardener I know is complaining about fungal diseases on their tomatoes. So far I’ve escaped them.
My guess is it’s because I mulched with a few inches of beautiful screened compost this spring. I always have fewer disease issues the years that I manage to get a hold of some. (I once heard a gardening friend refer to compost as ‘electric dirt’ – a totally appropriate description! It’s good stuff).
Of course, putting all this in writing may mean the diseases arrive tonight, but so far so good. No blights, no leaf spots, no curled foliage. Of course, I have no ripe tomatoes yet, but good things come to those who wait.
My partner on the radio show is always going on about harvesting the first tomato of the season. I admit that I fail to see the appeal in racing to pick a tomato a few weeks before everyone else. I don’t get why it matters so much (I’m told it’s a guy thing??) and it’s a lot of extra, unnecessary work.
For me, it’s about picking a sun-ripened, warm tomato at the end of July when the temperatures are hot and I’m ready to sprawl out on the chaise and enjoy it with a bit of kosher salt and a good bloody Mary.
It gives me something to look forward to and, since tomatoes are one of my garden favorites, I’m willing to wait.
