Evolution
By Marie Anne
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
United States
August 9, 2008 6:36pm CST
Evolution of the tomato, as chronicled by Marie Anne
(taking a bow here)
I started the tomato from seed in an eggshell then planted in a bucket. They grew quite tall, flowered, then started to bear fruit. I realized some time later that this particular variety would grow to over six feet so after it bore fruit and appeared to be stunted by the limited room in the bucket, I dug a hole and put it into the ground and hoped for the best.
The very next day it started to turn red, and you can see where it went from there a short time later.
I've got a couple more coming in now from those that were stunted in the buckets, and those that are in the ground are well over 6 ft tall and have probably 30 tomatoes on them, all still green and bigger than this one.
Tom's smile in the photo tells me I 'done good'.
6 people like this
16 responses
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
10 Aug 08
What a great photo you made of the evolution of your tomato plant. I don't like tomatoes either, but my daughter loves them. She is only 18 months old and will eat a whole one if you let her. We have 6 tomato plants that are about 6 feet tall. I would say there are about 75 maybe more tomatoes on them total. I have not gotten any ripe ones yet, but I have made fried green tomatoes with a few of them that the baby picked. I hate tomatoes, but I LOVE fried green tomatoes.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
Tom ate another one today from the sister plant still in a bucket, and the three huge plants with dozens of tomatoes finally have a few that are starting to turn a bit orange. Soon I'll be overrun!
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
10 Aug 08
That is the coolest thing I've ever seen! What makes it even more impressive is the fact that you don't even like tomatoes! LOL
It certainly proves that you have a very green thumb! Well done!!!
I JUST ate my first home-grown tomato yesterday. Well, to be more specific, my first full-sized tomato. I've had dozens of cherry tomatoes and these weird little yellow tomatoes that look kinda like light bulbs in shape. They were VERY good in flavor and texture, but they just weren't the full-sized tomato that you slice or just sprinkle salt onto and chomp down on!
As I sliced the tomato for my sandwich (tomato, lettuce and mayo... nothing else), the aroma of home-grown tomato hit my nostrils and my salivary glands started working overtime! Oh! It was SOOOOOO GOOD!!!
I fully understand that smile on your hubby's face!!! Keep up the good work!
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
There's another from the sister to this plant that is about ready to go, and Tom is ready too!
I just looked at the 'big three' that are over 6 ft, and two of the big tomatoes there are just starting to turn a bit red this morning. A few more days and I'll probably have more tomatoes than I know what to do with!
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
10 Aug 08
Hahaha! That's the way it is! You wait and wait for that first tomato, then they all ripen at once!
Salsa time!!! 
I usually make salsa and stewed tomatoes. Sometimes I grow eggplants and, when they are stewed with the tomatoes, it makes it even better!
I hope you eat at least a LITTLE of those delicious home-grown, vine-ripened tomatoes, even if it's in salsa or something else. There's simply nothing that compares!
I usually make salsa and stewed tomatoes. Sometimes I grow eggplants and, when they are stewed with the tomatoes, it makes it even better!
I hope you eat at least a LITTLE of those delicious home-grown, vine-ripened tomatoes, even if it's in salsa or something else. There's simply nothing that compares!1 person likes this
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
10 Aug 08
That's really good. 
Though if I tried to do that, it'd never get further than the bucket as it's not warm enough to grow tomatoes outside here (Northern England) My sister grows her own tomatos, but she has a greenhouse.
Though if I tried to do that, it'd never get further than the bucket as it's not warm enough to grow tomatoes outside here (Northern England) My sister grows her own tomatos, but she has a greenhouse.1 person likes this
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
10 Aug 08
Yes I have a garden though it grows mostly weeds
We can grow soft fruit like blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, black currents and gooseberry and any kind of vegetable that's suited to our climate, which is cool and wet for the most part. Here it is in the middle of August and it's about 65 F outside (and it's a sunny afternoon) which is about 30 degrees cooler than middle America right now. Tomatoes come from Central or South America and need warmer temperatures than our summer normally provides.
We can grow soft fruit like blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, black currents and gooseberry and any kind of vegetable that's suited to our climate, which is cool and wet for the most part. Here it is in the middle of August and it's about 65 F outside (and it's a sunny afternoon) which is about 30 degrees cooler than middle America right now. Tomatoes come from Central or South America and need warmer temperatures than our summer normally provides.1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
Wow, so you can't have a garden at all where you are? I'll bet it is expensive to buy your vegetables at the store, then, if they have to come from afar.
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
10 Aug 08
That looks delicious. I guess you are going to make a lot of tomato sauce and have lots of tomatoes on your hamburgers. I guess next year, I might grow some container tomatoes. I happen to love the Italian plum kind. I grew a few on my compost pile but the season was not long enough for them.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
Tom says he's going to eat them all.
The three plants that are loaded have tomatoes that are from marble sized to almost as big as a softball, but none are turning red yet. If they come in at various times, he probably WILL eat them all.
The three plants that are loaded have tomatoes that are from marble sized to almost as big as a softball, but none are turning red yet. If they come in at various times, he probably WILL eat them all.1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
10 Aug 08
Maybe you can gather them, put them in a box, wrap them in paper and hide them so he doesn't eat them all. 
It is a shame that you cannot save any of them rather then you and Tom having a fight over that ripened tomato at that present moment.
It is a shame that you cannot save any of them rather then you and Tom having a fight over that ripened tomato at that present moment. 1 person likes this
@koalatbs (2229)
• United States
12 Aug 08
Wow... that is terrific Ldyjarhead! I wish we had some tomato plants. It is even more important after that horrible fiasco with the tomatoes in the supermarkets with the salmonella poisoning. I had planted some tomato plants and some others too, like green peppers and pea pods, but we moved so I had to give them all away prior to the big moving day. Bummer.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
12 Aug 08
Ouch, that's too bad. I'm hoping to be moving into my own home sometime soon, and I have a few things left in containers. I won't be moving far, so mine will be coming with me for sure!
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
10 Aug 08
good for you. my are bearing nicely to. have had enough to share w/a couple of friends. can't beat the good taste of a homegrown tomato right off the vine.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
If even half of these mature fully, I'll be bringing some to Tom's brother/wife and I don't know what I'll do with the rest. I had no idea there would be this many on one plant, and I've got three, with two more still growing.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
10 Aug 08
you can can them or put them in the freezer to cook with. i hope they all do well.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
10 Aug 08
This is a great story to hear. You never know just what will succeed. I would love to be in a jungle of tomatoes. They are such a luscious fruit. Good for us, as well. I have never tried to transplant anything that had grown so far already.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
I was leary about moving it from the bucket, but figured I had nothing to lose. The other plants were doing very well so it wouldn't have been much of a loss to lose this one (except to my pride, of course. That was the very first tomato I had planted).
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
12 Aug 08
Oh yes, if I go the container route again I will definitely read more about what variety would be better suited for it.
@vanities (11395)
• Davao, Philippines
10 Aug 08
i like tomatoes!!and like planting it too in my backyard...but i guess until now i did not still make an effort to do it...so busy i guess..so much plan of planting spices before we move in but not materializing it yet..
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
It was easy to do.
Plant seed.
Water and keep warm.
Move outside.
Water.
Watch tomatoes grow.
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
10 Aug 08
I don't like tomatoes, either, but my mom does and I have one "early girl" plant that's sprouted 3 so far. My trouble is that I thought it would be more like a bush and it's almost 4' tall! I don't have any decent staking material so will have to get something tomorrow. Mom's looking forward to those tomatoes! Yours look beautiful.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
I had no idea these would get that big either, until the few that I put into the ground started reaching skyward. Someone else mentioned here that they grow quite tall and I search the 'net and see that they do, from 6-10 ft!
@nova1945 (1612)
• United States
10 Aug 08
You did beautifully. Those look wonderful, and your hubby sure looks pleased too.
This is the first year I have ever tried growing tomatoes in containers and I think you are right about stunting their growth in them. My beefsteak tomatoes look like the little ones we used to buy at the store to cut up for salads and cooking. Its the ground for sure next year.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
I think containers are fine, just not for the particular variety I chose.
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
• United States
10 Aug 08
What came first, the egg or the........tomato?!?!?! In this case, it was the egg!
You have done good, Marie.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
You're right, it was the egg and that no doubt was breakfast one day.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
I thought the one that came from this semi-stunted plant would taste nasty, but Tom insisted it was delicious and can't wait for the rest of them.
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Aug 08
oh yummy thats wonderful! i just wonder when you would plant them in florida? heck its hot here all the time and rains.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
You could probably do them pretty much year round in Florida.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
They are Burpee Big Boy Hybrid.
Tomatoes can do well in containers, but this particular variety was way too big. Still, it was enough to get me a few tomatoes and one of the plants that is still in the bucket has 3 on them, one of which should be ready to eat in the next day or so.
Those that are in the ground are amazing, though. Very tall, very bushy, and full of tomatoes. I'm actually pinching off some of the newer flowers to keep from getting too heavy.
Tom is happy.
@jonesy123 (3948)
• United States
10 Aug 08
Oh that looks yummy. The homegrown ones really taste the best, don't they. Happy harvest:)
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Aug 08
I don't even like tomatoes, but my husband has been standing by with his fork, can of tuna and mayo waiting for this very moment, LOL.
