It's still blooming - in fact it really just started to bloom. So, I don't want to hack it right now.

I do prune it way down every year, but it is still too big for this location and it hasn't been there very long (only about 2 years). So, I would like to just relocate it to a place where it won't be in my way backing out of the driveway all summer long!

It can be transplanted and will do fine. Wait til it is dormant in the fall, prune it, water the root ball good so it is easier to dig out, dig around the root ball about 3 feet in diameter and about 2 feet deep. Have the hole dug where you want to transplant it, and relocate the plant. Water it in good making sure there are no air holes in the new hole, compact down the new soil and it should do fine next season. Make sure you add some fertilizer or root stimulator in the new location for winter food.

I used to grow modern tomatoes in clean spackle buckets with drainage holes drilled in the bottom. Last year DH created a veggie garden for me complete with lots of organic food for the garden. I planted heirloom tomatoes and they loved their new home. This year the garden got fenced and so far that is working beautifully. (Thanks DH!)

I've planted heirloom tomatoes again and once again they are quite happy. The problem is staking the huge beasts! I use a collapsible wire support that opens up to a triangle. Unfortunately the plants get so big they don't stay corralled in their area of the garden. I have two plants in opposite corners of a five foot square. There has to be a way to support these mammoth plants but I don't know how. Any help would be appreciated.

Is there a way to keep the plants more manageable size wise without reducing food production? I think I read somewhere that I am supposed to pinch off the little sprout that emerges between the main stem and the leaf stem. Does that make sense?

Thanks for your help.

Rather than try to explain it, here's a good website complete with pictures and even a video!

http://www.taunton.com/finegardening...-tomatoes.aspx

Here's one more with some information about Heirloom Tomatoes

http://www.growing-tomato.com/Growin..._Tomatoes.html

Tomatoes are tricky. You have to keep them off the ground to keep them disease free and bug free. But if the plants get so fruit heavy, it's hard to do. I think both of these websites have some great tips for you!

I have a couple of questions. I have a big Rose of Sharon bush in my barnyard that hasn't really bloomed in years. It gets lots of buds but they don't open! What is it trying to tell me?

and I mistakenly have planted some kind of pepper in my herb garden...yellow and about two inches long so far...what kind of pepper is it and how do I cook it? Thanks!

Thanks Flygirl! I didn't read the second link yet but the first one says I did everything wrong. Live and learn for next year I guess.

Most flowering shrubs need high Phosphorous fertilizer for blooming. You commented that the Rose of Sharon is in your barnyard so I am going to make an assumption here that it is getting some type of manure from the barnyard in the soil which tends to be high in nitrogen. This could be the reason why the Rose of Sharon is not blooming. Too much nitrogen.

You need to balance out the soil by adding phosphorous to the soil and pruning the shrub back this fall by maybe a third. This should revitalize it and maybe it will bloom for you next year.

As for the pepper plant, long yellow peppers are usually some type of chili pepper, could be sweet or could be hot. I'd split it, remove the seeds, saute it with some onions and butter and serve it with a tortilla!

Sounds delicious! Thank you.

There have been no animals in that barnyard for at least 45 yrs. but who knows about soil holding on to it's "properties". Off to the feedstore today...thanks again!

It's probablt not too late to rectify the problem. Prune a little, add some longer stakes for support.


Tomato plants are really resiliant.

I should talk... my garden is a total wreck. I don't have plants so much as a monster wall of tomato. All the plants from years gone by dropped seed and sprouted. I dug some up, but didn't get them all.



Oh well, they taste good.

The cukes are doing great though. We planted them to grow up a 6' wire mesh trellis - good idea. They're *burpless* and yow are they huge and tasty! Producing real nice and no problems.

I think too I am pretty well sunk as I staked them only days ago. All of them are producing flowers and fruit. Nothing is ripe yet nor will it be for a while. Ah well. Live. Learn. Do better next year.