tomatoes in a dry year

We have been in a drought area all summer.  Every time rain is forecast, it misses us and goes either north or south... mostly north.  I have stopped trying to get rid of weeds.  You can't pull them out of ground that's like cement anyway, and the ground is so hard the hoe doesn't have much effect.  I'm still putting the soaker hose on a few late-planted beans and turnips.  I may put it where the sweet potatoes can get a little moisture to grow big enough to eat.  I haven't given the tomatoes any water simply because it's hard to pull the hoses through the cages.  I may carry a gallon or so to each plant today, since it's cooler now.

Not many tomatoes on this wilting, blighty Big Boy.

There is blight on all five plants, but four of them are still producing nicely on parts of the plants blight hasn't touched.  I knew when I set out that Big Boy that it probably wouldn't have a chance:  My two favorite canning tomatoes have always been Big Boy and Rutgers, and they are the most sensitive to blight.  I raised nothing but those two varieties until about 1980; that's when the blight started ruining my tomatoes.  It took a few years to find a couple of varieties that withstand blight the best for me; that would be Celebrity and Legend.  However, the Big Beef has amazed us with its staying power and those huge, sweet tomatoes.  I'll get another one of those next year. 

I might get another Supersonic plant next year, too.  It's still producing well in spite of the blighty conditions.  Most all my tomatoes have been ugly like the one in my hand here.  Probably that has something to do with the drought and my occasional watering.  Anyhow, I've put a dozen quarts of tomatoes in the freezer and we've eaten more tomatoes this year than any two people should consume.  I'm not complaining.

Below is another thing I knew would happen, but went right ahead and did it anyway; I put the sweet potatoes too close to the tomatoes, so their vines are climbing right up the tomato cages as if to swallow them.

I won't talk about the rain that is supposed to be coming in the next few days.  If we get it, it will be the first rain in a long while and I'd have to chalk it up as a miracle.

I am VERY thankful that we're getting a cool spell.  This week is the first one in a while that we haven't had a single doctor's appointment.  I could hardly believe it when I looked at the calendar.  Next week though, Cliff has two.  He'll go for his MRI on Wednesday, then see the ear doctor on Friday.  The MRI will be done in Independence at three o'clock, and I have a gift card for Longhorn Steakhouse from the grandson and his girlfriend; Longhorn in Independence opens at four P.M.  

Coincidence?  I think not!  

Enjoy your day.  I'll try not to wait so long between blog entries like I have been doing.