How does one keep track of tomatoes? That is the question. (Shakespeare might beg to differ on this one.)
Last year at Struan Farm I started off well, but once the seedlings were planted out in the gardens I completely lost the plot. As a result, at the end of the season seeds were saved without varieties properly identified. I was forced to go with "KB Big Round Red," "KB Kasundi Mix," "KB Big Red Cherry," etc. Generic descriptions, except perhaps for the kasundi.
I've given up on wooden popsicle sticks with the varieties written on with permanent marker. The markers haven't proved permanent, and wooden sticks get lost in the tomato plant jungle as the season progresses.
So this year I've started out with labels made with my trusty Brother label maker. I labelled seed trays and now also have labelled the pots. My plan when these get planted out Labour Weekend is to draw up a map. "Mr. V," my tomato mentor, advises that this is the way to go, and he hasn't led me astray yet.
You will know that I'm reasonably compulsive about most things, but with tomatoes it seems I have a ways to go: labelling and staking. Stay tuned.
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