What a Difference a Day Makes........

So.  This was the status of ripe tomatoes as of yesterday morning.  I had used about 5 times as many of the cherry tomatoes than are in the picture to makes some nice pico de gallo the other day.  Super yum.

Then, partly due to fear of the neighborhood kids being tempted to perhaps pick the ripening fruit, I went down to the garden to see what might be picked a little early.  Lo and behold, there was a lot more hiding under the leaves that was actually needing to be harvested.  I picked a couple hot peppers, more tomato berries (The cherry tomato sized ones)......

PLUS......these ten beauties.  I was actually a little shocked.  For those of you that garden, read on.  For those of you that are allergic to the thought of dirt under your nails, check back tomorrow.

Here is why I was a little shocked.  In the past, I may have had this amount of harvest, but most of it was affected by blossom rot.  This is where the bottom of the tomato turns black and ookey looking.  You can still eat it, just not the black part.  But, with the black part, I might venture to say that it is much less appetizing looking.

This year I took the advice of Buddha (an actual person, nicknamed Buddha, not THE Buddha) and mulched with meadow hay to "keep the roots warm".  The advantages are twofold...other than keeping the roots warm.

1. No Blossom Rot so far.  Blossom rot comes from uneven water, too harsh of weeding which hurts the tomato roots and other such calamities.  With the mulch, the water doesn't evaporate as quickly, thus more even watering.....even if I don't water every day.

2. Substantially, SUBSTANTIALLY, cut down on weeding requirements.  This department, again, is where we see Raccoon Baby Syndrome rear its ugly head.  I am Supes Dupes Gung Ho in the spring and early summer (When it is not a bajillion degrees out and 500% humidity) about weeding.  By late July and all of August....not so much.  So, the fact that I am having to weed less..I still have to but I think I have only had two big rounds of weeding, instead of realistically what should have been twice a week..is really nice.

I love this summer.