If you're getting a lot of green growth but few tomatoes then it's almost a certainty that you're not getting enough sunlight. I proved this out one year when I planted a fence line with tomatoes. One end ... more »

If you're getting a lot of green growth but few tomatoes then it's almost a certainty that you're not getting enough sunlight. I proved this out one year when I planted a fence line with tomatoes. One end got lots of sun and the other end was almost completely shaded. There were a lot of tomatoes on the end with sun - the closer you got to the end with shade (and the more shaded it got as a result) the fewer the tomatoes. Still tons of healthy looking green foliage, but no tomatoes. The last few plants didn't have any tomatoes at all despite otherwise looking perfectly healthy. My garden now has full sun all day and sits in a wide valley that's almost the same as being on a plain, so I get tons of sun - and good yield as a result.

I'm still planning for this year, but I'll probably be growing these tomato varieties:

(none of these are F1's (hybrid) though some of them are hybrids that have been grown out and stabilized to varying degrees)

Amish Paste

Hawaiian Pineapple

Hog Heart Paste

Orange Strawberry

Sweet Beverly

#133 Kozula

#137 Malinowe Zebra Kozula

139/Kozula Zielona zebra F5

Amish Salad

Banana Legs

Bear Claw

Big Ben #1

Big Zac

Black Pineapple (Ananas Noire?)

Blue Ridge Mountain

Bola Maciso

Cow's Tit

Coyote

Dancing with Smurfs

Druzba

Eva Purple Ball

Flathead Monster

Frosted Green Doctors

GAJO DE MELON

Gold Medal

Goose Creek

Green Grape

Hungarian Heart

Illinois Beauty

Indigo Rose

Jaune Flammee

JD's Special C-Tex

KBX

Large Barred Boar

Little Lucky Heart

Malakhitovaya Shkatulka (Malachite Box)

Moldovan Green

Moonglow

Multi-color

Peppermint

Pork Chop

Sara Black

Solar Flair

Speckled Roman

Spudakee

Spudatula

Strawberry

Striped German

Sunsugar

Violet Jasper

Virginia Sweets

Vorlon

Wild Black Cherry

Yellow Out Red In

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This year, to squeeze in everything I want, it looks like I'll be down to 1 plant per variety because I'm also trying to squeeze in 5 varieties of long beans that will compete with the tomatoes for vertica... more »

This year, to squeeze in everything I want, it looks like I'll be down to 1 plant per variety because I'm also trying to squeeze in 5 varieties of long beans that will compete with the tomatoes for vertical space. I can them, eat them, given them away, etc. I don't sell anything. If you have good sunlight, and they're south facing (a row planted east<->west), you should be able to plant them a foot apart without issues. That will reduce production per plant some, but will maximize production per square foot. I use micro irrigation with everything. It's on a timer and I just leave it to run all season. No hassle. I use some water soluble fertilizer I distribute through the irrigation as needed (no schedule, I just eyeball things. If it looks like it needs it, it gets it. If you're seeing any indication of blossom end rot, then it's getting to much.
I trellis either with a plastic net or tie them up using string.

Peppers are watered the same way. With south facing tomatoes, the peppers go in rows to the south of the tomatoes.
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This is all good info, I really need to watch the directions of things.  I will follow your format for the tomatoes and peppers...  Thanks.  The watering system may not be perfect this year,... more »

This is all good info, I really need to watch the directions of things.  I will follow your format for the tomatoes and peppers...  Thanks.  The watering system may not be perfect this year, but it will be the first step in deciding on a more permanent set up.   (less)

My irrigation is turning the temps into a plus instead of a minus - I need the heat to help the plants catch up. I supposed it might be different if I was getting some of the extreme temps some of the rest... more »

My irrigation is turning the temps into a plus instead of a minus - I need the heat to help the plants catch up. I supposed it might be different if I was getting some of the extreme temps some of the rest of you do though. Ours are over a hundred, but not far. Typically things are more like 95-105.

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how strange 3 years ago my beans were the same way i could not figure out what i did wrong thats when i started doing them the way i do now. but as in lot of things some years different places some thing w... more »

how strange 3 years ago my beans were the same way i could not figure out what i did wrong thats when i started doing them the way i do now. but as in lot of things some years different places some thing will do good. somethings struggle 3 years ago beans last year tomatoes and sweet corn and grapes  they grew ok but not outstanding .this year zucs there ok but not outstanding last year picking everyday this.year  three to four days i wonder if planet alignment effects our plants. or not just a thought. sounds way out there huh or maybe its the way i rotate my garden beds i will have to pay more attention.  this and next year ?  (less)