Tomatoes 2011

Wind whipped, hail-damaged, and exposed to more than a week of 100-degree F temps, tomato season 2011 on our Chicago roof was one of extremes. Wish I'd taken the temperature during those hot-hot days and nights, as it likely reached 115 degrees up on the growing deck.

We ruminated about overwatering and blight, but in retrospect I'm satisfied with the explanation that tomatoes simply can't set fruit with high nighttime temperatures and big humidity. This photo shows  the courageous plants on Sept 2, bedraggled but still producing a remarkable number of tomatoes in the more moderate weather.

 

And as much as we worry the weather, it was nothing like some of our fellow growers faced on the east coast.

Someone asked if, in light of the summer's tribulations, it was still worth growing tomatoes. Of course it is, for the return every gardener understands that has nothing to do with pounds of produce and everything to do with soul satisfaction.

Paying about $3 for two tomatoes at the farmers market one Sunday (between roof harvests) does sharpen the question. But in the end, for hunting and gathering food...there's no place like home.