Gathering Ideas

If you remember from last summer, my new hoop house was successful in growing one heck of a jungle.  Tomatoes and tomatillos the size of small saplings, pepper plants with three inch thick stems.  It was very impressive, but unfortunately not a whole lot of fruiting going on. 

This summer, I plan on an improvement.  I need more tomatoes, dang it.  I only have a few quarts left, and then I shall have to (gasp! the horror!) buy some at the grocery store. 

Unthinkable!

Anyway, I have plans to improve the situation this summer.  To that end, I've gotten a copy of this book:

I've only glanced through it, but I like what I've previewed so far.  It came highly recommended on Amazon, by readers who have had the same problem that I've experienced. 

I have plans to round up some shade cloth as well, to keep the heat down a little in the height of summer.  I'm hoping that this helps keep things from being too hot, which I think (from what little I've read) leads the tomatoes to grow more plant and not set any fruit.  Funny little plants, tomatoes.  First they want it hot, but not too hot, wet but not too  wet, and then they succumb to some dreadful disease or other.  I don't know why I bother.

It must be because there is nothing that compares to the deliciousness of a home-grown tomato.  What can I say?  I'm lost on the quest for a good tomato!