# 2025 Tomato Review Show...And More! Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/beyond-the-garden-basics-5638242/2025-tomato-review-show-and-more Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/beyond-the-garden-basics-5638242/2025-tomato-review-show-and-more.md Podcast: [Beyond the Garden Basics](https://stenobird.com/podcast/beyond-the-garden-basics-5638242) Published: 2025-12-12T14:19:27+00:00 Episode link: https://gardenbasics.substack.com/p/2025-tomato-review-showand-more Audio file: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/181294779/f913cb33886bc345eb49e03ca1289d5d.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/beyond-the-garden-basics-5638242/episodes/2025-tomato-review-show-and-more Duration seconds: 1130 ## Resource This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit gardenbasics.substack.com Holiday Special! For the rest of December 2025, get an annual subscription to the Beyond the Garden Basics newsletter and podcast for 40% off the regular price. Just $30 a year! In this episode, Farmer Fred connects with Don Shor of Redwood Barn Nursery to reflect on the 2025 tomato growing season, sharing their experiences and insights while evaluating the performance of various tomato varieties. Farmer Fred ranks his 2025 tomato season as one of his worst, only second to the scorching summer of 2022, yet he notes that the overall weather conditions this year were quite favorable. Don shares insights from his own experience, noting that several of his trusted varieties, such as Rugby and Bodacious, underperformed this year, likely due to the dry start to the season affecting irrigation practices. They delve into critical topics such as soil moisture levels and root development, emphasizing the importance of watering practices in achieving healthy tomato yields. As the conversation progresses, they discuss the other plants in their gardens, including peppers, onions, edible pumpkin seeds (Pepitas), and cucumbers. Don highlights the successful lemon cucumber, which flourished without issues of mildew, noting the significant yields from this variety. They also explore the common pitfalls of cucumber cultivation and the importance of managing watering strategies to ensure plants remain productive through the growing season. From irrigation practices to soil health and the excitement of trying new varieties, this episode offers an engaging and informative wrap-up of the tomato growing season. Farmer Fred and Don conclude with hopeful notes for the next planting season, reinforcing the l… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/beyond-the-garden-basics-5638242/episodes/2025-tomato-review-show-and-more/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/beyond-the-garden-basics-5638242/2025-tomato-review-show-and-more.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.