Maryland Home Gardeners Report Bumper Crop of Summer Tomatoes

Home gardeners across Maryland are reporting an unusually strong tomato season this summer, with backyard growers from the Piedmont to the Eastern Shore describing some of the largest and most consistent harvests they've seen in years.

Master gardener programs affiliated with local extension offices say a mild, wet spring followed by warm but not scorching early summer temperatures created close to ideal growing conditions. Several county extension agents report a noticeable uptick in calls from gardeners looking for advice on managing unusually abundant harvests.

"People are asking us what to do with all their tomatoes, which is a good problem to have," said one extension agent. Community garden coordinators say the strong season has also translated into larger produce donations to local food pantries, several of which have reported record summer vegetable donations this year.

For many home gardeners, the season has become an informal neighborhood tradition, with surplus tomatoes traded, given away, or turned into shared batches of sauce and salsa passed between neighbors throughout late summer.