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daniel_ny

Late season tomatoes ripped BEFORE early season tomatoes

daniel_nyc
9 years ago

Gregory123 wrote in the Lesson(s) you've learned this year thread:

> What a weird year it has been this year, I have been picking a few Brandywines, Neves, Golden Queen before most of my short season Determinates like Bush Beafsteak and several others. In fact I picked a Brandwine way ahead of New Big Dwarf which is now coming on strong.

Now, my experience: this year a tried a few early tomatoes: Fourth Of July, Early Girl, Early Wonder, Stupice...

They were not early AT ALL. Fourth of July (1.7 oz) - DTM 49 days - ripped at the end of July, only few days before a big Rose tomato (21 oz.) - DTM 78 !!! days - and a Mortgage Lifter (11 oz.) - DTM 85 !!! days. The other "EARLY's" were even worse.

What the heck is going on ?

This post was edited by Daniel_NY on Mon, Aug 25, 14 at 13:32

Comments (14)

  • carolyn137
    9 years ago

    In some seasons I too have gotten ripe midseasons before earlies,when I was still growing the latter, and late season ones before midseason ones as well.

    It happens. (smile)

    Carolyn

  • Gregory123
    9 years ago

    In my area we have had a pretty hot and very dry summer, but the nights cool way off. Yesterday the high was about 87 and the low was 50. I think that may be why my early varieties are slower, where as the long season indeterminate's are pretty much on schedule.
    I live in the McMinnville Oregon.

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    If you start all of them from seeds (Yourself) at the same time and plated them out same day, in the same bed/location it will be very unlikely and I doubt that a mid/late season can beat an early variety.

    My early varieties started ripening from July 8 on ( bloody Butcher, Siletz, Sun Gold, SFT, Stupice, Matina). But mid season ones did in early August( ML, Bush Steak, Legend, Black Pineapple, CP, JBT) .

    BTW: I am in PNW, Seattle area. Our weather has been super good for gardening. Like Gregory said, no matter how hot the day , the night lows have been in 50s. PLUS, our summer heat won't take off like in midwest, Utah, elsewhere. On 4th of July night the low was under 50F.

  • daniel_nyc
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    seysonn wrote:

    > If you start all of them from seeds (Yourself) at the same time and plated them out same day, in the same bed/location..

    All of the above + identical growing conditions: watering, fertilizer, fungicide, fabric mulch, pruning, you name itâ¦

    > â¦it will be very unlikely and I doubt that a mid/late season can beat an early variety.

    Monday July 28, I picked up the first tomato: a small - 1.7 oz. not tasty - 4 of July (DTM 49 days.)

    Thursday, August 7, so 9 days later, I picked up a large - 21 oz. decent taste - Rose tomato (DTM⦠78 !!! days.)

    The two tomatoes were planted 6 ft. away one from the other.

    Monday, August 11, so 13 days later, I picked up a - 11 oz. good taste - Mortgage Lifter (DTM⦠85 !!! days.)

    It's trues seysonn, the early variety was first, but if we do some math...

    The Mortgage Lifter was in another area, in a big bucket with straw mulch. I use drip irrigation for most of my tomatoes - including the three listed above - but the ML received more water, because straw mulch allows more rain water to pass than fabric mulch.

    I should mention that the area with the fabric mulch can be completely cover for rain protection, so even less rain water - well, actually zero, if I desire. While I cover the area for rain or thunderstorm - for a 20 minutes drizzle, I don't.

    I even have a few Brandywines - DTM 80-90 days - that will ripe soon, BEFORE other âÂÂearliesâ such as Stupice (DTM 52 days !!!) While the Brandywines are in the ground, Stupice is in a bucket - another bucket - together with another Mortgage Lifter - DTM⦠85 !!! days - that already gave me a 12 oz. good taste tomato.

    Maybe something's strange in... MY garden...

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    My Stupice was not that early either. But then I bought it as a tiny seedling and planted out a bit too late.Its fruits are too inconsistent and small. Probably I won't grow it again. Same goes for Siberian. It has not produced ripe fruits yet while I have been picking ML, Cherokee Purple. Ananas Noire. Another disappointment is some kind of stripy ( from store heirloom tomato). That is another zap. Green ZXebra is also waay behind. It is showing just a suggestion of stripes. I'll be looking for another green tomato for next year too.

  • northernmn
    9 years ago

    Daniel, I have experienced very similar results this year in northern MN. All seeds were started at the same time, planted out at the same time, and treated the same.

    2 of my early varieties (Glacier & Bloody Butcher) did beat Cherokee Purple, but only by 8 or 9 days. About 10 days after the 1st early small tomatoes, I picked a Giant Belgium that weighted 1# 8oz. At about 2 weeks after the earliest fruit, several 1# plus C.P. were being picked. The 1st fruit from my "Early Pick" variety were just starting about this same time.

    However, other large varieties, are very late. Mortgage Lifter, Black Krim, Super Steak, Super Beef Steak, are all very Sloooow.

    All plants are growing in the same conditions. This is the Giant Belgium that was only about 10 days behind to early little tomatoes:

    A very strange year.

  • daniel_nyc
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Today I picked up two beautiful medium size Brandywine Pink - DTM 80 days.

    Taste - as expected - OUTSTANDING !

    The Stupice - DTM 52 days - tomatoes are still green.

    Both varieties are in the SAME big bucket, so IDENTICAL growing conditions.

    Early Girl, Early Wonder ? Please donâÂÂt get me started⦠Ok, they are still green.

    This week I also picked up a few Mortgage Lifter and Park's Whopper - both excellent taste.

    Reducing watering lately had a DRAMATIC result in improving my tomatoes' taste.

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    Stupice , Early Girl : DTM = 52 days ?? Are you kidding ? No way, Hose !
    I zapped EG for this season and Stupice will be terminated for the next season: How about Green Zebra's DTM ? I planted on/about April 20. Now after 110 days, no ripe maters. ZAP it! The same goes for (some kind of Stripy. ZAP that one too.
    Mortgage Lifter (RC) , huge plants, small fruits ... ZAP it man!

    I don't mind 10 or 15 days being behind as long as plant is good producer. But not late more than 30 days.

    And the ZAP goes on. hehe

    -----------------------
    EDIT: I forgot all about Siberian. Same story as Green Zebra.

    This post was edited by seysonn on Fri, Aug 29, 14 at 4:32

  • daniel_nyc
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Stupice (Tomato Fest). Days: 52

    Green Zebra (Territorial Seeds) DTM: 75-80 days. I donâÂÂt grow it, so I donâÂÂt know.

    Yeah, I'll zap many, but I do have a few keepers: Brandywine (Pink), Rose, Brandy Boy, ParkâÂÂs Whopper, Sweat Chelsea, and a few more.

    The list of those âÂÂzappedâ is MUCH longer. ALL the bush tomatoes, most of the cherries and of course, most of the earlies that I grow this year.

    I also want to try some new varieties next year.

    I donâÂÂt know why - while TECHNICALLY being on time - most of my tomatoes are late and VERY late ??? And why many of my LATE tomatoes are⦠EARLIER ???

  • daniel_nyc
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Today, Monday Septemebr 1, finally, FINALLY I picked up the FIRST Stupice tomato. (DTM 52 days.)

    1.6 oz. good taste, but late, VERY late.

    I already picked up most of my other tomatoes that have waaaaay longer DTMs.

    So let me see:, am I going to plant Stupice next year ?

    Errrrâ¦. Hmmm⦠lemme think⦠errrâ¦

    NO, Stupice will NOT be in my garden next year.

  • daniel_nyc
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I just rotated the picture.
    No idea why this Website rotate the pictures.

  • daniel_nyc
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Anybody experienced this year - 2015 - early tomatoes riped AFTER mid/late-season tomatoes ?

  • Nitsua
    8 years ago

    I experience it so often, I no longer believe in the concept of early tomatoes.

  • Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
    8 years ago

    This season my EARLY varieties are way behind while Brandy Boy, Big Beef, Cherokee Purple, Black from Tula are ahead of them.
    Only 4th of July coming from behind and producing like crazy. Thou not as early as advertised. but at least prolific. I will grow it again.

    Sey


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