16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes
i vote better boy too....but other large varieties are not that far behind when everything is right....trying mountain pride this year, a 3 or 4 ft bush tomato about 10 oz size, just plant and pick, no pruning....will start at different times for continuous production...i think i have some bush champion seeds too....need large strong cage for better boy...the indian
Hi Carolyn, Dave and seysonn.
I can contribute this tidbit, that gar is looking to buy a variety right now, not develop a special variety (though the thought of bestowing such an honor may suddenly start a tricky and healthy longer term compulsion in anyone with the resources to become a breeder), based on their comment in the rose forum trying to buy Mart* named rose seeds or cutting.
I am new to this forum and wanted to say hello (this is my second post). Hope to learn some stuff here from you tomato enthusiasts or obsessed and I'm excited as Spring in the air with a hankering to grow a few plants to try for slice-of-bread-covering-sized slices from tasty large ones.
Water them when they are dry and not on a schedule. Miracle Grow potting mix has fertilizer in it already. If you do fertilize dilute it a lot. What the direction say I think it may be a tablespoon per gallon is for grown plants not little seedlings. My tomato plants are three or four weeks old and I haven't fertilized them yet. I may when they get a little bigger but so far the potting mix is fertile enough. I am surprised your plants are still alive after being outside all day. Maybe you are putting them in the shade and out of the wind. Did the brown show up after the fertilizer or before. Your lights in the closet are not the same as the sun so when you put them in sun just do it very gradually.
Agree with Frank. NitronA35 is nothing more than a surfactant
compounds that lower the surface tension between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid
covered with lots of expensive hype. While they don't list the actual ingredients (it's a secret formula) there is much web speculation that it is nothing more than a combo of yucca extract, some soapwort (herb) infusion, and maybe some beer by-products or amino acids. In other words cheap ingredients sold for a high price. Like most of these "secret ingredient" mixtures it has its advocates and its scoffers.
But there are many cheap, readily available surfactants: baby shampoo, yucca extract (health food stores), any natural soap, beer, fabric softeners, etc.
And please do keep in mind that there are negative side effects to the use of any surfactant, primarily for aquatic life forms from any run-off, but also for beneficial soil dwelling organisms.
Due some research into surfactants as a whole before deciding to use one.
Dave
Regarding the OP's question: Would the motivation be for the growing of a more vigorous tomato plant that can eventually deliver more nutrition in the fruiting phase?
If so, I would be grateful if someone could address the following:
Regarding stimulating the plant to grow with more vigor using essentially a single plant drug (natural or not) - to increase overall yield of seeds per plant or for that matter size of flesh, is this hypothesis demonstrated with any single clear example agent for any flowering plant at all?
If so, what's an example?
Oh dear! Are you talking about the MiracleGro shake and feed continuous feed tomato fertilizer? There is no MG soluble fertilizer formula that directs you to use 8 tablespoons dissolved in a gallon of water. The directions for Shake and feed say: Shake plant food evenly onto soil using the illustration on the package as a guide (apply dry, do not pre-mix with water). Do not apply to wet foliage or pile against plant stem. This application rate equals 4.5 tablespoons per 4 square feet (2' x 2')
Miracle grow has also a liquid fertilizer(12-4-8) that says 1/3 of capfull for 2 gallons. That is about 2 tablespoon.
Then they have a water soluble (Green powder) that is used with sprinkler. But You can use it also in watering can. I don't remember how much of it . Probably about no more than 2 TBS per gallon.
So you have to be careful with fertilizers. I, myself, often use half of recommended strength but use it more often instead.
Started tomato seeds today, hoping for plant out May 7-10.
Neves Azorian Red-6
Italian Heirloom-6
Big Beef OP-6
Pantano Romenesco-6
Opalka-12
San Marzano Redorta-6
Anna Russian-6
Armenian-6
Prudens Purple-6
Stupice-9
Kellogg's Breakfast-6
Cherokee Purple-6
Green Zebra-6
Yellow Brandywine-6
Black Krim-6
German Pink-6
German-6
Big Boy-12
Rutgers-12
Roma-12
Good luck !
I think you are right on the target. You have 6 weeks, which is about average. I started mine over 3 weeks ago and have 3 more weeks til plant out. Our weather is unseasonably warm right now according to 10 days forecast. I hope that it stays this way. Today I worked on my raised beds, turned them over to let them aerate and absorb some solar heat. I found some worms activity, which is pretty good.
Last year I grew them both. I'm about 20 miles east of Augusta GA, and our summers are hot and humid.
We had a lot of rain last summer. What I found was Black Krim was very good in flavor, pretty good in productivity, but was more prone to cracking than other tomatoes.
Cherokee Purple was less prone to cracking, but wasn't as productive. Flavor was very good.
Overall, I think a very slight edge to Black Krim IMHO, but both are very good.
Last year I grew them both. I'm about 20 miles east of Augusta GA, and our summers are hot and humid.
We had a lot of rain last summer. What I found was Black Krim was very good in flavor, pretty good in productivity, but was more prone to cracking than other tomatoes.
Cherokee Purple was less prone to cracking, but wasn't as productive. Flavor was very good.
Overall, I think a very slight edge to Black Krim IMHO, but both are very good.
lucille, you can also use Google's Advanced Search
https://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en&fg=1
where you have additional search options without needing to enter the codes (like "site:").
[Advanced Search hides at regular Google Search, under "Settings" at the bottom right. Someday I'll remember that....]
A personal observation if I may. There are many ways to grow tomatoes successfully and old remembered tastes aren't always as good as we think we remember. :)
Dave
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
fully agree.
There are many ways (soil, nutrients, climates, ..) that one can grow tomatoes successfully. The TASTE issue, relating to one's memory can be perceptive, nostalgic and personal.
thank you so much Dave- I realized it was a hydroponics method but just did not have the formulation. Now I have something to go on to try the experiment again. I know time can enhance the flavors of one's memories, but trust me, these were the best tomatoes ever! :)
Of course more sun is better than less, but based on my experience your tomatoes will still do fine.
--you say most of the day they still get sun, so if they are only missing a few hours of morning sun, they are still getting upwards of the 6 hour 'minimum' for them to do well. I have used a spot on the side of my house where the tomatoes were in complete shade until noon, then baked by direct sun and the reflected light and heat of the foundation. Stressful growing conditions, but they still produced more fruit than we could handle.
--the caveat here is that you may have more of a fungal problem with the plants close to the fence. Without morning light, they could stay dew-damp for longer, and of course the fence cuts down on circulation.
--when I have planted that iffy spot right against the fence, I have used containers with the bottoms cut off in order to raise the height of the transplants a foot or so. (It works like a raised bed within a raised bed.) I don't know if it was necessary, but it did get those younger plants in more light sooner. Of course, I also gave my "must have" varieties priority placement just in case.
First, On which side of the bed the fence is located ? North, Northwest not a problem. East also block sun few hours early in the day, until the sun is up high and a 6 ft fence is not going to block it.Then it is going to be on the South side.
All in all, tomatoes can thrive with 5 hours of direct sun and some indirect/filtered light. SIX hours of sun is considered FULL SUN, though at the lower end. If you are getting 6, 6+ hours of direct sun, that should be enough in zone 7, Maryland. Tomatoes are partial sun/shade plants.
I am doing OK in Western Washington State with 5 to 6 hours. It is not perfect but not a deterent.
You can check out some of his videos.
Been there, done that since he seems to love posting links all over the forums here. But no thank you.
So as your problems develop you'll have to consult with him for assistance. Most tomato growers won't be able to help you because his methods are just way too off from the norm and well-proven common practice.
Dave
I always seem to get bugs and diseases when I buy transplants. The only ones that were without both I bought at the high school Ag. center. I try to remember to look underneath the leaves before I buy any plant. I'm amazed at how many have bugs on them. Your plants look so much better!
I haven't fed the other plants that are doing great. They are living off the compost and microbiology in the soil mix thanks to the worm castings. Similar to soil blocking or direct seeding.
I don't think overwatering is the problem. I water them with a nozel set to low on the shower setting for a half second in a 100 degree greenhouse. I think the problem is moisture retention. This particular mix may be too dense and is retaining too much moisture....especially at the bottom of these tall pots.
I'll proceed with the re-potting of these starts.
I very much appreciate the insight and suggestions. Thanks.
I posted that last message before I read your reply digdirt.
The sand was an experiment. After my last post I re-potted all 60 of the seedlings into my typical mix of 1:1:1 compost, peat moss, and vermiculite. The soil with the sand mixture was still crumbly--as I suspected it would be when I tried this--and it might work in shallower pots, but mine are quite tall and the soil was just way too soggy. It drained well, but the problem appeared to be that the sand left too small gaps for air to penetrate.
I can show you full flats of lush tomato starts that have not been fertilized once. Planted weeks after this first set but already larger. I understand what you're saying about the soil food web, but I think it's possible there may be enough bacteria and fungus in the mix of compost and worm castings to activate a soil food web and sustain a seedling through planting. If I'm wrong, then, great. I'm hoping to be wrong a lot.
I appreciate the watering advice.
I'm in the process of adding more vents to the greenhouse. It doesn't have permanent power though. I have a weather-proof inlet on the outside to plug an extension cord into with an outlet inside for running a heater or fan periodically. But the goal is to have the greenhouse be mostly passive.
Again, thanks for the replies.