16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

Getting really excited as I am working on tilling the garden-planting time is getting close here in Indiana. Will be sure and try to post some pictures when the tomatoes get on the vine. Thanks again everyone for all your help!! Going to find the Brandy Boy thread hopefully I can still get on board.

hi H...My garden has been planted for 6 weeks now. By far the most aggressive, healthiest, and most fruit is my Big Beef. I think my Brandy Boy is a little ahead of the other 12 varieties. I see that your weather has really warmed up! goodluck.

Well I am doing Jubilee this year, and a couple have set, and getting nice and fat. Old German has set a few as well. I have more than a few set on the Cherokee Purple, and one wicked looking one that is from a megabloom, and it looks quite funky. I will have to borrow my wife's camera to take a pic of it later on. Though I am guessing that will be on Monday. I will be at the air show tomorrow.

O ! I always wanted to grow Old German. But my seed supplier did not carry it.
Anyway, I am growing Big Rainbow with similar color pattern.

Nate, is Jubilee same as "golden Jubilee" ?. I think I have grown that one many years ago. It was very sweet tasting.

Sey

Hope you have some nice weather for the corn plantings. I think you were right about getting transplants, though, since you should have started seeds two weeks ago.

My best tip to wow your wife with a colorful oddball all things considered is 'Speckled Roman', an interesting plant all around including having weakling droopy leaves which are pretty in their own way if you can tolerate the willowy foliage look. It set fruit 10 days ahead of my Big Rainbow/Hillbilly/Ruby Gold/Pineapple types now, and I think you are too late to go from seed on those ones in your season. These colorful big beautiful bi-colors need lots of heat and sun to sweeten up right or else she won't be back for seconds ... at least in my experience. If you haven't grown Cherokee Purple take Dave's recommendation on that one! Good luck!

PC

Found some Green Zebra's and a 4 pack of Cherokee purples yesterday! Looks like my Mr. Stripey is pulling through the freeze.

It does not burn because the nutrients are released slower and more natural compared to synthetics. Lots of micro stuff in there too.

I read somewhere that Neptune's Harvest (2-3-1) is better than Alaska (5-1-1).

I use Big Bloom (FoxFarm) [0.01-0.3-0.7] and it works for me.

It's probably not the problem but anything can help. If you're using tap water let it stand for 24 hours that gets rid of some of the chemicals and the water is room temperature

been useing filtered watter zero water the type you get in those big bottles for drinking stands like culligan water ,,, i decided to stop useing that, and ive used some rain water from my barrel outside for 1 watering so far ,,,, forgot to mention i also use a mycorrhiza supplement the problems seemd to happen around this time i used the stuff as a soil soak ,, but all the rest of my plants cucs and peppers seem ok

i only did one application of this stuff btw

thanks for all your help guys

Bestimt da ! Das ist die Warheit. :-)

Sey

My dad was a German Special Forces paratrooper in WW 2. He's 92 and could probably still kick my ass, and he wants some tomatoes

Martha, it's been a looong recovery and I'm not there yet. I was released by the RN and PT only a week ago, both Martha, who prepares meals and Freda, who cleans, takes care of everything related to my old cat, and also fills the birdfeeders, but not lately, since the visit of a HUGE Black Bear who did a lot of destruction around here.

I'm in the phase of challenging myself with different foods to see which ones agree or don't agree with my now gall bladerless body, thankfully bittersweet chocolate and cashews are OK, LOL

More to the point, for several reasons I seldom come here now, maybe stop by to look, but seldom post. That's just the way it is and will continue to be so.

Carolyn, trying to remember how long we've known each other, I know it's a very long time, but as to dates, I cannot remember.

glad you are doing better. My gall bladder was taken out when I was 30..so thats a long time ago.....I think I started posting here about 17 years ago, when we first moved out of the city..
I learned everything about growing tomatoes from you and your wonderful book. This year I have three of yours growing Dr. Carolyn...hope they have tomatoes...my plants have often become mixed up when my system of marking them has turned into a fiasco...(tabs fall off
pots, get wet and vanish)..so lots to chance now...I have never seen a bear here, just heard about them...but a fox keeps visiting acting like a dog and wanting food..so someone around here is feeding him... take care..
Martha zucchini

thanks all...l usually start them when I did these. last year started in May and they were not big or strong enough to plant out...never had such a bad year...they look good and healthy, I will plant up to larger pots..trouble is I have 70 of them...too many..not enough room..will give some away
early.. Keeping the lights close and moved some into a window (large tall window).. will put a fan on them to make them even stronger...thanks again, martha/zucchini

I just reported some back into the same pots, but removed some of the root and added more
soil less mix so they are planted deeper..they look good, thought they might panic..Its getting
so warm out so fast maybe can plant them out before June...but ...will wait and see..
Martha/zucchini

Jennie,
If it were me, I would keep that particulat plant in separation AND trim any and all the affected foliage and continue to monitor It. Obviously , if it was environmental the problem should disappear. Other wise dispose it off.

Sey

That's the plan Sey. Thanks.

That support has wheels, so I can move it around, so the plants get the most light.

They have light from 8 am till 6 pm.

I rotate the support at least one time per day with 180’ so all the plants have the same amount of light. Actually early in the morning and late evening, all 3 levels have DIRECT light; only at midday the seedlings in the “back” do not have direct sunlight.

When it’s cold during the night, I put the pots in my small 3-level greenhouse ( 4’ x 6’. ) [see picture bellow]

When it’s only cool, I put the support WITH the pots – obviously - in the garage.

And when it’s warm, I simply leave them outside – well, except if there is some rain / thunderstorm on the forecast.

Very convenient that support: 72 pots, easy to push…

Note: the pictures are from… last year, 2014.

This year, I’m not starting from seeds.

Daniel,
That is a nice and practical mobile plant cart.

BTW: when are you going to get plants and plant out ?
How is your LI weather theses days ?
Ours is fine. Highs getting to low 70s. But the lows are persistently in mid 40s and refuse to go into 50s territory. It should happen early June.

Sey

Those two plants were started on April 30, that's only a month ago. The Big Beef were transplanted one week ago and shot right up, no shock whatsoever. I've moved the Big Beef to the front porch where it's cool and shady just to slow them down for a couple of weeks while I harden them off. Have used the Miracle Gro for years with good luck. It's true that Black Cherry starts out a lot slower than others but this is quite drastic. Thought you all would get a kick out of this.

Ibann ... I am sure you meant March 30th.
I think that Black cherry has close to normal growth in 4 weeks. But definitely Big Beef has grown out of ordinary.

I have an unknown variety ( came out of dwarf seeds pack ) that is almost 20 inches high where other indets sowed and planted out at the same time are under 12". .
I have planted big beef ( Bonnie seedling) it is doing fine so far but not out of ordinary. Hope yours will be real productive too.

Sey

Keeping Posted.
So far my Druzba is ok. But growing slower than Siltetz, Rutgers, and few others. Probably it needs warmer temps to start moving . So I am keeping an eye on it .

Who else is growing Druzba this season ?
Lets share our experience and thoughts. Being the first time, it is "make" or "bust". You last chance Druzba.. C'mone ! Move it !

OK, so you do not want a link to Tania's page for it, but if you looked you'd find that I was the first to introduce it to the US, seeds to me from Norbert in France back in 1992. You'll also note that I I was the first to answer the original poster back in 2009.

I've grown it many many times for seed production for my SSE listings as well as for seed offers I've done here and there over the years.

You also limited posts to those who are growing it this YEAR, which I'm not since as you know I no longer can do that.

All to say that I've grown in longer than anyone here and have never had any problems with it and love it, and I've had lots of comparisons to make since to date I had grown, myself, about 4,000 plus varieties before I fell, severed all four quads in my right leg which put me in this walker, permanently, since Dec of 2004.

Q.E.D,

Carolyn

The more sources the better - IMO! A good marketing executive makes other companies better. Top 5 tomato tips helps gardeners - sells products - improves gardens - alternative tips surface - everyone's a winner. Kudos to all who contribute !!!

I know they're expensive, but those Burpee cages, with extensions, work very well for me and are easy to use/handle.

Sounds like it's time for some rabbit stew.

I was on my way home from the grocer last week and had to stop for two Peacocks facing off in the middle of the road. I beeped at them and it didn't phase them. Only when they danced a while, flew up facing one another and flapped over to the side of the road could I continue on.