16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes
I went nuts this year and planted a Black Russian tomato. It is loaded with very squat flat green tomatoes that are taking forever to turn black (well, really dark purple). I can't wait to try them. I'm looking forward to making grilled cheese sandwiches with Virginia ham and tomatoes. Of course if they are duds, I still have my old standbys growing back there (Box Car Willie)
"...they shouldn't be as small as you say..."
Variableness in fruit size only, from large to small.
"... My plants were fairly large and productive, and semi-early as most hearts are...."
Ditto
This post was edited by sidhartha0209 on Wed, Jul 24, 13 at 4:12
I'm growing AR for the first time and its given me fits. It was my smallest of seedlings, now it's quite large, over 6 ft, but it took a long time to set blossoms and only now starting to set fruit. I'm holding my breath. On top of that we had a storm last week and one of the stems broke. I thought it would be one of my earlier tomatoes, but its not even close.
I currently have 2 brandwine's and both are about 5 foot tall and have at least twenty fruits set each already. The plants are still growing and I can see more flower sets coming on. We have even had a few weeks of 100+ weather and it has not affected them. I have grown them the last two years here in ID with similar results. I never even heard of them until last year when I bought a plant on a reduced sale from one of the local nurseries. It was half dead but I only paid a buck for it so I figured what the heck I will see if I can rescue it. It was labeled a pink Brandywine when I bought the original plant last year. It did great and showed promise after even only a few days after transplant. I think I ended up getting about 30 fruit from it but they were very late in the year so some I picked before the frosts started in October. I saved some of the seeds from the plant last year and did several starts this year, gave some to friends and only kept the two plants this year but next year I think I am going to do more. And I might add they were very good taste wise....can't wait for my first BLT on homemade bread this year.
My guess is that it's Early Wilt and I suggest you remove all the affected leaves, along with any dead ones (and weeds growing) on the ground. I'm having the same problem with some of my tomatoes and have been going out daily and removing anything that looks diseased, being careful to disinfect my cutters with rubbing alcohol, and to not touch any "good" leaves after handling the infected ones. I'm sure you will get some other messages, and people will tell you what you can spray your plants with, if you are so inclined.
Your fruit looks great!
IMO it's either fusarium or verticillium wilt. Fairly common and most of us have had it. The bad news is that yes, it does move fairly quickly up the plant. You might be able to stop it by removing the affected foilage and spraying with a fungicide like Daconil. Sometimes it stops and sometimes it doesn't. If you can save most of the plant, the tomatoes should be ok. Like you said, they don't appear to be affected. The little tomatoes that don't appear to be growing is just normal, the plant sometimes aborts them with or without wilt. Not every blossom becomes a tomato.
G...it is funny you wrote this post. I was thinking about this yesterday! Here in Mexican country...there is plenty of Mexican food recipes. Many people eat pico de gallo...and call it salsa. It is a simple blend of tomato, onion, cilantro, peppers, salt and pepper.
Salsa recipes from all over GardenWeb linked below. Most are from the Harvest forum.
Plus check out the Recipe Exchange forum and all the Cooking forums over on the Home side of GardenWeb.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: Salsa recipes
Is this the old heirloom Beefsteak variety aka Red Ponderosa or Crimson Cushion or one of the many other varieties called beefsteaks? Now days it is more of a type label than an actual variety name.
Either way, glad you enjoyed it. :)
Dave
The skin starts toughening to retard water loss, then the sudden influx of a lot of rain swells the wet tissue beyond the ability of the skin to keep it contained.
Think of the skin as Bruce Banner's shirt, the fruit as him, and the rain make Hulk mad...
Sure they can cross (a relatively low percentage of crossing - 5-8%) but it only affects the seeds not the fruit so no, you aren't growing Ramapo fruit on the 4th of July plant. Since you wouldn't save the seeds from them anyway it is no problem.
Some who have thought that was what was happening in the past later discovered inter-twined branches instead. :-)
Dave
Thanks again Dave,
I was thinking that but unsure plus the "4th" seeds were from a generic label so who knows what they are. I will check to see if the branches are intertwined. Very possible since they are right next to each other.
- Mr Beno
Nice black krim. They might make our list for next year. As a fan of dark tomatoes, my Cherokee Purples should be along at any moment. My Stupice isn't black, but has had me in tomatoes since last month. Not one has made it to the table.......just snatching them off outside, and that's as far as they get.
Could be either but whenever I find whole blossoms snipped off the stems I think of thrips first.
I know birds will snip leaves during nest building times but don't know why they'd just go for a bloom. Mice of course will eat anything but the blooms would be hard to reach above ground level. So my first assumption is always insects of some kind.
This, of course, assuming it isn't just plain old Blossom Drop.
Dave
There is a good FAQ here that explains all about Blossom Drop and the role of air temps, the effects they have on pollen and why fruit set is difficult if not impossible.
Late planting would have only contributed to the problem.
Fortunately you have a very long growing season so it is mostly a matter of keeping the plants alive and healthy until the weather breaks.
In some cases rigging some shade cloth over the plants to reduce the sun during the hottest part of the day may help. It is good for about 6-8 degrees difference and can allow some fruit set IF the night time temperatures will cooperate. If they remain high however there is little that can be done and we all just learn to live with it and plant out early to beat the heat.
Next year you'll have better luck with the much earlier planting times you all have.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: Blossom Drop FAQ
I listen to Don Shor's program out of Davis CA. The temps there in the spring and summer start at 85 and just go up. He mentions how certain tomatoes will not produce at all, and lists what works. You may want search his podcasts to find shows where he mentions what works in hot weather. Yes some tomatoes will produce in hot weather. You can use your computer to listen or any mp3 player.
Here is a link that might be useful: Davis Garden show
This post was edited by Drew51 on Tue, Jul 23, 13 at 8:47
No I don't wear protective clothing, just my normal jeans, shirt and shoes. But I note the wind direction so it isn't blowing on me and try to spray on non-windy days so the mist isn't blown around all over.
Please note in Toxicological Section that these studies were done with 97% pure Chlorothalonil not the 29% in the available sprays and were done on rats and rabbits and dogs. Even after a full year of exposure at that high strength and regular doses the negative effects are low and inconsistent.
No evidence of adverse developmental effects in rabbit and rat studies. Except for the minor skin and/or eye irritation mentioned above.
It's your choice of course but perspective is important. Daconil has a much lower toxicity rating than most any other garden/lawn chemical available. And even organic sprays such as sulfur and copper have potential side effects too.
Dave
Enough water will kill you, A few years ago in a water drinking contest a young lady died, though she did win the contest! So maybe those afraid of Daconil should also withhold water from their plants in fear of absorbing too much when eating the fruits, and the fruits do take the water up systemically, unlike Daconi, no doubt you do consume the water you spray on edible plants. Be careful!! Also don't forget your protective gear!.