16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

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

    Bookmark     July 23, 2013 at 1:28PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
thebutcher(6b (Philadelphia area))

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

    Bookmark     July 23, 2013 at 2:16PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

As you said, its an apples vs. oranges comparison in many ways and likely others have had the opposite results. But whatever works for you is what counts. Personally I take a pass on both varieties.

Dave

    Bookmark     July 23, 2013 at 1:31PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
njitgrad

I ate the cracked one for lunch today. MUCH better than the first. Eating a tomato grown from seed feels almost like catching a trout on a fly that I tied myself. Today I am a satisfied gardener.

    Bookmark     July 23, 2013 at 12:26PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
edweather(Zone 5a/b Central NY)

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.

    Bookmark     July 23, 2013 at 12:54PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

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

    Bookmark     July 18, 2013 at 11:39AM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
twolips(z6AZ)

Is there a way to determine if it is "Blossom Drop", and a way to prevent it?
Thanks for the reply!

    Bookmark     July 23, 2013 at 10:04AM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

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

    Bookmark     July 22, 2013 at 5:47PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
drew51 SE MI Z5b/6a(5b/6a)

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

    Bookmark     July 23, 2013 at 8:44AM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
BriAnDaren Ottawa, On Zone 5(5)

Black Zebra is a small, salad size tomato.

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Black_Zebra

    Bookmark     July 22, 2013 at 1:40PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
mato_nj

I'm in NJ as well and am just starting to see some ripening on the larger types where I was fortunate to have to fruit set early on. It all depends on when the fruit set on your plants. Between the rain and then the heat I had a lot of blossom drop and some of my plants only have smaller fruit as well like you.

    Bookmark     July 23, 2013 at 8:13AM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
mandolls(4)

bumping this before it runs off the page.

Anyone know?

    Bookmark     July 23, 2013 at 6:23AM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
seysonn(8a WA/HZ 1)

Now that nobody is answering, I think that it is a plant's habit, mostly I see in SMALL FRUITED tomatoes. On others which have much smaller clusters, it is not that severe. Even within the SMALL FRUITED ones, there seems to be marked difference. ONE thing is obvious to me, that a tomato plant cannot simultaneously support 50 fruits(or more). But it is somehow very greedy to produce a lot, even cannot support. They do not believe in Planned Parenthood. lol.

    Bookmark     July 23, 2013 at 6:48AM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
fireduck(10a)

You will love your Brandywines! I am growing them for the first time this year. Wow!

    Bookmark     July 22, 2013 at 11:16PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

seysonn - you are confusing F1 and F2 generations (much less F3) as well as mixing up hybrids and what are often called "stabilized hybrids" (began as a hybrid variety and after 100's of generations now breeds true - mostly).

When you buy a reputable hybrid variety to grow it is labeled an F1, a first generation seed. When they need more F1 seeds to sell they go back and hand cross the parent stock again. They don't sell F2 seed and call it F1. So yes, when Joe gardener saves his own seeds they are now F2 seeds and may not breed true.

Totally different things and explained in accurate detail in many of the links Carolyn provided.

Dave

    Bookmark     July 22, 2013 at 4:18PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
amerique2(7b TN)

Thank you all for your responses. I've read through the majority of links provided and learned quite a lot. I did a search and found another article, "Hybrid Seed Production of a Tomato" (link below). This article states "Both parents should be pure, being self-pollinated for more than 6 generations (this is called inbreeding). Parents are selected for their desirable traits (high yields, disease resistance, fruit quality, earliness, etc."

Does the self-pollination for more than 6 generations result in a genetically identical variety? So that when crossed with another "pure" variety, it can be relied upon to produce a different variety 100% of the time??? Trying to reconcile probability. Guess I need to go back and review my genetics book from many years ago.

I AM starting to realize the years and hard work that go into hybridizing a new variety. I think I will gladly pay the increased price if I choose to grow a hybrid tomato
(think Sungold).

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/mukeshkarnwal-1732869-hybrid-seed-production-tomato/

This post was edited by amerique2 on Tue, Jul 23, 13 at 2:57

    Bookmark     July 22, 2013 at 9:34PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
subtrop(10b)

I had them last year on my ficus like crazy and for me the best n easiest was water, soap and oil spray. Making sure it gets under the leaves. This year before spring rains, I cut down the ficus leaves and so far it's not as bad as last year at all.

    Bookmark     July 22, 2013 at 4:52PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
njitgrad

Agree with Dave, I've been picking mine when they look like that and putting them on my kitchen counter out of sunlight.

    Bookmark     July 22, 2013 at 4:36PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
labradors_gw

Thanks for the comments folks!

I was wondering if I should pick them, in light of people saying that there's no point in leaving them on the vine to ripen as they will ripen just as well on my kitchen counter. (This was something I learned here). I was going to leave them just a little longer, but then I spotted a bunny INSIDE my raised veggie garden with a little fence to keep the dogs out! Buns ran off when he saw me and had no problem squeezing under the green plastic fencing on the other side... I think I'd better grab those maters while I still can!

Linda

    Bookmark     July 22, 2013 at 4:51PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
Stellabee(7, Atlanta)

I personally like to spray copper or make a tea with 1 gallon of water to 1 cup of organic corn meal (let sit overnight until it has a sweet smell, then spray). Neem oil sprays are good too. That is, of course, to spray after removing all of the infected foliage with clean scissors:-)

    Bookmark     July 20, 2013 at 3:48PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
robertz6

Why not use compost tea every three weeks or so? May slow it down a bit.

I use compost as mulch, and trim any suspect leaf/branch. Then I spray the leaves with compost tea. Top side of leaf, and bottom as well.

    Bookmark     July 22, 2013 at 4:25PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
seysonn(8a WA/HZ 1)

I would not be concerned about it. It look normal to me.

    Bookmark     July 22, 2013 at 3:00PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
labradors_gw

Apparently it IS a tomato hornworm. Not a very scientific name! Here's an explanation with pictures:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manduca_sexta

Linda

    Bookmark     July 20, 2013 at 8:16PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
serge94501

This morning I found some chewed-down stalks...and a dead bug, suspended on the plant.

Spinosad: 1

Big fat tomato eatin' bug: 0

    Bookmark     July 22, 2013 at 12:49AM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
edweather(Zone 5a/b Central NY)

If you have one, a photo would be nice.

    Bookmark     July 21, 2013 at 9:29PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

And when did you plant them out? In your zone early planting is required to beat the heat and get fruit set. Once the temps are consistently above 95 you'll only get Blossom Drop.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Blossom Drop FAQ

    Bookmark     July 21, 2013 at 10:44PM
Sign Up to comment
© 2015 Houzz Inc. Houzz® The new way to design your home™