16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes
I've never grown GD, but I grew Chadwick Cherry last year and whoever labeled it as 36-42" obviously never grew one. It was a HUGE plant, easily 8-10' by fall. It grew up over the top of a 6' privacy fence and down the other side, not to mention over the tops of all the other tomato varieties planted nearby. Per my 2012 notes, I picked my first ripe CC on July 15 following a May 14 transplant, so similar to what you're getting this year.
Here's an old discussion where the dtm of Chadwick Cherry comes up as 70-75 days. Gardener's delight is coincedentally mentioned but not its dtm. Cheers!
Here is a link that might be useful: Old discussion
Linda, I'm growing Gardener's Delight, always reliable, and Ferline, my favourite and absolutely delicious. This year, well, if you ignore the ivy behind the second tomato, you can see how scrawny they are.
I havent fed them for a couple of weeks but I'll try when I water them tonight, as you suggest.
Kind regards,
Devi
OK, first beefsteak - usually just sliced thick with salt eaten standing up over the counter/cutting board. But later in the season, BLT without the BL (toast the bread so it doesn't get too soggy from tomato juice, I don't normally eat mayo but 1/2 tsp is good on tomato), or else a slice of white American cheese instead of mayo, but then have to pop the sandwich in the MW for 10 secs to melt the cheese. Roast beef is good too.
We rarely use beefsteaks in salad - I love my Brandywines, CP and Krims too much to ruin them with dressing! But by the time we get ripe tomatoes the lettuce is over with anway (I'll have to try fall crop this year) so just tomato and salt as a side with dinner is fine.
Darn, I'm really craving tomato right now and all I have is store-bought cherries and some BW quarters I froze last year.
Well, I'm no expert here but I think a fair about of yellowing and drying up of the bottom leaves (the oldest ones) is normal to a certain extent. Have you been fertilizing with anything? Maybe it's a nutrient deficiency? Your picture didn't get posted, BTW, but that would help a lot.
njitgrad -- I don't have answer to your ? but I am interested in your containers. 1st I'll say how very tidy your boarder and tomatoes are!!
What is your pot? How do you have them staked? Looks like square wire fencing with twine around the stakes as it grows up??
thks
What a great harvest. Luckily, cherry tomatoes are easy to freeze. Rinse them off, throw them in a baggie in the freezer, and use them in soup over the winter. :)
(And I'm looking forward to hearing the reports on the Selbo's Ribbed Red Cherry. I've been following that thread and can't wait until I can get some seeds for myself. :))
It's a Green Earth Garden Fungicide with 0.9% sulphur and after reading the instructions say to apply every 7 - 10 days... I guess there is something to instructions after all! ;)
What negative affects have you had with sulphur products Dave? Any recommendations for dealing with and minimizing the blight? If it actually blight...
T....get the appropriate spray.....and spray. Many tomato gardener's preventative spray for EB because it is so common. Hope this helps: Here is a good site for info:http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r783100311.html
For home use and canning, USDA rules is not enforced.
Here is what I am saying: If your jar is disinfected (in boiling water or 300F oven), and you have boiled the sauce; Then you fill the jar, tighten the lid, then place them upside down, ...how the heck bacteria is going to get into it ?
One more thing: When you want to use the sauce you boil it again !!! If you cannot kill a bacterium by boiling, forget about canning and eating tomato sauce.
For home use and canning, USDA rules is not enforced.
If you mean there are no canning police who will come and arrest you then yes, they are not enforced. However liability, not to mention responsibility, does attach to any home canned foods that are shared with others.
fill the jar, tighten the lid, then place them upside down, ...how the heck bacteria is going to get into it ?
It doesn't have to "get in". It is already in there. So is the air still trapped in the jar that allows the bacteria in the jar to continue to grow, reproduce, and produce toxins.
The only foods where inversion sealing is still commonly practiced anywhere is with highly acidic foods - fruit jams and jellies, canned fruits, and brined pickles. Tomatoes do not quality as highly acidic foods since they are borderline pH at 4.5-4.8.
If you cannot kill a bacterium by boiling, forget about canning and eating tomato sauce.
There are many bacteria, including c.botulinum, that cannot be killed by boiling but that doesn't mean the food cannot be canned. Those bacteria are killed only by irradiation (which isn't possible at home) or by high pressure temps in excess of 240 degrees for a period of time determined by the density of the food in question. Alternatively they are packed in an highly acidic medium which prevents the bacteria from reproducing in the jar. Thus the requirement to add additional acid to tomatoes when canning them.
None of this is new info. It dates from research begun back in the 1950's. And it is all discussed in great detail on the Harvest forum for those interested. But I would suggest some research into all the science behind the canning guidelines before sharing such mis-leading information with others. It does them a dis-service otherwise.
Dave
Wow Ed!
Stupice for the end of June!!! When did you plant them?
I should have grown Stupice again, but was disheartened when they succumbed to some sort of fungal disease last year and decided to give them a miss this year.
I was excited about my new early F1 (Yellow Pear derivative) but the taste just wasn't there. Maybe the next ones will taste better, and they might be improve with some seeds left in! I scraped them all out to ferment and save!
Linda.
Good thing you identified it as something that was not your friends fault!
Betsy
I appreciated all the suggestions, I was stumped!
Now I need to determine the best way to control them and salvage what's left of my plants!