16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

Fussy heirlooms?

Not for me who has grown both hybrids and OP's, but since I have no idea which OP not heirlooms and which OP heirlooms you've grown it's impossible for me to comment more without input from you. ( smile)

And you're probably thinking that's a good thing, if you prefer F1's over OP's. LOL

Carolyn

Carolyn,
I know you are the tomato expert, but take note of my zone...there are some heirloom or OP tomatoes that never mature during my growing season - and I've tried quite a few. The only hybrids I grow are Big Beef and Sungold...these are incredibly prolific.

Someone on one of the forums said they needed more germination time & also more growing to maturity time. DIGDIRT-since my posting I have received seeds from 3 different sources and they all cautioned about being patient germinating as it can take from 2/4 weeks to sprout

Interesting. Of course it can all depend on the germination methods used but I never found that to be the case as they easily re-seed themselves from dropped fruit and grow rapidly.

Either way - enjoy.

Dave

Good idea or not?

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You're doing fine. Thanks for the kind words.

Ted

Garf - TomatoTone is just not very strong anymore. If you are using in in well ammended soil I imagine it is fine. I grow in containers and Earthboxes and the last year I used it everything was struggling. I still have a 20LB bag left and I will apply it much more liberally.

#4 possum was a biter. He did a job on the bait tray. This was baited with catnip.

How big of a hanging pot are you talking about? The average 12" basket? No way either would make it.

As already mentioned both are big plants. I have grown both in 12 gallon containers and they have done ok, but even better in a 1/2 whiskey barrel.

Dave

Thanks for the answers. I'm thinking of turning my portable torn garage /shelter into a greenhouse (a lightbulb just came on over my head lol.) I can park my car in it over winter and grow plants all summer. Just need some 6 ,or 8 mil poly.

I trade the never grow again along with the ones I like. I don't explain why I won't grow them again because my reasons are usually related to issues that other people don't mind. I do think the year is important to include. I am like you with limited space, so I have a core of tomatoes that I grow each year and try a few new each year. At first, I grew only one or two plants of about 25 types to identify the ones I like. I never destroy seeds.

This post was edited by Kevinitis on Sat, Jan 5, 13 at 12:59

I think one must ask why they trade seeds in the first place. Personally, I want to get at least one plant that produces fruit and then I'll save all the seeds that I want. Should I expect every seed I get to germinate??? Absolutely not. That would be totally unrealistic.

And, I agree with Carolyn. Don't throw them away unless you know they are defective or not true to type or something catastrophic like that.

In trades, I like to swap about a dozen seeds. That gives me two or three plantings to make sure I get at least one viable plant. That's all I expect, no more, no less. As my seeds put on some age, I'll send more of them in a trade to try and ensure the recipient can get a couple of plants. You see, I don't think of it as trading "Seeds", I think of it as trading "Varieties".

Ted

Dwarf tomatoes are the best for indoor growing. They now have some that get good size tomatoes up to 8+ oz. That is if you have to use lights.

I found cherry tomatoes good for indoor growing. I have juliets and sun golds right now. I use a mix of lights and windows.

"I'm assuming that they are normally available at most of the bigger grocery stores?" Yep, Sam's and Costco carry them, too. FWIW, they seem to last a long time on the kitchen counter.

Just think - I decent BLT in the middle of winter! ;-)

Thanks ... our local store used to carry Kumato, which was also pretty tasty, but for some reason they quit carrying them (probably because other than me, there's only a handful of people in this area that know that a good tomato doesn't have to be round and red!!)

Edie

According to my list, Seeds By Design named a variety Mr. Stripey, unaware that Tigerella was also known as Mr. Stripey.

That is correct. At the time the person in charge at SBD knew practically nothing about anything other than hybrids, so when the Wayne Hilton who used to own TT and vt Bean, and seymours Seeds, etc, before they were sold to Jung's,sent seeds for a typical gold/red bicolor to SBD for seed production they named it Mr, Stripey, not knowing that Tigerella had already been unofficially called Mr. Stripey.

I don't like Tigerella but I do like the other two that came out of the original cross done by the Glass House Res, Inst in England, but those other two, Craigella and Tangella I do like.

I can't tell you how many times and at how many message sites, as well as sending e-mails to some seed places who showed wrong pictures and mixed up the two that I've done over the years.

Carolyn

I have posted in several places this year that Fouth of July Hybrid came through our Summer, fruiting. My plant is Still alive under my patio cover, and still putting out fruit. My heat would have been at least as bad as yours, likely worse.

I'm trying Super Sioux this year. Cannot report results yet but it's advertised as heat tolerant and this variety is mentioned a few times in the link provided above by digdirt. I could send you a few seeds to try if you like. email me with your address if you are interested.

This post was edited by marymcp on Fri, Jan 4, 13 at 7:55

I guess it is also called 1/4" galvanized aircraft cable. 7x19 construction. The breaking strength on this cable is 7,000 pounds.

As to your original question, yes, if you want to do all the required pruning then growing tomato plants up a string (regardless of the wire used to hold the strings) is a fairly common method. All that pruning to a single stem costs you production of course but some prefer the ease of access and appearance over production.

As for planting things underneath the plants - that all depends on the tomato plant spacing you use. Often string growers use that method so they can plant more plants in a confined space, often as close as 16-18" apart. Consequently there isn't room to plant anything under the plants.

If you are going to use 3-4' spacing then there would be room for inter-planting but keep in mind the different nutrient and water needs of many of the plants you list. Anything you plant in between will be competing with the tomatoes for sunlight, water and nutrients - when those needs are so different neither crop does well.

Best results is to have a tomato area and a separate areas for each of the other crops. That way you can deal with each crop's individual nutrient and water needs, planting times, harvesting times, and needed sun exposure.

Dave

Agree with CTed. A soil test is in order to include PH. If your friend is going to use tomato transplants again next year
tell her to dust the roots with endomycorrhiza prior to planting. The Myco's will unlock the unavailable phosphorus that already exists in the soil and make it available to the plant and will also help the plant during drought conditions. Ami

I think the soil is the problem. A soil test would be good but I think it may be the texture of your soil that makes you more successful. I haul in rotted cow manure and hay every year and it doesn't make the nitrogen too high. What kind of manure was it? Cow manure would be OK if it didn't have herbicide in it. Horse manure often comes with with wood chips which I don't think are good. Chicken manure would be high in nitrogen.