16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

This post is off topic but may help members like suncitylinda..

Here's one way that I use to post images here. Download this imageshack uploader with the shortcut icon on your desktop.. http://imageshack.us/p/uploader/

Open the uploader and drag and drop an image or several images in the box on the left.

Upload

Copy link

Use this code to post images to websites

Here's what it looks like for this message post from a uploaded screenshot.

To save uploaded photos to imageshack you need an account.

Another nice program for point and click uploading single images to imageshack is http://uniupload.thecybershadow.net/ This program allows you to upload by right clicking an image in your computer and click 'upload to imageshack' from the drop down menu, then copy and paste the link.

Another great program I use a lot is irfanview http://www.irfanview.com/
This program is great for color correction and batch conversion/Rename and resizing, found under the 'file menu'. Any images you associate with this program will have icons that look like a small red animal of some kind.

The below link has many handy programs I use.

Here is a link that might be useful: Handy Programs

This post is off topic but may help members like suncitylinda..

It's your thread, you should be allowed to take it in any direction you care to.

Sorry for the late reply. Dave, I feed them with an all purpose vegetable feed according to the package label, every 6-8 weeks. I water them as I need to making sure that the soil always stays moist.

Thanks,

That's the reason I stopped growing them. the initial fruits may be larger but they soon drop off in size as the other blossom clusters develop. Try Favorita or Sakura. These hold their size better than others I've grown and I feel are well worth the extra seed cost.

there a very meaty tomato, with kind of a sweet taste to me. Been saving seed from all these monsters. they have a very pretty color. I'm also growing Eva purple, Brandywine, Mortage lifter and sun gold cherry.

Georgia streak cut open

Mortgage Lifter

Also growing Georgia Streak and like the looks. I think many overlook this one. However your Mortgage Lifter don't look like ones I've seen. I've not seen an oblate fruit but a large fruit as deep as wide. The 2 bottom fruits in the picture look like Rebelski, a slightly lobed, perfect shape, oblate tomato. Maybe it's just the picture angle.

was woke up at 3 am this morning by thunder / but still no rain / NEW RULE !!! if it thunders its gotta rain !!!!

I too heard that thunder and saw the lightning this morning.
I looked out at my plants and saw a hole in my shadecloth causing it to slip down from its stake and hit the plants. I figured that I'd better repair it before the rain came in.

Here I am at 3:00 am on a ladder repairing a hole with lightning flashing all around me. Got it fixed and headed back inside thinking to myself "bring that rain, and bring it hard". Of course it only sprinkled for about 3 minutes.

I thought it was interesting that they noted more success breeding for commercial qualities, then taste...

I think the reality was that commercial qualities just got priority. When most people are in a store, they are looking for ripe, blemish free fruit, as that is all they can see. You can't taste it until you get home. Because of that, I don't think taste has been a priority as is obvious from the tasteless tomatoes you get at the store. I don't think the genome will really change that for store bought produce, unfortunately. Often variety names are not listed for standard tomatoes. That would be one way to list potential improved taste.

There is a scientist in Florida analyzing the chemical components of great tasting tomatoes. I heard the Science Friday broadcast on NPR, which was very interesting. I think knowing the genome might help the scientists understand their breeding a little better, but it will be a while before there are great tasting tomatoes in the grocery store. Picking anything unripe is just difficult to capture a good flavor. (Except pears, but they are different.)

Some heirlooms could stand to be more disease resistant, higher producers, better keepers, etc. Not everyone can grow their own tomatoes. And not all hybrids are bad, Sungold is my favorite cherry tomato with a wonderful flavor. And so productive!

Here is a link that might be useful: Science Friday, NPR: Secret to great tomato flavor.

I agree Hankjr. I wish I had access to horse manure because I've seen other reports such as yours. I'd like to give it a try and it's just the right price.

i dont grow tomatos in pots but i do grew basil in them and i bought a $10 bag of MG mix and it was terrible mostly chunks of wood and some fluffy brown stuff not sure what it was/ went thru 2 packs of seed trying to get it to grow with no luck / finally dumped it along the back fence row and got a diff brand and got basil growing like mad / so yeah you can get bad potting mix

Thanks for the response Dave. The worms I have are causing significant damage to the leaves. They burrow into the leaf cavity and cause a leaf section to curl - almost making a protective area. At first, the area becomes translucent and eventually the section of the leaf becomes brown. They also leave a black substance in the pouch that they feed in. Does this sound like a fruitworm?

I sprayed BT 48 hours ago but found about 6 worms today burrowed into separate leaves. I will get some photos tomorrow.

Here is a picture of some leaves I cut this morning. You can't see it, but there is a small grey worm in one of the leaves.

I've had BER a few time and have been told everything from not enough calcium (bought calcium carbonate from the oyster store nearby) to uneven watering (have since controlled the watering with a soaker hose) I also use my own compost and organic manures from local farms.
Usually my BER only lasts a couple of weeks. I just dump a bunch more compost on everything and hope for the best! LOL
I have since read that you want to incorporate your calcium carbonate (oyster shells)in the fall in order for it to be absorbed by planting time in the spring.
I tend to just sprinkle it around though the year and hope I'm doing the right thing! Nancy

Sorry Nancy, adding calcium usually doesn't resolve BER. Better control of moisture conditions usually resolves it. See the FAQ.

Yes Linda, she has talked to the makers of the product and they specified that NOTHING should be mixed with Daconil or the coverage of the product on the leaves will not be 100%.

Thanks Mudman, now I remember the thread!

I live in region 9. I live in Houston, TX. When the first set of flowers started to grow on the plant a couple of months ago the temperature was in the 80s. It's usually always humid here. The flowers die or fall off but more always grow back but then do the same. The last week of June was very hot (in the 100s) to the point were all my plants were wilting. This past week it has rained every single day to were it I know it has been way too much rain for my Roma tomatoes because they are starting to crack. The weather will probably go back to the 100's soon after this rain stops.

I had zippo luck with Amish Paste last year. I got 10 tomatoes at the most.

pix

It looks as though my toms are coming back to life,lost a few leafs and stems, but I feel they are on the road to recovery.They have the worst case of blossom drop you have ever seen though.I have shoulder high, 2 month old plant with one green tomato and three without any. My celebrity plants are the only ones that are putting on tomatoes.Don't know if the rotten blossoms will stop and they will come back and grow new ones that produce or not.

Dang it. I went out last night looking for them but didn't see any around the plants. I don't have any fruit turning red though so could that be it?

Stinkbugs like green tomatoes too and they hide.