16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

Good for you.
Sometimes information overload can be confusing.

Seysonn

That's exactly what I was running into, Seysonn, information overload. I once spent nearly 6 months researching DVD players before I settled on one, so I have a tendency to over research things.

In any case, it's settled, I've ordered a heat mat and am setting up my seed starting space.

as far as temperature goes, wasn't last year worse than this year?... I remember hearing of polar vortex after polar vortex.

nugrdnnut,

January was colder last year but February has been colder this year, at least east of the Rockies. For this area, last Feb. averaged 5 degrees below normal, but this year so far it's about 9 degrees below normal and that number will continue to climb with temps around 0 for lows this week.

Helen,

Cukes did well here too but it seemed other critters were more numerous. Maybe the constant cold kept them in hiding rather than false springs luring them out to freeze.

early is good, tasty is a plus. something to wrap the bacon around.

and the list has changed again. Jaune Flammee is def. on the list. About all my seed has arrived, about all the peppers are being germinated. i have 2 wks to solidify the list. then i have to search for containers.

dave

I love Jaune Flamme. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I grew it this fall thru mild Winter and processed all the seed out of one of the largest tomatoes. Dense planted them and now am separating them to give away to the unenlightened! I need to plant Siletz too I have heard it does great in high heat.

In Southwest Ohio near the southern edge of zone 5, I have had the best luck with tomatoes that have a day's to maturity of less than 85 days. I have about four months of reliably suitable tomato growing weather, and I would guess you probably have two or three weeks less. I can grow Brandywines that have their first tomatoes at the end of July, and with luck they will continue producing until late September. Here is an OSU Extension publication that lists suitable varieties and growing tips, but like most of the advice you get from extension agencies, they favor hybrids. But they do list heirlooms I've had good luck with, like Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter and Cherokee Purple.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/pdf/1624.pdf

Thanks for all your help.

This year I also baked my soil for indoor use. Haven't seen any insects. Last year I w.as fighting fungus gnat. I also soaked starter soil with peroxide solution.
Baking soil at 200- 250F will destroy any microbes in the soil, good or bad. .I find things like fungus gnat flying around very annoying beside the damage they cause .

Sysonn

I have to assume that hydrogen peroxide, or a bath in hot water, will also destroy any microbes in the soil, good or bad. In fact, the hot water will probably rinse out chemical nutrients as well. I'm not clear on this, but I don't see any advantages in soil microbes for seedlings. Correct me if I'm wrong, but soil microbes are of primary value in breaking down organic matter in the soil, which is kind of irrelevant for seedlings and seedpots. I suspect that highly sterile soil will allow seedling growth just as well as good-microbial-rich soil will. Ag extensions are pretty unanimous in recommending that seeds be started in sterile soil. As in, everything dead. Now, that being said, I understand that soil should not be overheated, or it will release toxic amounts of ammonium compounds. But that's a chemical issue, and not a microbial one.

Fireduck,
You have achieved good results. You are NO LONGER a nubie : -)

My first batch of tomatoes sprouted in 4 days too (without exception)
However , I soaked the seeds overnight. I was thinking that it is almost a record. So we have tied for the first place: lol

Seysonn

thanks for the confidence S. I actually planted a second round of seeds that germinated 100%. As my dad used to say..."I am a little bit proud". haha. My exuberance is leading to way too many plants...a good thing. My pepper seeds seem to be MUCH slower. I suppose that is expected?

Seysonn,

I just hope it's a quick decisive victory and not a long drawn out war. :)

Daniel, where are you ? We need a new thread !
Hello !

Seysonn

For telling when to water I go by the color (perhaps shade is a better word) of the potting mix and the weight of the pot or cell pack. Might take a bit of practice to tell but one that needs watered will have a mix lighter in color and will also weigh a lot less when picked up. There is no set watering schedule. And of course, if the seedlings look like they are starting to wilt then they definitely need water. :) Better to have them on the drier side than have them too wet.

Rodney

Good point Rodney. I can also tell by the weight of the pot if it needs watering. It is amazing how much a difference few oz of water can make But the top of my pots are mulched with pine bark or there is a lot of perlite that does indicate anything.

Just to clarify, I don't want to leave the impression that Big Beef and Cherokee Purple are early varieties. They were just the first to produce ready-to-pick tomatoes for me last year and they substantially beat out Matina, considered an early variety. Furthermore, after their first tomatoes, they weren't really in full production at that point. It was several days before subsequent tomatoes were ready.

I'll be noting Dave's suggestions for other early varieties for the future.
I should probably make it a point to grow at least one cherry each year, but I consider them the appetizer before the main course. Once the bigger tomatoes come along, the cherries tend to get ignored. Or perhaps its just that Sungold is so productive, I actually get annoyed keeping up with picking them.

Thanks Linda, I’ll look for that one.

Dave, if that is the case, then I should be asking, what is the most productive, best tasting tomato? I’ve read a lot of people rave over Cherokee Purple but say it’s not very productive, so is it possible to get great taste and productivity?

Nitsua, I am going to be growing Cherokee Purple anyway. I’ll have to look into Big Beef, I can’t remember if I’ve tried it. I tried Champion last year, recommended by the nursery that I purchased a few plants from. It was not a winner for me.

I meant 12 INCH pots.

I got Better Boy, Cherokee Purple, Homestead, and 'Bonnie Grape TamiG'. From seed I started Sweet 100 and Blondkopfchen. Can plant in 3 weeks. This year the fluorescent setup is on a rolling Metro shelf, I can unplug and remove the lights and wheel it outside during the day to start them hardening off in another week/10 days.

Regardless of the reason occurances like you experience can be very frustrating. Last year I tried a new variety called Grandpa Dutches Favorite from a seed Co. I'll not mention. Each of the 4 plants I trialed produced drastically different fruits; one even turned out to be a cherry type. I now have come to expect 5-7% "non-typical" plants in any heirloom variety planted. If I see 1% "non-typical"with hybrid varieties I'd be extremely surprised.

There may be an occasion that you get different color scheming such as with non-segregated crossings; Copia is a good example. Those are more tolerable and might even be looked on as pleasant surprise. I plant thousands of tomato plants and sell buth plants and fruit and I get concerned about other's results as well as my own. If you only plant a few plants those oddball ones can be deal breakers.

I grew Red Robin for the first time last season. One plant was absolutely wonderful-great little tomatoes with a beefsteak flavor. But one plant turned out to be cherry sized fruits that were deeply pleated and very sour. So now I'm paranoid about wasting my efforts on Red Robin seed which I really want to grow regularly.

Good new, We have Merced tomato seeds. We were able to get some to sell from a family that has grown them for 40 years. We sell them at maggiesgardenseeds.com or you can find us on facebook at Maggie's Garden Seeds. Hope this helps, maybe we can bring this favorite back. :) Have a great day. Maggie

I'm back, or you can e mail me at maggiesseeds@aol.com :)

It is time to update this. Also to bring something to the top that is not another how awful things are since the big change. (A shot at humor. I am still adjusting to things as well.)

I potted up 24 from the starter cells today. I have been needing to do it for longer than I care to post. I have been busy with so much as of late it feels like I have two full time jobs, and another part time job on the side. I will be potting up more tomorrow as well.

Yesterday I had to spray all of my plants with neem oil. After a weekend away for Valentine's with my wonderful wife I came home to find and aphid infestation of my pepper plants. The tomatoes appeared to be left alone. Though I am not going to take that chance. I lost 5 pepper plants.

I have 24 plants spending the night in my low tunnel. They are now sun hardened. Now to keep them out, unless there is an extended cold snap. Then they will come inside. 36 will be starting their first day outside tomorrow in the shade.

Long story short. This year is so far a way better start than last year.

Thanks all,

Nate Guilliams
Temple, Tx.

THat sounds great, Nate.
I am germinating my first batch of 8 varieties. The rest I will start end of FEB. That will be roughly 6 weeks to plant out time.

Seysonn

I have a pack of seed for Sara Galapagos. I want to try them soon.

yes: 2 die 4 … that's what the fla seed provider said … we'll see. i have about 8 types of cherry toms i am testing, along with the sweet 100s, which come up vol, and never make it in to the house.