16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes
Here's one old thread. I'd follow carolyn's suggestions.
Under decent storage conditions, 2001 would not seem too old for success.
I have found older seeds often take longer to germinate. Carolyn's suggestion to not give up even after waiting a month is a good one for a variety you value. I've waited that long and even longer and eventually ended up with sprouts and good plants.
Wishing you success with your less than ideal stored ones.
Here is a link that might be useful: Germinating old tomato seed
I have an article on this page that covers waking up old seed. It is the last article on the page.
You already seem to know the answer: i.e, indets continue fruiting all season, IF they are not diseased or neglected. The amount of yield would depend on several factors: (*) variety (**) climate (***) growing conditions. However, indets tend to produce more heavily earlier than later in the season, IMO.
On determinants: Some produce more than one flush. I have had some that fruited just like indets. They are Dets in growth habit but fruit like indets. I am getting into more Dets, as they require less space and are easier to maintain.
Seysonn
Hi, well ...size doesn't matter. They may be small but they pack a punch and are delicious and addictive ~ try Matt's Wild Cherry. A micro small one but you'll be eating half of what you pick along the way. Heavy producer. I went from growing one to four plants this year as everyone loved them too. Peace
Some people do use compost in containers, but it can severely interfere with drainage if it makes up more than 15-20 percent of your mix. It also is actually very low in nutrients and tomatoes require a lot of nutrients to grow well. How experienced are you with growing plants in containers? If you've had success growing a fast growing plant in a container of compost over a long, hot season, then you are an exception to the rule.
Container growing is very different from growing in the ground. I would encourage you to do some more reading in the Container forum. The link below goes to a thread that has run continuously since 2005. Hundreds of people have reported excellent results following this advice.
Here is a link that might be useful: Container Growing, water movement and retention
I am using a cheapo one gallon. It is enough for my needs. I don't spray more than 1/2 gallon fungicide at a time.
But for someone with over 100 plants I would suggest a professional grade 2 gallon, hand pumped, back pack. STIHL is name that pops up in my mind. I would avoid Black and Decker. I have had bad experience with its nozzle system.
Seysonn
+1 on the Solo. I've got a bunch of different sprayers and the one linked below is far and away my favorite (2L size). I especially like the fact that the end rotates so that you can easily spray on the underside of the leaves.
Here is a link that might be useful: Solo 420 2-Liter One-Hand Pressure Sprayer
Of course with meatier tomatoes you can get a bigger bang for the buck but any tomato that you like to slice, put in salad all are good. To get a thicker consistency fast, I mash them and dray the juice for drinking pleasure and soups and process the remainder.
Seysonn
The folks in the Hydroponic Forum may have more suggestions for you.
Here is a link that might be useful: Hydroponic Forum
Yeah I familiar with the study. But you can't read stuff into it - as the authors rightly point out.
The distinction I was making above - not too clearly apparently - is that folks and ad/marketing gurus (unfortunately for the average consumer) have then taken those studies to mean that just grafting, regardless of the soil condition or rootstock used, will increase production, etc. They can then hype and sell high priced grafted plants to the average home gardener who doesn't understand or need them.
The studies were done using infested soil for both grafted and non-grafted plants and using a specific rootstock. Their results do NOT claim otherwise nor do they support the many claims made by others that when grown in non-infested soil a grafted plant will out-produce a non grafted one. Nor do they claim that any rootstock will make a difference.
As for the table you link to - they are all soil borne diseases/pests and do not include any of the common tomato disease issues that affect the majority of the US tomato crops - Early Blight, Late Blight, Septoria, Anthracnose, Bacterial Spot and Speck, etc. etc. Grafting make no difference in those cases as the cause is primarily airborne and can kill a grafted plant just as easily as a non-grafted one.
Hope that clarifies.
Dave
It was pointed out that you are reading the results into the study that you want. A one-minute read of the abstract:
"MaxifortâÂÂrootstock significantly increased yield in one location (P = 0.05), but âÂÂMaxifortâ andâÂÂRobustaâ rootstock did not consistently impact yield at the other two locations.".
Another word that is easy to miss in the abstract is "ORGANIC". All trials were organic and did not address conventional growing methods. Conventional might kick butt in all three trials. You don't know.
K.I.S. If you identify a clear problem after the experience of a season, it is time to look for a solution, but don't start running with the cart before the horse.
PC
This post was edited by PupillaCharites on Mon, Feb 2, 15 at 18:28
Thanks for the advice. I try not to tell my friends what to do with their tomatoes since I don't grow in containers myself. I'll include a determinate, probably Silvery Fir Tree since one of the local stores carries the Seed Saver Seeds and I like to support that. I've ordered a couple of dwarves from Heritage Tomato seeds too.
If your season is short and not so warm (like ours here), also worth considering DTM. Though DTM is a ball park number but it has relative meaning.
So if you plant a large fruiting beefstaek with, say, DTM of 95 it might actually take longer than that.
Seysonn
It's good to see the successes, and not so successful things people have tried to grow over the years. It's fun to see folks add yet-another-variety to their yearly grow lists.
As always, YMMV: what works for some may be a challenge to others.
dave
Hmmm... I think it was the smog then, if the soil wasn't too wet. The plant probably couldn't get to the CO2 it needed. If the smog is gone, it should fully recover.
Thanks :D