16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes
NAR, which I introduced, and Chapman are both outstanding red beefsteak varieties. No they don't taste the same I can't really describe the difference in taste but both perform well and load up well for almost everyone.
And no, they don't taste like Better Boy F1 or it's companion Big Boy F1, since both have one parent that it is an heirloom variety from the midwest called Teddy Jones.
Two other great performing large red beefsteaks that I like a lot are Red Penna and Aker's West VA, again, they perform well for almost everyone everywhere.
Hope that helps.
Carolyn
You will want to post this over on the Soil & Composting forum here too as this is the kind of issue that forum deals with daily.
As to what to provide to meet those requirements, there are many options available - both organic and non-organic and the costs range widely. But if you intend to continue gardening then yes, the time and money is well worth it.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: Soil forum
Billy, Your question and wording leave me a little unclear of what you want to know and the replys seem to reflect that uncertainty. If you are questioning the expenditure for fertilizer for a 700 sq. ft garden it just doesn't seem logical. More likely you are questioning how to obtain a fertilizer blend to adapt to the recommendation. To that end you need to be more specific in your test results but, in reality, you only need to be in the ballpark with the application.
Keep in mind that your Nitrogen recommendation is almost always based on crop needs rather than test results; Phosphorus recommendation is usually expressed as P2O5(phosphate) as you indicated but Potassium recommendation is almost always expressed as K2O rather than just K and that distinction can affect what you apply.
What you likely should be shopping for is a 3:1.5:4 ratio blend. In real life if you can find a 10:5:10 or even a 10:10:10 fertilizer and apply at the rate recommended for N you will be in the ballpark.
To me, the fact that it recovers overnight suggests it's getting too much heat or not enough water. But I'm not an expert.
When you're growing in dark-colored containers in direct sun, there can be a problem with the soil heating too much. So if that's the case here, you might cover the pot in something that will absorb less heat from the sun: for instance, a white plastic bag, a piece of white cloth, or a sheet of silver mylar (space blanket stuff).
If you don't get more answers here, you might consider cross-posting on the Container Gardening forum.
I have wild ground cherries, but I've never planted them, let alone indoors.
The flowers dropping might be related to whatever is making the plants droop, or could be a pollination issue. According to the California Rare Fruit Growers, "Cape gooseberries are self-pollinated but pollination is enhanced by a gentle shaking of the flowering stems or giving the plants a light spraying with water." Shaking the stems a bit is also recommended for indoor-grown tomatoes.
Thank you for your informed answer. I don't think it's lack of water.. at the moment its roots don't cover much of the pot and I only need to water is every other week.. though the time between waterings is geting shorter.
It's in a light brown pot.. so I think you could be right about the roots getting too hot in the soil. I'll cover it and see what hapens
Thank you Dave. Thats what I needed to know.
By the way...
The plants are all being grown to be planted outdoors. They have gotten a little big though. Lots of overlapping leaves. When I water the humidity gets pretty high overnight. Temps are in the mid 80's, sometimes higher. They are being grown under one 400 watt HPS and one 400 watt MH. The plants are roughly two foot tall.
Rathos, my experience with HTS has been great; they're one of the best. A number of seed suppliers will throw in a bonus packet, which is cool in a grab-bag sort of way. I haven't grown Manyel, but it's a popular variety, a lot of suppliers carry it. Here's the blurb on Manyel from Tatiana's tomatobase:
75-80 days, indet., regular leaf, good yield of 3" golden yellow globes, blemish-free, very good taste with a hint of citrus.
Let me try to clarify.
I was the person who introduced Manyel to others via my listing in the SSE YEarbook, Tania doesn't have that info there and I suppose I should give her the rest of the info as well, since I'm in contact with her all the time.
My seeds were from Joe Bratka many years ago and when he got them it was also said that the word Manyel meant many moons, but nowhere could that be verified and also of Native American heritage and nowhere could that be verified either.
Tania has two listings, one for Manyel and one for Many Moons which is not a separate variety, rather a wrongly suggested translation of the word Manyel. So those two pages should have the same information.
Hope that helps.
Carolyn, and no it isn't unusual for many seed sites to include a bonus pack. Even when packing up tomato seeds for my SSE requests I include a "gift" pack of seeds.
I like your idea, I have the same problem. I live in MN and started mine to early also. How did it work out for you? I think I may do the same but just do it with the solo cups because thats what mine are in right now. Thinking I can cut the bottom off and fill a new one with dirt then sink them together.
If you have a number of plastic 2-liter bottles or cardboard 1/2 gallon juice cartons, they're quite wide, if width is necessary. Cut the tops off, at whatever height you need. [And if more width isn't necessary, you can also use narrower plastic bottles.]
Thinking I can cut the bottom off and fill a new one with dirt then sink them together.
Leah, I'm not sure I understand your response. The point of using a taller container is that when you pot up, the current roots can be placed at the bottom of the new container. Snip off the lower leaves and add soil around the bottom few inches of the stem. Additional roots will grow from the currently-above-ground stem, resulting in a larger root system.
Tomatoes are virtually impossible to kill once they're going. Seriously, as long as you've got a couple inches of green, you can regrow the entire plant. If its got any roots left at all, it'll be fine in a few weeks.
Last year I had a windstorm that knocked one of my container tomatoes over, rolled it around, snapped half the thing in two. I just stuck the broken limbs in some dirt in a bucket, and not only did the limbs survive, they went on to bear fruit the same year. Heck, several of the limbs had tomatoes still on them and not only did they survive, not only did the tomatoes not wither up on them, but they were even GOOD tasting tomatoes at the end.
Basically, nothing short of weed killer or ripping it up by the roots and tossing it on hot asphalt will kill a tomato plant.
Yep - last year I started my plants to early. I ended up cutting off some of the laterals and top growth to keep them from getting to tall and spindly. I stuck the cuttings directly in pots of soil and most of them rooted up and turned into productive plants by the end of the summer.
If they can survive with no roots, they can certainly survive with "pruned" roots.
DM007, have a look at Sherry's photos in this thread: she's got the pale spots on the upper side of the leaves, with the dark fungus on the reverse side....
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg031540549962.html?24071
Hello All!
Thank you so much for your relpies!
ncrealestateguy,
I do flush with lots of clear water once per week.
robeb,
I've considered over fert as well, however, I would expect to see some symptoms in the other plants on the same schedule. It can't hurt to back off of this plant for a little while though, I'll give it a shot.
missingtheobvious,
I have been checking, still nothing, the undersides are mold free.
tennandy,
Do you have any recommendations, if it is a lockout of some kind?
Thanks again y'all!
PJ
Julie - Do you know that there are two kinds of Porter. The first one is often referred to as a cherry. INfact Bonnie Plants (re) named it a few years back and was selling the plants as Porters Dark Cherry. It is a pinkish color and a little bit oval. Porter improved is more round, and larger. Both were developed in TX and are notoriously good for heat. I am growing Tommy Toes this year too but it is the first time for me. Have heard good things about it, Linda
Hi Linda--Thanks for answering. The variety I grew last year was supposed to be the cherry type Porter. They were a good size for a single sandwich, but too big to eat in one bite. Those and Sioux were the only plants to produce much until it got cooler in the fall.
I think I will try the Tommy Toes this time, along with both of those varieties.
Have you looked into the Sunset Gardening zones? If that is your last frost date - same as mine is this far south - then you might very well be in a different zone pocket, a micro climate zone that you can use to your advantage. The Sunset zoning is much more thorough and detailed.
I have a great zone 7 pocket here because of the hills and the lake and it can make a big 2 week difference when compared to many of the other gardeners in this same area.
Dave
I'll keep my mouth shut about any such questions in the future.
*****
No need to do that and I didn't realize you were looking for feedback on what additional type of protection to use. Maybe my fault for not reading carefully enough? I don't know.
What I do know is that sharing information and asking questions is the best way to go, as you did, IMO.
Carolyn
Did a quick search and one listed thing was root knot nematodes. I don't know offhand if that is definitely your problem, but solarization of the soil seems to be an effective control of nematodes (one of the few) as well as other soil fungus etc.
this link has a good bit of information about nematodes and solarization.
Here is a link that might be useful: University of Florida nematode info
It most likely IS some sort of problems with your soil but only a professional soil test - available from your local county AG extension office for a few dollars - is going to solve the problem.
Is the leaves the only thing you are adding? If so and since they are almost pure carbon and acidic you could easily be nitrogen or micro-nutrient deficient or the pH could be out of whack. The leaf condition is a good indicator of that.
Nematodes as mentioned is another possibility but you would see the large node clusters on the roots when you pull up the plants.
then from the bottom up the leaves start to get brown and wilt.
Soil borne disease is another real possibility so you'll want to do some research into the common tomato plant diseases. Mass. has a great online university extension website for all sorts of gardening info.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: UMASS Ext. - Home Gardening resources
Honestly the ability to extensively rotate isn't all that important unless you have a serious disease problem.
Millions of home gardeners grow in the same garden bed year after year with no problems. Many have no choice. Good soil amending compensates for most problems.
Rathos - if nothing else consider adding some lime to your soil. Not too much. But a little can't hurt and sure could help. My native soil pH is so alkaline that I can't even breathe lime anywhere near it but you sure could with that pH. Just something to consider when you keep in mind that if the pH is actually that far out of whack it would make much difference how much fertigation you use. ;)
Dave
I can definitely taste the difference between an RRR tomato and a beefsteak. One has much more gel and seeds than the other.
And between a red tomato and a yellow or orange tomato, of course I can tell the difference blindfolded. Now between a red and a pink, maybe not. But between a red and a purple, yes also.
I'm sure I could tell differences in flavors/brix/tart apart ,I've become quite the tomato cork sniffer over time and document them each season.
I make notes of growing conditions ,taste test varieties side by side...ect.
but to be honest If I was blindfolded and someone asked me to name that tomato... I seriously doubt I could.
the closest I could get might be .."that tomato has a potato-leaf Brandywine hint to it" or "this tomato has a zippy green zebra flavor" ...lol
and to be honest.... they change season after season anyway.
hellbound thanks for the reply. This will be my first summer here in Prescott. I am not so worried about the heat as it gets a lot warmer in TX, it is the bone dry humidity that has me concerned.
The plants right now are still in the greenhouse and I am not comfortable transplanting yet because it can snow in mid to late April. At least it did last April when I bought the property. Up at Flag and GC last April 17th was a white out blizzard. Really kind of freaked out this ole Texan.
I have tried 70 varieties of tomatoes in the Phoenix area and found that Mountain Fresh from Totally Tomatoes never fails to out perform all of the larger tomato varieties including the "heat resistant" varieties for 10 years in a row.
Mountain Fresh averages between 10-20 lbs per plant of #1's (3-4 inches across.) This is 3-6 times more than all other varieties!