16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

I'm with you on the Juliet's hellbound. I grew them in full Arizona sun in Mesa and they never stopped producing. I've grown Yellow Pear and did not care for the flavor. I have done a lot of study this season and found a lot of people that agree with you who have grown in our kind of heat. Most of the Heat Set, Heat Tolerant varieties do not work. However cherry tomatoes do so I have been looking for large cherry tomatoes. In the process I found some 4-6oz varieties that some people have reported good success in states like Florida, Texas and a few other states that have a few hot months. These strains also have a good reputation for producing good looking marketable tomatoes. With any luck one or two of them will work out.

vgary, just wanted to say thanks again. I have also added Tropic from your list.

I also purchased Jaune Flamme AKA Flamme. I think I'm done for now.

My grow list for 2012

Tried and true...
Juliet
Sungold

Going to trial...
Sweet Million
Eva Purple Ball
Federle
Thessaloniki
Porter's Pride
Super Sioux
Jaune Flamme
Tropic

I really only have room for six varieties in the ground so I may not get to all of them this season.

One of the top varieties in the tests was Phoenix.
Phoenix is a medium-maturing variety that produces good yields of large and extra-large fruit. The fruit is firm, has less cracks and has a good-to-fair taste--depending on age of individual tasting and number of taste buds remaining. The plants are medium to large in size (depending on fertility) and have good to very good foliage.

Phoenix is an early mid-season hybrid hot-set tomato resistant to ASC, F-1, F-2, GLS and V-1. The determinate plant is vigorous with good leaf cover for fruit protection. The high quality, firm, globe-shaped fruit are uniformly-colored with jointed pedicles (the stem which attaches the fruit to the plant) and size from large to extra-large.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO GROW AN EARLY CROP AND A FALL CROP OF THIS VARIETY.

Phoenix tomato OVER-VIEW

Disease resistance: Phoenix is resistant to ASC, F-1, F-2, GLS, and V-1. (ASC= Alternaria Stem Canker; GLS= Gray Leaf Spot, Stemphylium; F-1 and F-2, fusarium 1 and 2; and V-1, Verticillium Wilt-1.
Fruit shape: Globe
Fruit size: Large to extra-large
Plant type: Compact determinate
Relative maturity: Midseason

What about starting seeds in a large pot as you are doing, but only filling the pot 2/3 of the way up at first. Then, as the seedling grows, add more soil to the pot to bury the stems. Seems like this would accomplish the same thing (eg strong root system) without stressing the seedling by digging and replanting.

It sounds like from what others have said that this may work if the tap root becomes damaged when it hits the bottom of the container, which should stimulate a fibrous root system to begin to develop at that time if they are correct.

Tom,
That is great that you've never had damping off, unfortunately many people do, or we would not know what damping off is.
I've never had a problem with it myself inside, and I've grown them for 20 years. Of course this past spring with being so incredible wet and cool here, as I said before, caused me to lose some potted up seedlings outside. So I know that even with knowing what you are doing, it is possible to have failure due to small root systems and damp soil that can not dry out quick enough.
Remy

In your opinion, can I just pick the tomatoes themselves, or should I bring the whole plant inside (buckets and all).

If they are totally green and no color break, then you have to bring the whole plant inside, buckets and all. If they have reached the color break stage, you can pick the tomatoes and let them ripen inside.

I think I have read here that some people wrap totally green tomatoes in newspapers and keep in boxes and they say they ripen, but if so, they are ripening from the ethylene gas they are exposed to being kept together. I doubt tomatoes ripened like that taste much better than a grocery store tomato.

But if you can't bring the whole plant inside, then that is what you will have to do.

Not sure, but I would think that a green tomato you had to bring in, that you grew yourself, would have to taste better than a grocery store. Reason being that you know the history of it, and that has a comforting effect. It truly is all subjective.

Long live Bill Hicks

Take care,
Travis

The spinach is yours Rane_grow. Thanks for the quick response.

Today I received seeds from "Highaltatransplant".

Hehehe. At least you got some tomatoes, though!

I don't think we would have found such a thing at a yard sale this year. Two hail storms 10 days apart in July wiped everyone out -- including 5,000-6,000 roofs and probably 10,000 cars, maybe more.

If you have a small food dehydrator, that's where my tomatoes go when I have too many to eat all at once, but not enough for a batch of sauce.

Or, you know, you could just eat them all at once anyway, like you did. :-)

Thanks, Carolyn, that helps a lot. I did not realize that the tap root would not be present in any transplanted tomato. Guess the only direct seeding I do is into a pot for transplant into the garden or container. So apparently none of mine have a 'tap root'. I pondered on experimenting with direct seeding into the garden, but I would lose so much precious growing season time it does not seem to be worth it - especially if the diffuse root is beneficial.
Carol

While a tap root is not necessary, in a very dry climate, it may be very useful because it allows the plant to take up water from deeper in the soil profile. This does NOT mean it is something you should try to get in a tomato plant. The tap root reduces growth of the fibrous root system which is more useful for uptake of nutrients in the top 12 inches of soil.

DarJones

You wrote "but there are peppers in the GH attached that are not showing herbicide damage."

In my experience with home gardens, tomatoes are extremely sensitive -- they need only a whiff -- peppers somewhat less so.

And I wonder if the plants in the GH & high tunnels received a higher dose than the outdoor plants simply because they are "enclosed" to a certain degree.

wpmoorej, I have a very healthy respect for the ability of 2.4D (especially the ester formulations) to drift off target and the susceptibility of tomatoes to the chemical. We used to say that tomatoes only had to hear the name 2.4D and they would start curling up! It also occured to me that you might be using 'growth regulating' products and that could contribute to the condition.
Regrettably I cannot offer a remedy. If the exposure has been light, the plants might outgrow the condition.

Try this data base......

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato disease

Phytotoxicity?
What sprays, if any have you used?
And/or what other treatments of any kind have been applied?

Extending the season is something that I am pondering on right now as well. That is a pretty important point you make. The slugs and molding and all the other minor issues could never outweigh the positive of extending the season.

Hemnancy thank you... I thought I replied a, while back but I didn't!

Mmmm now I have to try to figure out what to do about covering all the plants to under the pots...

Right now I am going to add grommets to them in the meantime...

Have you checked out the FAQ here on how to grow tomatoes from seed? Lots of great info. And no 8 hours of sunlight isn't enough for seedlings. 12-16 hours is pretty much standard which is why supplemental lighting is recommended. Otherwise they become quite leggy and fall over.

Plus you pics look like they may have some green mold growing on the soil surface? If so that is a symptom of excess soil moisture and inadequate air circulation - which is why a small fan is recommended.

Dave

I didn't water the seedlings for two days carefully checking on them for any wilting but they actually looked way better at the end of the second day.

I then carefully waters each one equally with small amounts of water... Less than I was giving before. Today they did great.

I am going to make sure to be careful on not giving them too much water.

I am bringing a fan outside to give them extra strong wind for like 15 minutes out so each day.

I am going to place the seedlings on the roof where there isn't as many things to make shade so the seedlings get maybe another two hours of sunlight... I may consider setting up lights somehow but I would like to avoid that by moving the seedlings to chase the sun..

Lokks like a green stink bug ?

Yep; green stinkbug.

88 Have come up and stayed up, lost the rest due to either lack of germination, leaves falling off (eaten?), over or under watering. Reseeded today and will keep doing so til they come or I run out of seed.

ohhh I am sorry I didn't see your reply until just now!

as for local produce... they do grow tomatoes, bell peppers,cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce (both iceberg and romain, though iceberg can get expensive here) etc...

they import a lot of vegetables and fruits from India and Pakistan, Lebanon, Egypt etc... for reasonable prices, and then from Europe and the US at a pretty high cost.