|
Home > Archive > Home Repair forum > August 2005 > Tomatoes
You are viewing an archived Text-only version of the thread.
To view this thread in it's original format and/or if you want to reply to
this thread please [click here]
|
|
| JustDave 2005-08-29, 11:21 pm |
| I hope this isn't too far off topic - I couldn't find another newsgroup even
close
It's tomato planting season here in Central Florida. Any suggestions for a
favorite variety which will yield a good crop of good tasting medium to
large tomatoes in hot (often 95 degree plus) direct sun with lots of water?
I grow them in pots and have little trouble with bugs, but last year the
Better Boys split on the top pretty often. I've got about 90 days until it's
too cold. The little Sweet 100's ("cherry" tomatoes) do very well, but I've
never found an outstanding large variety.
JustDave
| |
| Roger Taylor 2005-08-29, 11:21 pm |
|
"JustDave" <davidpomper@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%TOQe.67116$Yx1.50805@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>I hope this isn't too far off topic - I couldn't find another newsgroup
>even close
<snippage>
Good resource is rec.gardens - well attended.
| |
|
|
"JustDave" <davidpomper@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%TOQe.67116$Yx1.50805@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>I hope this isn't too far off topic - I couldn't find another newsgroup
>even close
>
> It's tomato planting season here in Central Florida. Any suggestions for a
> favorite variety which will yield a good crop of good tasting medium to
> large tomatoes in hot (often 95 degree plus) direct sun with lots of
> water? I grow them in pots and have little trouble with bugs, but last
> year the Better Boys split on the top pretty often. I've got about 90 days
> until it's too cold. The little Sweet 100's ("cherry" tomatoes) do very
> well, but I've never found an outstanding large variety.
>
> JustDave
>
Try rec.gardens.edible
If your tomatos are splitting it's most likely due to uneven watering. Pots
will dry out quickly under those hot conditions, so consider larger ones or
more frequent irrigation.
| |
| TURTLE 2005-08-30, 12:21 am |
|
"JustDave" <davidpomper@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%TOQe.67116$Yx1.50805@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>I hope this isn't too far off topic - I couldn't find another newsgroup even
>close
>
> It's tomato planting season here in Central Florida. Any suggestions for a
> favorite variety which will yield a good crop of good tasting medium to large
> tomatoes in hot (often 95 degree plus) direct sun with lots of water? I grow
> them in pots and have little trouble with bugs, but last year the Better Boys
> split on the top pretty often. I've got about 90 days until it's too cold. The
> little Sweet 100's ("cherry" tomatoes) do very well, but I've never found an
> outstanding large variety.
>
> JustDave
This is Turtle.
go to Walmart or local Feed Stores and get the tomato plants all ready started
to growing in a small pot. Plant them in a big pot or in the ground and water
them 2 times a day. like morning and evening . When the flowers start budding
out clip all but maybe leave 5 budds or flower on and just leave the 4 or 5
flowers or buds. You will only get 5 mators but they will be very well shaped
and strong.
Now if you want to can buy some mircle grow and water them with that stuff and
they will grow like crazy.
Now like other have said about watering will make the split open. It is from
watering them irregularly. Water them twice a day and at the same time. Now you
might try to not water them at the hottest part of the day to not steam the
plants when you do that.
TURTLE
| |
|
|
|
| >I hope this isn't too far off topic - I couldn't find another newsgroup even
>close
>
>It's tomato planting season here in Central Florida. Any suggestions for a
>favorite variety which will yield a good crop of good tasting medium to
>large tomatoes in hot (often 95 degree plus) direct sun with lots of water?
>I grow them in pots and have little trouble with bugs, but last year the
>Better Boys split on the top pretty often. I've got about 90 days until it's
>too cold. The little Sweet 100's ("cherry" tomatoes) do very well, but I've
>never found an outstanding large variety.
>
>JustDave
-------
Avoid the splitting by reducing watering by half as the fruit gets
close to maturity. That's what the pros do.
| |
| Colbyt 2005-08-30, 10:21 am |
|
"JustDave" <davidpomper@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%TOQe.67116$Yx1.50805@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
> I hope this isn't too far off topic - I couldn't find another newsgroup
even
> close
>
> It's tomato planting season here in Central Florida. Any suggestions for a
> favorite variety which will yield a good crop of good tasting medium to
> large tomatoes in hot (often 95 degree plus) direct sun with lots of
water?
> I grow them in pots and have little trouble with bugs, but last year the
> Better Boys split on the top pretty often. I've got about 90 days until
it's
> too cold. The little Sweet 100's ("cherry" tomatoes) do very well, but
I've
> never found an outstanding large variety.
>
> JustDave
>
>
Park's whopper. Nice size and flavor. Also VFNT.
Should be able to find it a Lowes, HD or your favorite garden center.
--
Colbyt
One picture can be worth a 1000 words.
Post yours at www.alt-home-repair.com for FREE.
No Banners, No pop-ups, No Spam, No hassle.
| |
|
|
"JustDave" <davidpomper@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%TOQe.67116$Yx1.50805@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>I hope this isn't too far off topic - I couldn't find another newsgroup
>even close
>
> It's tomato planting season here in Central Florida. Any suggestions for a
> favorite variety which will yield a good crop of good tasting medium to
> large tomatoes in hot (often 95 degree plus) direct sun with lots of
> water? I grow them in pots and have little trouble with bugs, but last
> year the Better Boys split on the top pretty often. I've got about 90 days
> until it's too cold. The little Sweet 100's ("cherry" tomatoes) do very
> well, but I've never found an outstanding large variety.
>
> JustDave
Ah, finally! A topic I can contribute to with confidence!!
I'm in SE PA and have been growing heirloom tomatoes for 10 years, and
hybrids for about 20 years prior to discovering the heirlooms. This year I
planted 24 varieties, and because of the extreme heat and humidity, I've
noticed a lot of cracking for the first time. In my case it is definitely
not due to overwatering. I use a soaker hose as always and only water when
the soil dries out. If you are going to plant in the ground rather than in
a pot, use raised beds, lay down a soaker hose, cover the rows with a 4-ply
layer of newspaper (black and white only as the colors can be toxic), then
cover the newspapers with 3 to 6 inches of grass clippings (assuming you
don't use chemicals on your grass). Then dig your hole through the mulch
layer as deep as you can get, drop in some ground egg shells (calcium help
prevent blossom end rot) and a 1-A-Day vitamin for good measure (my secret
ingredient!) and be sure to place your plants deep in the soil. You can do
a Google search for tomatoes that grow well in hot climates. I did this for
a friend in FL and sent her some of my seeds that happened to fit that
category...Big Rainbow and Kellogg's Breakfast (both large tomatoes) were 2
of them if I remember correctly. She planted her first crop in late
January and had most success with the plants she grew upside down in 5
gallon buckets. (Drill a 2-3 inch hole in the bottom of one of those
buckets with a handle, place your plant upside down with the roots inside
the bucket, and fill the bucket with good rich soil, then hang from a high
tree branch.) BTW, if you're looking for outstanding flavor, forget about
the hybrids and try heirlooms. The flavor is so much more tomato-y!!
If you need further help feel free to e-mail me at <lizesh at yahoo.com>
Liz
| |
| Duane Bozarth 2005-08-30, 6:21 pm |
| Liz wrote:
>
> "JustDave" <davidpomper@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:%TOQe.67116$Yx1.50805@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>
> Ah, finally! A topic I can contribute to with confidence!!
>
> I'm in SE PA and have been growing heirloom tomatoes for 10 years, and
> hybrids for about 20 years prior to discovering the heirlooms. This year I
> planted 24 varieties, and because of the extreme heat and humidity, I've
> noticed a lot of cracking for the first time. In my case it is definitely
> not due to overwatering. I use a soaker hose as always and only water when
> the soil dries out. ...
May be from infrequently enough watering then...growth cracks are
accentuated by changes in water availability--if they dry out they tend
to stop growing or at least slow down significantly. If they then get
an abundance of water, they try to "make up for lost time"...
Try watering on a more frequent schedule or watering more deeply on the
same schedule. W/ the number you have, a test plot or two for
comparative purposes should be possible.
| |
|
|
> Liz wrote:
[color=darkred]
>"Duane Bozarth" <dpbozarth@swko.dot.net> wrote in message
>news:4314C7E6.C4AA7E81@swko.dot.net...
> May be from infrequently enough watering then...growth cracks are
> accentuated by changes in water availability--if they dry out they tend
> to stop growing or at least slow down significantly. If they then get
> an abundance of water, they try to "make up for lost time"...
True, but in 30+ years of growing tomatoes this is the first year I've
experienced tomato cracking as a regular occurrence. It's also been the
second hottest summer in this area on record with extremely high humidity
and drenching rainfalls. Now considering that I haven't changed my watering
habits over the years, i.e., using soaker hoses for deep root watering on
an average of once a week, plus double layers of mulch, I'll have to credit
this year's cracking to Forces beyond my control.
>
> Try watering on a more frequent schedule or watering more deeply on the
> same schedule. W/ the number you have, a test plot or two for
> comparative purposes should be possible.
Why bother? I'm not in the business of selling tomatoes, so the cracking
really doesn't matter. It doesn't affect the taste, and that's what it's
all about as far as I'm concerned!
Liz
| |
| Duane Bozarth 2005-08-30, 9:21 pm |
| Liz wrote:
>
....
> True, but in 30+ years of growing tomatoes this is the first year I've
> experienced tomato cracking as a regular occurrence. It's also been the
> second hottest summer in this area on record with extremely high humidity
> and drenching rainfalls. Now considering that I haven't changed my watering
> habits over the years, i.e., using soaker hoses for deep root watering on
> an average of once a week, plus double layers of mulch, I'll have to credit
> this year's cracking to Forces beyond my control.
I'd say it is under your control--that you haven't changed the watering
schedule in a drier and hotter than normal year is undoubtedly a major
contributing factor. Once a week in the kinds of soils there in really
hot, dry weather is quite likely not enough.
>
> Why bother? I'm not in the business of selling tomatoes, so the cracking
> really doesn't matter. It doesn't affect the taste, and that's what it's
> all about as far as I'm concerned!
As long as you don't care, I don't either... 
|
|
|
|
|