Growing Tomatoes, Season 2012

My 30 minute or less bee tubes , sunflower or dry goldnrod stalks,thin phillips screwdriver or clotheshanger wire, ball of twine, cut stalk to length , tweak pulp from stalk (start to make them hollow) bees finish if they like. tie together with twine. Bees don't care if that is round or square.

Well that certainly is an EZ button !

I wanna see a picture of the square twine!!!LOL...

clever clever people here. I had to read that a couple of times (must be the wine ;-) but I get it. Thanks for posting.

By the way if you happen to get entirely hollow stalks you can stuff em at one end with paper or pulp from the others, I don't go far with that because we all figure out a million do's and dont's for ourselves,Meaning I presume any of you that decide to do that would know that as soon as you saw or noticed the all hallow stalk.

kevcar59; Well then use trimmer square cord if you like that's near!!

Here's a link from the National Wildlife Federation about making a Mason Bee house:

http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/Garden-for-Wildlife/Gardening-Tips/Build-a-Bee-House.aspx

Here's another useful link:

http://www.pollinatorparadise.com/Solitary_Bees/Solitar.htm

Yesterday I talked to someone who bought a half dozen of my tomato plants last spring, asked her how they did and she said they failed to ripen on the vine. She would pick them and they would ripen on the counter. She told me she watered every day, without checking the soil moisture. Could it be over watering? Thanks for any input.

Maybe they didn't get enough sunlight?

We are having fantastic weather the temps are great, I'm very thankful after last year. I can't believe how many tomatoes are setting. I've grown tomatoes for years and never had this many tomatoes on the vine at once. All colors sizes shapes it's so much fun, all at varying degrees of development.

Mary I'm going to Google your above issue. When I pick green tomatoes at the end of the season I wrap them in newspaper and put them in a dark cabinet to get them to ripen. A gas (the name escapes me at the moment) gets the fruit to ripen. I think they didn't wait long enough. But I'm interested enough to check it out.

I got around to making one (bee house) Ended up taking two 2by 4s on end drilled a couple of many holes ,tied those with string and hid them in a clematis vine. we will see ?

Lisa, I Googled too, before posting. Mostly it sounds like over watering can do it. She told me she watered daily, but did not check the soil for moisture so that may be it. I suggested she get a moisture meter. She replied that she has one. I asked if it was serving as an art sculpture or what? She then said she uses it at the office for the indoor plants. I don't know why she did not wait for the fruit to go blush on the plant, she insisted "....they never ripened on the vine" Who knows??

Sound like a good plan juhur7, let us know if it works. For best results, have some mud handy for them to daub in.

Lisa - ethylene is the gas you are looking for.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripening

Thank you Honeybee it was on the tip of my tongue/finger.

Mary-when I googled it, it said that over watering and temps below 50-55* can cause them to not ripen. I know they take much longer to ripen in cool areas. They ripen noticeably faster here during the summer then during the spring. I don't know what your temps were there, at the time, but I think over watering could definately be an issue. I don't water that often even during the summer.

Let's face it we have all wondered why tomatoes take soooo long to ripen. On that note, I found a very ripe tomato, on my New Big Dwarf, almost too ripe. My youngest son said it tasted great! The only one he didn't like was Early Girl. I knew I grew Heirlooms for a reason. : )

Had the first tomato of 2012 today. I didn't pick it - it was on the ground. I don't know whether or not it's ripe because I always grow "red" tomtoes and this one is kinda redish/orange and is from a volunteer plant that survived several freezes this past spring. It was so determined to survive, that I didn't have the heart to pull it up! I suspect it's mother was "Early Girl".

I have another volunteer that is quite short and bushy. Looks as though that one will have green shoulders. It's fun to let a few volunteers survive, although I have never had one that produced fruit so good that I would want to save it's seeds.

Despite 100+ temperatures, my tomatoes are doing pretty well. If it rains, I think we'll be in trouble with cracking, and mine are about at their peak. I picked some absolutely HUGE Cherokee Purples today. A couple were a bit shy of fully ripe, but I wanted to get them in the house before the rabbits or birds got them and before tomorrow's 106-degree weather did any more damage. I'll sacrifice a couple of days outside ripening for a pretty tomato. I plan to roast and freeze a few this Saturday anyway. I also have been picking some Sun Sugars...first year I've tried those and oh, shut the front door, yummy!! Melt in my mouth golden goodness! I think I like them as much or more than Sun Gold.

Bee, I've never cared much for Early Girl, despite it being, well, early. I'd rather just wait another week or so for a really good tomato I guess.

For now, I'll keep on my twice weekly watering schedule and hope for the best with what's still on the vines. Good luck everyone!

outsideplaying do you have some temp shade you can't provide your tomatoes, that might help them through.

Jan

OutsidePlaying - I don't know how to describe the color of the darkish (purple?) tomato that I once tasted, but I didn't like it.

I like the flavor of "Early Girl" as it is similar to those I grew up with in England. I guess we all get used to particular flavors in our food, and continue to like them far into our senior years.

Jan, my garden does get some late afternoon shade! We're kinda fortunate that we located it where we did with some trees/woods southwest of the garden. With the heat, I'm not sure anything much will pollinate for the later season though. Things tend to slow down here.

Bee, Have you ever tried Cherokee Purples? I am an acid-loving tomato girl myself, but I do love me some CP's. They aren't real dark purple, mostly on the top. The bottom is deep red and the top is still greenish until it gets ripe and then it turns. I'll try to post a picture tonight or tomorrow of the huge one I picked.

OutsidePlaying - I don't know if the one I tried was Cherokee Purple. It was from one that was brought into the office where I used to work, but I could not find out who brought it in.

What I need to do is grow a couple of several types of the darker red/purple ones to see if there is one I like.

Naw, my taste buds are changing. I am not nearly as restricted as I once was. I don't like the 'black' tomatoes yet, but I was very pleasantly surprised with the 'Sungella' we tried(orange plum'. Cherokee Purple seems to be a hit with many folx and I intend to plant some nex season, and from what I hear I had best find an oxheart tomato to try - a pink probably. Chuckl, I'm makin a list.

►Cher Purple
►Pruden's Purple (which is my 2nd favorite, after Momotaro...), large, meaty, juicy like a watermelon (not runny juicy...), more pink than purple
►Black Krim - totally purple-black with greenish-black insides. WONDERFUL!

Linda


This message was edited Jun 29, 2012 1:38 PM

Kitt, I haven't tried the black ones yet. I go to the true farmer's markets around here...typically the ones that are only open once a week with local growers who really know what tomatoes they are selling. I make a list of the ones I buy and then note the ones I like and consider growing the next year. My cousin grew the CP's a few years back and I've been sold ever since. It was just an heirloom I had not gotten around to trying yet. Some years I've grown heirlooms and not been particularly thrilled with the yield per plant although the taste is fine. I just hate to sacrifice the space for so few tomatoes. Fine for an experiment now and then, but I've really got to love it to grow it.

I still need to try Black Krim again; when I tried about 3 years ago, we just had a bad tomato year.

I understand, my daughter whom I live with 3 or 4 days every 2 months gave me a spot to garden when I come home- neither of us has any timeand it took raising a bed to get much to grow that needs attention. We like our raised bed, but I stuff it full like a flower basket, and she gets vegetables- not sure if she eats them or uses them as counter ornaments, chuckl. She stays after her DH to not surround her garden with iron ornamental stuff, nor paint the cinder brix nor lay tile around them, chuckl, but last year was as scary for us in Texas as it is in Colorado right now- the fires got within a mile of the house before Calif stepped in and helped our worn out firefighters, we are keeping an eye on the trees that are still dying- tho the blasted sweetgums seem to love the weather- hasn't slowed em down a bit. Where I travel I see the droughth really heavy and this year most of the country across the USA is showing extreme dryness. So, I am collecting and gathering what I see as well. I like your method of choosing your fruits to grow, chuckl

Brad's Black Heart and Black Sea Man are two other "black ones" that have become favorites. I include these every year. I am trying Cherokee Chocolate this year which is supposed to like Cherokee purple. It is the first one to form a tiny tomato so far!! I didn't have as much luck last year with Black from Tula which many people really like as well. I understand the Black from Tula does even better in the south in terms of flavor.

Last summer was not a good one for experimenting with blacks since it was so rainy and tomatoes rotted on the vines. I will give it another chance next year. I am growing Prudens Purple for the second time as I only got one tomato last year. The original stalk got broken and it took awhile to produce. I don't put it in the same category as the other blacks because it is more pink than purple but it is supposed to be fantastic so I am really looking forward to trying this one. This year's plant is nice and strong.

Next year, add MOMOTARO to your reportoire.

Warning: it is SWEET, MEATY, and juicy (not runny...)

Agreed, Gymgirl!! Nice description of the Momotaro. Right on!! Momotaro, Sunsugar , Sungella are the only hybrids I plant. I think this is my 4th year for the Momotaro. The first year I saved seeds not realizing it was a hybrid. I grew it out and the offspring also produced the sweetest tasting tomato. I then ordered a regular packet since the original plant was purchased. I think I may go back to my saved seeds since they were so good!! LOL

Gardadore,
What is the Sunsugar like?

I truly prefer a big, meaty, beefsteak tomato, more sweet than tangy (except when I get ready to start canning -- then I'll grow the tangy tomatoes...), and I don't like tough, crunchy skins.

Any candidates out there that fit this description?

Sun Sugar is an orange cherry - very sweet. I also do not like tough, crunchy skins. Therefore I prefer the heirlooms because the hybrids have been bred to ship and require tougher skins to handle the journey. The heirlooms are more tender so don't ship well. That is why it is hard to find them commercially - most can be bought at local farmer's markets.

I really love yellow and orange tomatoes along with the black. Some people find them too mild but if you like sweet maybe these might fit your parameters. Some great yellow or orange ones are Jaune Flamme (more the size of an egg but delicious and super for drying as well), Dagma's Perfection, Gary Ibsen's Gold, Jubilee, Hugh's Yellow (very large beef and sweet), Kellogg's Breakfast, KBX (potato leaf Kellogg's Breakfast which some say is even better) and Earl of Edgecombe. I am growing some new ones this year: Orange Minsk, Sunray, Amana Orange (supposed to have sweet, tropical flavor), Golden Cherokee, Marvel Striped (bi-color with yellow, red and orange); Mr. Stripey (golden yellow with reddish pink stripes, Orange Russian 117, and Great White which is supposed to be more a cream color and very sweet! Will let everyone know at the end of the season how they tasted.!

For red I can't remember what is sweet because I like a robust flavor. But in going over my lists I see that Sandul Moldovan (large red beefsteak) has a high sugar content. I grew it for the first time last summer but it was difficult with all the rain and tomatoes rotting on the vine. A friend is growing it for me again this year so I will be able to try it again.
I have a notation that Hillbilly, a bicolor was very sweet and is a beautiful tomato to look at when sliced.
Also check out Crnkovic Yugoslavian (large beef) which has the notation: 1-2 lbs., almost never cracks; rich, somewhat sweet.

You say you like tangy for canning. What varieties do you recommend that are "tangy". One of the tangiest I have ever tasted is Azoychka and that's yellow! Came as quite a surprise the first time I tasted it but yummy. Brad's Black heart has a wonderful tanginess too and being a heart is great for sauces as well as slicing.
I find that the oxhearts have a nice flavor as well as being great for sauces. I got that tip from Carolyn and have tried a lot of the varieties she lists. I would love to hear what you varieties you consider to be sweet.

Linda, don't you remember the Sun Sugars I brought you, the orange cherry toms??? Yes, that's what those little toms were....

ohhhh, thought they were just larger version of the Galinas we were growing !!!! aaaaarrrggghhh!!!

Kev,
i just tasted them and they ARE sweet! Much better than the Galinas!!!

If you like a sweet cherry besides the Sun Sugar try Isis - that is really sweet and pretty as well!

thanks G!

Ordered some New Bid Dwarf's from TomatoFest & they sent me some New Moon by mistake, has anyone grown these before?? Will hold onto them for next spring & see what they are like..

Thanks,

Kevin

The hearts are starting to ripen :)

1 - Anna Russian
2 - Anna Russian X unknown Yellow
3 - Kosovo

oh, wanted to share with you guys what Gray Mold does to tomatoes. It's a nasty mess. It took over this one HUGE tomato. It was hidden up in the railing of the deck. I never saw it until this....

4 - Gray Mold(half of the tomato)
5 - Gray Mold(The other half)

This message was edited Jul 2, 2012 2:53 PM

Ahhhh, so sad!

Ahh Ray that's sad. I didn't realize gray mold is just like what grows on fruit that's been left setting out too long. That's too bad. The others sure look good tho.

It's sorta similar Lisa. It's what happens when it's had time to do it's thing. Usually I catch them when the top is fuzzy, but this one was hidden. So it had a combo of gray mold and just plain rot. Gray Mold will speed up that process...even before it's ripe on the vine. I tried to get a pic of the "ghosting" but as I removed it, half slid off and splatted on the ground. You can see sorta what ghosting looks like in pic 5 on the right side. Luckily, I've only lost about 10 fruits to GM so far. Bummer on that one because it was BIG!

The tomatoes were starting to flood in last week but now we are socked in. Cool, overcast and drizzle all day. Ripening has slowed down. But I won't complain because everywhere else is scorching. Good people weather, bad tomato ripening weather. Hopefully we get the sun back soon.




This message was edited Jul 5, 2012 3:40 PM

I am growing VIVA ITALIA here for the first time this year but the fruit is still small and green. Am looking forward to trying the ripe fruit.

I have never tried any type of oxheart tomatoes but found the discussion very intereresting. Maybe next year.

"Viva Italia" always do well for me. They don't seem to be so prone to getting blossom end rot. I gave a basket of these to my neighbor yesterday.

I grew "Monica" as my main crop this year. Although the individual tomatoes are large, they have proven to be very prone to blossom end rot. I've had to throw out more than half the crop. I've started giving them more water to see if the next round of tomatoes they set will be free of BER. If not, I will not grow these again.

Did try Caltrate, calcium pills ,they are water soluble, food grade supplement,and you can feed them to you plants either way; root is best ,at the beginning of the bloom process though.

They are a little expensive but since some of us take them anyway(me for one) and they go a long way,I thought I might throw the idea your way.Didn't work on my melons , but did on a couple of tomato plants,failed once there also that I recall.. as to out of many times.