Hot weather zones: Fall tomato crop ideas

It's time to start thinking about what tomatoes to grow for a fall crop. If one needs to order seeds, then the time to research varieties, order, ship, germinate, pot, harden, etc. needs to start soon. My understanding is that people typically grow smaller, shorter-season tomatoes for the second crop. In Austin, the fall first frost date is probably mid-November. That means that I have to plant the fall crop in August if I hope to get many tomatoes before the "winter" sets in.

We normally are still having 100-110 degree days in August. I know tomatoes won't set fruit in that heat... will small plants grow (if they have adequate water)? Would the new seedlings benefit from some shade for the first few weeks? Do I need to do anything special that is different from a spring plant out?

What fall varieties do others grown in the deep south or southwest? I want to try 'Tangella', a sibling of 'Tigerella', based on Dr Carolyn's recommendation. I will also grow some cherry tomatoes. I may also try another crop of 'Big Beef', since I always have good luck with it. I've grown 'Stupice' before, but I wasn't impressed with its flavor. Suggestions on varieties? Other thoughts about planting a fall crop?

David

The photo is of a starting cluster of Indian Stripe.

I don't have suggestions for cultivars to try as I am still casting about for suitable spring and fall tomatoes.

From experience, I will say yes, your newly planted tomatoes will grow and be healthy even in excessive heat when they have adequate water.

And yes, the new plants will benefit from afternoon shade in my experience. They do jump in and grow quickly. It is amazing.

When the cooler temps arrive, the plants will be blooming and ready to set tomatoes.

I find fall tomatoes have less issues with bugs, etc.
I try to start my seedlings by the end of June.
Kristi

Great minds think alike - I've been pondering the same questions so thanks for the thread start.

Last year I started germination of nearly 200 seeds in August and planted out in October. That was too late, as it turned out. We had an early frost in December and I lost some really nice Black Plum plants. I am thinking to start the germination process in mid-July but maybe I should bump it up to June.

I focused on cold hardy varities:

Oregon Spring Bush - a real trooper, keeps on ticking. I still have one plant that has been cut back to a nub because it lost all its branches and it's now sprouting new growth. The fruit are a medium size, taste is better than store bought but not outstanding. But for ease of growing, it's a winner. Compact. Does well in a container.

Kimberly - small fruit, very tasty. Same as OSB for trooper-ness. Still have one hanging on and its putting out a few tomatoes still.

Glacier - the same as Kim. I sold one of these to a friend 3 months ago (started the spring seeds Jan 1) and she picked fruit about a month ago and said it was very good.

Polar Baby - what a weenie. If they sprouted, they died.

I'm going to try Black Krim again. That tom definately does not like the summer heat. And it's not even summer yet!

Black Plum - as noted above, had three of these looking just awesome but I failed to cover the plants ONE night and lost the whole kaboodle. So they are very frost tender.

Stupice - another trooper. I agree the flavor is not 5 star but it's so easy, like Kim and Glacier, I can forgive the blandness. ANYTHING homegrown beats store bought.

San Marzano - these are so prolific I'll try them again for fall. None ripe yet but soon come.

I'm especially interested in everyone's favorite for tart flavor.

Just came in from watering and both the Glacier and Kim had a small ripe tomato so I did an on-the-spot taste test. Glacier easily is tastier.

The sacrifices I make to provide information to my gardening buddies, I tell 'ya. ;-}

It is totally appreciated. I know what it's like to put yourself out--once I had to go to Puerto Rico in the dead of winter to verify that there really was a tropical rain forest. My DG friends wanted to know!

They grow here in the summer no problem (no fruit sets) and days are hotter longer than central Texas. I prefer to keep the spring plants alive through the summer so they hit the ground running, so to speak, when the temps cool, but I have started fall crops from seed, just as for spring, except I let the seedlings get quite large before planting. It is ESSENTIAL to watch the soil moisture like a hawk, they'll go from the first sign of droop to dead in a single day. Very little room for error. Big benefit from soil with good organic content and from heavy mulching. I think you should consider getting the plants in the ground earlier than August. We get first fruit set on mature plants in mid-September, days are still very hot, but appareently cooler nighttime temps (low 70s) allow fruit to set.

Shade can't hurt (might reduce soil moisture loss from sun load) until the plants get well established, but I wouldn't think it necessary there. Phoenix, now, that's a different story.

I've had good results from several early varieties. Fourth of July is my first choice because my wife likes its taste. I've been completely unsuccessful with mid-season varieties, frost gets them before they begin to ripen.

dreaves.....I will try to keep spring plants alive, but I know I will fail. The last three falls I have tried to grow Cherokee Purple, Early Girl, Big Beef, Sungold, and Juliet. Juliet is best by a mile. I will not even try any other variety. Juliet will produce in the fall better than the spring, Juliet is not the best tasting tomato, but if you let it ripen to a deep red on the vine they are pretty good in a salad if you slice them thin. They are also good for drying. And they sure beat any store bought tomato. I have never grown more than one Juliet plant in the fall, but that one plant produced a ton of tomato's up until the first frost. So this year I will just grow Juliet's in the fall.

I'm going to start looking at short season varieties. I guess some cherries would be good, too.

Thanks for the info hornstrider, I've added it my list. I did a little poking around this morning, Googled 'early season tomato varieties'. Well, there's millions. I made a list based on what I call the Marketing Sheet from the seed vendor. Can anyone comment on their experiences with any of following?

Bloody Butcher
Siberian (not to be confused with Siberia, completely different)
Arkansas Traveler
Jetsetter
Fireworks (I tried this one last year but it failed - as in died before producing fruit)
Grushovka
Zarnitza

Thanks for any feedback.........

Bloody Butcher? Yikes....not what I want to think of growing on my patio. Or eating either, but I guess THINKING is the problem.

I don't know why they name plants the things they do......sigh.

I wouldn't eat something called "bloody butcher," but that's just me.

Mary,

I've heard people report that Bloody Butcher is pretty good. I've never grown it. I have grown Arkansas Traveler. It was a decent tomato, not large, but I wouldn't call it a short season. I think it was 70+ days for me.

I really like Bloody Butcher texture and flavor, but it is not early or prolific for me. Siberian is similar sized, ealier, regular leaf semi determinate with a higher yield, but lesser texure and flavor. I started or kept going 40 varieties through last summer and got a bunch of green toms at Thanksgiving frost. Figuring to stick with cherries, CP, and Gregoris Altai this Fall. They have been our favorite earlies this Spring.

If BB is not early it won't make the list for this fall. Thanks for the info.

My sister would not date guys with weird names, like Elmer, for example. One time she nixed an apartment complex that was otherwise perfect because it was the Geronimo Apts. I always thought she may have missed some good guys. Married Jimmy and was divorced in less than a year. (My DH is named Butch. She *never* would have explored that relationship but we're coming up on 34 years!)

It's just a name, like the BB, and anyone who works as a butcher is indeed.....bloody. Oh well Carrie, it may just be the best tomato to grow for you. j/k, we all have our idio's. :-)

Back to growing fall tomatoes in hot climates.

MaryMcP ( because of your comment if BB is not early, it won't make the list for fall ) and any other hot weather growers, how short a DTM do you personally look for in the tomatoes you grow in your area? And when do you start the seed for your area?

Kristi, I'm looking for 60 DTM or less. Our two growing seasons are short. I started the spring/summer seeds germinating Jan 1 and plan to start the fall plants by July 15, maybe sooner.

Here's yesterday's harvest.

At 12 o'clock are Black Plum
3 o'clock is Stupice
6 o'clock is - I can't remember....waahhhh.
9 o'clock is Black Sea Man

Yum ~ fresh maters. I picked the first of the cucumbers today but tomatoes are still a bit from ripenening.

I am guessing you also select short DTMs on the spring side of planting also?

I usually start the fall tomatoes the last week in June.

Yes on the short DTM's for spring. Summer comes in with a bang and we're into triple digits by early June. Tomatoes are done producing fruit when that happens.

I figured that was your method. We run into the same here.

Has anyone seen this site? I had it stashed in my favorites but can't for the life of me recall who originally sent me there.

http://www.early-tomato.com/varieties-early-tomatoes.html#hot

The amazing thing is, I'd have stayed away from those that sound like cold climate tomatoes but that is not necessary.

Thanks for that link Kristi. This is actually the site I used mostly for my 'List' of early toms. I failed to scroll all the way down to the 'Hot Weather and Early' part. Several listed I've tried or will soon try. Thanks again.

Mary McP, I totally agree with you for a LONG TERM INVESTMENT, like a husband, the name is not important!

And there are lots of veggies where if I knew their names I would have disapproved. Take corn named "super sugar sweet" -- there was a time in my life when I would have preferred "sugar-free sweetener corn," or instead of "butter-and-sugar," my instinct would have been "non-dairy-spread-and-sugar," and not knowing it was named some non-approved name certainly didn't bother me in the slightest. Just this afternoon my daughter offered me some "Swedish fish" candy. Ugh! How unappealing. So if I'm buying tomatoes SOLELY based on the name, I hope they are named "red and juicy, really ripe". Better yet, let me chose by smell, I can't be trusted to choose by name.... I admit it is not a good way to choose, but I haven't had a home-grown tomato in a very long time.

You are completely forgiven in your aversion to oddly named fruits and veggies. Why in the world do they name plants such? I'm not happy with Sophie's Choice, for example, as a tomato. That was a sad, sad story, why name a tomato after it? Maybe Carolyn will wander by and educate on that item. Perhaps someone named Sophie liked that particular tomato. Dunno. I live in a neighborhood with a main street into the 'hood named Camino Acequia. Try telling THAT to someone when you are giving directions. Scheesch!

It's all good, I thought the story of my sister and her name issues was funny and apt.

Yes, it's nice to hear of a kindred spirit.

So I have a few possible selections for my fall crop. I'd like to get comments on personal preferences from this list below. Is there one of these that you just hate? I'm trying to limit myself to 70 days-to-maturity or less. The short season limits the size of the fruit. That's a limitation I'm willing to accept. Any other favorites that are less than 70 days?

4th of July
Juliet
Stupice
Juanne Flammee
Bloody Butcher
Fireworks
Optimus
Porter's Pride
Isis Candy

David

Glacier comes to mind right off.

Glacier Seed Source: TomatoGrowers.com
While this variety may not be able to withstand a glacier, it does set fruit well even in cold weather. In fact, it becomes loaded early in the season with very flavorful, 2 to 3 oz. red tomatoes. The taste is sweet yet rich, a combination found more commonly in larger and later-maturing tomatoes. Potato-leaved foliage helps support the large harvest of these very tasty tomatoes. Determinate. 58 days.

Peron: Seed Source: TomatoGrowers.com
The 8 oz., good flavored red fruit are higher in Vitamin C than other tomatoes. Indeterminate. 68 days.
[have not tasted these yet, still green but healthy and prolific]

Got to throw my 2cents in, Arkansas Traveler is a Late season Tomato. I have not found them to be all the prolific either.