Fall Tomato plants III

Here's one pic of the day...Two first evers - Pink Ice and Yellow Brandywine/Platfoot Strain

And here's the other pic of another first ever - Eva Purple Ball

Flip, All I can say is, yum yum!

Hey Flip! Glad you liked the Sudduth Brandywine. That is one delicious tomato. Mine are coming along real well but the wind that we have been getting this past week has been keeping me busy staking the tomato plants. They are loaded with tomatos and the wind plus the excess weight keeps collapsing them. I've noticed the extra water they have been drinking due to the drying wind. They completely drain my EBs daily. Sometimes I fill them twice a day. The box holds about three gallons so that means they are taking almost two gallons per day? You must have one whale of a water bill if you have to water as I do?

Tplant - how much water do you think is just evaporating as opposed to being used by the plant? You know, it has been all about Flip's maters but I will be at your house before his....
-Kim

There is trace amounts of evaporation as the water in the resevoir is totally covered by poting mix and then the cover. All evaporation has to be from the wind blowing on the plants.

Makes sense. I forgot about the covers on the EB's.

Hey TP - that Sudduth was really good!. What a nice tomato! Can't wait to try the yellow; maybe tomorrow. My EB is just about dry every day but it's doing really well. It's starting to pop out a few Red BW's.
Sounds like all of your stuff is doing great. How about a pic or two? I feel lonely posting pics here - it's just me and sometimes Saint. I think people are tired of me posting pics (except maybe you and Michelle).

and me! never tired of the pics, don't worry about that.

Flip,

Although I don't very often comment about your pictures, don't think for one New York second that I'm not looking! I appreciate your pics so keep them coming! And I'm sure that I'm not alone, we're all just jealous that you've got 'em and we ain't!

Flip - What red said - keep em coming!

Hey Flip, I'm thrilled about your wonderful crop this year. It gives me such hope that perhaps my crop this spring will be good. I just read in our paper this morning that the crop of Fall tomatoes in Florida is so good that all the restaurants and stores are very relieved. I guess Wilma (and all the hurricanes) wiped out so much of the crops that the price went from $1.50 lb to $4.50 lb. Wendy's was not putting tomatoes on their burgers unless a customer specifically requested maters. I noticed the price of tomatoes going down at Sams too.

You probably have enough maters to supply to all the Wendys in the US! haha. ;)
Michelle

Hey folks, here's the pic of the day. This bounty is from the last several days, minus a bag or two worth that I've given to familiy and friends and minus 25 or so that became tomato sauce yesterday and is currently residing in the freezer.

Plant update - close to one-half of my plants have some sort of leaf issue now. Probably due to my poor watering habits combined with too much growth/lack of circulation. It hasn't affected any of the fruits on the vines but new growth is somewhat reduced. The ther plants continue to vine well and produce new fruit. I'm not bothered by this as I've got a new crop of seedlings, some ready for the first transplant to pots. When the leaf issue becomes to much to fiddle with I'll just yank 'em out, clean up the soil and supplement it, and plant some more.

As of now, all 29 of varieties have borne fruit that I've tasted except for the Black Krim (almost ready), Brandywine OTV, Polish C and the traveler that has tons of fruit and I have no idea what it is yet. I need to see which of last year's plant types were in that area of the garden and then perhaps I can figure it out.

Flip

Well, I left a really nice Brianna on the vine and was going to pick it tomorrow. I took the pic posted above this one and one hour later I went out to get some herbs and the tomato was pecked out. It weighed 1lb 10oz after several large holes were pecked into it by some foul birdie. I cut out all the holes and we ate the rest with dinner. Coulda been a 2 pounder!

Evil birds!! ;) That is what the Texas Mockingbirds do to our maters. I have heard tricks like put red christmas balls on your plants to fake out the birds. also, a friend of mine gets fake rubber snakes and puts them in and around the plants. he says to move them every other day b/c the birds will figure out they are fake if you don't.

Nice maters, friend!!
Michelle

ok I hate to post these pictures after Flips ...here are several pictures

2nd

3rd

ok I take it that it's now time to transplant? I planted them on the 12th and it's the 25th no (Tamra Faye you gotta help me on this moon thingie we are doing) I have the Jiffy pots and some Jiffy Mix to repot them in what else do I need? Auughhh the pressure!

On your next watering dilute Miracle Gro for Tomatos (1/4) strength and feed seedlings and keep that lite real low. Your stems will thicken and make them stronger for transplanting. You can go another two weeks or less prior to transplant. Use MG for first transplant.

Saint, I like your pics! Your seedlings look nice and healthy.

When you transplant, don't use Jiffy Mix again - I would only use that for starting seeds - use MG potting soil. I fertilized mine a little differently than Tp. I transplanted mine at about the same size yours are now. Then, after about 10 days in their new pots, I used the diluted fertilizer mix like Tp did.

hi guys. i am on the mend here too. but araness called me and i passed the word on to her. thanks!

Saint, excellent seedlings. I hope you are feeling better.
Post another picture when you have them transplanted. Will you take the little netting off when you transplant them?
Michelle

OK boys and girls, here's the pics of the day.... First one - Black Krim right prior to be picked

Here's a pair of Lillian Red Kansas

And here's a pic of Pink Ice ripening on the vine.

Tamara Faye - I hope you're feeling well!

Well, I was going to tell you how much I really truly hate you, but couldn't speak with all that drooly dribble running down my face!!! Mercy, am I Jonesing! Your tomotes look incredible!!!

Please tell me about the Pink Ice. It's on my want list and I'm dying to know it it tastes as good as it looks. If the answer is yes, please save me some seeds. (Don't care about bagging or segregation - haven't experienced any problems thus far, and who am I to deny a new corss?)

Also, have you tried the Black Cherry? Your Besser looks very much the same and I'm wondering if they could possibly be as good. The Black Cherry is one of my favorite Cherrys, if not THE favorite!

Saint - how many varieties are you growing this season? ANd how many of each did you plant to get what you want?

I have a question.

Do you wait to pick the tomato when they are all totally red or just almost red and let it ripen off the vine?

And Aries44 I think you got growing these down, cause MAN those look good. What is your favorite so far?

Michelle

Newatplants how are your seedlings going?

Flip, I haven't been following this thread but read it all today. I am VERY encouraged that you have grown Suddath BW's in Miami. Gives me hope that I can grow them here near Gainesville. They are one of my very favorite tomatoes.

meszaros9, I prefer leaving the tomato on the vine to ripen, but alas, I usually have to pick it before it is completely ripe b/c of bird, squirrel or worm.

I have not started my seedlings yet...I am going to do it on the 31st when the Lunar calendar says it is best. I need all the help I can get! Are you currently growing tomatoes? If so, where are your pictures!

I have 3 roma's with fruit galore on them and 1 rutgers just blooming. I have about 3" seedlings going about 8 different types going to transfer them this weekend. My five year old dropped my camera so i will have to borrow one this weekend and post my pics. Everyone can tell me if they look good or not. :)
Michelle

Janice, That is too funny. Every time I see one of Flips pics I say "I hate that man" you know, to myself all jealous like. What I really mean is I hate myself for wasting all those double season growing years I had when I lived in FL. Oh, to peek in the brain....

His pics bring me back to my garden last summer, poking my head from the very bottom of the plant and looking upward for red, pink or yellow. Moving leaves to and fro because I realized I wasn't seeing everything. I am sure I was a sight. You learn a lot when you are that close to the plants on a daily basis.

I like them to ripen on the vine but I didn't have a bird problem - just stink bugs.

Oh Michelle we can't wait to see them! Start your own thread, don't worry they will look great to anyone not in your zone - LOL.
-Kim

Flip, nice pics, especially the Lillian Red Kansas. How big do these get? Hard to judge by your picture. And how is the flavor?

Thanks.

Red

Wow - here we go!

Sequee - first, wipe off your face. I know you really hate me for having all these maters while you're materless up in the cold snowy northern climes. Those Pink Ice are really neat. I must have about 100 fruit on that plant. They took a while start ripening - I've only eaten one so far and it tasted good. I'll give you a more specific taste review after I've tried a couple more. And no prob with the seeds. Just LMK when you want some. Those Besser cherrys are really sweet and have become one of my two fave cherrys - I also really like the J. Flammee. I planted two of your Black Cherry seeds but they have not germinated yet (the rest have).

meszaros9/Michelle - I prefer letting them vine ripen; however, the evil birdies eat them before they get fully ripe. So..I pick all my pinks and reds a little early and let them ripen on the window counter. The yellows, whites, oranges and darks aren't being bothered by them too much so most of these I leave on the vine. My favorite tasting maters so far are the Sudduth BW and Brianna but I haven't finished tasting all the vars. yet.

darius - thanks for note. I only have one Sudduth growing but it's really huge and it has a goodly amount of fruit on it. Only one has ripened so far and it was very good! I've heard from the experts that we S. Fla folks should only grow these over winter as they have a hard time setting fruit later in the year down here. I may try them later anyway.

Kim - you about ready to make the trip? I hope there's a few maters left for you. They've been ripening so fast, between the mater eaters (both human and birdie) around here, the supply seems to dwindling......hehe

Red - I took that pic in a hurry last nite. I'll take a better one when I get home today and post it. I'll let you know how they taste - those were the first two. They're pretty nice sized. I'll weigh them also.

Which white are you growing? I'm trying my first large white this year, White Wonder. Very curious to grow and taste it!

Ah-ha...we have TWO Michelle's now. meszaros9 and ME. If it helps y'all, I can sign MichelleB.

meszaros9, you said you have 8 varieties...what are they? And have you grown them before? How are you liking the Romas? I am going to be growing Romas as well b/c I wanted to see if I could make my own spaghetti sauce. They are probably good in salsa too, I would imagine?

Flip, you and all your kiddos are eatin' all those maters hu? None left to send to Austin? ;) Are you putting your fantastic pictures onto the Plantfiles?

Kim, you'd better get down to FL quick or else you won't get to taste any of Flips maters!

Sequee, before joining DG, I never heard of white tomatoes...can't imagine they'd be good...but what do I know? I am curious to see how you like yours this spring!!

Saint, are you feeling better friend?

TF, what happened to your arm?

Busy day today...better go
MichelleB

feeling more alive today and I'm with Sequee, Flip you are an evil nasty man :P~ Haven't wanted to eat anything for days now I'm cravin a mater!

Chelle did you get your seeds yet? If not I'll make sure Serg sent them, I'd look myself but his car is in the shop for it's so many mile check up. If not I'll mail them again and send them tracked or something.

Well, now it seems I have most of the mater wimmin hating me! Golly goshes, I just wanted to share a few innocent pics of some scraggly maters :-( boohoo

hehe

Sequee, my whites are White Queen. They're purported to not be as "bland" as other whites. I'll post a pic and some details tonite. They tasted pretty good to me and they put another color in the salad.

MichelleB - yes I am dutifully posting many mater and other veggie pics on PF.

Saint, even in my evilness I'm glad you're feelin' better!

I am really excited to be trying myriad colors next year. Since the 60' pine tree fell across and took a couple of friends in the process, I now have much more sun in the front area. If I can get someone over to help, I should be able to doube my growing space. THAT would be a real treat. I'm thinking of some very fun spaghetti sauces... I think the white would lend itself well to Prima Veras, and a nice Rainbow Sauce would be fun for company. I've been having so much doing the specialty platters with all the sizes and shapes...it will be fun to add new dimensions. I look forward to adding the Pink Ice next season!

I can't stand it...I NEED a tomato!