Ideas for a large, short-season, juicing, red tomato?

AMKuska

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I'm trying "Mountain Princess" this year. :) I won't know how it does until the end of the season though, or how big!
 

HotPepperQueen

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Like Lavender2, I had a horrible tomato season last year. But in the past, Big Beef and Celebrity have done well for me. Both are hybrids.
Someone on here was asking if they should leave their plant lights on 24/7 while growing tomato starts. I did last year, and blame some of my problems on that. Not sure if I have valid reasons for doing so...but I have to blame something. It surely couldn't have been "operator error." :hide
I usually don't leave my lights on 24/7. My grandmother always tells me that tomatoes get everything they need to grow during the day and then actually start the growing process at night. Probably just an old wive's tale but it seems to work!
 

Jared77

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@HotPepperQueen what about Jet Star? That's what comes to mind for me. 72 days very heavy producer and supposed to be resistant to cracking.

It's pretty popular here in Michigan. I see a lot of those starts in the nurseries year after year people buy it faithfully and we're 5a/5b here. Hope this helps.
 

journey11

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I usually don't leave my lights on 24/7. My grandmother always tells me that tomatoes get everything they need to grow during the day and then actually start the growing process at night. Probably just an old wive's tale but it seems to work!

Your grandma is right. The pores (stomata) in the leaf function to open during the day and close at night, due to photosynthesis and the exchange of CO2 and O2, called cellular respiration. If you're geeky like me and want to know more, here's a good article on it. And this cool animated image here. :)
 
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HotPepperQueen

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I have decided to try Bush Beefsteak, Jet Star, and Supersonic. I have grown Bush Beefsteak in the past and forgot that they actually did pretty well for me but I never fertilized them. I did pretty good last year fertilizing once a week so I will see how much of a difference that makes for them!
 

AMKuska

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Yes, please let me know how they do for you. I will let you know about "Mountain Princess". Between us we should be able to find a super nice short season tomato! :)
 

Kismet

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I've read this whole thread and another one. After all the much appreciated input, I have decided to try Parks's Whopper Improved Hybrid, Defiant Hybrid, and Mountain Merit Hybrid, plus a paste and cherry. Last year (besides groundhogs taking a bite out of each partially ripened tomato), I had severe late blight, so this year I am trying varieties that say they are bred for late blight resistance. I hope this summer is warmer and drier - last summer was so cold and wet, a terrible garden year.
 
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