Marianna's Peace Tomatoes

[Backyard Buddies]

Thanks yet again Oakland! So, I don't have to go through the pain of pinching flowers again? Even on the shorter 14" stems? Would there be any benefit in pinching flowers on the shorter stems and leaving them on the longer stem? I do notice that the only plant to not put on any height is the Stupice, which has the largest number of tomatoes. It also has the least amount of foliage so it would seem that this plant is putting its energy into tomato production rather than foliage. I've not trimmed off any suckers from ANY of the plants, other than the fourth stem on my little Marianna's Peace.

So, for now we keep a 3 stemmed plant! It's a lopsided little guy, but I've grown quite fond if it!

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Thanks yet again Oakland! So, I don't have to go through the pain of pinching flowers again? Even on the shorter 14" stems? Would there be any benefit in pinching flowers on the shorter stems and leaving them on the longer stem?
So, for now we keep a 3 stemmed plant!

No pain this time. At least not for right now.

There may be some benefit. The flowers on the longer stem would get more energy than if you leave all of them. This may result in larger fruits. If anything the difference would be very little if any bit noticeable.

I do notice that the only plant to not put on any height is the Stupice, which has the largest number of tomatoes. It also has the least amount of foliage so it would seem that this plant is putting its energy into tomato production rather than foliage. I've not trimmed off any suckers from ANY of the plants, other than the fourth stem on my little Marianna's Peace.

I'm sure the Stupice should be fine.

I just said something pinching suckers on another thread. Honestly it shouldn't be that much of a difference.

It's a lopsided little guy, but I've grown quite fond if it!

Yeah me too!

 

[Backyard Buddies]

It's a lopsided little guy, but I've grown quite fond if it!

Yeah me too!

Ahhhhhh. Well then, I'll have to take a picture of the first Marianna's Peace tomato to share with you!

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Guess what, Oakland? It's Monday again!

The Marianna's Peace is doing GREAT! It gained nearly 37% in height this past week and is now 30" tall, the same size that Stupice was last week. Marianna now has 5 flower clusters, tho they're all still small.

I have 'maters on all of the plants except for the Marianna's Peace and the German Pink. Lots of flowers on that plant, but they don't seem to be making tomatoes. I wonder if I need to hand pollinate??? Stupice is loaded and sits right next to the German Pink, so I don't get it.

Have you ever grown either the Howard German or the Anna Russian? I got them because of their more unusual shapes. The Anna Russian looks like little strawberry shapes and the Howard German looks like peppers instead of tomatoes. The HG is very prolific so far.

I don't think I mentioned this before. Part of the reason I grew Marianna's Peace is because of the name. Marianna was my grandmother's given name, tho she shortened it to Anna. Fun, huh?

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

It looks the Marianna's Peace Tomato is finally doing well. Look forward to those flower clusters. Looks like your problems are solved. Now just wait for the delicious fruit.

The German Pink might be not setting fruit because of lack of pollination. Try going out there every couple of days and giving the plant a good shake. This helps release pollen and fertilize the flowers. Trust me it works. Are your other varieties still setting new fruit? How have the day/night temps been? German Pink is a bit finicky about temps, IME.

I have grown Anna Russian and it's a very good tomato tasting variety. It's an early variety that is pretty prolific. Nice oxheart shaped fruits too. I think the vines look very pretty as well. Howard German is a great paste and sauce tomato that has a very rich flavor. You have some very good varieties that you are going to be very pleased with.

That's a wonderful reason to grow a tomato plant. I grow tons of sunflowers every year because my mother absolutely loves them. I can always rest assured that I am guaranteed at least one visit when they start to bloom!

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Thanks Oakland. I'm glad to know that I did some good selecting! I got these from the Fullerton Arboretum's big tomato/pepper show. I wasn't able to attend myself, but had some friends pick up the items I had selected.

OK, I'll try giving the German Pink a good shake. The Stupice is setting quite well. Nearly every flower has progressed to a tomato. The Anna Russian is just starting to get tomatoes, so it hasn't been as prolific as the Stupice. The Howard German has been setting fruit rather well. It hasn't produced a lot of flowers, but what it has produced has grown into tomatoes and they've grown really quickly.

How did you support the Anna Russian? I've been tying it to a central pole, but that seems to not really work that well with all that wispy foliage. I may have to cage them somehow, I think.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

We cage almost all of our tomatoes.

For Anna Russian we used the caging method. We had to tie it to the cages at points to help out.

Our cages are square with 1x1 stakes in each corner and a thin wire stretch across.

We also fence our tomatoes and tie them when we need more room.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Time for the Monday "Mater Report!

Lots of heat this week, upper 80s, lower 90s, with night time temps in the lower 70s.

We got slow growth on all plants - ranging from 2% on the Stupice to 9% on the German Pink. EXCEPT. . . . Marianna's Peace grew another 27% and is now only 3" shorter than the Stupice!! The MP has lots of flowers, some even beginning to brown. I won't know for another day or two whether the weather will affect their setting.

German Pink is STILL not setting fruit on the flowers, despite my shaking of the plant every couple of days. There are plenty of flowers, just no fruit to go with them. Could that be due to the heat as well, or are we dealing with something else here?

Remember the cluster of Stupice tomatoes on my Critter question? Whatever it was came and snatched 3 of the 'maters in that cluster. I haven't yet made the pepper/onion/garlic tea, but I did LIBERALLY dust the 'maters with powdered cayenne pepper and put out a vinegar soaked rag on a stake right next to the plant. And, one of the Stupice tomatoes is blushing red so if the critter doesn't get it in the next day or two, I'm going to pick and enjoy my first tomato of the season!!

 

[Tutter]

I'm glad you thwarted the critter enough to get a tomato; yeah!

 

[Backyard Buddies]

I'm glad you thwarted the critter enough to get a tomato; yeah!

Well, I haven't picked it yet, so I'm not countin' my 'maters before their picked! And, unfortunately, one of the 3 remaining tomatoes in that bunch (the one that had the least amount of cayenne dusting) has been munched on by the critter, so I'm now down to two in that bunch. I wonder if I should go out there in the dark and pick it and let it ripen in the house. It's kind of orangey-green at the moment, so it really could use a couple more days on the bush.