Not taking Anything away from Jack

[digitS']

For 2 reasons:

These photo's aren't as nice, and

if you follow them on thru you will learn that the tomatoes aren't harvested but allowed to rot !

This is the time of year when we begin to get mighty impatient to see a ripe tomato in our gardens! Here is one common hybrid (Big Beef - have it myself) and the pictures will give you an idea of how long it takes for those darn tomatoes to ripen! (Not in everyone's garden but as it happened, in this one.)

(click)Day 0, Tiny buds are visible on the plant; to Day 74 ... The third tomato could still be used but the first two are rotten.

Steve

 

[skeeter9]

Oh, what I wouldn't give for one of those beautiful red globes right about now! Don't even have any green marbles yet. . .

It's interesting how quickly they turn red once they get started. That period of time when they are green and just seem to be sitting there doing nothing seems to take forever, though, doesn't it?

 

[digitS']

It was probably a mistake but . . . I left some of the pea-size fruit that began to develop while the tomato plants were still in the greenhouse.

Usually, I take fruit and flowers off when the plants are set out into the open garden. It is obvious right now that those plants with fruit are not growing as quickly as the others. But, oh well . . .

I'll have ripe tomatoes earlier than I would otherwise!

Steve

 

[skeeter9]

Maybe the trade-off will be worth it, especially with your short growing season. Around here we have a very long, hot growing season, so I am learning to make sacrifices to ensure strong root systems. When I cheat and do things like buy tomato plants with fruit already set, I pay for it every time.

 

[journey11]

Oh, that was rough! I suppose late enough in the summer I could let a few rot for the sake of science, but right now, I sure wish I could get my hands on that tomato (before it rotted...ha.)

34 days from set to ripen...that is longer than it normally seems to me (when I'm not really paying attention). I've got a couple costoluto genovese which should be about two weeks out from ripening. This was the latest I've ever gotten my tomatoes out this year, but the heat and humidity has been right up their alley, and I swear I've never seen them grow and develop so quickly before.

My neighbor had hers out in mid-May and some of mine have nearly caught up. Also, I've got some volunteers in the compost pile that I went ahead and caged, and they've surpassed the size of those I started indoors on March 14th! (For plant size...they're just now setting small fruit).

 

[i_am2bz]

I finally have ONE 'mater turning red!

 

[vfem]

Awesome Steve! I'm glad they ripened that fast for them... some of my heirlooms take even longer that those!

 

[digitS']

I have always had good luck with Big Beef.

The first year in my garden must have been about 1993. I know some folks don't think they amount to much but they will soldier right thru bad weather, resist most everything that heirlooms fall victim to, and ripen early enuf that I've got about 3 weeks (or more) of nice slicing tomatoes.

They aren't the earliest in the world nor do they have the most wonderful flavor but they have to be one of the toughest varieties.

Taste is subjective but death is permanent . . . or something like that. Anyway, other varieties may be the most wonderful in the world but if disease or frost kills them before I can pick a ripe tomato, it don't much matter . .

Steve

 

[momofdrew]

Awesome Steve! I'm glad they ripened that fast for them... some of my heirlooms take even longer that those!

I think brandywine takes the longest to ripen then any other tomato I have ever grown but the flavor is worth the wait...

 

[journey11]

Taste is subjective but death is permanent . . . or something like that. Anyway, other varieties may be the most wonderful in the world but if disease or frost kills them before I can pick a ripe tomato, it don't much matter . .

Exactly!

Tomato, or no tomato: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the garden to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous weather,
Or to take arms against a sea of hornworms,
And by opposing end them?...