Tomato Tease

[digitS']

. . . the one mystery volunteer, which is still kicking out YELLOW Juliet-shaped tomatoes . . .

If you like that volunteer, save some seed - even start another plant for the fall. It must be wonderful to have 2 generations in one year, Joz!

My earliest tomato just might be that mystery potato-leaf plant from the Early Girl seed packet I was going on about last year. My plant in 2011 didn't look like much but it was in a difficult location. The one I gave the neighbor did fine, even tho' it was from a later sowing of Early Girls. I've got 4 mystery plants this time and they look like they are doing good . Right now, green tomatoes are on only a very few of the cherries and only on these mystery plants.

I don't think the parent was a hybrid. I realize that the look of 4 plants isn't very definitive but they all appear about identical. If they do turn out well this year, what I should do next year is grow Stupice again. I really don't think they are Stupice because I've had that variety before and they seem nothing like what I remember. However Osborne Seed, where I got the Early Girl packet, has only 1 potato-leaf variety in their catalog: Stupice.

Having an unknown in the garden . . . Ain't it fun!??

Steve

 

[grow_my_own]

I'm so glad it's not just me!

For 3 years in a row now in Northern/Central California, I have had 20-30 pounds of tomatoes on the vine, heavy and green, that NEVER did get ripe because it doesn't get hot enough anymore in this region that was once the US's largest producer of tomatoes (but the liberals are just "making up" climate change to create jobs... anyone that grows food knows that's BS... anyway, I digress...)


I don't know what else to do to get my tomatoes to ripen on the vine. We have 8 different varieties of tomatoes this year, most of the vines heavy with fruit, and once again (even though we are in zone 9A this year and have always been in 8 or 7 in previous years) aren't getting any ripe tomatoes! What the H-E-double-toothpicks?? It used to stay in the 90s to 100s here from May to September, now we are lucky if we get those temps in June & July!

I think it's time for me to invest in a hothouse/greenhouse if I want fresh tomatoes in California.

 

[lesa]

Have you tried any of the gimmicks? I see people selling some kind of red plastic, that makes the tomatoes ripen faster? With sunshine and cool temps a greenhouse would be perfect. Here's hoping you get some nice red tomatoes! I am still waiting for a green one....

 

[MaryMaryquiteContrary]

Hello everyone, I just joined a few minutes ago. I am in quasi-coastal northern CA, & I have a total of 4 tomatoes, all green, & 3 of them are so small I need a magnifying glass to see them, almost (SunGold). The 1 normal sized one is on my Cherokee PUrple plant. I have a 3rd plant with no tomatoes, but I pulled it out of the pot to make room for the Sun Gold, & just stuck it where there was some dirt, so I can't expect too much from it.

My neighbor uses that red plastic, & they always have a good crop, I will wait & see how my yield compares to theirs. I have plenty of tomato flowers. I have been shaking the plants, & yesterday was windy, so I have my fingers crossed. I love hearing about others' experiences. All my veges are in big pots.

 

[ninnymary]

Hi MaryMaryQuiteContrary and welcome to TEG! :rainbow-sun Where exactly are you located? I'm in the bay area and already starting to harvest some Sungolds and Glacier. My tomatoes are all doing great and I'm in a cool area. But my soil is well composted and that's what gives me great tomatoes dispite my cool summers.

Mary

 

[lesa]

Welcome, Welcome Marymary! Glad to hear the report on the red plastic- always wondered if it worked. Happy Gardening!

 

[MaryMaryquiteContrary]

Hi MaryMaryQuiteContrary and welcome to TEG! :rainbow-sun Where exactly are you located? I'm in the bay area and already starting to harvest some Sungolds and Glacier. My tomatoes are all doing great and I'm in a cool area. But my soil is well composted and that's what gives me great tomatoes dispite my cool summers.

Mary

i'm in Sebastopol; if you are in East Bay, I believe we have very similar weather. So now I have to blame my "no fruit" situation on late planting - which is typical for me.

 

[ninnymary]

MaryMaryQuiteContrary, I'm in Alameda which might be alittle cooler. I plant my heirlooms mid-March when the nursery brings them in.

Mary

 

[digitS']

I wish the plant breeders would rate tomato varieties by how much heat the plants require to produce ripe fruit.

It seems than 1700 Growing Degree Days is kind of a rule of thumb. It doesn't really matter how the warmth thru a growing season is measured - well, I suppose it does - but the plant can only carry on its processes during a certain range of temperatures. Yes, it can also be too hot and there is a point when the plant shuts down. Anyway, the companies are willing to rate their sweet corn - probably because farmers require that they be rated.

Without an adequate amount of warmth during the days, it matters not at all how many days pass. Of course, it matters not at all how cold the weather is outside the growing season, altho' that seems to be how we are almost forced to compare our growing environments - one USDA winter hardiness zone or another.

When you look at the Weather Service information on warmth so far this year (Growing Degree Days, US cities) I just bet we would be able to figure out where in the US there are ripe tomatoes and where gardeners are still waiting. I mean, if you look at Indianapolis with its 1676 GDD, you could probably say that there would be a couple of ripe tomatoes around that city. South Bend, Indiana may not have any red on its tomatoes with only 1386 GDD. And then there's New Orleans with 2906 GDD . . . no wonder Joz has had baskets of ripe fruit!

Of course, this all kind of stands to reason. A warmer south has had a longer growing season with more accumulated warmth. Maine will have to wait awhile.

Steve

 

[SuperChemicalGirl]

I wish the plant breeders would rate tomato varieties by how much heat the plants require to produce ripe fruit.

It seems than 1700 Growing Degree Days is kind of a rule of thumb. It doesn't really matter how the warmth thru a growing season is measured - well, I suppose it does - but the plant can only carry on its processes during a certain range of temperatures. Yes, it can also be too hot and there is a point when the plant shuts down. Anyway, the companies are willing to rate their sweet corn - probably because farmers require that they be rated.

Without an adequate amount of warmth during the days, it matters not at all how many days pass. Of course, it matters not at all how cold the weather is outside the growing season, altho' that seems to be how we are almost forced to compare our growing environments - one USDA winter hardiness zone or another.

When you look at the Weather Service information on warmth so far this year (Growing Degree Days, US cities) I just bet we would be able to figure out where in the US there are ripe tomatoes and where gardeners are still waiting. I mean, if you look at Indianapolis with its 1676 GDD, you could probably say that there would be a couple of ripe tomatoes around that city. South Bend, Indiana may not have any red on its tomatoes with only 1386 GDD. And then there's New Orleans with 2906 GDD . . . no wonder Joz has had baskets of ripe fruit!

Of course, this all kind of stands to reason. A warmer south has had a longer growing season with more accumulated warmth. Maine will have to wait awhile.

Steve

And I'm at 779. What a cool little tool, thanks for sharing.