Time to Purge. Which 7 goes

[angelique]

Hi All,

After great contemplation, I have decided not to build raised beds for veggies (4). I am already committed to building raised beds for new fruit trees that are being custom graftedf for me. I was laid off about a month ago; so I really need to save money.

Instead of raised beds for veggies, I did decide to invest in Easi-Lift 15 gallon Grow bags for this year. Their cost is nominal compared to the price of lumber. I am also planning on growing my peppers and eggplants in these bags (5 gallon).

To make a long story short, I need to purge my list of about 6-8 varieties. Here is my list. All advice and opinions are welcomed.

Kimberly
SFT NOT (I probably I mislabled the container).
Carbon
Bordo
Mexico
Rose de Berne
Purple Calabash
Cabot
Green Sausage
Lucky Cross
Coustralee
Green Cherokee
SFT
Black Cherry
Aunt Ruby's German Cherry
Snow White
Anna's Russian
Aunt Ruby's Gren
Tangerine
Una's Yellow Cherry
Peacevine Cherry
Aunt Gertie's Gold

Thank you for your help.

Cheers,

Angelique

[chilhuacle]

Hi Angelique

Can’t farm them out to friends and neighbors? Facing the same situation I think I’d keep:

Kimberly
Carbon
Bordo
Purple Calabash
Lucky Cross
Coustralee
Cherokee Green
SFT
Aunt Ruby's German Cherry
Snow White
Anna's Russian
Aunt Ruby's Green
Tangerine
Una's Yellow Cherry
Peacevine Cherry
Aunt Gertie's Gold

Maybe dump one of the cherries unless you’re going for a rainbow effect.

Bruce

[grungy]

I realize that this may appear a dumb answer not knowing your soil conditions, but have you considered making a modified raised bed. Dig your soil as deep as you can, shovel it up in a normal raised hump, make it wider than normal (say a foot wider). Level it off. Mulch as heavy as possible both the top and sides once the soil has a chance to warm a bit. Pull the mulch back where you will plant your tomatoes, say a 6" circle and plant your tomatoes.We do this every time we start a new tomato bed, and at least don't lose a year while the new bed gets worked into shape. Oh, almost forgot we use drippers to water, but I would imagine gentle spraying will work as well

[montanamato]

Una's Yellow cherry is so-so when I grow it, and a typical cherry space hog. I would oust it and grow 2 others in its place.
I agree with the hand dug bed solution. If you have the time and physical desire. Otherwise I have pawned seedlings off on total strangers if the topic arose.

Jeanne

[Grub]

I don't know about all your varieties, but I would keep the ones in bold...

Kimberly
SFT NOT (I probably I mislabled the container).
Carbon
Bordo
Mexico
Rose de Berne
Purple Calabash
Cabot
Green Sausage (only heard bad reports about it)
Lucky Cross
Coustralee
Cherokee Green
SFT (so-so flavour, try Sophie's Choice as an early large to complement Kimberly)
Black Cherry
Aunt Ruby's German Cherry
Snow White
Anna Russian
Aunt Ruby's Green (low production)
Tangerine
Una's Yellow Cherry
Peacevine Cherry
Aunt Gertie's Gold

[Catntree]

Yeah....nice point on the raised beds. I've made nice raised beds by tilling and adding soil to get them 12" high....I just sloped the sides and planted annuals and perennials to hold the sides....you can plant grass, too. There's really no need for wood or anything if you use plants, or Mulches to stop erosion of the edges.

[angelique]

Thank you all for the advice. I can definitely do the modified raised bed thing. It wouldn't cost too much to purchase some rocks to use as a border plus compost from the nursery. In fact, the area for the raised beds is a limited part of my RV access; the rest is reserved for the fruit trees and non-tomato veggies. Here are the measurement to the proposed raised beds in inches: 46x36, 42x60, and 42x72. When I price out the lumber for this area, it was about 250.00 for 12" deep redwood.

The area in question is clay(ish). I have added topsoil (3 years ago), then "Gardener's Delight=1/2 topsoil/1/2 compost (2 years ago). I can easily get my Honda 'tiller a foot down without any problems. The area is a trapezoid, so there really isn't any room to change the bed sizes.

I had a 4'x35' area for tomatoes that had been amended over the last 5 years. Last year they all died off. At first, I thought that they had F. Wilt. After looking at the pictures of the leaves again and more tomato websites, I think that they had Bacterial Spot or Speck. It there anything that I can do to improve this soil to use it once again for tomatoes? Here is a pictures for reference.



How high should I build the mounds for the raised beds? Who knows, if this works out okay, I might not build the beds next year. If DH is accepted into grad school, we will only be in our house for 3 more years. I would hate to build raised beds, just so that the next owner can knock them down and cement the area for an RV. That is exactly what has happened each time someone moves onto our block.

I might be brave and try to grow one of the less "popular" varieties here. The "infested" area is separated from the future bed area by a 4' walikway.

I can definitely pawn off some of the seedlings to DH's co-workers. Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that they would be willing to share their results. Actually, DH's co-workers are going to receive all of my "backup" plants. None of my neighbors are into growing tomatoes. They all have well maintained backyards and concrete RV access for their boats and RVs.

Hi Grub, thank you for the information about Sophie's Choice. I don't know if I have enough time to start new tomato plants. If anyone in N. CA can chime in, that would be great. All of the varieties listed (with the exception of Aunt Gerties Gold and Peacevine Cherry) were prematurally started in early January. It seems that most people in the Sacramento area have their tomatoes out by April 1st.

Thank you all for your help.

Angelique

[MikeInCypress]

Peacevine Cherry
Mexico
Green Sausage
Una's Yellow Cherry
Cabot
Not SFT

No sense wasting space on one you don't know what it will produce. GS is by all reports a Dog. Coustralee is better than Mexico. Peacevine Cherry is rank.

Thats my opinion.

Michael

[PGibbons]

I can only offer a few to get rid of, the rest I am kind of partial to.

Snow White
Peaceville Cherry
SFT Not
Una's Yellow Cherry
Anna's Russian is good but not a big producer for me.

[angelique]

Originally Posted by MikeInCypress

No sense wasting space on one you don't know what it will produce.

Mike, you are absolutely right. 4 years ago, I tried planting a tree in that area...It died after to the rains. The area had poor drainage. Same thing happend 3 years ago. This is all before adding new topsoil and compost in the following years. I will be addding compost from a local nursery and mounding the beds up. Hopefully, this does the trick.

I am still going to buy the Grow Bags. Instead of 15-20 for tomatoes, I might just pick up 10. I am still going to purchase them for peppers and eggplants.

I think that I am going to keep Anna's Russian. The local members seem to like it. I might trade Snow White for a Sungold at the local nursery. Someone previously suggested that I try growing Hybrids in the "old" tomato area. Two years ago, I tried Sungold and I absolutely hated it. Last year, I went to a tomato tasting and feel in love with Sungold. Apparently, I was picking SG way too early.

[Earl]

I can't say what to get rid of but ones with x by them I'd keep, for sure.

xKimberly
SFT NOT (I probably I mislabled the container).
xCarbon
Bordo
Mexico
Rose de Berne
Purple Calabash
Cabot
Green Sausage
Lucky Cross
Coustralee
Green Cherokee
xSFT
xBlack Cherry
xAunt Ruby's German Cherry
Snow White
xAnna's Russian
Aunt Ruby's Gren
Tangerine
Una's Yellow Cherry
Peacevine Cherry
xAunt Gertie's Gold

[markferon]

I would suggest following methods:
1.the hat drawing method for picking the seven aka (put all names in the hat pull out seven the first 7 names you pull you don't grow).
2. keep all but of 7 weakest seedlings.
both are simple and are regret free.

[bully]

I know one here that got the boot for sure...and it ain't a tomato.

That boys been banned more times than East German gymnast..