Care of heirloom tomatoes

[rick9748]

I have been looking for a information bank from gardeners who grow heirloom tomatoes.Is there a location where successful heirloom gardeners share their care and prevention techniques?If not I think we surely need one.Example; preplanting methods, what goes in the planting hole, when do you start prevention techniques and what do you do, weekly care of plants; fertilization, foliar sprays, compost and just gosh darnoodley anything else.
This way we can ALL improve our techniques.I am a gardener and have no secrets on growing plante.Would be happy to share.

[charline]

you have come to the right place
everything is here in this forum
all you need to know about growing tomatoes has been discussed here, just do a search

[rick9748]

Problem is there is to much general information.I think a best practices and methods just for heirlooms, exclusive, needs to be under one heading.

[Father'sDaughter]

I think a forum such as this will be as close as you'll get, and even then, it will only provide a starting point for learning what works best for a person's particular situation.

In my years here, I've learned that there are tens of thousands of us heirloom gardeners and we all do things a little differently at each stage for different reasons.

Yes, the basic steps are all the same and readily available at many sites (start seeds, transplant seedlings, water, feed, harvest). Beyond that, we all have our own methods, often chosen through trial and error for our particular location and growing conditions.

[rick9748]

Care to share best methods that have worked for you?
Thanks
Rick

[Ricky Shaw]

Tomatoville's essence cannot be distilled, the fragrance is unique to every member.

[oakley]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

Tomatoville's essence cannot be distilled, the fragrance is unique to every member.

Well said,

It is all here at TVille. 40,000 threads, close to 600,000 posts...though sometimes hard to search when an individual problem comes up.
Just posting a pic of seed starting success and what works for your climate, or an issue that happens and panic sets in, is what a forum is about.
A new season, seed starting, potting up, feeding, is usually a year apart and some methods that worked last year are forgotten. Successes are recorded or not. We all do it different but those methods are a narrow dozen...

[rick9748]

Care to share your narrow dozen?

[Cole_Robbie]

Location is the big variable. Try to emulate someone in your area.

[rick9748]

I don't want any essence.Why is best practices and methods that have worked for us on heirlooms difficult to understand.Here on TV there is so much broad info. You can't find the forest for the trees.
"Best heirloom techniques"
One or two specifics that have worked very well for you.Point is to NOT get to broad.Be specific!!!

[Nematode]

Originally Posted by rick9748

I don't want any essence.Why is best practices and methods that have worked for us on heirlooms difficult to understand.Here on TV there is so much broad info. You can't find the forest for the trees.
"Best heirloom techniques"
One or two specifics that have worked very well for you.Point is to NOT get to broad.Be specific!!!

If you have something to contribute, post it people will respond and appreciate it.
If you have a specific question ask nicely and you will likely get many constructive responses, but don't expect them all to agree. There may be extra information about someone's dog, or dinner ideas, or something really funny. It's a conversation of the best kind. One of the best things about t'ville is the diversity of methods and techniques growers are willing to share. It will be up to you to distill that into something that works for you.

I don't know if you know but you came on a little strong, a gentler approach works best here.
Good luck.

My foliage plan FWIW. Post 24 has been working for me.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...t=37317&page=2

I don't have anything to add on weekly fertilizer, I don't grow that way.

[carolyn137]

It makes absolutely no difference to me whether I've grown an heirloom variety or an F1 hybrid,or one that was bred by someone.

All are grown pretty much the same way.

Growing any one variety in subseqent years,yes,there can be and often are,differences,primarily due to weather in any one season.

Carolyn

[gorbelly]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

It makes absolutely no difference to me whether I've grown an heirloom variety or an F1 hybrid,or one that was bred by someone.

All are grown pretty much the same way.

Growing any one variety in subseqent years,yes,there can be and often are,differences,primarily due to weather in any one season.

Carolyn

I find there are some specifics. Like tolerating a wimpy look in wispy varieties. Or Black Krim being especially susceptible to leaf curl so making sure not to overwater thinking it's wilt. Some varieties, like Early Girl, like feet that are a little drier. Or very branchy varieties needing some pruning, even in cages. I'm finding, for example, that Earl of Edgecombe (growing it on your recommendation and very happy with it so far!) likes things more moist than average. Etc. That's really what I mean when I said "different tomato varieties often benefit from different treatment". Perhaps I should have used "considerations" rather than "treatment".

But for the most part, tomato plants are tomato plants, and what really determines any given person's best practices are the conditions of their soil and climate.

[rick9748]

There is an extreme difference in growing a Big Beef and A Cherokee Purple.The BB will grow itself basically the CP will need a great deal of care.

[rick9748]

I am amazed at how complicated my simple question has become.What have you done that makes your heirlooms really happy and healthy?Not your soil, not your growing zone.Just keep it VERY SIMPLE.