First This Year for me: JD's special Ctex

rzr · May 2, 2008

From planting in my DIY Earth box to ripened: 49 days. Cutting it tonite, will add picture later.

duajones · May 2, 2008

Wow, 49 days is super early. I pulled my first one yesterday at 67 days. Is this your first time growing the variety? It is one that I like very well and will be slicing mine in the next couple days. Good growing.

rzr · May 2, 2008

Yep, first time growing Ctex. I grew Cherokee purple among a few last year and it tasted great, but I had low yields for some reason, like 8 max on a plant. Of course, right now the Ctex has about 12 to 14.

Douglas14 · May 2, 2008

I'm growing JD's Special C-Tex for the first time as well. I received as a free gift from a SSE listed member. I'm glad I did, as I've read many favorable comments about it. Please let us know your opinion of it. Being I'm from MN, it will be awhile before I can savor one.

duajones · May 2, 2008

JD's is similiar in taste to Cherokee Purple. Thats why I am growing both this year for comparison. Looking forward to that day

rzr · May 2, 2008

I just tried the tomato, is was mushy! I think I picked it too early, I meant to pick it as soon as it started to ripen. I picked it when I saw a slight pink, but I guess I should have waited longer.

Worth1 · May 2, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by rzr

I just tried the tomato, is was mushy! I think I picked it too early, I meant to pick it as soon as it started to ripen. I picked it when I saw a slight pink, but I guess I should have waited longer.

The darn thing looks good to me.

I'm only and hour from you, I will meet you in Elgin and take it off of your hands.

I have a few JD's C Tex plants also.
Now if I can just find them in the garden.

Worth

rzr · May 2, 2008

Yea it was no good, worse than HEB sad to say. Next time I will make sure it is at least half way ripe before I pick, one or two should be ripening next week.

feldon30 · May 2, 2008

Looks underripe to me. Although they say the first tomato isn't as good as the rest.

creister · May 2, 2008

I am also growing this for the first time. I am curious how it might do when we get low 90's and 60's at night when the humidity is low. I am also growing Cherokee Purple and will compare as well.

rzr, I have had CP plants loaded with 20 + fruits in some years and only make 7 or so in others. I haven't figured out why yet. Also, most years wonderful taste, and one year they seemed somewhat watery. At this point, CP is a must grow as it is usually productive and tasty. Good luck down in P-ville.

kktwahoo · May 2, 2008

Duane, you sent me these seeds, and one did come up, so we will grow this summer and see how it tastes. Thanks again.

CLa · May 3, 2008

rzr, the mushy thing sounds to me like what happens to the first few tomatoes that went through partial cold conditions. In other words that tomato may have had a battle with that last cold snap that swept through. But, I have also noticed that always, my first few cherry tomatoes taste mushy, and the better tomatoes are usually after the first one or two. Possibly the plant was not ready to support it like it should have been supported in some way. I have even heard my microbiology teacher say she pulls any tomatoes that start on that first trust when the plants stems are very thin, claiming that those early bloom tomatoes wont be supported by the plant enough until the plant gets larger. Not sure if that comes with her experience or what, but I think there is at least some truth to the fact that some of the first maters are often mushy. They are for me anyway. But it is just that first or second one for me, like the first two sungolds were mushy, the 3rd one was on though, tasted perfect.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that your next one is much better, or some of the later ones. I hope that is the case anyway.

Oh yeah also, as Feldon mentioned, It looks like it is not completely ripe, almost there though. However, an under-ripe tomato should be crispy I would think, in which case that crispness turns to juicy, not mushy. I think picking it early is not your problem. But I would pick them when there is a little more color than just a first blush, unless you start having a bird problem etc..

duajones · May 3, 2008

Not one fruit from last years fall growout was mushy. The first fruit was good but the ones after were indeed better. Im thinking your future fruit will be better, keep us posted

rzr · May 15, 2008

I just tried my 3rd Ctex today and it was very good. The 2nd one was still slightly mushy tasting, not as bad as the first.

Tomstrees · May 15, 2008

How could an under-ripe tomato be mushy? My under-ripes tomatoes are rocks.

Maybe an over-ripe tomato could be mushy - unless the consistency of the flesh of this tomato is ... well ... mushy ...

What's the story with this tomato?

~ Tom

May 2, 2008	#9
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	Looks underripe to me. Although they say the first tomato isn't as good as the rest. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

May 2, 2008	#11
kktwahoo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wahoo, Nebraska Posts: 132	Duane, you sent me these seeds, and one did come up, so we will grow this summer and see how it tastes. Thanks again. __________________ Kent & Kathy, near Wahoo, Nebraska "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." From In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan

May 15, 2008	#15
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	How could an under-ripe tomato be mushy? My under-ripes tomatoes are rocks. Maybe an over-ripe tomato could be mushy - unless the consistency of the flesh of this tomato is ... well ... mushy ... What's the story with this tomato? ~ Tom __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

May 2, 2008	#2
duajones Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9 Posts: 1,996	Wow, 49 days is super early. I pulled my first one yesterday at 67 days. Is this your first time growing the variety? It is one that I like very well and will be slicing mine in the next couple days. Good growing.

May 2, 2008	#3
rzr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Pflugerville, TX Posts: 79	Yep, first time growing Ctex. I grew Cherokee purple among a few last year and it tasted great, but I had low yields for some reason, like 8 max on a plant. Of course, right now the Ctex has about 12 to 14.

May 2, 2008	#4
Douglas14 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 602	I'm growing JD's Special C-Tex for the first time as well. I received as a free gift from a SSE listed member. I'm glad I did, as I've read many favorable comments about it. Please let us know your opinion of it. Being I'm from MN, it will be awhile before I can savor one.

May 2, 2008	#10
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	I am also growing this for the first time. I am curious how it might do when we get low 90's and 60's at night when the humidity is low. I am also growing Cherokee Purple and will compare as well. rzr, I have had CP plants loaded with 20 + fruits in some years and only make 7 or so in others. I haven't figured out why yet. Also, most years wonderful taste, and one year they seemed somewhat watery. At this point, CP is a must grow as it is usually productive and tasty. Good luck down in P-ville.

May 3, 2008	#12
CLa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Central Louisiana. Zone: 8 Posts: 207	rzr, the mushy thing sounds to me like what happens to the first few tomatoes that went through partial cold conditions. In other words that tomato may have had a battle with that last cold snap that swept through. But, I have also noticed that always, my first few cherry tomatoes taste mushy, and the better tomatoes are usually after the first one or two. Possibly the plant was not ready to support it like it should have been supported in some way. I have even heard my microbiology teacher say she pulls any tomatoes that start on that first trust when the plants stems are very thin, claiming that those early bloom tomatoes wont be supported by the plant enough until the plant gets larger. Not sure if that comes with her experience or what, but I think there is at least some truth to the fact that some of the first maters are often mushy. They are for me anyway. But it is just that first or second one for me, like the first two sungolds were mushy, the 3rd one was on though, tasted perfect. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that your next one is much better, or some of the later ones. I hope that is the case anyway. Oh yeah also, as Feldon mentioned, It looks like it is not completely ripe, almost there though. However, an under-ripe tomato should be crispy I would think, in which case that crispness turns to juicy, not mushy. I think picking it early is not your problem. But I would pick them when there is a little more color than just a first blush, unless you start having a bird problem etc..