south florida backyard, 2018 winter progress - Page 2

maxjohnson · January 19, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

Great looking garden! Thanks for sharing. Are those micro dwarf plants with about golf ball sized fruits? What variety are they?

No, they are only 1" mostly. It's some unknown variety I bought from a local nursery
with the label "Supersweet". They seem to be very resistant, it had septoria from the beginning and I kept pruning them and they got better. The first couple fruits when it was still 80*F+ were very sweet, they toned down now since it got colder.

I did grew Forida Petite earlier which do have fruits that get up to 1.5". I have seeds for those too if you're interested.

jmsieglaff · January 21, 2018

How's the flavor on those Florida Petites?

maxjohnson · January 21, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

How's the flavor on those Florida Petites?

It had a good red tomato flavor, reminds me of a complex red beefsteak, with a nice slightly sweet aftertaste.

jmsieglaff · January 21, 2018

If you've got any FL Petite to spare, I'd gladly send a SASE or do a trade!

cjp1953 · January 21, 2018

I was down in Florida in November with my friend at his home in The Villages.One thing I did not see were any gardens.Maybe that's not allow there.I did notice outside of The Villages city limits some farms that had rows of black plastic and young plants growing.They are around 25 miles south of Ocala.I see they have had cold weather the last month with temps down in the mid 30's at night.I would think your south of him but also see you use containers.I talked to a couple people who worked in nurseries and was told you have clay and sandy soil so I understand the containers.But you have some great looking plants.Can't wait till spring and planting time in late May here in NE Ohio.

I just read all the posts and see your in Miami.Did not know the cold spell a few weeks ago went that far south.

maxjohnson · January 21, 2018

It got down to 37*F, but that's the lowest point. I'm jealous at Ohio climate seeing my family members can just stick a plant in the ground and gets tomato, but I can't imagine waking up early to shovel snow anymore. Just had my nephew moved to Columbus for a job and college. I'm looking at going to there or Charlotte maybe.

Florida soil have root knot nematodes so it's a challenge to grow tomatoes, but I've been mulching with woodchips and improving the organic matters so the tomatoes still produce. Lately, I'm doing more and more grow bags, I'm seeing there are less disease issues with it.

cjp1953 · January 22, 2018

My friends home in The Villages was built this last September and all the new homes have pine straw around the landscaping.It's then replaced after the new owner moves in and then has different options having islands put in with palm trees,ect.We can't get pine straw around here that easy.I guess you could buy it in bags but that might cost.I never looked into it as I use straw as a mulch during the growing season.We are very lucky with our soil but I have a lot of clay here and it took years and lots of straw,winter cover crops turned under in the spring to help improve it.I could never get my wife to move down there away from our grandchildren but what a great climate,even with hurricanes.

Yes the snow can be a problem driving to work early in the morning.Columbus is 125 miles south of me,it's a huge city with OSU and it's large campus.We have large farms all over the state.This was my first time visiting Florida,I had a great time.A lot of horse farms,that would help your soil with the horse manure if your near a farm.

maxjohnson · February 1, 2018

White Beauty and Coastal Pride Orange. Both are really meaty, low acid and little seeds. White Beauty is very neutral I guess it's good for the texture and add your own flavor. Coastal Pride have some sweetness, I guess it would be more spectacular grown in the summer. I know I picked a bit early.

In the bowl, the two orange red salad ones on the left are my mutated Ambrosia Orange, they are very sweet, almost on par with the Sungold, sometimes more acidic. I'm on F3 so it's not yet stable.

maxjohnson · February 12, 2018

Zapotec is surprisingly mildly sweet, and very meaty with gel. Not sure how some of the description say it have a 'different' taste, to me it's very tomatoey. I think not acidic enough for canning maybe. This is my favorite discovery of this year.

January 21, 2018	#20
cjp1953 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Cuyahoga Falls,Ohio Posts: 818	I was down in Florida in November with my friend at his home in The Villages.One thing I did not see were any gardens.Maybe that's not allow there.I did notice outside of The Villages city limits some farms that had rows of black plastic and young plants growing.They are around 25 miles south of Ocala.I see they have had cold weather the last month with temps down in the mid 30's at night.I would think your south of him but also see you use containers.I talked to a couple people who worked in nurseries and was told you have clay and sandy soil so I understand the containers.But you have some great looking plants.Can't wait till spring and planting time in late May here in NE Ohio.I just read all the posts and see your in Miami.Did not know the cold spell a few weeks ago went that far south. Last edited by cjp1953; January 21, 2018 at 09:18 PM.

January 22, 2018	#22
cjp1953 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Cuyahoga Falls,Ohio Posts: 818	My friends home in The Villages was built this last September and all the new homes have pine straw around the landscaping.It's then replaced after the new owner moves in and then has different options having islands put in with palm trees,ect.We can't get pine straw around here that easy.I guess you could buy it in bags but that might cost.I never looked into it as I use straw as a mulch during the growing season.We are very lucky with our soil but I have a lot of clay here and it took years and lots of straw,winter cover crops turned under in the spring to help improve it.I could never get my wife to move down there away from our grandchildren but what a great climate,even with hurricanes.Yes the snow can be a problem driving to work early in the morning.Columbus is 125 miles south of me,it's a huge city with OSU and it's large campus.We have large farms all over the state.This was my first time visiting Florida,I had a great time.A lot of horse farms,that would help your soil with the horse manure if your near a farm.

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January 21, 2018	#17
jmsieglaff Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern WI Posts: 2,742	How's the flavor on those Florida Petites?

January 21, 2018	#21
maxjohnson Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: OH 6a Posts: 592	It got down to 37*F, but that's the lowest point. I'm jealous at Ohio climate seeing my family members can just stick a plant in the ground and gets tomato, but I can't imagine waking up early to shovel snow anymore. Just had my nephew moved to Columbus for a job and college. I'm looking at going to there or Charlotte maybe. Florida soil have root knot nematodes so it's a challenge to grow tomatoes, but I've been mulching with woodchips and improving the organic matters so the tomatoes still produce. Lately, I'm doing more and more grow bags, I'm seeing there are less disease issues with it.