my average temps and heirloom aspirations

greggf · January 29, 2006

Hi! I hope I can type at M's new site without ads to entertain me!

My first four or five years of experience with heirlooms has been dreadful. Here's why. Here are our average temps, courtesy of the U.S. weather bureau coop station just 2 miles down our road:

May 53.6
June 61.7
July 66
August 64.5
Sept. 56.4

Plus we're on the side of a windy - very windy - hill at 1600 feet, hanging above the Boonville Gorge.

Last frost is May 15th, and first is on average Oct. 2. But believe me, nothing that ripens after Labor Day is worth eating. The gel is cloudy and the fruits taste watery, muddy, flat, or just off.

Carolyn, if you're here, I've gotten the average temps for your current location, in case you or anyone else can tell me the implications of 3 degrees difference on average per month when it comes to a juicy heirloom or not:

May 56.2
June 64.7
July 69.2
Aug. 66.8
Sept. 58.5

So I guess the question is, what early heirlooms might ripen before Labor Day under my conditions? I don't mean small ones, such as Matina or Kimberly, or terminally weird or controversial ones such as Silvery Fir Tree. I mean full-sizers. We've tried Brandwine Sudduth, Red Brandywine, Reif Red Heart, and others, and no dice. Among hybrids, Early Girl, Early Pick, UltraSweet, and Northern Exposure are DELIGHTFUL here. But as for later ones, main season types, we can't even get decent Better Boys, Pink Girls, Jet Stars, or Park's Whoppers.

Thanks again, M!!

January 29, 2006	#1
greggf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Boonville, NY Posts: 419	my average temps and heirloom aspirations Hi! I hope I can type at M's new site without ads to entertain me! My first four or five years of experience with heirlooms has been dreadful. Here's why. Here are our average temps, courtesy of the U.S. weather bureau coop station just 2 miles down our road: May 53.6 June 61.7 July 66 August 64.5 Sept. 56.4 Plus we're on the side of a windy - very windy - hill at 1600 feet, hanging above the Boonville Gorge. Last frost is May 15th, and first is on average Oct. 2. But believe me, nothing that ripens after Labor Day is worth eating. The gel is cloudy and the fruits taste watery, muddy, flat, or just off. Carolyn, if you're here, I've gotten the average temps for your current location, in case you or anyone else can tell me the implications of 3 degrees difference on average per month when it comes to a juicy heirloom or not: May 56.2 June 64.7 July 69.2 Aug. 66.8 Sept. 58.5 So I guess the question is, what early heirlooms might ripen before Labor Day under my conditions? I don't mean small ones, such as Matina or Kimberly, or terminally weird or controversial ones such as Silvery Fir Tree. I mean full-sizers. We've tried Brandwine Sudduth, Red Brandywine, Reif Red Heart, and others, and no dice. Among hybrids, Early Girl, Early Pick, UltraSweet, and Northern Exposure are DELIGHTFUL here. But as for later ones, main season types, we can't even get decent Better Boys, Pink Girls, Jet Stars, or Park's Whoppers. Thanks again, M!!