Sophie's Choice

[flyingbrass]

Sophie is my first plant to set fruit. I started seeds January 1. Pictures are March 3 and today, April 6.

That's MG potting soil. I added a tablespoon or so of EB Stone tomato fertilzer about 10 days ago, and she has been sprayed with seaweed stuff a few times.

I hope she doesn't grow too huge.

[Sherry_AK]

Very nice! It's always exciting to see those little greenies. Sophie should stay a nice compact plant.

[flyingbrass]

I guess those pictures were lost. So far, Sophie is still doing ok in a pot here. The bigger the pot, the better, it seems. I added some aluminized bubble wrap insulating stuff around the pots, which helped greatly controlling moisture fluctuations. Before that, fruit on the plant in the smallest pot developed BER. Too many swings from wilting dry to soaking wet.

The plants are in partial shade. They get some full sun, but are shaded through the warmest parts of the day. Time will tell how they hold up when the temps go much over 100. I don't have an automatic watering system.

The tomatoes taste excellent.

Here are the previous pictures from April 6 along with a shot of a tomato harvested several days ago when it had some color, fully ripened on the counter, then returned outside to pose in front of the plant. I don't have a wider shot of the plant, but yes, she has stayed small and compact. I managed to remove the tomato cage early on. It's not needed.

[les matzek]

flyingbrass how did you like the taste
of the tomato in your picture ?, i grew
two plants year i thought they where
very goog tasteing to me,regards.

les

[flyingbrass]

Hi Les,

Very tasty. I've mostly only eaten homegrown tomatoes from store-bought hybrid plants, so I'm not a tomato taste expert. I'm very impressed with Sophie. These were better than my first harvested tomatoes of Cherokee Purple and Eckert Polish (though a few of the Eckerts have rivaled them). Sophie has good flavor with just about the right amount of tanginess.

I'm sure growing conditions/amount of water/etc. play a large role in flavor. Comparing a plant in a pot to first harvests of other varieties in the ground isn't fair. Maybe I've just been lucky so far, but I'll certainly be growing Sophie again.

[troad]

FB,

Sophie's Choice is a great little plant. I grew one last year and was surprised at how well it did (in a pot that was too small). Will put this years plants (3) in much bigger pots. I found the plant seemed to be healthier when I put a saucer under the pot and kept the plant watered to the point of almost continual standing water in the saucer. I believe it was posted here at TVille that Sophie's like wet "feet". Great little plant that stays compact.

Len

[flyingbrass]

I probably should reattach the bottom saucer thing to this pot. It came with one, which I removed fearing inadequate drainage. It might be an asset as the temps rise. It's good to know Sophie doesn't mind being a little on the damp side.

[les matzek]

hi flyingbrass,
i have a paul robeson in a 10 gallon
container filled with dyna rock it sits
in a 20 inch sauser and you can see
all kinds of white white roots growing
out of the drainage holes the plant is
about 4 foot tall now and has many
flowers, gfood luck,regards.

les

[lowlylowlycook]

Originally Posted by troad

I believe it was posted here at TVille that Sophie's like wet "feet". Great little plant that stays compact.

Len

That's what Carolyn Male's book says and that's why I've got Sophie's Choice growing in my LakeTainer.