DTM's

[BigdaddyJ]

I know DTM's are only guidelines and can very wildly. But if you keep good records and the same varieties consistently ripen ahead of others you can get a general feel. About half of my varieties have reported for consumption so far with some interesting DTM's here in barely zone 7 DelaWHERE:

Yamal 46 DTM in container
Yamal 48 DTM
Indian Stripe PL 59 DTM
Amazon Choc. PL 59 DTM
Pink Berkley Tie Dye 60 DTM
Orange Minsk 60 DTM
Defiant F1 60 DTM
Bear Creek 63 DTM
Terrasenko6 64 DTM
Mrs Benson 65 DTM
Special C Tex 75 DTM
Gary O Sena 77 DTM
KBX 79 DTM
Big Sungold Select 79 DTM
Marianna's Peace 79 DTM
Big Zac 80 DTM
Dana's Dusky Rose 80 DTM

Couilles de Taureau 81 DTM
Claude Brown Coral 81 DTM

Laggards:

Liz Birt

Barlow Jap

Rainey's Maltese

Terhune

Cowlick's Brandywine

Granny Cantrell PL

Claude Brown Yellow Giant

[kath]

Very interesting. I've decided to keep track of the DTMs this year but I've got a couple questions. Since you begin counting at the set out date (correct?), doesn't the age of the transplant affect the DTM? Some of my plants were set out at 8 weeks and others at 5. Is this just one of the factors that makes DTMs vary wildy? Were all of your plants the same age at set out? Thanks!

[camochef]

BigdaddyJ,
I'm amazed at the difference in DTM between us in say 200-250 miles.
My first to ripen on 9 July was an 11-way tie with Cowlick's Brandywine-R.L. leading the way along with (2)Barlow Jap, Tarasenko6, Amazon Chocolate,
(3) Liz Birt, Mrs Benson, Blackmaster, and Lillian Maciejewski's Poland Pink.
On the 12th July added 26 others: (4) more Barlow Japs, more Cowlick Brandywines, both the original P.L. and Jon's R.L.,Brandywine-Sudduths, more Tarasenko's, Liz Birts, a Dana's Dusky Rose, a Pink Sweet, a Kukla's Portugese Beefsteak, both Black Brandywine and True Black Brandywine and others.
13 July added 29 more of the same as well as Sandul Moldovan, Brandywine Stumps, and Stump of the World.
14 July added 34 more. New additions were: Earl's Faux, DDRXBR-C, Daniels, Vorlon, Indian Stripe, Bear Creek, Richardson, and lots of Black Master.
Haven't picked yet today.
Seems many of your laggards were my first to ripen and viceversa.
I'm trying to remain patient for Terhune, both of which are loaded with large luscious looking green tomatoes and Purple Dog creek while not quite as large are just as green.
Keep us posted.
Enjoy!
Camo

[camochef]

Kath,
I don't count days. I plant seeds all on the same day, transplant to larger containers, all on the same day and transplant to the garden all at the same time (took two days this year).
I guess DTM are somewhat of a guideline but I've never found it to be anywhere near accurite.
Right now, I'm wondering just how long Terhune is going to take as well as Purple Dog Creek which has some of the prettiest looking green tomatoes in abundance.
Enjoy!
Camo

[BigdaddyJ]

Thanx for your report Camo. Yes, I thought interesting as well. I was hit early with a lot of EB and Septoria. I only have two Barlow Jap on my one plant with hardly any foliage for instance. So disease can really set you back when it occurs early in the season IMO. Once again, Dana's Dusky Rose and Gary O Sena are favorites! Greyghost gave me a Purple Dog Creek tom to sample and I'll do that today. She also gave me a Terhune because mine are at least a week away and I was eager to try one and it should be fully ripe tomorrow. Greyghost, 5 miles away, is having a much better season than I am regarding disease so you just never know and it's another reason DTM's vary wildly....

Kath, It has been my experience that a 6 week old transplant will eventually catch up to a 8 week old transplant when planting out at earliest frost free time. (Which I do, late April) You can actually stunt a plant if it's just too cold. So IMO DTM's aren't affected too much as long as plants are started within a few weeks of each other. All my varieties were started around the same time except for the two Yamal's which were started earlier by Greyghost who grows the greatest transplants from seed I have ever seen! I am not sure how much earlier she started the Yamal's but my DTM numbers were derived from April 25 when all my plants were planted in the garden. So I would track and record how your 5 week vs 8 week starts do and especially if you have the same variety in a 5 AND 8 week version...;-)

[kath]

Originally Posted by BigdaddyJ

Kath, It has been my experience that a 6 week old transplant will eventually catch up to a 8 week old transplant when planting out at earliest frost free time. (Which I do, late April) You can actually stunt a plant if it's just too cold. So IMO DTM's aren't affected too much as long as plants are started within a few weeks of each other. All my varieties were started around the same time except for the two Yamal's which were started earlier by Greyghost who grows the greatest transplants from seed I have ever seen! I am not sure how much earlier she started the Yamal's but my DTM numbers were derived from April 25 when all my plants were planted in the garden. So I would track and record how your 5 week vs 8 week starts do and especially if you have the same variety in a 5 AND 8 week version...;-)

Bigdaddy,

That the plants catch up makes sense based on what I'm seeing this year. I seeded at three different times this year over a period of 6 weeks and set plants out on May 7, 12, 13, 14, 21, 27 and June 13. Like you, we were hit with EB and Septoria early and although the plants were hit hard they seem to be putting on a lot of new growth quickly.

You can see how the DTMs don't mean much from year to year and garden to garden from the differences in yours and Camo's results so far!

Thanks! Enjoy your tomatoes!

Kath

[kath]

Originally Posted by camochef

Kath,
I don't count days. I plant seeds all on the same day, transplant to larger containers, all on the same day and transplant to the garden all at the same time (took two days this year).
I guess DTM are somewhat of a guideline but I've never found it to be anywhere near accurite.
Right now, I'm wondering just how long Terhune is going to take as well as Purple Dog Creek which has some of the prettiest looking green tomatoes in abundance.
Enjoy!
Camo

Camo,

I had too many tomatoes to plant all at the same time this year and I didn't want to risk planting them all in case we had cold weather well into May so it will make it more difficult to keep track of DTMs. Maybe it's not worth the time- I mean your results are almost the opposite of Bigdaddy's!

Your tomatoes are certainly coming in way ahead of mine this year! My earliest plant out was only 6 plants: 2 Sungold F1, JD's, Jaune Flamme, Sylvan Guame and Grub's Mystery Green. I was afraid of a late frost like last year's and these were said to be "early". The earliest was Sungold (51D) followed by Jaune Flamme (56D), Grub's (58D) and JD's (60D). No Sylvan Guame yet.

My main planting began on May 12th and took 3 days to complete. Aldi Orange Grape (63D) is the only one from that group to ripen so far. My Terhune has bad catfacing and Purple Dog Creek got hit badly with BER. They're both in the main planting group but I think it's going to be a long time before I get to taste one.

Glad your year is turning out to be a bountiful one!

Kath

[camochef]

Originally Posted by kath

Camo,

I had too many tomatoes to plant all at the same time this year and I didn't want to risk planting them all in case we had cold weather well into May so it will make it more difficult to keep track of DTMs. Maybe it's not worth the time- I mean your results are almost the opposite of Bigdaddy's!

Your tomatoes are certainly coming in way ahead of mine this year! My earliest plant out was only 6 plants: 2 Sungold F1, JD's, Jaune Flamme, Sylvan Guame and Grub's Mystery Green. I was afraid of a late frost like last year's and these were said to be "early". The earliest was Sungold (51D) followed by Jaune Flamme (56D), Grub's (58D) and JD's (60D). No Sylvan Guame yet.

My main planting began on May 12th and took 3 days to complete. Aldi Orange Grape (63D) is the only one from that group to ripen so far. My Terhune has bad catfacing and Purple Dog Creek got hit badly with BER. They're both in the main planting group but I think it's going to be a long time before I get to taste one.

Glad your year is turning out to be a bountiful one!

Kath

Kath,
I planted my last tomato on May 12, except for the replacements that were started that day, and planted out on june 2 and 4th. So you should be very close to what I'm getting.
I still haven't gotten any Terhune or Purple Dog Creek yet but have gotten from most others exccept the replacements. So far Purple Dog Creek has been one of the worst with "BER", Terhune just very long season. I have gotten from all my Brandywines, both the original P.L. and the R.L. Cowlicks, Brandywine-Sudduth's, Brandywine-Glick's, Brandywine-Stumps, and all the Brandywine crosses except Dora, and still no signs of ripening on Terhune. I think that eliminates it as being a Brandywine as had been suspected.
BTW, Liz Birt (one of the Brandywine crosses), has been quite plentiful already. As has Blackmaster and all the Black Brandywines. Amazon Chocolate has been the tastiest so far with Liz Birt right on its heels.
Problem now is stinkbugs. While early blight and septoria have been the worst I've ever seen, and "BER" has been a real problem this year, the stinkbugs are at what seems to be biblical plague proportions the past few days. Thought they were nasty last year when the adults showed up here in August/Sept. Much worse now with all their young. Almost all fruits have several on them and when they bite into the fruit they leave behind an ugly scar that renders the fruit worthless.
I can only pray that your not under attack by these hungrey little devils. I don't think there is a defense.
Good Luck!
Camo

[cottonpicker]

Interesting thread!!! I planted 7 week old plants out on May 6 this year. So far, here's my results.....
Sun Sugar, 57 da.,
Tarasenko 6, 61 da.,
Hanky Red, 61 da..... plant died a few days later from Fusarium wilt.
Barlow Jap, 69 da.,
Cuor di Bue, 69 da.,
Dana's Dusky Rose, 69 da.,
Kellogg's Breakfast, 70 da.

It's surprising how widely DTM vary from place to place and from year to year in the same spot!! Gotta say--- Dana's Dusky Rose, Barlow Jap and Cuor di Bue are definitely the tops in flavor!
LarryD

[camochef]

Originally Posted by BigdaddyJ

Thanx for your report Camo. Yes, I thought interesting as well. I was hit early with a lot of EB and Septoria. I only have two Barlow Jap on my one plant with hardly any foliage for instance. So disease can really set you back when it occurs early in the season IMO. Once again, Dana's Dusky Rose and Gary O Sena are favorites! Greyghost gave me a Purple Dog Creek tom to sample and I'll do that today. She also gave me a Terhune because mine are at least a week away and I was eager to try one and it should be fully ripe tomorrow. Greyghost, 5 miles away, is having a much better season than I am regarding disease so you just never know and it's another reason DTM's vary wildly....

Early Blight and Septoria have been the worst I've ever seen here this year as well as "BER". I did plant in a different location this year that hadn't been planted in for at least 3-4 years. I did lime heavily in the fall last year and again this spring in anticipation of planting. The only other major difference was I switched from 9-12-12 to 10-20-20 because I could get it in 50 lb bags instead of 2lb boxes. But it's been bad.
The past few days my problem has shifted to stinkbugs, they're like a plague. Thought they were bad last fall when the adults invaded this area, but these newborn are vicious. Much smaller than the brown adults these green/brown or tan buggers are smaller than the nail on my pinkie finger and swarm over ripening fruits. They leave behind an ugly scarred mess where they suck out the juices and inject their saliva, rendering the tomato useless.
They weren't a problem while the mulberries were ripening but now that they're done they've moved onto the tomatoes by the thousands. I haven't gone out to check yet this morning but yesterday evening was so disheartning. I threw away more than I brought in.
Still no ripe Terhune's or Purple Dog Creek. Amazon Chocolate has been the best tasting so far with Liz Birt right on it's heels. Looking forward to tasting quite a few others today. Black master and Black Brandywines have been the most productive so far but also plenty of Barlow Japs and Tarasenko6.
R.L. Cowlick's Brandywine has been tasty, but thick skinned this year, so far. The original Cowlick's P.L. has just started producing ripe tomatoes and they seem better. I'm listing each tomato brought inside, its weight and a brief description as I taste them, in my journals this year. I usually don't list each tomato but...
Will see how long I can maintain such records. I hope things improve on your end and that your not being invaded by stinkbugs!
Camo

[kath]

Camo~
I have the stinkbugs you describe and you answered my question with your last post. I didn't know that these smaller, greenish tan ones were the ones folks were seeing on their tomatoes and that they were the young of the big brown ones. Last year I saw a few each day and this year has been the same so far. I can't imagine the disappointment in losing so much fruit!
Yesterday, I saw some blushing on a couple of the currant/cherry types and I imagine that some more of the larger types will start to turn color soon. I'm growing some from each of your lists so I'll look for them to be ready in a week or two, based on your plant out dates and age of transplants. It's encouraging, but I'm concerned that the stinkbug numbers will increase with the ripening fruit.
Kath

[camochef]

Originally Posted by kath

Camo~
I have the stinkbugs you describe and you answered my question with your last post. I didn't know that these smaller, greenish tan ones were the ones folks were seeing on their tomatoes and that they were the young of the big brown ones. Last year I saw a few each day and this year has been the same so far. I can't imagine the disappointment in losing so much fruit!
Yesterday, I saw some blushing on a couple of the currant/cherry types and I imagine that some more of the larger types will start to turn color soon. I'm growing some from each of your lists so I'll look for them to be ready in a week or two, based on your plant out dates and age of transplants. It's encouraging, but I'm concerned that the stinkbug numbers will increase with the ripening fruit.
Kath

Kath,
Wishing you well in the battle of the stinkbugs. This area is plagued with the devils, as bad as it is here the orchards just north of town are really having problems. Peaches and Nectorines have really gone up in price and I'm sure we're going to see the same thing with apples and pears.
I quit growing cherry tomatoes so I can't compare, but I'm sure your slicers will be ripening soon. Will probably be like mine and have a large amount ripen all at once. I had eleven that first day then 22, then 29, and now in the thirties each day. Canning season is very close as I can't eat them fast enough. Unfortunately heat returns this week too.
I'm having computer problems (its dying) and I sent out a bunch of e-mail groupings to let people know. If I missed anybody, I apologize. Just don't want anyone worrying if I suddenly disappear.
Hope everyone has a successful season ahead!
Enjoy
Camo

[Full Moon]

If I start counting from planting day I'm at Day 63. The only thing I picked so far are two Sungolds. Nothing else looks even close to be ready.

I have quite a few varieties that are supposedly earlyish. (Jaune flammée 65 days/ Cosmonaut Volkov 65 Days etc). I even have one Kimberley in a pot and it's still not ready.

As some of you know this is my first year growing tomatoes in Canada. (from Melbourne) so I had absolutly no references from previous years. What I was used to was planting in ground early November, eating tomatoes in January.

Searching this site for info on a variety yesterday I stumbled on this thread dated August 5th:
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...highlight=1884

on the first page I saw two members reporting they had nothing ripe yet (other than a cherry or two) on AUGUST 5TH!

It was a relief to read that.

I never really paid attention to Dtm's in the first place it is more because I have no idea what to expect here.

So I'm going to chill out, start preventative spraying with fungicide (never done it before) coz it could be a loooooong wait.

Cheers