Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[Barb_FL]

After 3 days in January with lows down to 32, plants have held up well. Taste was not great on the large tomatoes with ones ripening during the cold spell but even that has improved. Who says you can't grow big plants in an Earthbox or 7 gallon container?

[ginger2778]

So far I only have one pineapple forming, what's up with that?
My Kent mango is loaded with blossoms, it should be a good mango year.

[Barb_FL]

I have 3 forming but I noticed them back in January after the first long cold spell and none since. I think they will be really large pineapples though; they are on the largest plants. I think they usually start in March.

I bet you have loads of blossoms; I posted a picture of mine in the photo section.

Really nasty wind today though.

[efisakov]

Barb, thank you for these pictures. I almost smell the air. Florida air has its own distinct aroma. I can not put my fingers what it is exactly, but it is different. And I love it.
Your tomatoes look gorgeous. The once on the last photo, what area they (look like BKX)?

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by efisakov

Barb, thank you for these pictures. I almost smell the air. Florida air has its own distinct aroma. I can not put my fingers what it is exactly, but it is different. And I love it.
Your tomatoes look gorgeous. The once on the last photo, what area they (look like BKX)?

Thank you. Not BXX - The last photo is Sweet Scarlet.

Other dwarfs I'm growing:
Chocolate Lightning - very productive for dwarf, grew last spring; taste great before cold, taste not good during coldspell.

Sweet Scarlet - Actually I have quite a few of these because of an EB experiment and controls, and also in root pouches. I use to have the hardest time growing them. The best taste of my dwarfs.

BrandyFred - . BrandyFred is really productive for a dwarf and tasted great before the cold spell. Something was getting them (rats ?) during the cold. Now I am wrapping the tomatoes with tulle which seems to be working. Bought seeds from Victory.

Adalaide - Only ripened during the cold spell and not good. Purchased seeds.

Wild Spudleaf - Only ripened during cold spell and not good. Fairly productive. Purchased seeds.

Tennessee Suited - Only ripened during cold spell and taste was fair. Hoping for better taste with the next ones ripening.

Brandywine - Tasted great before cold spell; no ripened ones since. Grew last spring but very few tomatoes then but they were excellent so gave it another chance. Much more productive now.

Other large tomatoes is Big Beef - tasted good before cold spell and fair when ripened during cold spell.

Momotaro - This one was started much later so I have nothing ripening yet. Cant tell but plant is loaded (middle plant in 3rd picture). This plant had zero leaf burn and withstood the cold better than any. It was as if was 80 degrees and no wind the entire time. I grew this last year and it was really productive.

Cherry tomatoes:
Sungold - taste is better than ever during/since the coldspell. Leaves were affectly badly with the cold/wind but snapped back. No visible signs.

SunPeach - First time growing - Production out of this world. Highly recommend. Taste is not unique like SG but just better than any red/pink cherry. (3rd picture - plant on right was a clone grown in last years mix (I started over for fear of salt buildup). Also first and 2nd plants on left (picture 2). Plant clones better than any other. 2nd plant in picture is a clone. LOVE IT; good shelf life too.

SunChocola - Same comments as SunPeach; LOVE IT. Have 2 plants; mine were started in late October so seemed late but probably because of the cold weather.

Lizzano - grew last spring and liked it a lot (definitely enough to come back); productive but not good this year; want to tear it out of the EB to replace with a seedling i started thinking my plants would die from the cold.

Pink BumbleBee - Bland taste

Esterina - grew last spring; Super productive; Like a lot and looks great in trays with the Suns.

Brads Atomic Grape - grew last spring; Super Productive but so LATE.

Sakura - Started in Dec; purchased seeds. Fast grower and tomato set. Nothing ripe yet.

ETA - Metalica Dwarf - Started late (early Nov) - healthy plant with one single big beautiful tomato on it. Brought into the garage during the cold nights. Oakley gave me the seeds and said it was the best tomato ever. I feed this plant all the time but does not put out many blossoms. Hopefully, more will come once the fruit is ripe and picked.

[elight]

Those look great, Barb! I wish my plants in EarthTainers and 7 gallon pots looked that good. I'm hoping this winter's freezes (the first in a few years here) will scale back some of the insect and animal issues I've had. What do you do on terms of a spraying abd/or pruning program?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by elight

Those look great, Barb! I wish my plants in EarthTainers and 7 gallon pots looked that good. I'm hoping this winter's freezes (the first in a few years here) will scale back some of the insect and animal issues I've had. What do you do on terms of a spraying abd/or pruning program?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

I don't spray at all for fungus with one exception. I have huge winds where I live so that might control it. For general bugs I use the yellow leaf trap on every plant. Marsha recommended them and I totally concur. Have not had white fly/leaf miners since using them. Last year I had Tomato Russet Mites and sprayed Pyrethrin. I bought a cheap scope ($12ish) and if anything on the leaves doesn't look right, I check. No TRM since last spring.

Exception - I have an Earthbox that I am testing a water only mix (no fertilizer). Was definitely impressed - produced tomatoes, no BER, as good as the control plant (with fertilizer) UNTIL the other day when I noticed spots and yellowing on the leaves. Yesterday afternoon I noticed a tiny black spot or two on every leaf. Sprayed with Neem Oil; This am, the tiny black spots seem to have grown and I can almost see the yellow ring around it. Will be contacting the vendor.

[elight]

Yeah, here is central Central Florida, the air is totally stagnant (and I don't even live on even a small body of water). I used to go out and spray first thing in the morning but now with kids, it's just not feasible. And by nap time, it's too hot to spray.

When you say a water-only mix, do you mean only using water-soluble fertilizers (no granular fertilizer strip), or no fertilizers whatsoever? With the short growing seasons, I think it would be hard to get plants to produce quickly enough without any fertilizer of any sort.

[ginger2778]

Some of the happenings around my garden:
My yesterday, today, tomorrow plants are in bloom, beneath my Kent mango, which has a full load of blossoms, going to be a good mango season this summer, I think.

Star fruit tree loaded

My baby Cacao with new leaves growing.

[ginger2778]

A small stalk of bananas forming

Kalanchoe in bloom, and my only pineapple so far this year

My 9 months planted pomegranite putting on new growth

[Barb_FL]

Great pictures Marsha. It definitely has the makings to be an excellent Mango season. The star fruit tree is so cool.

Keep checking your pineapples, Today, I saw 2 of the Hawaiian plants with fruit when pulling weeds.

ELIGHT - No fertilizer whatsoever. Just the mix has everything it needs. (In my case it had everything it needed for 3 months which is probably the average time tomatoes are planted out in Michigan where it is made.

Here is the link: Scroll down the page:
http://www.detroitnutrientcompany.com/

[efisakov]

Nice pictures, Marsha. Love the one with the star fruit tree. It must have aroma that is out of this world.
I am glad your new once are well and growing. Is pomegranate tree a dwarf variety?

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by efisakov

Nice pictures, Marsha. Love the one with the star fruit tree. It must have aroma that is out of this world.
I am glad your new once are well and growing. Is pomegranate tree a dwarf variety?

No, they have a bush growth habit here.

[Barb_FL]

Wanted to share and post some pictures.

My next door neighbor does a huge garage sale yearly. This year I asked if I could put up a table and sell tomatoes and tomato plants. Garage sale starts at 8 (although people got there way earlier). I was completely sold out by 9:30. I collected $137.
Sold tomatoes (mostly cherries - SunChocola, SunPeach, some SunGold, Esterina, and Brad's Atomic Grape in little bowls ($2) or boats ($3) combos. They were really pretty. A couple of the boats had 2 BigBeef tomatoes and the cherry mix as fill.

I ran out twice during that time and went back home to pick more. Subsequent picking didn't have BAG b/c ripeness isn't obvious like the others and I needed to be fast.

I planned on making 30 bowls/boats but my husband was so discouraging that I would be disappointed. Then when I ran out and was at home picking tomatoes, he thought I took a long time and tells me all the sales I missed.

I also sold a few plants - Cuttings $5 and plants such as Sukara for $10.

Pictures:

1. Rebel Alliance - Inspired by Marsha's picture in her '17-18 grow thread. I just wish I started it when I admired her plant.

2. Momotaro - I grew this last year and was worth a repeat performance. Started way later than my other plants.

[kayrobbins]

The people that bought your tomato plants were probably thrilled to find such nice plants, interesting varieties and a great price. Now you know how to be prepared for next year's sale.