Joseph's Tomato Experiments - Page 9

Andrey_BY · April 10, 2016

There is no any kind of risks in this case, Joseph. Just you choose.

Iron Curtain has fallen down 25 years ago...

Quote:

Originally Posted by joseph

Andrey: Thanks for offering. Unfortunately, the political situation here seems dire, so consenting to knowingly importing seeds from overseas is beyond my risk taking comfort zone.

Starlight · April 10, 2016

Looking good Joseph! On your market 6 packs, I wonder if you wouldn't have better luck selling them as all one kind in the six pack or if you have enough, potting them up separately into a 3" pot.

Most folks will take a whole six pack of one kind, but not to sure how willing they would be to buy two other unknown varieties.

Even with your selective breeding and taste testing, and explaining the varieties, you may find it hard to sell them that way. I would hate to see you go through all that work of potting and then have to bring home and repot.

You might even try all one kind six packs and just a few of the mixed variety packs to see how they go over or make sure you have pictures of them so folks can see what the tomatoes will look like. Even if you print out off the computer, pics and glue it to a piece of posterboard.

joseph · April 10, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrey_BY

Iron Curtain has fallen down 25 years ago...

It just moved to a different location...

joseph · April 10, 2016

Starlight: Due to varying germination rates, I'm expecting to have extras that don't sync up properly with a mixed six pack. I'm intending to offer those separately. I was shocked last year that mixed 6 packs were my best sellers.

joseph · April 10, 2016

I keep adding more and more flats of tomatoes to the greenhouse... S. habrochaites hasn't been producing pollen the past few days, so some of the fresh flowers on the domestic varieties are not getting pollinated.

Starlight · April 10, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by joseph

Starlight: Due to varying germination rates, I'm expecting to have extras that don't sync up properly with a mixed six pack. I'm intending to offer those separately. I was shocked last year that mixed 6 packs were my best sellers.

That is surprising. Who would have thought. May have to give that a try here if it worked for you.

Did you have a major change in weather that is causing lack of pollen? Can you freeze tomato pollen to use later like you can with some flowers?

joseph · April 11, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starlight

Did you have a major change in weather that is causing lack of pollen? Can you freeze tomato pollen to use later like you can with some flowers?

It's getting hot in the greenhouse... So much sun these days. The first flush of flowers got old, and haven't been replaced by a younger set. The species might be day-length sensitive, and the days are quickly getting longer. I haven't tried freezing pollen.

PhilaGardener · April 11, 2016

Said to work well if the pollen is dry. Here are some helpful references for folks interested in trying this:

http://tgc.ifas.ufl.edu/vol1/v1p11.html
http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/conten...5-16/4235.long (free access)
http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/...3/447.full.pdf (free access)

loulac · April 11, 2016

It was high time you built that greenhouse, it didn't take you very long to fill it...

Starlight · April 11, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilaGardener

Said to work well if the pollen is dry. Here are some helpful references for folks interested in trying this:

http://tgc.ifas.ufl.edu/vol1/v1p11.html
http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/conten...5-16/4235.long (free access)
http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/...3/447.full.pdf (free access)

Thanks for those links!

Gonna have to find my little capsules and give it a try, though I couldn't get the Centigrade conversions to Fahrenheit to make sense though.

Joseph... If you don't have any shade cloth, you can always toss across the top, tie some string to the four corners of a old white, flat bed sheet and tie the other end to five gallon full buckets of water. It will help cool your gh down.

Not sure how it works on plastic, as I have only done it on glass panes, but you could white wash the top.

At about what avg. day/night temperature do you put the Bush Melons out? How do you know when they are ready to pick?

joseph · April 11, 2016

Today was partly cloudy, and the S. habrochaites dropped lots of pollen. There was a whole new set of domestic varieties ready for pollination. So I'm pleased about that.

I direct seed the bush muskmelons about 10 days after our average last frost date. So daytime temperatures are around 80 and at night in the high 40s. They turn yellow and slip from the vine when ready to pick. Be careful to not over-water when the fruits are getting close to ripening. They can get a mealy/grainy texture if they absorb a lot of moisture at that time. I usually stop irrigating them when the first fruits ripen.

joseph · April 11, 2016

I planted a flat of seeds harvested from Matina. It's a variety that is attractive to bumblebees in my garden and that sometimes has an open flower structure. It is potato-leaved which is a recessive trait... Ha! Most of the seedlings are not true to type, indicating that they were cross pollinated. I've circled that plants that are true to type on the following photo. I think that these seeds came from a packet De'Matina seeds that I labeled "Best and Largest". So it's looking like that was a hybrid. Wee Ha! Don't know who's the daddy.

joseph · April 17, 2016

I've been leaving a flat of about 700 tomato seedlings and related species out in the cold. Two days ago they got snowed on. They took that OK. Last night they got radiant frost, which killed about half of them. I'm tickled as can be with that. What a great way to move the population towards more cold and frost tolerance. Preliminary results indicate that Solanum Pennellii is the most cold tolerant of the wild species in my trials. The island tomato species are the least cold tolerant. The Physalis family also showed very good frost tolerance.

Here is a sample:

joseph · April 21, 2016

The market tomatoes are growing great. They should be a perfect size for the opening day of the farmer's market in 2.5 weeks. These are 6-packs of mixed varieties.

loulac · April 22, 2016

Strong, sturdy, a perfect green, these tomatoes will be immediatly noticed by customers. Strong enough to be transplanted, not needing a post straight away. They seem to be growing in a flat, not in separate containers. May be in a clump of compressed peat and loam. You've certainly found the right solution to bring them to market. Can you explain ? thanks.

April 10, 2016	#124
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	Starlight: Due to varying germination rates, I'm expecting to have extras that don't sync up properly with a mixed six pack. I'm intending to offer those separately. I was shocked last year that mixed 6 packs were my best sellers. Last edited by joseph; April 10, 2016 at 08:13 PM.

April 11, 2016	#131
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	Today was partly cloudy, and the S. habrochaites dropped lots of pollen. There was a whole new set of domestic varieties ready for pollination. So I'm pleased about that. I direct seed the bush muskmelons about 10 days after our average last frost date. So daytime temperatures are around 80 and at night in the high 40s. They turn yellow and slip from the vine when ready to pick. Be careful to not over-water when the fruits are getting close to ripening. They can get a mealy/grainy texture if they absorb a lot of moisture at that time. I usually stop irrigating them when the first fruits ripen. Last edited by joseph; April 11, 2016 at 08:12 PM.

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April 10, 2016	#122
Starlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: AL Posts: 1,993	Looking good Joseph! On your market 6 packs, I wonder if you wouldn't have better luck selling them as all one kind in the six pack or if you have enough, potting them up separately into a 3" pot. Most folks will take a whole six pack of one kind, but not to sure how willing they would be to buy two other unknown varieties. Even with your selective breeding and taste testing, and explaining the varieties, you may find it hard to sell them that way. I would hate to see you go through all that work of potting and then have to bring home and repot. You might even try all one kind six packs and just a few of the mixed variety packs to see how they go over or make sure you have pictures of them so folks can see what the tomatoes will look like. Even if you print out off the computer, pics and glue it to a piece of posterboard.

April 10, 2016	#125
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	I keep adding more and more flats of tomatoes to the greenhouse... S. habrochaites hasn't been producing pollen the past few days, so some of the fresh flowers on the domestic varieties are not getting pollinated.

April 11, 2016	#128
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	Said to work well if the pollen is dry. Here are some helpful references for folks interested in trying this: http://tgc.ifas.ufl.edu/vol1/v1p11.html http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/conten...5-16/4235.long (free access) http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/...3/447.full.pdf (free access)

April 11, 2016	#129
loulac Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: France Posts: 554	It was high time you built that greenhouse, it didn't take you very long to fill it...

April 11, 2016	#132
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	I planted a flat of seeds harvested from Matina. It's a variety that is attractive to bumblebees in my garden and that sometimes has an open flower structure. It is potato-leaved which is a recessive trait... Ha! Most of the seedlings are not true to type, indicating that they were cross pollinated. I've circled that plants that are true to type on the following photo. I think that these seeds came from a packet De'Matina seeds that I labeled "Best and Largest". So it's looking like that was a hybrid. Wee Ha! Don't know who's the daddy.

April 17, 2016	#133
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	I've been leaving a flat of about 700 tomato seedlings and related species out in the cold. Two days ago they got snowed on. They took that OK. Last night they got radiant frost, which killed about half of them. I'm tickled as can be with that. What a great way to move the population towards more cold and frost tolerance. Preliminary results indicate that Solanum Pennellii is the most cold tolerant of the wild species in my trials. The island tomato species are the least cold tolerant. The Physalis family also showed very good frost tolerance. Here is a sample:

April 21, 2016	#134
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	The market tomatoes are growing great. They should be a perfect size for the opening day of the farmer's market in 2.5 weeks. These are 6-packs of mixed varieties.

April 22, 2016	#135
loulac Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: France Posts: 554	Strong, sturdy, a perfect green, these tomatoes will be immediatly noticed by customers. Strong enough to be transplanted, not needing a post straight away. They seem to be growing in a flat, not in separate containers. May be in a clump of compressed peat and loam. You've certainly found the right solution to bring them to market. Can you explain ? thanks.