Late ripening

[moulman]

Ok, now I am officially worried about my total harvest.

Here's what I've got in the garden -

Early Girl (was supposed to be anyway, but that's another story) -
Fireworks -
Cherokee Purple -
Beefsteak- (Generic, big box seeds)supposedly 65days
Lemon Boy-
Green Zebra-
Red Brandywine-
Brandy Sudduth-
Brandy Yellow-
Persimmon-
Jubilee-
Washington Cherry-
Super Sweet 100-
Ildi-
Reisentraub-

All were started from seed in March here in Z6, and transplanted on May 16th after 2 wks hardening off. All were large transplant in the 12-18" range.
All but the cherries are nearly six ft high. Most have large green toms.

I have had one, count 'em - ONE ripe tomato (what was supposed to be Early Girl - but its a PL) that was picked a nearly a month ago.

Brandywine has no toms, few flowers.
Brandywine Yellow has one tom few flowers.
I have been stingy with ferts, and water about every 4-5 days with soakers. All the plants are very healthy with no disease.
Tomorrow is the 80th day.

Am I the only one with this happening? Our weather has been great (with the exception of 3-4 days over 100 degrees, followed by 90+ for about a week) in the 80-87F range.......
Why are the early varieties not producing ripe tomatoes?
I know there are a lot of factors to consider, but this has been an excellent year weather-wise overall. I should be swimming in Fireworks and Beefsteaks and Early Girls - not to mention the cherries......
I am worried..

[Kenyadenola]

Your worried, I have most of tomatoes in the same area and some have an abundance of green toms, while others are big plants with few toms, and some that I thought would only give a few have given way more. The ones that are supposed to be prolific are not, and everything has been fertilized the same and watered the same. The ones I'm most anxious for aren't do anything and the ones that were there for filler are pumping them out!!

The only good things is that out here in the Santa Clara Valley the first frost could come as late as January, so I should be able to pull out a good harvest eventually, hopefully!

Kenya

[spyfferoni]

I am assuming my weather has been similar to yours---maybe a bit hotter. I planted out a little bit later than you. I have lots of green toms but have just recently(yesterday) picked a few ripe cherry tomatoes. I have a few plants that haven't set fruit yet either. We had a late frost in the first part of June and some cool weather that kind of slowed things down in my garden and even killed off several plants. I think that is why I don't have ripe toms yet. I am still weeks from anything besides some different cherry types ripening. My peppers on the other hand are doing great. I have been harvesting Sweet Banana peppers for several weeks, and will begin harvesting bell peppers before too long. Hopefully we will have a nice warm fall like last year to give everything a chance to ripen up. I am going to attempt planting out some tomatoes earlier next year with walls of water and see if I can get an earlier harvest.
I'm sick of nasty store bought tomatoes. A friend of mine that live in the SLC valley has been getting ripe toms for over a month now (I'm in Utah Valley) he also has more protetction from wind and the elements where he lives and he only planted out 2 weeks earlier than me----that two weeks sure makes a difference!!!

Tyffanie

[tylenol]

I planted out my Fireworks in mid April..pulled the first ripe fruit on July 15th. I no longer, and haven't for some time, payed much attention to dtm's.
Rob

[Kenyadenola]

The funny thing about this year is that normally my peppers and tomatoes go out at the same time, around the middle or end of March. Yeah, we usually get one last cold spell after that, but no freezes. The toms usually start coming in around the begining or mid of July and the peppers take till the middle or end of August to really start crankin'. This year I have had more japs and serranos than I can handle. I have made jap jelly and still have more to go, and I don't even know what to do with serranos since I am not cooking as much right now.

[Sorellina]

Ciao all,

Misery loves company and I have to admit, this post makes me feel a teensy bit better that it's not just me wondering what the heck is going on in the garden this year. I chalked it up to my tunderiffic location and a really cold, close to freezing May long weekend, the traditional weekend when most Eastern Canadians do their outside planting. But sheesh, I planted out on 25 May and the only early worth its salt is Kotlas. I haven't had a ripe Azoychka or Moskvich. Meanwhile, the heat pretty much did in all the container plants and I have a grand total of maybe 5 or so fruit on each one. It's more than a tad depressing. The cherries, saladettes, and pastes are the ones that don't seem to drop their blossoms as much in high heat and humidity, but boy, the hearts and beefsteaks are hating life right now.

[melody]

I usually plant out in mid April, but due to the spring monsoons, and my garden being underwater till the first week of June, I was much later getting things in the ground.
I think my actual plant out was June 12.

I had the forsight to anticipate this , but not to this extent. My transplants were larger than normal, and I had to trench them in.

I've been anal about taking care of them, as I've had 3 misrable years in a row...and am determined to have some great tomatoes.

My first ripe ones will be Break O Day...the vines are absolutely hanging full, despite the oppressive heat and humidity. They are going to be the workhorse this year...got several fruits on most everything else except for the Gold Medal. It's a bi-color, and is just taking it's time.

I have a nice long growing season and won't expect frost before Oct 15...and then if I cover everything, they'll still be fine. Won't get a killing frost before November sometime.

I'm just going to have to be patient...but I'm usually swimming in tomatoes by now, and it's getting frustrating to wait.

[matermama]

Here in Ohio where i live im having same problem. My maters are all green, some are statrting to blush only 3. I don't know if i can go on ( weeps with sorrow )
My basil is out of control.
I have herd that alot of peole are having same problems.
sue

[lumierefrere]

Same thing here. Huge plants, lots of foliage and only 2 varieties seem normal--Grandfather Ashlock & Mazarini not that I have ripe tomatoes from them yet at least I expect to. Everything else, including Besser, Dr. Carolyn & Galina's, have a few and those are green. Tick tock, my frost date is approaching. I planted fewer plants this year and it's a worse jungle than last.

[kimpossible]

I've been waiting and waiting and waiting ... have a grand total of about 10 Black Cherries, 5 Peacevine Cherries (not even enough for a mouthful!), 1 Yellow Pear ( ), 1 Pink Ping Pong, about 10 Kimberly's over the past 5 days ...

But finally I am starting to get my first mid-size reds & pinks - Livingston's Rosy Morn, Stone, Perfection, some so-called earlies - Savignac, Manitoba, ...

So at least it's starting. I have 100 plants out there, 85 varieties. I suspect in two weeks we will all be wondering what we're going to do with all those tomatoes!

[Andrey_BY]

I expect the same late ripening here in Zone 4a as well with transplant date May 20. There was a very hot July (about +30 C), but now it is much colder (about +20 C) and rainfalls. So it is one of the rare years here when tomatoes feel much better in open ground then in greenhouses.
Most of my usual favorites are either much smaller in size or moderate in productivity, except Zarya (PL), Tarasenko 6 and Yubileyny Tarasenko. Copia, Tlacalula Pink Ribbed, Teton de Venus yellow and Emerald Green are doing well. Green Sausage and many plum and roma shaped varieties recently were awarded with BER this year which is quite unusual for our places.