Jet Star problems

[piegirl]

Jet Stars have been a staple in my gardens for at least twenty years if not longer. They are my main production crop. This year the plants are a mixed-up mess. First I thought several plants were mixed up by the grower or a customer switched out plants - I called and the grower said they could be either Heartland or Celebrity bush b/c they are definitely bush plants. Now at least 3 or 4 others are definitely not JS. And because of their taste I doubt they are any other well-known variety. Several appear to have JS growth but fewer fruit, one is a really great tomato - thick fleshed, great taste, large but now the foliage is turning completely yellow - almost overnight. Several others are quite low growing with fair production, nothing ripe yet. These were the last to be planted out so they could just be laging behind. Anyone else seeing problems this year? I see Carolyn mentioned something in the why de-hybridize posting. The grower is a local greenhouse and always has top quality plants, although I don't think they are tomato 'junkies'. They don't grow a wide variety of tomatoes and only do a few heirlooms since so many of the really small farmer's market growers do heirlooms. piegirl

[carolyn137]

It does seem to me that even the local greenhouse doesn't know that you have Jet Star F1 since they mentioned other possibilities to you.

So at this point I guess I'd suggest that unless you're absolutely sure that you do have Jet Stars they may not be a problem to others.

Do they raise all their plants from seed and did you ask them what the source of their Jet Star seeds was? That might help. But it does seem that even they can't say for sure you got Jet Stars so at this point I don't think its fair to make any conclusions.

Does that make sense? it seems I was typing in circles, so I hope I was able to convey what I was thinking when I read your post.

[Wi-sunflower]

If the greenhouse starts fron seed, then it's possible that if they use teens as part time help in the spring, the help mixed things up. In my area it's a big problem that the teens think is funny.

If the greenhouse gets starts (plugs) from some big opperation, that's where the problem is. I have gotten plugs that the whole flat of 500 were not what they were named. I have also gotten flats that were a mix of varieties like the person doing the seeding didn't clean out the machine properly and seed from the last variety was still mixed in.

In any case, with plugs it could be ANYTHING as those big plug growers start hundreds of different things. Don't just go by what they list either as many do "custom" plantings that they don't list.

Carol

[feldon30]

Might make sense to start growing your own plants. The seeds are ubiquitous. The fruit has such a distinct orangish-red color, you instantly know if it's the right thing or not.

[piegirl]

yes, initially they mentioned other possibilities but that was when I thought I had only 2 stray bush variety plants. The others have emerged in the last week or so. This is a small grower so they only hire one or two helpers and do most of the seeding themselves with the help doing the heavy lifting. I would say they could be other known varieties but the taste is the give away - with one exception they are not very good tomatoes and that is the plant that is turning yellow. Carolyn - makes sense. I do know I have some true JS - a mother knows her children
I will call and ask them their seed source. Could you explain the F-1 seeds that being sold as Jet Stars. Thanks so much for the information. I am sure many gardeners wouldn't know the difference - it is red and a tomato. piegirl