Starting Heirlooms Earlier

Jimbo · January 30, 2006

Hello Folks,

This is my first post on this forum, and I'm already looking forward to the exchange of ideas. I was born and raised in Virginia, but I have now lived in West Texas for 20 years or more. I am an avid gardener, especially tomatoes. I have had some success with growing heirlooms. Brandywine Red, for example, did very well in my garden. I have had less success with some of the others, especially late setting ones such as Brandywine and Akers West Virginia. Hybrids have floursished in my garden, but some of the larger heirlooms have not. Our last expected frost date here is March 25. In the past, I have set out my plants on or shortly after this date. As it turns out, I could have set out those plants out a couple of weeks earlier. This is due to the mild weather that we sometimes have towards the last half of March. This year I plan to set out my heirloom choices a couple of weeks earlier, say around March 10. Perhaps by starting these plants at that time, they will have a longer period to set their fruit BEFORE the hot weather sets in. Does this make sense? Do some of you increase your heirloom production by setting out your plants early?
Thanks in advance for any comments.

markferon · January 30, 2006

jimbo: well i plant out my tomato plants feb 15 and my last frost is april 15. I use a very usefull device called wall o water. I have ripe fruit as early as may 1-15 when i get good year.

Dr_Redwine · January 30, 2006

Jimbo:
I'm interested in this very topic myself...Mark, where are you located? Sounds like a zone 7 or 8?

DrR

**Mischka** · February 3, 2006

The last frost day in my neck of the woods is around Memorial Day; I do cheat and set many of my plants out around May 10th or so.

I have a microclimate here created by a large hill behind my garden; many times I've gone into town on an early morning and noticed frost whereas there wasn't any at my place.

The last frost day is a good rule of thumb to follow. Being impatient and planting outside too early can cost you dearly. Nothing worse than raising some nice lush seedlings, to lose them to an unexpected freeze

**nctomatoman** · February 3, 2006

I'm not one to rush things - don't use wall o waters, just use early varieties to get things going. Our last frost date tends to be mid April, but I the garden is usually quite soggy and we are busy selling seedlings mid April thru mid May - so here is the rule of thumb I use for timings.

Plant seeds mid February, start transplanting into 4 inch pots mid March, seedlings ready for transplant (or selling or giving away) mid April, garden goes in early to mid may, time permitting.

If I plant Kimberly or Mexico Midget, I start eating ripe tomatoes 40-45 days from transplant, with an array of ripening dates, since I plant so many different varieties.

Suze · February 3, 2006

Jim, in Texas, panhandle excepted, the last week of March is about as late as I would ever consider setting plants most years. And, I generally plant the first or second week of March (subject to long-range forecast). I don't think March 10 is what I would consider "early", especially for your longer DTM varieties, because we have such a short window of time to get good fruit set before it simply gets too hot.

As I'd mentioned to you on DG, I think it pays to have some backup plants and be prepared to protect, though.

Jimbo · February 3, 2006

Thanks for the thoughtful replies. Just one more point of clarification. I'm really not talking about rushing the season. I'm perfectly happy with the many tomatoes that I harvest from plants set out on or around my last expected frost date. But, since I have had some difficulty getting certain tomatoes with a longer DTM to set fruit, perhaps I would be more successful by giving those tomatoes a couple of extra weeks in the ground to do their job before the hot weather comes. Of course, one has to consider local conditions and weather forecasts before setting out any tomato plants. I raise my own seedlings, and I do keep backups. If my plants bite the dust, I simply replant. Our temperatures here have been very mild during January; but, in Texas, that doesn't necessarily mean that we still can't have a big freeze. I must admit that I have only attempted a few Heirlooms like Akers West Va, Boxcar Willie, Brandywine, and Druzba. My success with these varieties has been
mediocre. I'm hoping that by planting these and other heirlooms a little earlier will result in a greater production. NCTOMATOMAN, thanks for your comments. I was born and raised just up the road from you in Danville, Va. My Dad was a truck farmer there many years ago. The weather here in West Texas is really not bad. But as we go into the months of May and June, it usually gets hotter. SUZE, thanks again, I can tell that you experience the same narrow window of opportunity that we do here in West Texas.

Plantersville · February 8, 2006

Jimbo
I just got 32 plants in the ground last weekend with half of them being heirlooms, hoping to get heirlooms earlier than last year. Last year I planted in mid-March and by the time they started setting fruit, the heat kicked in, limiting their production. I feel like you, that if I get an earlier start I will get a better production. We shall see!!

Earl · February 8, 2006

If you have the setup to take care of them, maybe you should try starting a few seeds a couple weeks/or a month earlier and plant bigger/older plants. But the most important thing to do is warm the soil with clear plastic, else the roots will just sit there waiting on soil temps they like, and of course protect plants from frost and temps below 45 if possible using wows or such and if possible wrap caged plants with plastic.

Leave the clear plastic down and as the temps rise [keep check with thermometer] and when soil temp starts to get to hot remove plastic. Last year, planting early types first week or so of April I had tomatoes mid-June even tho' I nearly killed them in my coldframe when I left the lid closed one morning.

January 30, 2006	#1
Jimbo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2	Starting Heirlooms Earlier Hello Folks, This is my first post on this forum, and I'm already looking forward to the exchange of ideas. I was born and raised in Virginia, but I have now lived in West Texas for 20 years or more. I am an avid gardener, especially tomatoes. I have had some success with growing heirlooms. Brandywine Red, for example, did very well in my garden. I have had less success with some of the others, especially late setting ones such as Brandywine and Akers West Virginia. Hybrids have floursished in my garden, but some of the larger heirlooms have not. Our last expected frost date here is March 25. In the past, I have set out my plants on or shortly after this date. As it turns out, I could have set out those plants out a couple of weeks earlier. This is due to the mild weather that we sometimes have towards the last half of March. This year I plan to set out my heirloom choices a couple of weeks earlier, say around March 10. Perhaps by starting these plants at that time, they will have a longer period to set their fruit BEFORE the hot weather sets in. Does this make sense? Do some of you increase your heirloom production by setting out your plants early? Thanks in advance for any comments. __________________ JimC, Zone 7, West Texas

January 30, 2006	#3
Dr_Redwine Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Pike Road, AL Posts: 111	Early Heirlooms Jimbo: I'm interested in this very topic myself...Mark, where are you located? Sounds like a zone 7 or 8? DrR

February 3, 2006	#4
Mischka Tomatoville® Administrator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Bay State Posts: 3,207	The last frost day in my neck of the woods is around Memorial Day; I do cheat and set many of my plants out around May 10th or so. I have a microclimate here created by a large hill behind my garden; many times I've gone into town on an early morning and noticed frost whereas there wasn't any at my place. The last frost day is a good rule of thumb to follow. Being impatient and planting outside too early can cost you dearly. Nothing worse than raising some nice lush seedlings, to lose them to an unexpected freeze __________________ Mischka One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

February 3, 2006	#5
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	I'm not one to rush things - don't use wall o waters, just use early varieties to get things going. Our last frost date tends to be mid April, but I the garden is usually quite soggy and we are busy selling seedlings mid April thru mid May - so here is the rule of thumb I use for timings. Plant seeds mid February, start transplanting into 4 inch pots mid March, seedlings ready for transplant (or selling or giving away) mid April, garden goes in early to mid may, time permitting. If I plant Kimberly or Mexico Midget, I start eating ripe tomatoes 40-45 days from transplant, with an array of ripening dates, since I plant so many different varieties. __________________ Craig

February 3, 2006	#7
Jimbo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2	Starting Heirlooms Earlier Thanks for the thoughtful replies. Just one more point of clarification. I'm really not talking about rushing the season. I'm perfectly happy with the many tomatoes that I harvest from plants set out on or around my last expected frost date. But, since I have had some difficulty getting certain tomatoes with a longer DTM to set fruit, perhaps I would be more successful by giving those tomatoes a couple of extra weeks in the ground to do their job before the hot weather comes. Of course, one has to consider local conditions and weather forecasts before setting out any tomato plants. I raise my own seedlings, and I do keep backups. If my plants bite the dust, I simply replant. Our temperatures here have been very mild during January; but, in Texas, that doesn't necessarily mean that we still can't have a big freeze. I must admit that I have only attempted a few Heirlooms like Akers West Va, Boxcar Willie, Brandywine, and Druzba. My success with these varieties has been mediocre. I'm hoping that by planting these and other heirlooms a little earlier will result in a greater production. NCTOMATOMAN, thanks for your comments. I was born and raised just up the road from you in Danville, Va. My Dad was a truck farmer there many years ago. The weather here in West Texas is really not bad. But as we go into the months of May and June, it usually gets hotter. SUZE, thanks again, I can tell that you experience the same narrow window of opportunity that we do here in West Texas. __________________ JimC, Zone 7, West Texas

January 30, 2006	#2
markferon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 68	jimbo: well i plant out my tomato plants feb 15 and my last frost is april 15. I use a very usefull device called wall o water. I have ripe fruit as early as may 1-15 when i get good year.

February 3, 2006	#6
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	Jim, in Texas, panhandle excepted, the last week of March is about as late as I would ever consider setting plants most years. And, I generally plant the first or second week of March (subject to long-range forecast). I don't think March 10 is what I would consider "early", especially for your longer DTM varieties, because we have such a short window of time to get good fruit set before it simply gets too hot. As I'd mentioned to you on DG, I think it pays to have some backup plants and be prepared to protect, though.

February 8, 2006	#8
Plantersville Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plantersville, Texas Zone 8 Posts: 138	Jimbo I just got 32 plants in the ground last weekend with half of them being heirlooms, hoping to get heirlooms earlier than last year. Last year I planted in mid-March and by the time they started setting fruit, the heat kicked in, limiting their production. I feel like you, that if I get an earlier start I will get a better production. We shall see!!

February 8, 2006	#9
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	If you have the setup to take care of them, maybe you should try starting a few seeds a couple weeks/or a month earlier and plant bigger/older plants. But the most important thing to do is warm the soil with clear plastic, else the roots will just sit there waiting on soil temps they like, and of course protect plants from frost and temps below 45 if possible using wows or such and if possible wrap caged plants with plastic. Leave the clear plastic down and as the temps rise [keep check with thermometer] and when soil temp starts to get to hot remove plastic. Last year, planting early types first week or so of April I had tomatoes mid-June even tho' I nearly killed them in my coldframe when I left the lid closed one morning.