A second crop????

[slowpoke73ds]

Around june first i started a few tomato plants with short branches that i cut off the already yielding original plants. I have gotten a couple to take root nicely and have them in pots now. Im on the gulf coast of florida and wonder if i can expect to get tomatoes from these new plants? The weather stays above freezing into november or even later around here--- I am a total newbie and have learned that next year, i will use a type of tomato that is better for my hotter summers.

I welcome any input or direction-- i'm in this for enjoyment and yummy maters too

I'm growing better boys now and plan to start with holmstead 24 seeds next year
Thanks

[AlittleSalt]

I'm in Texas, but I think you will have tomatoes

[digsdirt]

Rooting cuttings (aka clones) is a pretty common practice among growers and a good way to get plants for a fall garden. Whether they will bear fruit or not depends on several things. Under ideal conditions - long enough season, no serious pest or disease problems, and the if cutting is from an indeterminate variety the answer is a definite yes.

If it was a determinate variety then production is much more iffy, even if the other factors are fine. That's because determinate varieties are genetically programed to produce terminal blooms/fruit and then stop most further production. So timing of cutting those cutting is crucial to success.

In your location fall tomato growing is usually quite good as you have a much longer season than most of us. So the only issue is what variety were the cuttings from?

Dave

[pauldavid]

Hello Dom, they should make a crop for you. I planted some yesterday myself in North Louisiana. I am not sure of your climate down there. There are some very nice Floridians at TV, maybe they will chime in soon. Good luck and keep us posted.

[slowpoke73ds]

thanks all-- its looking good
these are better boys ill have to google the variety

[digsdirt]

Better Boys are indeterminate. No problem.

Dave

[slowpoke73ds]

I believe that i will switch to these next year--

-Big Beef
Hybrid, [[[indeterminate]]], 73 days, red, medium/large (10 ounces)

Any input on this please
-- i only want to switch because this variety seems to be more heat tolerant and i noticed that the better boys stopped producing flowers when we had over a week of temperatures in the mid 90s

[digsdirt]

Slowpoke - most any variety, even the so-called heat-tolerant varieties, will slow down blooming and stop setting fruit when the temps exceed mid-90s in the day time and/or mid-70s consistently at night. And if the humidity is high at the same time it is a double whammy.

It is a condition called "blossom drop" and is usually just a lull in production. During those periods of time the pollen in the blooms becomes tacky and non-viable. it is one reason why many of us in the south will try to rig some shade for our plants during that period and many will add in all the tricks for encouraging pollination like cage rattling and blossom flicking at the same time.

Blooming and fruit set picks back up, assuming the plant remains healthy and well fed, as soon as the temps and humidity break.

Now if there are no blooms at all then you may be looking at more than just a temp issues, perhaps a nutrient insufficiency or a mis-timed feeding?

Big Beef is a popular variety with many growers, especially those who prefer only hybrids, but it will have the same response to excess heat and humidity so it isn't the variety that is in question, it is the weather.

Plus even in northern Florida you are well near the end of this tomato growing season for now regardless of the variety. Many Florida growers already report they are done. Fortunately you get to plant much earlier than most of us and you'll have a second growing season in the fall that we all miss out on.

In my own experience with Better Boy vs. Big Beef I have found a couple of problems with Big Beef. 1. it is a much bushier plant so requires more spacing and some trimming to get good air circulation and 2. its total production, while bigger fruit, is less overall than with Better Boy.

Just some thoughts to consider.

Dave

[slowpoke73ds]

thanks digger

[slowpoke73ds]

Soo i have moved all 7 pots of tomato plants to a place that is a bit out of the sun-- still sunny but less. Then since i already made some seeds from my better boys i am now believing that i will stick with them for next year--- btw i just ordered a very cheap electric toothbrush to agitate the tomato flowers -- i think i'm learning something===I THEEENNKK

[digsdirt]

Then since i already made some seeds from my better boys i am now believing that i will stick with them for next year

You mean you saved seeds from Better Boys? As an F1 hybrid they don't breed true from seed. With a few exceptions seed saving works with open-pollinated (aka heirloom) varieties. But if you just buy a packet of seeds and store them in a jar in the fridge it will last you for many years.

Since you have 7 pots why not try both, Better Boy and Big Beef and one of the many open-pollinated varieties that you can save seed from?

Dave

[slowpoke73ds]

I get it --ok and again thanks for the advice-- i have 3 new ones going from the seeds i made-- i hope to get my second crop from plants that i have going from suckers that i rooted=== but the 3 i have going from my seeds are just very small now. i guess including the ones i started recently in smaller pots i have about 11 going.----my neighbor suggested that i was giving my producing plants too much sun==soooo i moved them-- i have a very small plot of land and i think the place i moved the plants to may get contaminated by drainage from a metal awning--- i will look tomorrow and see

[slowpoke73ds]

Now i need to know what tomatoes will be good in warm areas and that i can make seeds from--- big beef???