Done with Heirlooms for a while. Favorite Hybrids? - Page 2

Postmanrings · February 6, 2016

I would say about 5 ft. Think I'll try the heirlooms again and spray more than I was doing. Thanks

b54red · February 6, 2016

None of the traditional fungicides will do a lot of good once you let the diseases take hold of your plants. Use them for prevention and use them regularly. You might want to start with Daconil and every few sprays swap out and use a copper spray because the copper spray is more effective with gray mold and some of the spot and speck diseases.

Use a good mulch that prevents any soil splash back and make sure to remove the lower limbs from the plant very early in the growing process to aid in air flow and prevent diseases from starting too soon. Keep the plant pruned enough to allow good air flow and sunlight to reach as much of the foliage as possible. Limit the number of stems you allow to reduce the denseness of the plant. I prefer allowing only two stems.

When diseases do finally hit your plants and they usually will no matter how carefully you tend them; use the dilute bleach spray as soon as possible. Unlike most fungicides it will actually stop most diseases or at least slow them down if you use it soon enough. A day or so after using it remove all the dead and shriveled diseased limbs and leaves and spray with your fungicide again. The diluted bleach spray can be used as often as needed from early in the season til the end. Read the thread on it carefully before using it and if you have a question just ask.

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...t=bleach+spray

If you want a dependable and tasty hybrid that can produce for a long time you might want to give Big Beef F1 a try. It was my insurance tomato for many many years and very dependable. I prefer the taste of heirlooms and since learning to graft to overcome soil borne problems that are persistent in my garden I don't grow it anymore but if I couldn't graft I sure would.

Bill

Gardeneer · February 6, 2016

Bill, that is a comprehensive program. Thanks. I have tried to do all those things last season: And I was fine.
I do pruning as you have outlined and do spraying with Daconil, Copper Fungicide , Neem Oil and bleach. Not very many people believe in pruning !!! Even when a limb is half dead.

My only issue was grey mold. But that happened when I stopped spraying later in October, since my season was practically over anyway. Our rain season start some time in September and that is when grey mold starts growing.
Gardeneer

Starlight · February 7, 2016

I was just going to suggest Bill's bleach spray recipe and see has already posted a link to it. It saved my plants for sure.

I agree with other folks. If you don't have good gardening practices and nutrition practices, it doesn't matter what you grow. You will have problems. Thankfully there are lots of season tomato growers here who have seen and dealt with just about any problem you might come across. They are always glad to help if you just ask.

Best to ask before planting things you can do to help give your plants best start from them and also their practices before you have problems. Even with all their help sometimes mother nature has her own way, but you ask for help a head of time you do have a better chance of a productive and fruitful season.

b54red · February 7, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Bill, that is a comprehensive program. Thanks. I have tried to do all those things last season: And I was fine.
I do pruning as you have outlined and do spraying with Daconil, Copper Fungicide , Neem Oil and bleach. Not very many people believe in pruning !!! Even when a limb is half dead.

My only issue was grey mold. But that happened when I stopped spraying later in October, since my season was practically over anyway. Our rain season start some time in September and that is when grey mold starts growing.
Gardeneer

I understand your problem with a rainy season. We have them also and they can be a real problem when they last too long with very little let up and few sunny days. I found that using the common fungicides during the times when rain occurs frequently is a futile and expensive proposition. I just use the bleach spray more often. Sometimes it is hard to find a time when the rain isn't a hindrance; but usually every 3 to 5 days there is a time when I can get out there and spray the wet plants with the bleach spray. When I see problems I have even sprayed every day for a few days in order to slow down the growth of things like gray mold or Septoria leaf spot. However if the rain and cloudy conditions last long enough you sometimes just have to give in the the inevitable though I find that hard to do.

Another big problem with very extended rainy periods is that it ruins the taste of every black tomato variety I have ever had along with many others. The black tomatoes seem far more susceptible to losing their taste from over watering than the others and they are far more susceptible to gray mold so it is a double whammy. I always set out the majority of my black tomato varieties later in the season so they are in their prime during our usually very dry late summer and fall season. Even though I get far larger fruits and better production out of plants set out in early spring, the loss of flavor from most black varieties grown in the cooler and wetter part of the season is just unacceptable for me. I much prefer the full flavor they develop during the hot dry part of the season and I have the luxury of having that choice due to the very long season we have down here. Another benefit of setting them out a bit latter is that gray mold is not usually as bad a problem once the rainiest times are past. Of course some years the wettest times are during late summer but that is rare and usually a disaster when it happens.

In the past when I grew Big Cheef I did find that it maintained its flavor a bit better than most black tomatoes during wetter times and didn't split as bad as some like Black Krim and PBTD. Spudakee also held up a bit better for some reason. I also found Spudakee slightly less affected by gray mold.

Bill

ContainerTed · February 7, 2016

I think the reason I suggested "Garden Safe" as an antifungal spray is because it is also an insecticide and Miticide. It does a great job on the Japanese Beetles and June Bugs that come here in "clouds". I've not had a spider mite infestation in the last 6 years.

Like B54Red says above. If you wait until you see the wilted foliage, you're already too late. Do the Preventative Applications. If it rains, spray after the rain quits. Always do the undersides of the leaves. The sun and wind dry the top sides quite quickly. Just set your mind to the fact that "bad stuff thrives in the shadows".

And remember that you can totally defeat all the bacteria and viruses and small critters, and have the whole thing trampled and eaten when the cows get thru the fence.

Gardening is always an adventure.

Yak54 · February 7, 2016

Note: PREVENTATIVE means you spray when plants are and look very healthy, BEFORE any signs of disease show up.

Gardeneer · February 7, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yak54

Note: PREVENTATIVE means you spray when plants are and look very healthy, BEFORE any signs of disease show up.

Exactly.
If you wait until your plants are diseased, then it might be too late already.

AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN A POUND OF CURE.

AlittleSalt · February 7, 2016

It took me a while but what Bill and Ted have written in the past - finally sunk in my head late last growing season. Spray the plants "before they start showing signs." I had tried reviving plants that already had problems with next to no good results.

This reminds me that I need to buy some copper fungicide spray too.

crazyoldgooseman · February 8, 2016

Good advice here. I also try to increase air flow by spacing plants at least 3 ft apart in a single row if I can and not planting near other tall plants like corn etc and I spray with copper and daconil sp? Good luck and thanks all.

Gerardo · February 8, 2016

Pruning, mulching, neem and daconil have worked well for me.

Also, a very simple thing is to upgrade to a sprayer with a long wand-nozzle so you can go under the leaves with ease. The round-up branded ones are very solid and a good bang for the buck.

Try Mt. Magic a saladette machine with great disease resistance

AlittleSalt · February 8, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Postmanrings

I live in Washington County and remember last year was a mess I think in April or May. Rained the WHOLE month each day which made for less blossom. But it just bugged me as I put down plastic around plants, used a dripper, and sprayed when I started to see the brown leaves. Plants grew tall and healthy, then after a couple months leaves went brown and I got maybe half of what I should have gotten. Oh well maybe I'll give heirlooms another try as taste is my top goal. What are your favorites? I plant maybe only 15 plants to fit in my garden.

There are a lot miles between PA and TX, but our Late April - mid June was basically the same as your April-May. It rained almost every day. A few OP tomatoes that did pretty well in all that rain were:

Ambrosia Red
Black Krim
Bradley
Matt's Wild Cherry
Medovaya Kaplya
Oranje Van Goeijenbier
Snow White
Sungold Hybrid F1
Yellow Riesentraube

It seems to me that cherry tomatoes can take more extreme conditions better than larger size tomatoes. But that's just my observations and opinion so far.

There were others that produced very well during all that rain, but they all tasted the same - blah/tasteless. The rain seemed to wash away the flavor. I know the ones that were in this category all taste good in more normal growing conditions - so I won't list them.

Worth1 · February 8, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

There are a lot miles between PA and TX, but our Late April - mid June was basically the same as your April-May. It rained almost every day. A few OP tomatoes that did pretty well in all that rain were:

Ambrosia Red
Black Krim
Bradley
Matt's Wild Cherry
Medovaya Kaplya
Oranje Van Goeijenbier
Snow White
Sungold Hybrid F1
Yellow Riesentraube

It seems to me that cherry tomatoes can take more extreme conditions better than larger size tomatoes. But that's just my observations and opinion so far.

It is because they are closer to what their natural ancestors were.
I have also read that they think the first tomatoes brought over were yellow or orange not red.
This is the reason I tend to lean towards the smaller and yellow tomatoes.
Worth

Captain Neon · February 8, 2016

I grow Better Boys as my safety tomatoes. I've never lived any place long enough to find what grows the best in my area. Last year was an awesome year for tomatoes in my area. New town; new garden spot. I always like to try something different every year, but I am slow to remove a variety that has a history of good results for me. It has been my observation that one either gets very few tomatoes or more than they know what to do with. With a new baby in the house last summer, a lot of tomatoes simply went to waste. I'm trying Brandy Boy to see if it might replace my Better Boy and maybe even reduce the number of Brandywine Pink plants I grow every year. I grow for taste. My wife likes to make a little sauce. Nothing makes me happier than to take my little family for a trip in my antique car and present our hosts with an assortment of my own home-grown tomatoes.

February 7, 2016	#21
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	I think the reason I suggested "Garden Safe" as an antifungal spray is because it is also an insecticide and Miticide. It does a great job on the Japanese Beetles and June Bugs that come here in "clouds". I've not had a spider mite infestation in the last 6 years. Like B54Red says above. If you wait until you see the wilted foliage, you're already too late. Do the Preventative Applications. If it rains, spray after the rain quits. Always do the undersides of the leaves. The sun and wind dry the top sides quite quickly. Just set your mind to the fact that "bad stuff thrives in the shadows". And remember that you can totally defeat all the bacteria and viruses and small critters, and have the whole thing trampled and eaten when the cows get thru the fence. Gardening is always an adventure. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

February 8, 2016	#25
crazyoldgooseman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Southern Maryland 7a Posts: 200	Good advice here. I also try to increase air flow by spacing plants at least 3 ft apart in a single row if I can and not planting near other tall plants like corn etc and I spray with copper and daconil sp? Good luck and thanks all. __________________ Anybody see where I sat my beer? -crazyoldgooseman

February 6, 2016	#16
Postmanrings Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Claysville PA Posts: 19	I would say about 5 ft. Think I'll try the heirlooms again and spray more than I was doing. Thanks

February 6, 2016	#17
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	None of the traditional fungicides will do a lot of good once you let the diseases take hold of your plants. Use them for prevention and use them regularly. You might want to start with Daconil and every few sprays swap out and use a copper spray because the copper spray is more effective with gray mold and some of the spot and speck diseases. Use a good mulch that prevents any soil splash back and make sure to remove the lower limbs from the plant very early in the growing process to aid in air flow and prevent diseases from starting too soon. Keep the plant pruned enough to allow good air flow and sunlight to reach as much of the foliage as possible. Limit the number of stems you allow to reduce the denseness of the plant. I prefer allowing only two stems. When diseases do finally hit your plants and they usually will no matter how carefully you tend them; use the dilute bleach spray as soon as possible. Unlike most fungicides it will actually stop most diseases or at least slow them down if you use it soon enough. A day or so after using it remove all the dead and shriveled diseased limbs and leaves and spray with your fungicide again. The diluted bleach spray can be used as often as needed from early in the season til the end. Read the thread on it carefully before using it and if you have a question just ask. http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...t=bleach+spray If you want a dependable and tasty hybrid that can produce for a long time you might want to give Big Beef F1 a try. It was my insurance tomato for many many years and very dependable. I prefer the taste of heirlooms and since learning to graft to overcome soil borne problems that are persistent in my garden I don't grow it anymore but if I couldn't graft I sure would. Bill

February 6, 2016	#18
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	Bill, that is a comprehensive program. Thanks. I have tried to do all those things last season: And I was fine. I do pruning as you have outlined and do spraying with Daconil, Copper Fungicide , Neem Oil and bleach. Not very many people believe in pruning !!! Even when a limb is half dead. My only issue was grey mold. But that happened when I stopped spraying later in October, since my season was practically over anyway. Our rain season start some time in September and that is when grey mold starts growing. Gardeneer

February 7, 2016	#19
Starlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: AL Posts: 1,993	I was just going to suggest Bill's bleach spray recipe and see has already posted a link to it. It saved my plants for sure. I agree with other folks. If you don't have good gardening practices and nutrition practices, it doesn't matter what you grow. You will have problems. Thankfully there are lots of season tomato growers here who have seen and dealt with just about any problem you might come across. They are always glad to help if you just ask. Best to ask before planting things you can do to help give your plants best start from them and also their practices before you have problems. Even with all their help sometimes mother nature has her own way, but you ask for help a head of time you do have a better chance of a productive and fruitful season.

February 7, 2016	#22
Yak54 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Madison, OH, zone 6 Posts: 474	Note: PREVENTATIVE means you spray when plants are and look very healthy, BEFORE any signs of disease show up.

February 7, 2016	#24
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	It took me a while but what Bill and Ted have written in the past - finally sunk in my head late last growing season. Spray the plants "before they start showing signs." I had tried reviving plants that already had problems with next to no good results. This reminds me that I need to buy some copper fungicide spray too.

February 8, 2016	#26
Gerardo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego-Tijuana Posts: 2,598	Pruning, mulching, neem and daconil have worked well for me. Also, a very simple thing is to upgrade to a sprayer with a long wand-nozzle so you can go under the leaves with ease. The round-up branded ones are very solid and a good bang for the buck. Try Mt. Magic a saladette machine with great disease resistance

February 8, 2016	#29
Captain Neon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Florence KY Posts: 234	I grow Better Boys as my safety tomatoes. I've never lived any place long enough to find what grows the best in my area. Last year was an awesome year for tomatoes in my area. New town; new garden spot. I always like to try something different every year, but I am slow to remove a variety that has a history of good results for me. It has been my observation that one either gets very few tomatoes or more than they know what to do with. With a new baby in the house last summer, a lot of tomatoes simply went to waste. I'm trying Brandy Boy to see if it might replace my Better Boy and maybe even reduce the number of Brandywine Pink plants I grow every year. I grow for taste. My wife likes to make a little sauce. Nothing makes me happier than to take my little family for a trip in my antique car and present our hosts with an assortment of my own home-grown tomatoes.