Blossom drop/ PL varieties?

duajones · April 8, 2008

4 of my 15 plants this year are PL. Aunt Gertie's Gold, Earl's Faux, Green Giant and Stump of the World. EF and AGG took forever to blossom and they all seem to be struggling to set fruit, while most of the RL varieties are doing ok. Last year my Brandwine was huge and only set 7 or 8 if I remember correctly. Im just wondering at this point if the RL are more prone to blossom drop in my climate than they are elsewhere.
Fruitset is down overall from the same time last year, Im thinking the windy, and now hot and humid conditions are to blame. GG and SOTW are 4 ft now and have one fruit and 2 or 3 respectively.

bryanccfshr · April 9, 2008

Here is what I am doing about my low production potato leafs and older heirloms. I am only saving seeds from the best producing plants. I am hoping this selection of adapted plants encourages good production in successive seasons. Indeed the large blossoms in the potato leaf varieties seem to struggle in central, south and east texas but they do have a charm that has me pushing on to see if they work out . My best fruit seter this year appears to be a tie between Cherokee Purple and Jet star. THe Cherry's varieties are just starting to set. The only potato leaf I am playing with is Sudduth brandywine and it has just began showing signs of fruit set. Corpus's Humidity is horrific however and you may have to weigh the space you are using -vs the productivity you are being given in you semi tropical maritime environment. PL are great for resitisting mold and fungus..but they struggle with the 90+% humidity evenings you suffer. I grew up there and just moved away 2 years ago so I know the moisture issues you are living with.

April 8, 2008	#1
duajones Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9 Posts: 1,996	Blossom drop/ PL varieties? 4 of my 15 plants this year are PL. Aunt Gertie's Gold, Earl's Faux, Green Giant and Stump of the World. EF and AGG took forever to blossom and they all seem to be struggling to set fruit, while most of the RL varieties are doing ok. Last year my Brandwine was huge and only set 7 or 8 if I remember correctly. Im just wondering at this point if the RL are more prone to blossom drop in my climate than they are elsewhere. Fruitset is down overall from the same time last year, Im thinking the windy, and now hot and humid conditions are to blame. GG and SOTW are 4 ft now and have one fruit and 2 or 3 respectively.

April 9, 2008	#2
bryanccfshr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Farmington, Nm Posts: 450	Here is what I am doing about my low production potato leafs and older heirloms. I am only saving seeds from the best producing plants. I am hoping this selection of adapted plants encourages good production in successive seasons. Indeed the large blossoms in the potato leaf varieties seem to struggle in central, south and east texas but they do have a charm that has me pushing on to see if they work out . My best fruit seter this year appears to be a tie between Cherokee Purple and Jet star. THe Cherry's varieties are just starting to set. The only potato leaf I am playing with is Sudduth brandywine and it has just began showing signs of fruit set. Corpus's Humidity is horrific however and you may have to weigh the space you are using -vs the productivity you are being given in you semi tropical maritime environment. PL are great for resitisting mold and fungus..but they struggle with the 90+% humidity evenings you suffer. I grew up there and just moved away 2 years ago so I know the moisture issues you are living with. __________________ I moved!