Alaska- greenhouse tomatoes 2014 - Page 10

Barb_FL · July 21, 2014

Mark - It just never stops. How many plants do you have?

I never grew Big Rainbow or Bear Creek (confess - never heard of them, but will check them out for my 2nd season coming up - still plenty of time even with planting seeds.

This was the first year I even tried heirlooms; Previous years I bought seeds from Park Seed (they sell mostly hybreds) and/or HD or Lowes. My best heirloom by far was Kelloggs, Marglobe, and Porter were big producers but Kellogg was the best.

AKmark · July 22, 2014

Hi Barb, I think I have over 400 plants in four greenhouses, I'm not even sure how many varieties I ended up with. However, I can tell you which varieties taste great and produce well. (lol)
I had never heard of Bear Creek or Big Rainbow either, until a Tomatoville forum member mentioned it, and I sure am glad I tried them. Tomatoville has been a wonderful place to find the best varieties, people here are very dedicated to (the tomato) a few "I think" may even sacrifice for their cause.
This is the last year I will grow a bunch of varieties I have never tasted, or grew before, no more than 20 experimental ones a year. I am totally happy with several varieties I have tried, and doubt that I will find something that is way better, or we would find it on every corner.
Good luck this season Barb

AKmark · July 30, 2014

The season is still going good, as usual some issues, but overall we are pleased. Here is a pic of a brandywine. They do yield well, I actually don't have anything blowing them out of the water, instead they are putting the boots to many varieties yield-wise. Taste... very good, but there are several others as good.

AKmark · July 30, 2014

Another pic of the rows, I spaced these close to 4ft a part, 3 does not cut it.
A pic with a little color in it.

Cheryl2017 · July 30, 2014

Those are beautiful

Dewayne mater · July 30, 2014

Seeing these latest pictures it appears you have staggered plantings with these being much later than some of your others, right? My real question is, are you pruning your plants to one main stem? More broadly, what is your pruning plan? Out of control plant growth has been a real issue for me and I've got to get better on that. Congrats on your amazing set up and accomplishments.

Dewayne Mater

AKmark · July 30, 2014

Dewayne, yes I do stagger them. Many of the plants in this greenhouse are cuttings, 50\50 or so.
I prune for 2-4 stems, anymore stems than that seems to affect fruit set, and overall yield. I think 2-3 is great for any beefsteak variety, standard tomatoes can handle 4 stems, probably more. I have found that if I give them space they will take it up. The pics of the fruit clusters, a few pics above, is from one plant with 2 stems, you can see it in the pic if you look closely

zero244 · July 31, 2014

Your greenhouses are impressive to say the least, especially considering you are in Alaska.
Your growing 400 plants and you mentioned you can a lot of your produce. Do you also sell some of your tomatoes?
You either have a very large family or you eat tons of tomatoes. I would have trouble even storing that many tomatoes not less eating them in less than a year.
One last question: Do you only do one crop cycle per year?

AKmark · July 31, 2014

Some people do stop by for tomatoes, they end up at some farmers markets, and a few chef's like them also. I give away a lot of tomatoes too, I taste test a lot of tomatoes with just about everyone who stops by. In a nutshell, it is a hobby that pays for itself, maybe a little more if we don't eat to much. lol

I am not growing as many plants in the future, I did that so I could sort through a large mix, and select my favorites grown under the same conditions, as well as a little different conditions. Taste first, yield second, then cosmetics, I have plenty of varieties that look great, yield great, and their taste is ok to terrible.

I do 2-3 staggered crops, from March- October, seeds planted from January 20th, to May 1st, I select cuttings from my first batch, they become the main production plants during mid summer.

Worth1 · July 31, 2014

Mark I'm in Anchorage right now headed home.
The weather is just fantastic.

it reminds me of the weather in Texas during winter in between the cold fronts.

If I can make my mind up which direction I'm headed in life I might just put up a greenhouse like yours.

Your place looks really nice.

Worth

bower · July 31, 2014

Mark, great harvest pix, it is so good to see boxes of ripe fruit when we're just starting to have a few here.

It's like you live at the end of the rainbow.

I am so impressed with what you've shown us in this thread, and always gives me food for thought..

efisakov · August 1, 2014

So far, which tomato consistently taste good?

AKmark · August 4, 2014

We tried to pick a favorite red. (lol)

RobinB · August 4, 2014

So it's a nine-way tie?

AKmark · August 4, 2014

I just started laughing, by the third tomato my mouth was all tomato taste. I would say Chapman, Milka's, and Magnum had the strongest taste, I was surprised at Milka's RB, pretty darn good, but all of them are good in their own way.
I can see where people would like Wes, but it's not my fav., Couastralee is pretty good, but it does not smack the palate the way I like.

July 30, 2014	#142
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Dewayne, yes I do stagger them. Many of the plants in this greenhouse are cuttings, 50\50 or so. I prune for 2-4 stems, anymore stems than that seems to affect fruit set, and overall yield. I think 2-3 is great for any beefsteak variety, standard tomatoes can handle 4 stems, probably more. I have found that if I give them space they will take it up. The pics of the fruit clusters, a few pics above, is from one plant with 2 stems, you can see it in the pic if you look closely Last edited by AKmark; July 30, 2014 at 03:12 PM.

August 1, 2014	#147
efisakov Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NJ, zone 7 Posts: 3,162	So far, which tomato consistently taste good? __________________ Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!”

July 21, 2014	#136
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	Mark - It just never stops. How many plants do you have? I never grew Big Rainbow or Bear Creek (confess - never heard of them, but will check them out for my 2nd season coming up - still plenty of time even with planting seeds. This was the first year I even tried heirlooms; Previous years I bought seeds from Park Seed (they sell mostly hybreds) and/or HD or Lowes. My best heirloom by far was Kelloggs, Marglobe, and Porter were big producers but Kellogg was the best.

July 22, 2014	#137
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Hi Barb, I think I have over 400 plants in four greenhouses, I'm not even sure how many varieties I ended up with. However, I can tell you which varieties taste great and produce well. (lol) I had never heard of Bear Creek or Big Rainbow either, until a Tomatoville forum member mentioned it, and I sure am glad I tried them. Tomatoville has been a wonderful place to find the best varieties, people here are very dedicated to (the tomato) a few "I think" may even sacrifice for their cause. This is the last year I will grow a bunch of varieties I have never tasted, or grew before, no more than 20 experimental ones a year. I am totally happy with several varieties I have tried, and doubt that I will find something that is way better, or we would find it on every corner. Good luck this season Barb

July 30, 2014	#140
Cheryl2017 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: san antonio, texas Posts: 173	Those are beautiful

July 30, 2014	#141
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	Seeing these latest pictures it appears you have staggered plantings with these being much later than some of your others, right? My real question is, are you pruning your plants to one main stem? More broadly, what is your pruning plan? Out of control plant growth has been a real issue for me and I've got to get better on that. Congrats on your amazing set up and accomplishments. Dewayne Mater

July 31, 2014	#143
zero244 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Oregon Posts: 47	Your greenhouses are impressive to say the least, especially considering you are in Alaska. Your growing 400 plants and you mentioned you can a lot of your produce. Do you also sell some of your tomatoes? You either have a very large family or you eat tons of tomatoes. I would have trouble even storing that many tomatoes not less eating them in less than a year. One last question: Do you only do one crop cycle per year?

July 31, 2014	#144
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Some people do stop by for tomatoes, they end up at some farmers markets, and a few chef's like them also. I give away a lot of tomatoes too, I taste test a lot of tomatoes with just about everyone who stops by. In a nutshell, it is a hobby that pays for itself, maybe a little more if we don't eat to much. lol I am not growing as many plants in the future, I did that so I could sort through a large mix, and select my favorites grown under the same conditions, as well as a little different conditions. Taste first, yield second, then cosmetics, I have plenty of varieties that look great, yield great, and their taste is ok to terrible. I do 2-3 staggered crops, from March- October, seeds planted from January 20th, to May 1st, I select cuttings from my first batch, they become the main production plants during mid summer.

July 31, 2014	#145
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Mark I'm in Anchorage right now headed home. The weather is just fantastic. it reminds me of the weather in Texas during winter in between the cold fronts. If I can make my mind up which direction I'm headed in life I might just put up a greenhouse like yours. Your place looks really nice. Worth

July 31, 2014	#146
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Mark, great harvest pix, it is so good to see boxes of ripe fruit when we're just starting to have a few here. It's like you live at the end of the rainbow. I am so impressed with what you've shown us in this thread, and always gives me food for thought..

August 4, 2014	#149
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	So it's a nine-way tie?

August 4, 2014	#150
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	I just started laughing, by the third tomato my mouth was all tomato taste. I would say Chapman, Milka's, and Magnum had the strongest taste, I was surprised at Milka's RB, pretty darn good, but all of them are good in their own way. I can see where people would like Wes, but it's not my fav., Couastralee is pretty good, but it does not smack the palate the way I like.