Tomatoes in Texas - Page 11

June 2, 2013

Sixty miles north of Dallas, I planted out in the second week of March and had to protect my plants many times from frosts and freezes. My plants were so delayed by the cold weather, I don't believe I am ahead of anyone who planted out in the second week of April. I ate my first cherry tomato today. All of my plants are loaded with blooms and tomatoes, but I'm probably ten days from abundant ripe slicing tomatoes. Some of my plants are approaching five feet tall. When they finally started growing, they went wild.

Mortgage Lifter has always been a great variety for me. I didn't grow it this year because I needed the space for a different variety.

Most of my tomatoes are grown in raised beds with automatic watering daily by soaker hoses. I also grow some in containers with drip irrigation. Both are on the same timer and it works well. I've never tried earthtainers, but I know they work well. I can't believe they grow better than containers or raised beds if sufficient water and nutrients are given to the raised beds and containers. Earthtainers do offer a lot of advantages and a few disadvantages compared to other methods.

Ted

texasjack · June 3, 2013

THE HOUSTON REPORT
Quick background: Bottom watering containers, 17th floor downtown balcony, 3-1-1 media with pasturized manure, transplants in 3/15.

Very good year so far. Sungold fantastic....Literally 100+ fruit and more coming. Grow in clusters of 10-12. Picked first 5/20. Lemon Boy....6+ ft plant, 9 almost ripe, 3-4". Marglobe....first timer, disappointing. Huge healthy plant , limited blossoms and only 3 green fruit. Black Krim......struggling a little, only 3 small fruit and foliage seems to have slowed down. Last year Krim came through July and August and gave me fruit into January. San Marzono......One of last years plants that turned into a perennial. Great start. had 10-12 nice fruitin mid May, no BER. Seems to have been hit with Southern Leaf Wilt but is alive and showing good new foliage from the bottom. Fingers crossed.

Best of luck to you all.

OldHondaNut · June 3, 2013

Marglobe takes longer than those others that you mentioned. It was once one of the most popular commercial varieties so you know it must be somewhat prolific. I had good luck during a drought a few years ago but I prefer Rutgers to its parent, Marglobe.

Wait about 10 days and let us know if you have better results.

June 3, 2013

Homestead is on my permanent grow list. I like it because it is open pollinated and I can save seed. When I grew it the first time, I also thought it was determinate, but it hasn't been for me. It does slow down a little in the high summer heat, but produces well when the fall weather starts cooling a little.

A new to me variety last year was Phoenix. It is a hybrid determinate. For me it has been only semi determinate. It also seems to like the Texas heat and produces in the hottest weather. It is the only plant with tennis ball sized green fruit on it right now and it continues to grow and set more fruit every day.

Ted

tlintx · June 3, 2013

I have the majority of my spring crop planted on the south side of the house, right where it gets the full force of the sun. My Homestead is going to be determinate whether or not it wants to be.

Everything is looking pretty green and healthy, but I can see signs that the end is near!

Cindyb1969 · June 3, 2013

We've only had 1 day last month where we hit 90 for the high. We are predicted 2 days in the next 10 at 91 for the high and around 87 for the high the other days. I think it's the coolest spring I've ever experienced. Every time it warms up, we get another cold front (like this weekend). I'm still getting new tomatoes, so fingers crossed!

sfmathews · June 4, 2013

I saw the forecast for next Monday that said a high of 97 in DFW!

Redbaron · June 4, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfmathews

I saw the forecast for next Monday that said a high of 97 in DFW!

97? Is that all? I see a prediction of 99 for 2 days next week!

And nothing under 96 for at least 8 days starting tuesday!

Out of the frying pan and into the fire!

Cindyb1969 · June 4, 2013

I'm in far north Frisco, so the highest I see for the next 10 days is 93. Today says the high in the area was to be 92, but my thermometer reads 87.8. We had a lot of cloud cover this morning, and it was actually a bit chilly (in shorts) with the wind until around 1 PM when the sun decided to show up.

Will all varieties stop producing fruit at 90? We have some 90's in the next 10 days, but not as high as you are seeing. Unless that changes, and it does around here frequently!

June 4, 2013

I had a few plants last year that set fruit when the temps exceeded 100 degrees. It seems the combination of overnight lows above 70 degrees and daytime highs above 90 degrees are more harmful to pollination than simply daytime highs over 90.

While my lettuce has bolted, my onions tops have fallen over and the bulbs are drying in the soil, and my garlic is ready for harvest; the remainder of my garden is growing great.

The high intensity of the summer sun is almost here and I will be setting up shade cloths for a few veggies that simply can't stand the hot sunlight.

I am enjoying the warm weather right now. I thought it would never arrive after this crazy cold spring. I do not look forward to the inevitable 100 degrees plus days of summer.

Ted

whistech · June 6, 2013

This is my first year growing a garden since the early 1970s. I saw Marglobe mentioned above and I will say it's been one of my most productive varieties so far and it tastes pretty good too. Another productive variety so far is Creole. I had my first few Mortgage Lifter tomatoes ripen last week and I had a wonderful experience eating them. They tasted just like I remember a home grown tomato from years ago. My least productive tomato plant, which is also my largest tomato plant is a variety named Mexico. Supposedly brought to the U.S. from a immigrating Mexican family some years ago and is described as a large fluted red tomato with an excellent taste. I had one ripe Mexico tomato last week and it was large and fluted, probably weighing just a little over a pound, but when I picked the tomato, I found that a worm had eaten a large hole in the bottom of it. The Mexico tomato went into the compost pile instead of my mouth. The plant only has 3 more tomatoes on the six feet tall plant, so I hope I get to taste the next ripe one.

The worst tasting tomato I'm growing is Early Girl. It taste just like a tomato straight from the grocery store, cardboard. I only planted it because it was supposed to be an early tomato, but another F-1 tomato named Big Beef beat the Early Girly in ripening by almost two weeks, was three times as large as the Early Girl, and tasted much, much better. It was nowhere close to the Mortgage in taste, but was certainly better than grocery store tomatoes. Having fun gardening and learning a lot about growing tomatoes from the knowledgable gardeners here. Oh, and I do have two F-1 Sun Gold tomatoe plants. They produce like crazy and taste OK, but from the rave reviews I've read on Sun Gold, I'm a little disappointed in the flavor.

Redbaron · June 6, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbaron

97? Is that all? I see a prediction of 99 for 2 days next week!

And nothing under 96 for at least 8 days starting tuesday!

Out of the frying pan and into the fire!

LOLZ

This is getting crazy. First they lowered the forcast highs so that none were over 96 and most in the low 90's next week. But now they raised them back up with now 4 days in a row over 100!

They apparently have no idea!

I somewhat feel sorry for the weathermen trying to predict this crazy year!

June 6, 2013

It has been such a crazy spring, my onions need to see a plant psychiatrist. About ten percent have bolted thinking they have now survived two winters instead of only one. While their stalks are standing tall with flowers on top, the remaining 90% have gently laid their leaves over to the ground waiting for one more winter. They don't realize they will soon be harvested.

I'm not sure what I will do with the bolted onions. They form a solid core in the center of the bulb and will not store well when harvested. They still eat fine, but I will have to eat a lot of onions in the next couple of weeks. I planned on pickling some onions with some beets this weekend. Maybe I will pickle the bolted onions and store the others.

Ted

Redbaron · June 6, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedln

It has been such a crazy spring, my onions need to see a plant psychiatrist.

Ted

Me too!

Cindyb1969 · June 6, 2013

I have about 30 tomatoes on my Dr. Caroline (cherry). My green zebra has 3-5. Carbon has a few as does homestead 24. Aunt Ginny's purple is not doing as much thought the plant looks nice. The big surprise for me is Hawaiian Currant, which were freebies. They have a lot though the plant is only medium size in comparison to the others. Romas leaves are curling. Don't know why as they are getting the same nutrients and water as the others in the ground. I have my fall tomato seeds planted.

June 2, 2013	#151
tedln Guest Posts: n/a	Sixty miles north of Dallas, I planted out in the second week of March and had to protect my plants many times from frosts and freezes. My plants were so delayed by the cold weather, I don't believe I am ahead of anyone who planted out in the second week of April. I ate my first cherry tomato today. All of my plants are loaded with blooms and tomatoes, but I'm probably ten days from abundant ripe slicing tomatoes. Some of my plants are approaching five feet tall. When they finally started growing, they went wild. Mortgage Lifter has always been a great variety for me. I didn't grow it this year because I needed the space for a different variety. Most of my tomatoes are grown in raised beds with automatic watering daily by soaker hoses. I also grow some in containers with drip irrigation. Both are on the same timer and it works well. I've never tried earthtainers, but I know they work well. I can't believe they grow better than containers or raised beds if sufficient water and nutrients are given to the raised beds and containers. Earthtainers do offer a lot of advantages and a few disadvantages compared to other methods. Ted

June 3, 2013	#152
texasjack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Houston Tx Posts: 33	THE HOUSTON REPORT Quick background: Bottom watering containers, 17th floor downtown balcony, 3-1-1 media with pasturized manure, transplants in 3/15. Very good year so far. Sungold fantastic....Literally 100+ fruit and more coming. Grow in clusters of 10-12. Picked first 5/20. Lemon Boy....6+ ft plant, 9 almost ripe, 3-4". Marglobe....first timer, disappointing. Huge healthy plant , limited blossoms and only 3 green fruit. Black Krim......struggling a little, only 3 small fruit and foliage seems to have slowed down. Last year Krim came through July and August and gave me fruit into January. San Marzono......One of last years plants that turned into a perennial. Great start. had 10-12 nice fruitin mid May, no BER. Seems to have been hit with Southern Leaf Wilt but is alive and showing good new foliage from the bottom. Fingers crossed. Best of luck to you all.

June 3, 2013	#153
OldHondaNut Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Zone 8a Posts: 120	Marglobe takes longer than those others that you mentioned. It was once one of the most popular commercial varieties so you know it must be somewhat prolific. I had good luck during a drought a few years ago but I prefer Rutgers to its parent, Marglobe. Wait about 10 days and let us know if you have better results.

June 3, 2013	#154
tedln Guest Posts: n/a	Homestead is on my permanent grow list. I like it because it is open pollinated and I can save seed. When I grew it the first time, I also thought it was determinate, but it hasn't been for me. It does slow down a little in the high summer heat, but produces well when the fall weather starts cooling a little. A new to me variety last year was Phoenix. It is a hybrid determinate. For me it has been only semi determinate. It also seems to like the Texas heat and produces in the hottest weather. It is the only plant with tennis ball sized green fruit on it right now and it continues to grow and set more fruit every day. Ted

June 3, 2013	#155
tlintx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: SeTx Posts: 881	I have the majority of my spring crop planted on the south side of the house, right where it gets the full force of the sun. My Homestead is going to be determinate whether or not it wants to be. Everything is looking pretty green and healthy, but I can see signs that the end is near!

June 3, 2013	#156
Cindyb1969 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 21	We've only had 1 day last month where we hit 90 for the high. We are predicted 2 days in the next 10 at 91 for the high and around 87 for the high the other days. I think it's the coolest spring I've ever experienced. Every time it warms up, we get another cold front (like this weekend). I'm still getting new tomatoes, so fingers crossed!

June 4, 2013	#157
sfmathews Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Allen, TX Posts: 398	I saw the forecast for next Monday that said a high of 97 in DFW!

June 4, 2013	#159
Cindyb1969 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 21	I'm in far north Frisco, so the highest I see for the next 10 days is 93. Today says the high in the area was to be 92, but my thermometer reads 87.8. We had a lot of cloud cover this morning, and it was actually a bit chilly (in shorts) with the wind until around 1 PM when the sun decided to show up. Will all varieties stop producing fruit at 90? We have some 90's in the next 10 days, but not as high as you are seeing. Unless that changes, and it does around here frequently!

June 4, 2013	#160
tedln Guest Posts: n/a	I had a few plants last year that set fruit when the temps exceeded 100 degrees. It seems the combination of overnight lows above 70 degrees and daytime highs above 90 degrees are more harmful to pollination than simply daytime highs over 90. While my lettuce has bolted, my onions tops have fallen over and the bulbs are drying in the soil, and my garlic is ready for harvest; the remainder of my garden is growing great. The high intensity of the summer sun is almost here and I will be setting up shade cloths for a few veggies that simply can't stand the hot sunlight. I am enjoying the warm weather right now. I thought it would never arrive after this crazy cold spring. I do not look forward to the inevitable 100 degrees plus days of summer. Ted

June 6, 2013	#161
whistech Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Between The Woodlands and Spring, Texas Posts: 553	This is my first year growing a garden since the early 1970s. I saw Marglobe mentioned above and I will say it's been one of my most productive varieties so far and it tastes pretty good too. Another productive variety so far is Creole. I had my first few Mortgage Lifter tomatoes ripen last week and I had a wonderful experience eating them. They tasted just like I remember a home grown tomato from years ago. My least productive tomato plant, which is also my largest tomato plant is a variety named Mexico. Supposedly brought to the U.S. from a immigrating Mexican family some years ago and is described as a large fluted red tomato with an excellent taste. I had one ripe Mexico tomato last week and it was large and fluted, probably weighing just a little over a pound, but when I picked the tomato, I found that a worm had eaten a large hole in the bottom of it. The Mexico tomato went into the compost pile instead of my mouth. The plant only has 3 more tomatoes on the six feet tall plant, so I hope I get to taste the next ripe one. The worst tasting tomato I'm growing is Early Girl. It taste just like a tomato straight from the grocery store, cardboard. I only planted it because it was supposed to be an early tomato, but another F-1 tomato named Big Beef beat the Early Girly in ripening by almost two weeks, was three times as large as the Early Girl, and tasted much, much better. It was nowhere close to the Mortgage in taste, but was certainly better than grocery store tomatoes. Having fun gardening and learning a lot about growing tomatoes from the knowledgable gardeners here. Oh, and I do have two F-1 Sun Gold tomatoe plants. They produce like crazy and taste OK, but from the rave reviews I've read on Sun Gold, I'm a little disappointed in the flavor.

June 6, 2013	#163
tedln Guest Posts: n/a	It has been such a crazy spring, my onions need to see a plant psychiatrist. About ten percent have bolted thinking they have now survived two winters instead of only one. While their stalks are standing tall with flowers on top, the remaining 90% have gently laid their leaves over to the ground waiting for one more winter. They don't realize they will soon be harvested. I'm not sure what I will do with the bolted onions. They form a solid core in the center of the bulb and will not store well when harvested. They still eat fine, but I will have to eat a lot of onions in the next couple of weeks. I planned on pickling some onions with some beets this weekend. Maybe I will pickle the bolted onions and store the others. Ted

June 6, 2013	#165
Cindyb1969 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 21	I have about 30 tomatoes on my Dr. Caroline (cherry). My green zebra has 3-5. Carbon has a few as does homestead 24. Aunt Ginny's purple is not doing as much thought the plant looks nice. The big surprise for me is Hawaiian Currant, which were freebies. They have a lot though the plant is only medium size in comparison to the others. Romas leaves are curling. Don't know why as they are getting the same nutrients and water as the others in the ground. I have my fall tomato seeds planted.