Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2 - Page 29

kayrobbins · October 22, 2015

I did not isolate this plant at all since I was not sure if it would be worth saving seeds. I may just have to bag some flowers so I can get seeds.

Ginny, I have decided tomatoes are like wine. There taste can be so complex and people don't always agree when trying to describe taste. It was sweet but not too sweet. It seemed to have what I would describe as a rich tomato flavor. The skin was a little tough but we have had so much heat that I think that could cause that since the other tomatoes we tasted did too.

I had an interesting encounter with a bumble bee while using the Vegibee today. I was buzzing away when I saw a bumblebee working the same plant. I stopped to watch him and then started buzzing again close to him. It seemed to kick him in high gear. He was going from flower to flower as fast as he could to get pollen. I think he was trying to all the pollen before I could get there. I said he but I have no idea how to tell male and female bumblebees apart.

Barb_FL · October 22, 2015

Any info on how Painted Pink compares to Indigo Cherry Drop?

I'm about to order ICD - has anyone here grown it? Fred Hempel (Artisan Seeds) gave it great reviews.

Barb_FL · October 22, 2015

Kay, In your taste testing, did you get to try Garden Gem?

or the UF F1? I have some tomatoes on GG, tons of flowers.

Just flowers on Garden Treasure.

Still need the nighttime lows to drop a few degrees.

ginger2778 · October 22, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Kay, In your taste testing, did you get to try Garden Gem?

or the UF F1? I have some tomatoes on GG, tons of flowers.

Just flowers on Garden Treasure.

Still need the nighttime lows to drop a few degrees.

Wish the temps would drop already.

Zone9b · October 22, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Kay, In your taste testing, did you get to try Garden Gem?
or the UF F1? I have some tomatoes on GG, tons of flowers.
Just flowers on Garden Treasure.
Still need the nighttime lows to drop a few degrees.

Speaking of Garden Gem have you any knowledge of Golden Gem Hybrid that Park's Seeds has listed. "This indeterminate plant sets enormous clusters of fruit -- expect anywhere from 20 to 70 round to globe-shaped Tomatoes in every bunch" Sounds like one plant might produce all the sweet tasting yellow cherry tomatoes a person would want.
Larry

kayrobbins · October 22, 2015

I did bring home one Garden Gem that was almost ripe so I can taste it. I have a few observations. It has just as many leaf issues as any other plant at the demonstration garden. Since I am only there once a week I can't really stay on top of things like I do at home. The plant is very prolific, loaded with tomatoes. Personally, I do not like the size of the tomatoes. If I am growing a cherry, I want a cherry size. If I am growing a slicer, I want a full size tomato. I don't like tomatoes that are too big to use as a cherry but not big enough to slice. Maybe the taste will blow me away and change my mind.

Barb_FL · October 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zone9b

Speaking of Garden Gem have you any knowledge of Golden Gem Hybrid that Park's Seeds has listed. "This indeterminate plant sets enormous clusters of fruit -- expect anywhere from 20 to 70 round to globe-shaped Tomatoes in every bunch" Sounds like one plant might produce all the sweet tasting yellow cherry tomatoes a person would want.
Larry

Larry - I looked up Golden Gem - very favorable reviews; the huge size would be a deterrent for me.

Garden Gem so far is a nice compact plant; and determinant.

I used to spend a ton of $ at Park Seed; my conclusion is they have a very good writer describing the plants. I actually had much more luck with production from their non-tomato varieties such as the All Season Cucumbers. To give them credit, all their seeds were great on the germination part.

I still have a lot of PS tomato seeds - mainly F1. I have such low confidence that this fall, I was growing Big Beef (opened a new PS pack from 2013), but went ahead and bought BB from TGS just to be sure. I am also currently growing their Park's Whopper - the 2 plants in root pouches and they are beautiful. TBD on how they actually perform.

Barb_FL · October 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

I did bring home one Garden Gem that was almost ripe so I can taste it. I have a few observations. It has just as many leaf issues as any other plant at the demonstration garden. Since I am only there once a week I can't really stay on top of things like I do at home. The plant is very prolific, loaded with tomatoes. Personally, I do not like the size of the tomatoes. If I am growing a cherry, I want a cherry size. If I am growing a slicer, I want a full size tomato. I don't like tomatoes that are too big to use as a cherry but not big enough to slice. Maybe the taste will blow me away and change my mind.

Keep me posted; I'm OK with that size; I actually like big cherries. I just don't like the currant size.

No leaf issues here at all; Until tonight any rain has been during the day then the sun came out so the leaves dried off.

Barb_FL · October 23, 2015

Marsha/Ginny - R U interested in growing melons? I've given up due to catepillars ALWAYS getting in the fruit. You are welcome to my seeds.

Marsha - The 2 coastal pride seeds both germinated in 4 days; they are perfect. One of 2 Freds Tie Dye germinated in 5 days - perfect. 2 of 3 of BTDH germinated but leaves look funky. Hopefully, the true leaves develop and these won't matter.

----
Container growing ? - When I planted in the root pouches, I only added 1 C of Tomato Tone; Marsha does > 1.5C. Some of the plants are large now; producing flowers/limited fruit set b/c temperature lows are still mainly too high. No evidence of lack of nutrients.

When do you think I should add more food? When it is obvious? or now? Should I just add more TT or should I started feeding them once a week with soluable TTF / or something similar?

---
I'm really liking the size of all my 'large' plants this year. Last year, they got HUGE, b/c I fed TTF early on. I haven't supplemented at all.

------
More ? re: Electric Toothbrush or Vegibee - Do you think the VB produces significantly better fruit set?

---
Ginny - I am growing PBTD and GGWT in the same EB.

kayrobbins · October 24, 2015

I did get to taste the Garden Gem. I am biased since I prefer to only grow OP and heirloom tomatoes so when I say it tastes good that is convincing a skeptic. It has a true tomato taste, was firm and not too seedy. So many hybrids seem to have a mushy texture to me.

Having used the toothbrush and the Vegibee, I think it does produce more. This is just my observation but the toothbrush was on spring plants and the Vegibee on fall so it is not exactly the same conditions. I am using it on my Kentucky Wonder beans too and am starting to get really good bean set.

ginger2778 · October 24, 2015

Oh Barb, you are truly a master at germination. I felt kind of guilty sendingyou so few of some of those seeds, just delighted to hear you will have plants from them.

I'm in NC near Asheville for a week to see the leaves change, do a little hiking if my knee lets me. Today we will go to a farmers market, and a couple of apple orchards, on our way to a cabin with a fireplace, and wifi of course. We did a small hike yesterday, moderate to easy, finished at a waterfall that was lovely. We will go home on Wed.
Has the wind died down yet? It was beating up my plants a lot before we left, and I see that high pressure zone is still over Florida.

Barb_FL · October 24, 2015

Marsha - Yes, it is still windy but no more 30MPH gusts. Average 15 MPH which the plants can take easily. Much less humidity today - 65 percent. Night time temps are still too high.

I have now added Oak Hill and Plantation to my weather.com page so I am following you and Ginny on the first page.

Have fun in NC and try to relax from your hectic planting season. We always rent cabins in NC via VRBO.

BTW - I didn't think you sent too few seeds at all. I have spares... haha

Barb_FL · October 24, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

I did get to taste the Garden Gem. I am biased since I prefer to only grow OP and heirloom tomatoes so when I say it tastes good that is convincing a skeptic. It has a true tomato taste, was firm and not too seedy. So many hybrids seem to have a mushy texture to me.

Having used the toothbrush and the Vegibee, I think it does produce more. This is just my observation but the toothbrush was on spring plants and the Vegibee on fall so it is not exactly the same conditions. I am using it on my Kentucky Wonder beans too and am starting to get really good bean set.

Great to know on both GG and VG; Garden Gem is an amazing plant in itself. I'm trying to find a cutting since they are determinant and all have flowers.

I will ask my DD for VB for my birthday. I thought about the 5 speed one b/c it is rechargeable ($10 more at Amazon), but the 1 speed one only uses AA so it's not any hard to remove or find batteries.

Zone9b · October 26, 2015

This guy is insistent that I don't plant a broccoli seed in his cup!

kayrobbins · October 26, 2015

I think I have had run ins with every creature messing with my seeds except a from. I have them all throughout my garden but have not had one get in a pot.

October 23, 2015	#429
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	Marsha/Ginny - R U interested in growing melons? I've given up due to catepillars ALWAYS getting in the fruit. You are welcome to my seeds. Marsha - The 2 coastal pride seeds both germinated in 4 days; they are perfect. One of 2 Freds Tie Dye germinated in 5 days - perfect. 2 of 3 of BTDH germinated but leaves look funky. Hopefully, the true leaves develop and these won't matter. ---- Container growing ? - When I planted in the root pouches, I only added 1 C of Tomato Tone; Marsha does > 1.5C. Some of the plants are large now; producing flowers/limited fruit set b/c temperature lows are still mainly too high. No evidence of lack of nutrients. When do you think I should add more food? When it is obvious? or now? Should I just add more TT or should I started feeding them once a week with soluable TTF / or something similar? --- I'm really liking the size of all my 'large' plants this year. Last year, they got HUGE, b/c I fed TTF early on. I haven't supplemented at all. ------ More ? re: Electric Toothbrush or Vegibee - Do you think the VB produces significantly better fruit set? --- Ginny - I am growing PBTD and GGWT in the same EB. Last edited by Barb_FL; October 23, 2015 at 11:37 PM.

October 22, 2015	#421
kayrobbins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 820	I did not isolate this plant at all since I was not sure if it would be worth saving seeds. I may just have to bag some flowers so I can get seeds. Ginny, I have decided tomatoes are like wine. There taste can be so complex and people don't always agree when trying to describe taste. It was sweet but not too sweet. It seemed to have what I would describe as a rich tomato flavor. The skin was a little tough but we have had so much heat that I think that could cause that since the other tomatoes we tasted did too. I had an interesting encounter with a bumble bee while using the Vegibee today. I was buzzing away when I saw a bumblebee working the same plant. I stopped to watch him and then started buzzing again close to him. It seemed to kick him in high gear. He was going from flower to flower as fast as he could to get pollen. I think he was trying to all the pollen before I could get there. I said he but I have no idea how to tell male and female bumblebees apart.

October 22, 2015	#422
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	Any info on how Painted Pink compares to Indigo Cherry Drop? I'm about to order ICD - has anyone here grown it? Fred Hempel (Artisan Seeds) gave it great reviews.

October 22, 2015	#423
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	Kay, In your taste testing, did you get to try Garden Gem? or the UF F1? I have some tomatoes on GG, tons of flowers. Just flowers on Garden Treasure. Still need the nighttime lows to drop a few degrees.

October 22, 2015	#426
kayrobbins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 820	I did bring home one Garden Gem that was almost ripe so I can taste it. I have a few observations. It has just as many leaf issues as any other plant at the demonstration garden. Since I am only there once a week I can't really stay on top of things like I do at home. The plant is very prolific, loaded with tomatoes. Personally, I do not like the size of the tomatoes. If I am growing a cherry, I want a cherry size. If I am growing a slicer, I want a full size tomato. I don't like tomatoes that are too big to use as a cherry but not big enough to slice. Maybe the taste will blow me away and change my mind.

October 24, 2015	#430
kayrobbins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 820	I did get to taste the Garden Gem. I am biased since I prefer to only grow OP and heirloom tomatoes so when I say it tastes good that is convincing a skeptic. It has a true tomato taste, was firm and not too seedy. So many hybrids seem to have a mushy texture to me. Having used the toothbrush and the Vegibee, I think it does produce more. This is just my observation but the toothbrush was on spring plants and the Vegibee on fall so it is not exactly the same conditions. I am using it on my Kentucky Wonder beans too and am starting to get really good bean set.

October 24, 2015	#431
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Oh Barb, you are truly a master at germination. I felt kind of guilty sendingyou so few of some of those seeds, just delighted to hear you will have plants from them. I'm in NC near Asheville for a week to see the leaves change, do a little hiking if my knee lets me. Today we will go to a farmers market, and a couple of apple orchards, on our way to a cabin with a fireplace, and wifi of course. We did a small hike yesterday, moderate to easy, finished at a waterfall that was lovely. We will go home on Wed. Has the wind died down yet? It was beating up my plants a lot before we left, and I see that high pressure zone is still over Florida.

October 24, 2015	#432
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	Marsha - Yes, it is still windy but no more 30MPH gusts. Average 15 MPH which the plants can take easily. Much less humidity today - 65 percent. Night time temps are still too high. I have now added Oak Hill and Plantation to my weather.com page so I am following you and Ginny on the first page. Have fun in NC and try to relax from your hectic planting season. We always rent cabins in NC via VRBO. BTW - I didn't think you sent too few seeds at all. I have spares... haha

October 26, 2015	#435
kayrobbins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 820	I think I have had run ins with every creature messing with my seeds except a from. I have them all throughout my garden but have not had one get in a pot.