Growing tomatoes in Austin, TX

[feldon30]

When did you plant last spring?

[newgardener_tx]

I planted half of the plants at mid-Febuary and half (~30) on March 5 (went to a plant sale on March 1st.)

[Plantersville]

Originally Posted by ArcherB

I did Bush Early Girl last year and had similar results. We had weeks of 100 degree weather and it didn't seem to bother the plant at all. I'd grow it again this year, but I'm sticking more or less to heirlooms. I want to see if I've been missing something.

Archer, I've had Brandywine and at least 1 other heirlooms in my garden for the last 5 years and havent done well with them. I dont like a plant that produces only 5 or 6 maters during the season. The heat and humidity here in the Houston area are brutal during the summer. I will keep on trying though as hard headed as I am.

[feldon30]

Originally Posted by newgardener_tx

I planted half of the plants at mid-Febuary and half (~30) on March 5 (went to a plant sale on March 1st.)

Then the only thing I can think of is that there was too much shade, or perhaps the plants could use some more fertilization. I would think plants would have been loaded by late March with a second flush of fruitset in mid to late April.

[newgardener_tx]

The tomatoes are growing under full sun and in rich soil with earl's hole method with blood meal, bone meal and epsom salt. I am always puzzled by the description of DAYS of varieties. Tomatoes are ranged from 50-120 days. I am assuming the days starts from transplanting not seeds. If you transplant a 8 inch tall plant, two weeks of transplant shock, then 1-2 month growing before flowering, need ~40 days from flower to a ripe fruit. So I need at least three monthes to harvest my first tomatoes. I started havest at the end of the May last year. I did get some bash champions in mid-April becuse I bought a $6 plant with flower on it already in March. When do you start to harvest tomatoes in Houston? What nursery has good selections in Houston now? I may drive there to get early planting.

[duajones]

Suze mentioned Bloomers in another thread, it shouldnt be all that far from you compared to Houston

[feldon30]

Originally Posted by newgardener_tx

The tomatoes are growing under full sun and in rich soil with earl's hole method with blood meal, bone meal and epsom salt.

Sounds like a good setup to me.

Originally Posted by newgardener_tx

I am always puzzled by the description of DAYS of varieties. Tomatoes are ranged from 50-120 days. I am assuming the days starts from transplanting not seeds.

That's correct. Those days to maturity numbers can be all over the map and are just ideas for planning, not a guaranteed number. My Gregori's Altai came in 2 weeks before Suze's for example.

Originally Posted by newgardener_tx

If you transplant a 8 inch tall plant, two weeks of transplant shock, then 1-2 month growing before flowering, need ~40 days from flower to a ripe fruit.

I plant 10-14" tall plants on March 8th.

The plants reach 2 feet by late March and are loaded with flowers by the end of March. Fruitset begins in early April and peaks in mid-to-late April.

I counted the number of fruit on each plant on April 3, April 13, April 17, April 20, and April 26 of 2007. The biggest gains were mid-to-late April.

I counted the number of fruit on each plant on April 9, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 23, 26, May 1, 3, and May 7th 2008. Fruitset started picking up in earnest in mid-April, and the plants were loaded by May 1st. I got very little fruitset after May 3rd.

Meanwhile I start getting the first cherry tomatoes in late April, the first medium sized tomatoes in the first week of May, beefsteaks start coming in in mid-to-late May, and the avalanche begins the last week of May to the first week of June. My season starts to decline by June 20th.

Originally Posted by newgardener_tx

So I need at least three monthes to harvest my first tomatoes. I started havest at the end of the May last year.

I am thinking your plants may be too small and need more compost or a shot of fertilizer right at the beginning. I am seeing heavy flowering by the end of March to 1st week of April. I also go out with an electric toothbrush and touch the back of each flower to ensure pollination.

S.E. Texas is very unforgiving of even 1 or 2 week delay, smaller plants, hotter temps, higher humidity. Some people are amazed we can grow tomatoes here at all once I tell them that our season can sometimes be as short as March 8 - July 15th.

I know I made my fair share of mistakes last year. After getting used to torrential rains every week for months in 06 and 07, I got lazy and did not water enough in 08. The result was tough tomatoes when I could have continued to harvest some beauties.

Originally Posted by newgardener_tx

When do you start to harvest tomatoes in Houston? What nursery has good selections in Houston now? I may drive there to get early planting.

Bloomers in Elgin, TX has some fantastic plant choices right now. Better than Houston in some regards.

For nursery suggestions and locations, check our website:
http://www.settfest.com/2009/01/wher.../#plantsources

[montanamato]

Transplant shock is generally 2 days not 2 weeks, unless the seedlings get ravaged by strange weather etc, right after plant out...
Good , strong seedlings that are hardened off can set fruit days after planting...
I believe the time spent hardening off is time well spent...

Jeanne

Mulch helps too, but the wind always blows mine away...

[newgardener_tx]

Thank you feldon30 for the intensive information. This is really helpful to see how other gardener do things.

Last night we had a freeze I lost 5 out of 10 plants. They are all covered. But the ones died were in more open area. Oh well I will put in second round after Monday.

[newgardener_tx]

Scramble to cover all the plants today. Weather.com says it is 32 tonight and 33 tomorrow night. I have about 20 plants outside. The wind is so strong. I covered them all but I still have a bad feeling. wait and see.

[feldon30]

Sunday is looking worse per Weather Underground. Keep everything covered through mid-Monday if you can, to try to trap in some heat.

40 at Midnight tonight , 36 at 3am Sun, 32 at 6am Sun

38 at Midnight Sun night, 34 at 3am Monday, 31 at 6am Monday

I look hour-by-hour because if you are starting out at midnight in the 30's and dropping slowly overnight, there is a much higher chance of a freeze then if you go into a slightly warmer evening and don't get quite as cold overnight.

I know the distinction above is only one degree at 6am (always coldest before sunrise), but if I had to bet, it would be Sunday night through Monday morning being a high chance of a killing frost.

Also keep in mind that if you are not right inside Austin, it could be colder. Elgin is predicting 29, only 17 miles East of Austin.

[newatthiskat]

I had been getting the itch and wanted to plant out a few but decided against it. Glad I did now. I will probably plant out a couple on Monday. I will protect them. Plant out a few more Tuesday and More next weekend if the weather doesn't freeze again. Last average frost date for me is March 15. I will have about a week before that in the ground with my longest DTM varities. I will definately keep a few backups. I appreciate the advice and will give my plants a shot of my seaweed fertilizer now. They are not as big as I want them to be at this time. I should state I am Tyler/Jacksonville area and not near Austin or Houston. Actually at this point I am having a hard time decided what I am keeping for me to plant and what I am giving away to friends. I think I will just grab a random 40 transplants out of about a gazillion and that will be the ones I grow!
Kat

[feldon30]

Your planting schedule sounds good to me.

Prediction is now 27 tonight in Jacksonville, TX.

[fourtgn]

The temp on my backyard thermometer got down to 29 last night here in Elgin. But the tomatoes were covered and weighted down with a brick. I only put out 8 of them so it was easy to cover. I uncovered them once the temp was up over 50 t his morning and they are all fine! I think. They look great, color is the same. Can you tell right away? I guess if they did not make it that I will head back to Bloomers, which is where all 8 came from.

Fourtgn

[duajones]

I understand that sometimes it takes a couple of days for damage to show up, but good luck!!!