Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[ginger2778]

I just used my VeggiBee. I love it! Thanks for the warning about the tip yellowing, I took off the tip, scrubbed, put it back on. We finally cooled down to 72, but with rainy ivercast stuff. And lots of wind. It hasn't rained for several hours so I wanted to get out there and buzz while I could. I am going to need to spray tomorrow if not so rainy.

Kunosoura- I think Rebel Yell will suit your purposes, it is an extremely vigorous pink PL beefsteak with abundant laterals heavy fruitset of 6-12 ozs, and scrumptious. Disease tolerant, it was one of the last plants still standing and cranking them out. Pink Berkeley Tie Dye, or Girl Girl's Weird Thing might be good choices too. Too bad you dont want a cherry, those make a crazy amount of laterals.

[Barb_FL]

Marsha - Glad you liked it and it lived up to the hype.

Kay / Kunosoura - I think Sweet Scarlet hates me; I've gone through 2 packs and either crappy germination or poor seedling. I do have one plant but no tomatoes or flowers. I've started over so many times this season.

[kunosoura]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

I'm certainly not an expert by any stretch but I am always doing experiments including cloning (testing different media)

You are only growing dwarfs right now, correct?

Since you are behind schedule anyway, have you just considered going to Lowes and buy a plant to cut up? The last time I was there they had several OP/heirlooms.

Why does it have to be OP? The best clone I recently created that meets your size criteria is Big Beef (hybrid), NAR (Neves Azorean Red), PBTD.

I didn't get good clones from Garden Gem or Garden Treasure. Both rooted fine; maybe I put them in the sun too soon, but neither did well in the sun.

My Garden Gem is definitely acting determinate and doesn't meet your size criteria.

I will check on the other clones tomorrow (in daylight).

Correct, only growing dwarfs at the moment. They're doing well but their tendency to bush out is considerable! I'm almost thinking that a well-pruned indet. trained upward, with coiling of the vine as it grows, may be more space-efficient for my setup.

It doesn't have to be OP, I guess. The only reason I said that is because I read nonstop about all these wonderful varities that people grow and rave about, and I want a piece of the action. Aside from Sungold I don't think any hybrids get half the attention that the OP varieties get around here. But I'm still new to this game and I am open to learning new stuff...

I was playing on Tatiana's and there is a person from TX who shares some grow notes, which often include whether or not a variety seems to handle the heat/humidity a little more than others. I have 3/4 varities that I am considering, I believe the NAR that you recommend is one of them.

I'll probably order some and plant and just see how things go. Worst case scenario I'll root a few of the zillion growth tips my Rosella Purple is cranking out.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. WIll keep everyone posted.

[kunosoura]

Originally Posted by Zone9b

While I am familiar with a number of F1 varieties that seem to meet you requirements, such as Big Beef and Parks Whopper, I am not familiar with many OPs. I grew Mortgage Lifter and it was fairly productive and certainly tasted good but it is said to be a bit larger than 12 oz. Given my limeted experience I would say Mortgage Lifter.
Good Luck, Larry

Thanks for the response. I'll certainly check into ML. I'll also look in to Big Beef and Parks Whopper. This is helpful!

[kunosoura]

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

Kunosoura, the hardest part of picking a tomato that meets your specifications is the size. Tomatoes in the 12+ ounce size seem to have more trouble with our heat and humidity than smaller tomatoes.

If you were willing to settle for one in the 8 ounce range I would recommend Arkansas Traveler. That plant is such a workhorse that does not mind our climate and is usually the first and last tomato on my plants that full size tomatoes. Black from Tula has done well for me but not as bullet proof as AT. Sweet Scarlet dwarf produced 8-10 ounce tomatoes and stood up to the heat and humidity too.

Thank you - I'm quickly running out of space now! (common theme on this board it seems)

I'll check into these and will document my progress in a thread.

[kunosoura]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

I just used my VeggiBee. I love it! Thanks for the warning about the tip yellowing, I took off the tip, scrubbed, put it back on. We finally cooled down to 72, but with rainy ivercast stuff. And lots of wind. It hasn't rained for several hours so I wanted to get out there and buzz while I could. I am going to need to spray tomorrow if not so rainy.

Kunosoura- I think Rebel Yell will suit your purposes, it is an extremely vigorous pink PL beefsteak with abundant laterals heavy fruitset of 6-12 ozs, and scrumptious. Disease tolerant, it was one of the last plants still standing and cranking them out. Pink Berkeley Tie Dye, or Girl Girl's Weird Thing might be good choices too. Too bad you dont want a cherry, those make a crazy amount of laterals.

This is super advice. I'll def. check out RY. I was considering doing a cherry but I don't want to be weighing and tallying cherry fruit non-stop!

[Fiishergurl]

Hey Gang!

Have any of you had your plants tested at an extension office? I was thinking about having 1 tomato plant, 1 pepper plant, and 1 pea plant tested but I looked online and it's $40 each. Does that sound right? The only thing I ever had tested before was soil and back when I did that it was around $7 per sample so the $40 gave me sticker shock... lol.

Larry - did you have yours tested or just show them the plants at the office?

Thanks!
Ginny

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Fiishergurl

Hey Gang!

Have any of you had your plants tested at an extension office? I was thinking about having 1 tomato plant, 1 pepper plant, and 1 pea plant tested but I looked online and it's $40 each. Does that sound right? The only thing I ever had tested before was soil and back when I did that it was around $7 per sample so the $40 gave me sticker shock... lol.

Larry - did you have yours tested or just show them the plants at the office?

Thanks!
Ginny

Wow! That is pricey! The master gardeners work the ag extension offices here, and take samples. We do the IDs free.

[Fiishergurl]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Wow! That is pricey! The master gardeners work the ag extension offices here, and take samples. We do the IDs free.

I thought it was pricey too. Maybe I'm finding the wrong link. I will call the county ag extension office and ask them.

http://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/media/...C-10.14.15.pdf

Ginny

[Fiishergurl]

I called the Volusia County Ag Extension office and they said they only test soil.

Ginny

[ginger2778]

We even quit testing soil becauae it was always same. Too alkaline becauze the state is made of limestone. We do try to identify pests and diseases though. Ginny, contact your local Master Gardeners.

[Fiishergurl]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

We even quit testing soil becauae it was always same. Too alkaline becauze the state is made of limestone. We do try to identify pests and diseases though. Ginny, contact your local Master Gardeners.

Thanks for the info Marsha, but I have all of you to help identify things. I was looking for actual testing in case there is something lurking that isn't as noticeable. But for $120 for three plants I will pass for now and treat for the things I"m pretty sure I have... Fungus gnats, TYLCV, and Grey Mold, a toxic concoction for my peas, peppers, petunias and tomato plants! My impossible garden is finally living up to its name.

Ginny

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Fiishergurl

Hey Gang!

Have any of you had your plants tested at an extension office? I was thinking about having 1 tomato plant, 1 pepper plant, and 1 pea plant tested but I looked online and it's $40 each. Does that sound right? The only thing I ever had tested before was soil and back when I did that it was around $7 per sample so the $40 gave me sticker shock... lol.
Larry - did you have yours tested or just show them the plants at the office?
Thanks!
Ginny

I took bean leaves, bean pods and bean roots to the Master Gardeners at the extension office and they looked them over. One put a leaf under a microscope and said there were aphids on it and he also said he thought he saw grey mold. The senior person looked at the leaves and beans and said there was a problem with rust. He also pointed out that I had nematode damage on the bean roots. Silly me, I thought they were nitrogen nodules. I was advised to use a fungicide and pesticide. Also suggested to stick to basic bean varieties used in this area such as Contender bush and Kentucky Wonder pole.
All in all I think it was helpful and I will take that advice along with the valuable advice I got at Tomatoville Worst Fall Bean Crop Ever along with my research into disease resistant varieties and try again in the spring.
Larry

[kayrobbins]

Larry I can't say enough about Kentucky Wonder. I have grown Contender for years mainly because I did not want to have to trellis the beans. I had some fairly good crops but always had issues with pests and disease. I planted Kentucky Wonder this year and am having the best bean crop ever. Because the leaves don't touch the soil so many problems are avoided. I am still harvesting constantly.

If you decide to buy those seeds, I recommend you get them from High Mowing. When you buy the little packets there is hardly enough to plant and shipping is high for the amount you get. High Mowing has free shipping and I bought 1/2 pound which is enough for two seasons.

[kayrobbins]

And I forgot to mention it is so much easier to harvest standing up rather than bending over a raised bed!