First season is over

gregory · July 8, 2015

Pretty much ended last of June. Now it's to hot at night. I started my fall crop of su golds and black cherrys about 3 weeks ago. In a few more weeks I will transplant them and maybe by the last of September I can start harvesting tomatoes.

AlittleSalt · July 8, 2015

I'm doing the same thing. It's supposed to be around 100 F in a few days here.

pauldavid · July 8, 2015

Put some new plants out on July 4. First time trying for a fall crop. Good luck to all.

beefsteak · July 9, 2015

No such thing around here. It's one shot and you better get it right.

Kikaida · July 9, 2015

I really want to start a fall crop but not sure if the existing, established stock is going to produce again, I figure since its my first season I'll wait and see.. Even though we've had our share of 100 degree days already and weeks in the 90s, they are still setting (shade cloth rocks!). Plus I want to go on vacation!

AlittleSalt · July 9, 2015

Kikaida, you could get some cuttings from the plants to start some clones. Just a thought.

Dewayne mater · July 10, 2015

My wife's grandmother wrote an article published in Better Homes and Gardens in the early 60's on starting a fall/second crop from clones. It works and if you want to go back with heirlooms and you don't have full grown transplants right now, it is your only hope in all likelihood. Be sure to choose the healthiest, least pest filled plants you have.

I was happy to find some good transplant tomatoes a couple of weeks ago at Northhaven Gardens in Dallas. I look forward to trying Rosella purple dwarf tomatoes. I also picked up black cherry, sungold and gasp Celebrity. Like I said, you take what you can get if you don't start that second crop from seed. I'm hopeful that numerous plants I've left growing will stay healthy enough through the coming "big heat" to produce again in the fall. Good luck to all you second croppers out there.

Dewayne Mater

PS I've still got numerous plants with small green tomatoes on them, which I attribute to a summer that hasn't been as hot, has had rain and Texas Tomato Food.

Kikaida · July 10, 2015

Thanks for the thought AlitteSalt, I think my clone stock is spent (too many generations) plus I need a break, I'm going on vacation and shutting the water off at my house

AlittleSalt · July 10, 2015

Kikaida, enjoy your vacation

If you are in our area - I've got tomatoes and peppers to send home with you - lol

OzoneNY · July 10, 2015

All said and now done, I ended up with 6 gallons of tomato puree. I have some last few tomatos out on the vines but the bulk collection is over. About 2 gallons of each San Marzano, Super San Marzano and Genovese that should last me about 3 months, maybe 4. The family will evaluate the taste difference and that will be the preferred sauce tomato for future seasons

Some Texas wild cherry tomato seeds I got from someone last year is still producing and make a seriously good salad tomato.

IMG_20150709_191540000.jpg

b54red · July 10, 2015

Despite some seriously hot weather and some loses to TSWV and even two to Late Blight I still have a decent amount of healthy plants from my first set out the first week of April. So far the nematode and fusarium resistant rootstock I used has kept those two plagues at bay but I'm sure some of my older plants will start showing the affects of them soon. By staggering my plantings like I do when one bed stops another is already starting to produce to replace it. Since the first bed set out the first of April, I have set out a bed on the 22nd of April and the 22nd of May and my last which I will call my fall tomatoes on the 22nd of June. I wanted to graft some more to set out in mid to late July but didn't get around to doing the grafting and since I have so many plants still alive and producing why bother.

The plants set out on the 22nd of May are putting on some fruit but due to the summer heat the set is not nearly as heavy as I would like but still enough for some good eating later this month. The ones set out on the 22nd of June are starting to put on some blossoms and hopefully some fruit soon but with nearly 100 degree days and 80 degree nights they may be slow to do so. Now that the rain has finally stopped I am going to be giving them TTF every 5 to 7 days if possible to see if I can get a better than normal fruit set in this terrible heat and humidity. By not getting a bed set out in late July I may be a little short on fresh tomatoes if the winter cold is delayed but if it hits early like last year the timing should be just about right. The last two years most of my late July tomatoes got killed while loaded with fresh tomatoes that didn't have time to ripen. I hope the last two winters are an anomaly because I used to keep tomatoes going til around Christmas before the cold would get them.

Bill

July 8, 2015	#1
gregory Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: mobile zone 8 Posts: 83	First season is over Pretty much ended last of June. Now it's to hot at night. I started my fall crop of su golds and black cherrys about 3 weeks ago. In a few more weeks I will transplant them and maybe by the last of September I can start harvesting tomatoes. __________________ Zone 8 Mobile AL

July 9, 2015	#5
Kikaida Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Valencia, CA Posts: 258	I really want to start a fall crop but not sure if the existing, established stock is going to produce again, I figure since its my first season I'll wait and see.. Even though we've had our share of 100 degree days already and weeks in the 90s, they are still setting (shade cloth rocks!). Plus I want to go on vacation! __________________ Fun FIRST, safety second...

July 10, 2015	#8
Kikaida Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Valencia, CA Posts: 258	Thanks for the thought AlitteSalt, I think my clone stock is spent (too many generations) plus I need a break, I'm going on vacation and shutting the water off at my house __________________ Fun FIRST, safety second...

July 8, 2015	#2
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I'm doing the same thing. It's supposed to be around 100 F in a few days here.

July 8, 2015	#3
pauldavid Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NE Louisiana, Zone 8A Posts: 1,179	Put some new plants out on July 4. First time trying for a fall crop. Good luck to all.

July 9, 2015	#4
beefsteak Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: NW PA zone 5 Posts: 121	No such thing around here. It's one shot and you better get it right.

July 10, 2015	#7
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	My wife's grandmother wrote an article published in Better Homes and Gardens in the early 60's on starting a fall/second crop from clones. It works and if you want to go back with heirlooms and you don't have full grown transplants right now, it is your only hope in all likelihood. Be sure to choose the healthiest, least pest filled plants you have. I was happy to find some good transplant tomatoes a couple of weeks ago at Northhaven Gardens in Dallas. I look forward to trying Rosella purple dwarf tomatoes. I also picked up black cherry, sungold and gasp Celebrity. Like I said, you take what you can get if you don't start that second crop from seed. I'm hopeful that numerous plants I've left growing will stay healthy enough through the coming "big heat" to produce again in the fall. Good luck to all you second croppers out there. Dewayne Mater PS I've still got numerous plants with small green tomatoes on them, which I attribute to a summer that hasn't been as hot, has had rain and Texas Tomato Food.

July 10, 2015	#9
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Kikaida, enjoy your vacation If you are in our area - I've got tomatoes and peppers to send home with you - lol

July 10, 2015	#10
OzoneNY Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Frisco Texas Posts: 390	All said and now done, I ended up with 6 gallons of tomato puree. I have some last few tomatos out on the vines but the bulk collection is over. About 2 gallons of each San Marzano, Super San Marzano and Genovese that should last me about 3 months, maybe 4. The family will evaluate the taste difference and that will be the preferred sauce tomato for future seasons Some Texas wild cherry tomato seeds I got from someone last year is still producing and make a seriously good salad tomato. IMG_20150709_191540000.jpg

July 10, 2015	#11
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Despite some seriously hot weather and some loses to TSWV and even two to Late Blight I still have a decent amount of healthy plants from my first set out the first week of April. So far the nematode and fusarium resistant rootstock I used has kept those two plagues at bay but I'm sure some of my older plants will start showing the affects of them soon. By staggering my plantings like I do when one bed stops another is already starting to produce to replace it. Since the first bed set out the first of April, I have set out a bed on the 22nd of April and the 22nd of May and my last which I will call my fall tomatoes on the 22nd of June. I wanted to graft some more to set out in mid to late July but didn't get around to doing the grafting and since I have so many plants still alive and producing why bother. The plants set out on the 22nd of May are putting on some fruit but due to the summer heat the set is not nearly as heavy as I would like but still enough for some good eating later this month. The ones set out on the 22nd of June are starting to put on some blossoms and hopefully some fruit soon but with nearly 100 degree days and 80 degree nights they may be slow to do so. Now that the rain has finally stopped I am going to be giving them TTF every 5 to 7 days if possible to see if I can get a better than normal fruit set in this terrible heat and humidity. By not getting a bed set out in late July I may be a little short on fresh tomatoes if the winter cold is delayed but if it hits early like last year the timing should be just about right. The last two years most of my late July tomatoes got killed while loaded with fresh tomatoes that didn't have time to ripen. I hope the last two winters are an anomaly because I used to keep tomatoes going til around Christmas before the cold would get them. Bill