Marking your tomatoes

maggie c · July 26, 2010

A bunch of my different varieties are all ripening now, and harvesting is about to be more than one or two tomatoes a day. So far I've known what I've picked because not much has been ripening...yet. But times, they are a changing!

So, when harvesting, how do you tell your varieties apart? I've seen that some people mark directly on the tomato - if that is your method, what kind of pen/marker do you use? Do you use a special kind of ink? If you have a different method, I'd sure love to hear about it! I'd hate to get my various kinds confused after I've gone to so much trouble to know what I'm growing!

TomatoDon · July 26, 2010

Other than the most organized, deliberate, and patient, this drives everyone nuts. I've tried everything. What I find myself doing now is picking from one plant or variety at a time and grouping them that way. Marking labeling them on the top is helpful and a Sharpie or "permanent" maker should work. The top of the tomato isn't eaten anyway, and I doubt the labeling is useful past a few minutes or hours when you have taken pictures, recorded weights and notes, etc.

I tried a lot of things to label them for pictures. I even printed out tags to use. What works best for me is to take 3x5 cards and a Sharpie and label the bottom of the 3x5, set it on the scale with the tomato on top, and take a picture of it all. You can use one card to label four separate tomatoes, always turning the card to find a blank for the bottom, front and back.

Not fancy, but it works.

DS

jeffinjonestown · July 26, 2010

I put different colors of zip ties on the stems for those where it isn't obvious. Same thing with branches from which I want to save seeds and for marking bagged blossoms.

Timmah! · July 27, 2010

I write directly on the tomato with a black or brown permanent felt-tipped marker. It wipes of easily with water or a damp cloth.

Talon1189 · July 27, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timmah!

I write directly on the tomato with a black or brown permanent felt-tipped marker. It wipes of easily with water or a damp cloth.

Welp.......I guess that it is not "permanent" then is it? Hahahaha......I am in a silly mood tonight

>>>>>>>>>>>Talon

TomatoDon · July 27, 2010

I thouth about it later and I peel my tomatoes so I don't guess it matters where I mark then. Still, at or near the top seems like the logical place.

DS

WVTomatoMan · July 27, 2010

I use a Sharpie and write name abbreviations as close as I can to the core at the stem end (I don't eat that part). I've done it that way for years and it has worked well. Examples: BW = Brandywine, TBY = Trees Bottom Yellow, BCW = Box Car Willie, etc.

Barbee · July 27, 2010

I mark mine with an ink pen up near the stem. Row 1 plant 4 would be a 1-4. I never know what I'm picking until I get in the house and consult the map

POAJoan · July 27, 2010

I have a list laminated on each tomato bed and they are numbered one through nine with their names so depending on who is helping me we write initials or bed numbers. And we still get mixed up. :-)

Alberta · July 27, 2010

I don't write on the tomato, I use a black sharpie pen, and write the name on old venetian blinds, each row is marked with the variety name, and it last through the spring and summer.

Alberta

ContainerTed · July 27, 2010

A black sharpie on the blossom end because I always set them on the counter stem end down. Like above, you can easily remove all or most of the marking and I do my marking in the garden. I have to take a towel to dry the area to mark with a sharpie. If the area is wet or damp with dew, the sharpie seems to be reluctant to deliver its ink to the tomato surface.

Af Q = African Queen
GR = Grumpy
YQ = Yukon Quest

Lots of acronyms for lot of tomatoes.

Ted

Timmah! · July 27, 2010

Apparently, I've not been using a permanent marker; what I've been using are these:

I'm using the Sanford pens. Both manufacturers' pens' inks are certified AP nontoxic & wipe off with a damp cloth.

Should be able to find them @ your local Walmart or office supply store.

http://www.discountofficeitems.com/o...rs/p19107.html

http://www.discountofficeitems.com/o...rs/p12534.html

maggie c · July 27, 2010

Thanks for the info Timmeh, it's that certified non-toxic I was going for when thinking about marking on the tomatoes. I do eat the shoulders (or use them in sauce) and I'd hate to waste any. I'll have to go to Walmart and see if I can find them!

Gobig_or_Gohome_toms · July 27, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

A black sharpie on the blossom end because I always set them on the counter stem end down. Like above, you can easily remove all or most of the marking and I do my marking in the garden. I have to take a towel to dry the area to mark with a sharpie. If the area is wet or damp with dew, the sharpie seems to be reluctant to deliver its ink to the tomato surface.

Af Q = African Queen
GR = Grumpy
YQ = Yukon Quest

Lots of acronyms for lot of tomatoes.

Ted

Yes lots of acronyms and when I am sloppy mistaked CRN (Crincovic Yugo) for LRC (large red cherrry) big mistake the LRC is a mealy large cherry has been a spitter so far hope it improves and has lead me to better penmanship for next year lol.

Craig

barkeater · July 27, 2010

I rarely mark mine. What I do is mark paper or plastic grocery bags with the name and reuse them during the season as much as possible. Sometimes I'll head out to the garden at peak harvest with a dozen or more bags at a time. The one I grab is what I pick.

And when I pick it is everything with color from blushing to ripe. Up north here I can do it every 4-6 days without any getting away from me. In hotter zones I've had to pick every 3 days.

July 26, 2010	#1
maggie c Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 56	Marking your tomatoes A bunch of my different varieties are all ripening now, and harvesting is about to be more than one or two tomatoes a day. So far I've known what I've picked because not much has been ripening...yet. But times, they are a changing! So, when harvesting, how do you tell your varieties apart? I've seen that some people mark directly on the tomato - if that is your method, what kind of pen/marker do you use? Do you use a special kind of ink? If you have a different method, I'd sure love to hear about it! I'd hate to get my various kinds confused after I've gone to so much trouble to know what I'm growing!

July 26, 2010	#2
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,523	Other than the most organized, deliberate, and patient, this drives everyone nuts. I've tried everything. What I find myself doing now is picking from one plant or variety at a time and grouping them that way. Marking labeling them on the top is helpful and a Sharpie or "permanent" maker should work. The top of the tomato isn't eaten anyway, and I doubt the labeling is useful past a few minutes or hours when you have taken pictures, recorded weights and notes, etc. I tried a lot of things to label them for pictures. I even printed out tags to use. What works best for me is to take 3x5 cards and a Sharpie and label the bottom of the 3x5, set it on the scale with the tomato on top, and take a picture of it all. You can use one card to label four separate tomatoes, always turning the card to find a blank for the bottom, front and back. Not fancy, but it works. DS __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

July 27, 2010	#6
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,523	I thouth about it later and I peel my tomatoes so I don't guess it matters where I mark then. Still, at or near the top seems like the logical place. DS __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

July 27, 2010	#8
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	I mark mine with an ink pen up near the stem. Row 1 plant 4 would be a 1-4. I never know what I'm picking until I get in the house and consult the map __________________ *Barbee*

July 27, 2010	#11
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	A black sharpie on the blossom end because I always set them on the counter stem end down. Like above, you can easily remove all or most of the marking and I do my marking in the garden. I have to take a towel to dry the area to mark with a sharpie. If the area is wet or damp with dew, the sharpie seems to be reluctant to deliver its ink to the tomato surface. Af Q = African Queen GR = Grumpy YQ = Yukon Quest Lots of acronyms for lot of tomatoes. Ted __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

July 26, 2010	#3
jeffinjonestown Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Jonestown, PA Posts: 91	I put different colors of zip ties on the stems for those where it isn't obvious. Same thing with branches from which I want to save seeds and for marking bagged blossoms.

July 27, 2010	#4
Timmah! Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Elizabethtown, Kentucky 6a Posts: 754	I write directly on the tomato with a black or brown permanent felt-tipped marker. It wipes of easily with water or a damp cloth.

July 27, 2010	#7
WVTomatoMan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: West Virginia - Zone 6 Posts: 594	I use a Sharpie and write name abbreviations as close as I can to the core at the stem end (I don't eat that part). I've done it that way for years and it has worked well. Examples: BW = Brandywine, TBY = Trees Bottom Yellow, BCW = Box Car Willie, etc.

July 27, 2010	#9
POAJoan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Reno Posts: 89	I have a list laminated on each tomato bed and they are numbered one through nine with their names so depending on who is helping me we write initials or bed numbers. And we still get mixed up. :-)

July 27, 2010	#10
Alberta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mastic, NY Posts: 212	I don't write on the tomato, I use a black sharpie pen, and write the name on old venetian blinds, each row is marked with the variety name, and it last through the spring and summer. Alberta

July 27, 2010	#15
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	I rarely mark mine. What I do is mark paper or plastic grocery bags with the name and reuse them during the season as much as possible. Sometimes I'll head out to the garden at peak harvest with a dozen or more bags at a time. The one I grab is what I pick. And when I pick it is everything with color from blushing to ripe. Up north here I can do it every 4-6 days without any getting away from me. In hotter zones I've had to pick every 3 days.