first time gardener in zone 9b

zeroma · February 8, 2015

I'm helping a first time gardener get a garden going in central Florida. What varieties of tomatoes are best as far as healthy plants go, for this zone 9b?

Thanks a lot in advance 'villers!

parah · February 9, 2015

Maybe you can grow all year?
In the winter I think you could grow tomatoes with big fruit, and as the weather gets hotter grow more cherry tomatoes and small fruited heat tolerant varieties.

Pruden's Purple and Liz Birt in the winter
Sungold and Sweet Million in the summer
Amazon Chocolate all year.

zeroma · February 9, 2015

Good morning to y'all. Just checking in to see if anyone replied to what tomato grows the best in central Florida.

ginger2778 · February 9, 2015

Well, being in zone 10b I can tell you most tomatoes will do well here as long as they use preventive fungicide and worm sprays. What does well in cool weather will usually do even better in warm weather. Just about no tomatoes thrive in our 4-5 month 85+ degree summers, but you can get a little fruit from the heat tolerant varieties and cherries. I can't think of too many that wont do well here, if you use preventive sprays every 7-10 days and after every heavy rain. Organic methods are fine, and I use them.

parah · February 9, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginger2778

most tomatoes will do well here as long as they use preventive fungicide and worm sprays.

What large fruited variety continues setting fruit the longest into the hot season?

davidstcldfl · February 9, 2015

Hi zeroma,

Like a doctor...I've been 'practicing' raising maters in FL for 2 or 3 decades now. (Lost too many patients to count...

)
To me, it seems growing methods, are slightly more important then the actual types...
.
just basic stuff...
One, keeping the spacing far enough...3 feet (or more) between the plants.
Two, tie them up, so they get more air.
Three, prune a lot....less place for bugs to hide and more air means, less chance of diseases.
Four, grow in containers...Root knot Nematodes are EVERYWHERE ....

Looking forward to some of your mater pictures....

elight · February 9, 2015

Hi zeroma, welcome to the neighborhood! I've lived here for a little over a year, and so far the month of August was the only time I didn't have tomato plants in the ground. My spring plants continued producing fruit through July (it probably helped that they were heavily shaded and protected from rain). Spring is definitely the shorter season... Fruit will probably stop setting with most varieties around Memorial Day. Focus on early varieties or smaller fruited varieties. In the fall, you can plant anything. I just pulled my fall plants last week to prep for my spring garden, which was planted two days ago. (And of course well have a frost scare later this week.) I haven't seen a real freeze in two winters now, so the length of the fall growing season has been a matter of disease control, as others have said.

There are some heat resistant varieties, but I haven't bothered with them yet. Take a look at the extension service publications. The big box stores also typically stock seedlings of this type.

Good luck!

February 8, 2015	#1
zeroma Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 637	first time gardener in zone 9b I'm helping a first time gardener get a garden going in central Florida. What varieties of tomatoes are best as far as healthy plants go, for this zone 9b? Thanks a lot in advance 'villers!

February 9, 2015	#2
parah Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Asia Posts: 152	Maybe you can grow all year? In the winter I think you could grow tomatoes with big fruit, and as the weather gets hotter grow more cherry tomatoes and small fruited heat tolerant varieties. Pruden's Purple and Liz Birt in the winter Sungold and Sweet Million in the summer Amazon Chocolate all year.

February 9, 2015	#4
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Well, being in zone 10b I can tell you most tomatoes will do well here as long as they use preventive fungicide and worm sprays. What does well in cool weather will usually do even better in warm weather. Just about no tomatoes thrive in our 4-5 month 85+ degree summers, but you can get a little fruit from the heat tolerant varieties and cherries. I can't think of too many that wont do well here, if you use preventive sprays every 7-10 days and after every heavy rain. Organic methods are fine, and I use them.

February 9, 2015	#6
davidstcldfl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Central FL zone 9b Posts: 96	Hi zeroma, Like a doctor...I've been 'practicing' raising maters in FL for 2 or 3 decades now. (Lost too many patients to count... ) To me, it seems growing methods, are slightly more important then the actual types... . just basic stuff... One, keeping the spacing far enough...3 feet (or more) between the plants. Two, tie them up, so they get more air. Three, prune a lot....less place for bugs to hide and more air means, less chance of diseases. Four, grow in containers...Root knot Nematodes are EVERYWHERE .... Looking forward to some of your mater pictures....

February 9, 2015	#7
elight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 349	Hi zeroma, welcome to the neighborhood! I've lived here for a little over a year, and so far the month of August was the only time I didn't have tomato plants in the ground. My spring plants continued producing fruit through July (it probably helped that they were heavily shaded and protected from rain). Spring is definitely the shorter season... Fruit will probably stop setting with most varieties around Memorial Day. Focus on early varieties or smaller fruited varieties. In the fall, you can plant anything. I just pulled my fall plants last week to prep for my spring garden, which was planted two days ago. (And of course well have a frost scare later this week.) I haven't seen a real freeze in two winters now, so the length of the fall growing season has been a matter of disease control, as others have said. There are some heat resistant varieties, but I haven't bothered with them yet. Take a look at the extension service publications. The big box stores also typically stock seedlings of this type. Good luck!