Watching Them Grow

[AlittleSalt]

I'm growing many varieties of tomatoes this year. Most are all new-to-me varieties. Black Krim was the second plant I put into the ground. I planted two other Black Krim plants in different locations in the same garden. I was curious if they would grow differently in different areas of the garden.

Plant out was 60 days ago. All three Black Krim plants are about the same size, but one is different. Two plants look healthy and have no tomatoes yet. One plant has a 4 inch wide tomato growing on it and a smaller one growing right beside it.

I looked at http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Black_Krim 80-85 DTM. Hmm, now I'm wondering if maybe the hail damage got the flowers on the other two plants back in late April? I wish I had paid more attention after the storm.

I think it's funny how it is growing sideways.

[Gardeneer]

Well done !
On the way to harvest i a couple of weeks. That is great after having those storms .

Gardeneer

[whistech]

Great looking tomatoes AlittleSalt! Let us know how they taste. Did to happen to plant any Cherokee Purple to compare them with?

[Blueaussi]

Nice! Well done! I've got nothing anywhere near that.

Things are slow in my garden, in part because I was late setting them out. I broke a bone in my hand, and it is both infuriating and frustrating how long it takes me to do things with one hand. It's also been a cool spring, and some of the plants are just now taking off.

[AlittleSalt]

Thank you Everyone. The plant did it - I just watched.

Gardeneer, the storms, yes I was surprised that they are producing, but sometimes... By the looks of all three Black Krim plants - it seems they want to grow like weeds here.

Whistech, I really wish I would have planted some Cherokee Purple or Chocolate to compare them to. I chose Black Krim over those because of what I read about Black Krim being so heat tolerant.

BlueAussi, Broken bones or any major hand injury is difficult to live with. I had a job related injury that cut ligaments and tendons in my right hand. After surgery, I had to go to a specialist to learn how to use my hand again. You will never forget the year that you gardened with one hand. I'm right handed. Messed my right hand up pretty bad. I learned how to throw left handed - sort of. And write left handed - okay, you can read it, but... Eventually, my right hand worked again. But I can still throw an acorn left handed and hit a grasshopper 10 feet away lol.

[luigiwu]

My Black Krim last year was the least productive but unsual and awesome tasting. I want to know how many each Krim plant gives you. Yummy tomatoes for you soon!

[b54red]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Thank you Everyone. The plant did it - I just watched.

Gardeneer, the storms, yes I was surprised that they are producing, but sometimes... By the looks of all three Black Krim plants - it seems they want to grow like weeds here.

Whistech, I really wish I would have planted some Cherokee Purple or Chocolate to compare them to. I chose Black Krim over those because of what I read about Black Krim being so heat tolerant.

BlueAussi, Broken bones or any major hand injury is difficult to live with. I had a job related injury that cut ligaments and tendons in my right hand. After surgery, I had to go to a specialist to learn how to use my hand again. You will never forget the year that you gardened with one hand. I'm right handed. Messed my right hand up pretty bad. I learned how to throw left handed - sort of. And write left handed - okay, you can read it, but... Eventually, my right hand worked again. But I can still throw an acorn left handed and hit a grasshopper 10 feet away lol.

Black Krim like many of the black tomatoes is fairly heat tolerant but it is by no means one of the best at handling the heat in my experience. I will say though that the best tasting tomato I ever had was a BK that matured during a particularly hot dry time and had that rich smokey taste that is so elusive and rare. The biggest problem I have with BK is that it has a tendency to split whenever we get a bit of rain after a dry spell which is quite frequent here.

I think you might want to look at growing Indian Stripe, Indian Stripe PL, JD's Special C Tex, and also Carbon for growing in the fall. I have found that Spudakee does better than Cherokee Purple even though they are supposedly the same except for leaf type. Spudakee always produces more and is a much more vigorous plant in my experience. If you want to grow some really large black tomatoes then you might want to try Gary O' Sena; but it needs pruning for best production as it tends to be quite vegetative in its growth and will get huge. It like the others I listed sets well in the southern heat but it is not quite as good tasting as the others. Berkley Tie Dye Pink is another that does well down here and is particularly well suited for fall growing like Carbon. They both ripen very well during the cooling down of fall when many other varieties have difficulty getting fully ripe during that time of year.

Bill

[Worth1]

Salt first I would like to say how much I am looking forward to you and your family tasting all of the nice tomatoes you have grown this year.
You guys are in for a real treat if the wet weather doesn't kill all of the flavor.
My first Early girl tasted like a store bought tomato.

Second I would like to say that all of us here in Texas at least my area and yours got caught with our pants down this year.


I could have grown anything I wanted and got good results the weather has been fantastic.

Worth

[AlittleSalt]

Luigiwu, I'll let you know how they're doing when I pm you updates on the Gialle squash

Bill, on the row where the BK is, is the row that started out being all larger tomato types. (Larger than cherry tomatoes) I still have two Indian Stripe, Work Release and Mayo's Delight hearts, Sioux, Bradley, Zapotec, Valencia and Golden Jubilee. There were 3 Rebel Yell plants that had to be replaced on that row. (Which reminds me that I need to find seeds for Rebel Yell.) I replaced them with Ildi, Amethyst Cream, and Indigo Sun F1.

Carbon for fall. Cool! I have both Carbon and Carbon Copy seeds itching to be planted. I have Spudakee and Cherokee Purple seeds too.

Worth, It rained just under 3 inches this morning. Johnson county is under a flood warning even though the rain has passed. Yes, pants down for sure.

[pauldavid]

That BK looks good Salt. I planted 3 Black Krim plants that were store bought, they are the tallest plants so far. They have several green fruit and lots of blooms. Anyone know the best time to start tomato seeds for fall in zone 8? I live near the Louisiana/Arkansas border and have never planted for the fall.

[AlittleSalt]

Paul, I would like to read what others think is the best Fall starting time for zone 8 too.

Last year, I started mine around July 1, but wished I had started them a month earlier. I also forgot to factor in the Fall Equinox and my fall garden plants had way too much shade. I know where to plant them this year though. Live and learn.

[Blueaussi]

Salt, your injury sounds a lot worse than mine! I tripped and fell -in public, of course- and broke my pinkie finger bone way down low, just before it goes into the wrist. It probably would have healed faster with a pin; but, as my orthopedist put it, you can't get there from here. So, it's wear a brace, behave myself, and hope the dang thing gets on with healing.

pauldavid, I would look at what time of year the heat breaks in your area, and aim to have my plants large enough to start producing around that time. Remember, it is the nighttime temperatures that affect fruit set. I'm in Zone 8, as well; and prior experience suggests I want fall tomatoes plants large enough to produce by early to mid-September. In a good year, we won't have a freeze or heavy frost until Thanksgiving-ish. That's a very mushy time frame, I know; but you really have to consider the weather in your specific area.

[charley]

Salt i start seeds in june .that gives them 2 months to get them large enough to plant out the end of August.im starting mine next week so i can graft them.

[hornstrider]

AlittleSalt good job. Your maters look great. I picked my first Dester, and Rosella Purple yesterday. I pick at first blush. I fear the "splits" with all of the rain we are having. The picture is a Cherokee Purple plant. I planted Cherokee Purple, JD"s Special Tex, Indian Stripe, Earl's Faux, Prudens Purple, Arkansas Traveler, Amish Paste, Dester, Rosella Purple, Wes, and Clint Eastwood Rowdy Red. I have a total of 50 plants. I have never had this much fruit. All plants look just the one pictured.

[Worth1]

I just discovered a stray San Marzano crawling around in the undergrowth with little tomatoes on it.
I thought the thing had been devoured.
That solves the mystery of one of the plants now I have to wait and see what the other one is.

Worth