2017 Season Progression

[jpop]

Started seed late by most of the other Florida growers on this site due to family and work obligations. Transplanted my first cherry and saladette tomato seedlings on 11-1-16
which included:
Black Cherry
Stupice
Sungold F1
Reisentraube

Was lucky enough to be eating fresh tomatoes on Christmas Day.

Transplanted my larger varieties on 12-1-16 which included:
Akers West Virginia
Alex Popovich Yugoslavian
Cuostralee
German Johnson Benton strain
Girl's Girl weird Thing
Iraqi Heart
Neves Azorean Red
New Big Dwarf
Noir de Crimee
Palmira's Northern Italian
Rebel yell
Sakharnyi Pudovichok
Stump of the World
Wes

After a tough battle with disease, insects, and pests I was determined not to throw in the towel as bad as it seemed and managed to bring most to fruiting stage. Although the yields are somewhat low I am excited. The unfortunate part is I lost my only New Big Dwarf to mite damage which never recovered and ended up in the trash. This my favorite from last year so hopefully the others I am growing can carry the torch. Here are some mid-grow pics w/ the large ripe a Sakharnyi Pudovichok.

[jpop]

This is a photo of the cut Sakharnyi Pudovichok. This tomato was fantastic, solid 8.5-9 and will be added to my must grow list based on flavor alone. Definite winner.

[jpop]

Kids love the garden and love picking the tomatoes from the plants and eating them. Picture of Stupice in the background.

[MissS]

I'm glad to hear that you found another tomato to add to your favorites. The plants look great.

Your helpers, now they are adorable! It looks as if they are having a blast. It is wonderful that they can learn gardening now and enjoy eating such a special treat.

[javafxnoob]

Thanks you very much for pictures. I am becoming addict of tomato pictures it seems. Still 4 weeks before I can plant seeds here.

[Barb_FL]

Your tomatoes look great and your kids are adorable. Great to have helpers.

So you got your EB / Plants off the porch.

Was it Russet Mites that did your NBD in? I had RM on most of my fall plants; I'm sure it started with the dwarfs and took them out fast. Here is a cheapo scope that I bought that can really see those bugs/larvae affecting the leaves.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm fascinated by it and can't believe I see the RM larvae even on the spring seedlings.

Once I identified it and treated it, some of the plants rebounded quickly.

[jpop]

Originally Posted by MissS

I'm glad to hear that you found another tomato to add to your favorites. The plants look great.

Your helpers, now they are adorable! It looks as if they are having a blast. It is wonderful that they can learn gardening now and enjoy eating such a special treat.

Exciting to find a tomato that you carry over to the following year. From last year growing a dozen varieties, only 2 and stretching a 3rd made the cut. Feels great to have them help and that they take enjoyment from this experience as i did w/ my granddad.

[jpop]

Originally Posted by javafxnoob

Thanks you very much for pictures. I am becoming addict of tomato pictures it seems. Still 4 weeks before I can plant seeds here.

Thank you java. I see your location is Serbia and my father was from Serbia. I am excited to grow Alex Popovich this year as I share the same last name as the tomato albeit mine is spelled Popovic.

[jpop]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Your tomatoes look great and your kids are adorable. Great to have helpers.

So you got your EB / Plants off the porch.

Was it Russet Mites that did your NBD in? I had RM on most of my fall plants; I'm sure it started with the dwarfs and took them out fast. Here is a cheapo scope that I bought that can really see those bugs/larvae affecting the leaves.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm fascinated by it and can't believe I see the RM larvae even on the spring seedlings.

Once I identified it and treated it, some of the plants rebounded quickly.

Thank you very much Barb and thanks for the link. I am very lucky to share my time with them outdoors rather then them being glued to an electronic device like most their age. As far as moving the EB's to the lawn, I will give you the PG version in that my wife wanted her pool deck back haha.

Yes, same as last year the TRM took out my NBD fast and furious. I went out of town for 3 days and came back to darkened stems same as last year. Not sure why they love this particular varity but very disappointed as I only had 1 this year and it was last year's winner by far. Had 2 more plants nearby get them as well but they fought them off w/ treatment (i.e. permethrin and spinosad).

Next came TSWV on my black cherry, then what looked like either early blight or fusarium on most of my plants lower foliage after the damp December. I strongly attribute this to moving the plants from the pool deck to the lawn especially after the lawn guys cover the foliage w/ dirt/dust/debris from their equipment.

Lesson learned and have to keep on keeping on

[javafxnoob]

Originally Posted by jpop

Thank you java. I see your location is Serbia and my father was from Serbia. I am excited to grow Alex Popovich this year as I share the same last name as the tomato albeit mine is spelled Popovic.

Same last name, no matter how you write it, I am sure your tomatoes will be delicious.

[jpop]

Originally Posted by javafxnoob

Same last name, no matter how you write it, I am sure your tomatoes will be delicious.

The 1st is close to ripened and I will follow with pics and a flavor report.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by jpop

Thank you very much Barb and thanks for the link. I am very lucky to share my time with them outdoors rather then them being glued to an electronic device like most their age. As far as moving the EB's to the lawn, I will give you the PG version in that my wife wanted her pool deck back haha.

Yes, same as last year the TRM took out my NBD fast and furious. I went out of town for 3 days and came back to darkened stems same as last year. Not sure why they love this particular varity but very disappointed as I only had 1 this year and it was last year's winner by far. Had 2 more plants nearby get them as well but they fought them off w/ treatment (i.e. permethrin and spinosad).

Next came TSWV on my black cherry, then what looked like either early blight or fusarium on most of my plants lower foliage after the damp December. I strongly attribute this to moving the plants from the pool deck to the lawn especially after the lawn guys cover the foliage w/ dirt/dust/debris from their equipment.

Lesson learned and have to keep on keeping on

After they were moved onto the lawn, did you put a piece of plastic or wood between the pot and the ground? We are fully infested with Root Knot Nematodes here in Florida due to our very sandy native soil, and they smell the tomatoes. They will easily migrate right through the drain holes of a pot, but if you only use Earthboxes that is not the likely cause. I did have one Earthbox get them for the first time last year. The yard men's weed whacker kicked dirt up onto the covering, and I hosed it off, and some was washed into the little plant openings in the Earthbox covering, and that was all it Took!
Anyways, for my regular 7 gallon pots, I put the thick plastic from my promix or fertilizer, Perlite, etc between the pot and the soil. Great barrier.
TRMs are pretty much always going to happen, I use permethrin, it is the same as pyrethrin only cheaper because synthetic. Same ingredients. It kills hard shelled insects too, such as tomato suck bugs, and the odd green stink bugs I occasionally see.

For blight, I use liquid copper fungicide, used by organic growers, Southern Ag brand from HD, at 1/2 Tablespoon per gallon.You can mix it and the permethrin. Warning don't get it on the blossoms!

[jpop]

Good morning Marsha I was hoping you would see this post and comment. The pest and fungal/foliage regiment I followed from your input last year and it saved my plants. I carry the Southern Ag brand, permethrin, and spinosad. This year the NBD was much younger and succumbed to those relentless little mites. Crazy how fast they can destroy a plant. I have stones beneath the earthboxes and other containers but my lawn guys do the same with the weed whacker, so i may have to rethink my strategy.

The best thing I did that greatly reduced the insect and foliage damage was dusting the leaves w/ DE, however it does tend to cake after being wet which dries out the leaves but the alternative was worse, so finding the balance has been a challenge for sure.

[BigVanVader]

Have you tasted Wes? I grow it on the reg as some of my friends/family think its the cats meow. Love to hear your thought on it at some point. Beautiful pics and kids, nice work!

[jpop]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Have you tasted Wes? I grow it on the reg as some of my friends/family think its the cats meow. Love to hear your thought on it at some point. Beautiful pics and kids, nice work!

Not yet, however of all the plants the production on it is unreal. The flower set is crazy w/ very little blossom drop. I will review the taste on everything this year as they are all new varieties to me this year. I am hoping Wes and Iraqi Heart can produce great taste for fresh eating and sauce. What was your take on the flavor of Wes?

Thank you about the kids, I have a 3rd as well not in the pic as she is a little young yet to truly grasp the garden.