Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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May 29, 2008 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Zone 4 Lake Minnetonka, MN
Posts: 967
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Maybe another convert
Our townhouse property manager just stopped by to check on my tomato plants as he was in the area and heading to another property close by that he manages and he said he had just but his plants out on Saturday and then Sunday we got a hailstorm (missed my area) and said he lost all his seedlings. He does grow from seed but grows only hybrids.
So I gave him the few back-ups I had left KBX, Spudakee, and Cherokee Green. He has only grown red tomatoes but seemed excited to get these nice big plants since his were all destroyed. All of these are new to me as well but if all goes well he will be planting more heirlooms and less hybrid tomatoes in the future. He also commented on the different leaf types of KBX and Spudakee and said he had never grown a PL leaf tomato I was surprised since he had been growing tomatoes for quite sometime but it just goes to show some people grow tomatoes and some people are tomatoholics like me and read everything there is to know about tomatoes and tomato varieties and are still left wanting more |
May 30, 2008 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 630
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Sweet! Keep us posted, even if its much later in the season before you get significant feedback from him.
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May 30, 2008 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9
Posts: 1,996
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I have given OP varieties to several people the past couple years and all seemed excited about the possiblities. Problem is, only one of them has had any success. I have visited the gardens of 4 people that I gave plants to this year and 3 out of the 4 looked absolutely pitiful. The 4th is a guy thats been growing hybrids for about 10 yrs now and his plants looked fine. Hard to convert when they have little to no success. But I am trying
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May 30, 2008 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 630
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Yeah, there is an absolute advantage to the F1 hybrid. Disease resistance, vigor, etc. I had a terrible time trying to grow Brandywine last year. I got a few tomatoes, but nothing to speak of. I have a small garden, but this year I'm only growing one heirloom - Rutger's Select. The rest are hybrids. I can get plenty of heirlooms from the farmer's market, but this year I opted for big yield of good tasting tomatoes rather than a potential small yield of great tasting tomatoes. I'm still an heirloom guy, but I have digressed somewhat this year. I'll be back next year.
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May 30, 2008 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Zone 4 Lake Minnetonka, MN
Posts: 967
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Yes I am worried about that as he described the possibility of getting early blight or Verticilum wilt (sp?)
But it is worth a shot he has acreage so he should have plenty of room for rotation but I have not seen his land/garden |
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