Your Tomato Patch

[Chuck]

It is coming to that time of year again where we all are browsing through the multitudes of seed catalogs trying to decide what to grow. Seed catalogs are insidious. They show the most beautiful pictures of what "you can grow". Do Not Be Misled.

There are three categories of tomatoes. Early season, mid-season and late season. You must know and understand your local climate in order to know which categories to order from. For instance, if you live in a climate like mine where you have continuous hot night time temperatures starting in June you positively do not want to order from a late season category and even a mid season type is iffy. You must remember that tomatoes only RELIABLY set fruit at NIGHT TIME low temperatures of between 68F and 74F. The large and midsize varieties CAN set fruit one or two degrees either way but you can't count on it. The grapes, plums and cherries will set up to about 80F night time low temp. There are many varieties in each category. The instructions say 64 days or 75 days or 85 days or something. Don't believe it. That day count is for PERFECT GROWING CONDITIONS. I have never seen perfect conditions outside of a controlled lab.

 

[headfullofbees]

The good thing is that once you follow Chuck's rules and a few more, like sowing 4 weeks before your last frost date, you can have a fun, rewarding growing season,

 

[majorcatfish]

think that goes for any long term veggie ....or if you really want to get botanical........ fruit...
amazing what we think as a vegetable or really a fruit and what we think as a fruit is really a berry.


go figure....

 

[Pat]

Very good information. I did not know the night time temperature is that important to the production of fruit for tomatoes. I did not grow anything last season but I do plan to grow this season. Your information will help me to choose the right plants for my area.

 

[CanadianLori]

I have started some beefsteak seedlings and just put some greenhouse vine variety type seeds in soil blocks yesterday. Need to buy a roma from the store and start some seeds from it.

 

[Chuck]

I have started some beefsteak seedlings and just put some greenhouse vine variety type seeds in soil blocks yesterday. Need to buy a roma from the store and start some seeds from it.

I certainly hope your store romas are different than the ones here. The ones here are picked immature, then gassed to make them turn red. Our romas are so immature the seeds are not viable and the tomato tastes like damp cardboard

 

[amelia88]

Thanks for all the advice! I've only grown cherry tomatoes so far - and only have done so for two seasons - but I would like to try and branch out into full size tomatoes...and all the advice I can get my hands on helps!!

 

[CanadianLori]

I certainly hope your store romas are different than the ones here. The ones here are picked immature, then gassed to make them turn red. Our romas are so immature the seeds are not viable and the tomato tastes like damp cardboard

Did it last year but sometimes I think when it comes to growing from seed, I was born under the sign of the horseshoe

 

[ChanellG]

Wow, @Chuck, I never knew this. No wonder cherry tomatoes do so well here! This bit of temperature information also explains why my creole tomato vine suddenly sprang to life recently and started producing winter tomatoes after the unseasonably warm December we had. Good to know!