Hi, thanks for responding, Ginger!
3 years ago I bought some fabric grow pots and good potting soil. Nobody died, well, the Black Cherry crisped up over time. I guess I should have put plastic down under the 10 gal grow bags but I also only did F tolerance plants. During that same season I also came across straw bale growing. The plants that I grew in the bales were very very healthy. And many heirlooms (well the cherokee type blacks) did well. Much bigger plants than the grow pots. Nobody died in bales except Black Krim, Brandy Boy, and Paul Robeson. I have never had such happy looking plants in my life until using straw bales. I am growing pumpkins same way. Huge leaves all around no matter what I grew. The more tomato varieties I tried, now that I was working with happy plants, the more failures I had these past few years with many trialed heirlooms. Big Beef though always was fine. Till this year... Last year was very hot. So my production was bad. So this year I thought I would try a ton of hybrids that should take the heat. It wasn't quite as hot this year of course, but still alot high 90's and some 100. Big Beef and Whopper(new to me this year) really really put out and tasted good. Texture still too firm though for me. The other hybrids and all had F and FF tolerance were all pretty firm. I prefer the black textures and balanced flavor of those. I like pinks but the texture for me is only good for a very short time. Anyway, I stopped using the pots after that first year because the straw bale method was great. Plus the tomatoes just tasted so great because the plants were so healthy. Well until not... Better Bush tastes great and has good texture but doesn't put out that much. Better Boy kinda bland as well as Big Boy and for me neither big producers like Big Beef or Whopper. I did like Jet Star but production was low. Charger was very firm until you let it sit on counter for a good while... Ace was not that great. Goliath too ribbed and scarred. Super Fantastic just ok. Pink Berkeley Tie Dye very good taste and texture as well as Cherokee Carbon and Black Cherry(first to die). Brandy Boy grafted on Big Beef still got the sickly yellows and wilts. Mule Team on BB graft just tasted too acidic and the skin was thick(did not get sick but I pulled).
Who is still alive after this yellow and crisping take down? Cherokee Carbon, Jet Star F, Better Bush FF, Charger FFF, Big Boy grafted on a Big Beef, and Sweet Gold Cherry F.
So I am confused as to almost randomness of take down.
The bales come from local farms no roundup used or near them. I did plant some Big Beef randomly as well as some Pink Berkeley and though 1 BB died near bales, others ok, though all PDTD all crisped up. Whopper ok in raised bed that had F in it in the past. Better Boy in F bed doing ok. The plants not in bales were planted in mid and late May instead of Mid April in Bales. They are younger plants and are now fruiting. So succession can help I guess. A younger plant can take more of the stresses especially if not fully loaded yet I guess. So from the pictures and my history is does look like all F right and nothing else also?
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