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December 28, 2012

The only tomato you listed that I have grown is Homestead 24. It was a great tomato on a very small vine. I really appreciate the small vines because they allow room for more varieties to be planted. It had very heavy foliage which protected the tomatoes from the hot, hot sun. It was almost a bush tomato wanting to remain close to the ground instead of growing rapidly up a trellis as many varieties do.

Most of the "black" varieties have done well for me in the heat. Black Krim has probably been the best from early season to late season. It has a great taste, but it does not store well. I've found it needs to be consumed before it gets fully ripe or it will become soft quickly. J.D.'s Special C Tex has also been a great black variety producing through the heat of summer.JD's also seemed to retain a firm texture much longer than Black Krim while tasting great.

Blush has been mentioned a few times, but next year will be my first time to grow it and I am looking forward to the results. You need to be aware that it is an elongated grape type tomato up too two inches long with a yellow color and slight reddish highlights when ripe.

A few globe, or slightly flattened globe; shaped varieties in red and pink colors which have performed well in high heat for me have been Barlow Jap, Hoy, Stump Of The World, and Mortgage Lifter. You can add Fred Limbaughs Potato Top to that list, but it produced much later in the season for me.

The best heart shaped tomato for me has been Wes, producing a good supply of large hearts all summer long. The bonus for Wes is it also tastes good.

Prue was a good variety for me this year producing an abundance of tomatoes of various shapes on a very wispy vine.

The best variegated or multicolored tomato for me has been Hillbilly. It has had good production of very large, sweet to fruity tasting tomatoes. I liked it a lot and I normally don't like the sweeter tomatoes.

Our summer heat reached 110 degrees F. in August. You can improve the production of your tomato plants in that kind of heat by using shade cloth to protect them from the strong sunlight.

It also helps if you plant out as early as possible. For many years, I planted out around April 1. When I started planting out on March 1, it increased my production tremendously. You may need to be prepared to protect your plants from late frosts if you plant that early.

My intent for growing tomatoes in Texas is to grow and produce tomatoes from the last frost of spring to the first frost of fall. My earliest tomatoes are usually harvested in early May with the last being harvested in mid November. By harvesting some nice green tomatoes in the fall, we usually have ripe tomatoes until the new year.

Ted

December 28, 2012	#7
tedln Guest Posts: n/a	The only tomato you listed that I have grown is Homestead 24. It was a great tomato on a very small vine. I really appreciate the small vines because they allow room for more varieties to be planted. It had very heavy foliage which protected the tomatoes from the hot, hot sun. It was almost a bush tomato wanting to remain close to the ground instead of growing rapidly up a trellis as many varieties do. Most of the "black" varieties have done well for me in the heat. Black Krim has probably been the best from early season to late season. It has a great taste, but it does not store well. I've found it needs to be consumed before it gets fully ripe or it will become soft quickly. J.D.'s Special C Tex has also been a great black variety producing through the heat of summer.JD's also seemed to retain a firm texture much longer than Black Krim while tasting great. Blush has been mentioned a few times, but next year will be my first time to grow it and I am looking forward to the results. You need to be aware that it is an elongated grape type tomato up too two inches long with a yellow color and slight reddish highlights when ripe. A few globe, or slightly flattened globe; shaped varieties in red and pink colors which have performed well in high heat for me have been Barlow Jap, Hoy, Stump Of The World, and Mortgage Lifter. You can add Fred Limbaughs Potato Top to that list, but it produced much later in the season for me. The best heart shaped tomato for me has been Wes, producing a good supply of large hearts all summer long. The bonus for Wes is it also tastes good. Prue was a good variety for me this year producing an abundance of tomatoes of various shapes on a very wispy vine. The best variegated or multicolored tomato for me has been Hillbilly. It has had good production of very large, sweet to fruity tasting tomatoes. I liked it a lot and I normally don't like the sweeter tomatoes. Our summer heat reached 110 degrees F. in August. You can improve the production of your tomato plants in that kind of heat by using shade cloth to protect them from the strong sunlight. It also helps if you plant out as early as possible. For many years, I planted out around April 1. When I started planting out on March 1, it increased my production tremendously. You may need to be prepared to protect your plants from late frosts if you plant that early. My intent for growing tomatoes in Texas is to grow and produce tomatoes from the last frost of spring to the first frost of fall. My earliest tomatoes are usually harvested in early May with the last being harvested in mid November. By harvesting some nice green tomatoes in the fall, we usually have ripe tomatoes until the new year. Ted Last edited by tedln; December 28, 2012 at 03:46 PM.