Quote:
Originally Posted by PureHarvest
This is exactly what I have concluded after this season so far!
You are absolutely correct Hellmanns.
Growing one long crop from early May to frost makes no sense for me.
I am gonna do a very early crop next year and set them into a heated high tunnel in Mid-February. Hope to harvest from May to mid-July. By the time the heat rolls around in late July, my next crop will be coming on in the vegetative stage. So no fruit to split, or blossoms to drop.
Combined together, I hope to yield more for the year from 2 crops than one long crop that has to struggle through the heat at some point with new blossoms or fruit load.
I also think I can get the premium on the early stuff. Nobody has local tomatoes in may or June here commercially.
My buyer will have to go elsewhere for late July to August, but that is fine, he's a broker and that's his job and he knows how to get product if need be. Plus, there are plenty of tomatoes around then.
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Be careful starting to early, even in a heated tunnel. You will have problems with fruit set. I have found here in zone 6, that mid March is ideal for a good set on first, and second clusters.
When I was growing for a living, mid March was when I always planted. Then depending on the season, I would get ripe fruit with Big Beef anywhere from mid June to early July.