Harvest pics (was Fruitset!)

[duajones]

Bush Early Girl, dont know how I missed this one yesterday when I was out in the garden with my electric toothbrush. Its been awhile since Ive seen a baby tomato.

[feldon30]

(through gritted teeth) Congrats!

I've got lots of buds on most of my tomato plants. No flowers yet.

[Tomstrees]

Hey duajones!!!

You did it ! Congrats !

~ Tom

[gardenscout]

Hating you as I am on my way out to shovel some snow.

Congrats... really.

[kwselke]

Good work! Come August we'll be jealous of all the folks in the Frozen Polar North. Enjoy your tomatoes during the spring/summer opportunity.

[Suze]

Fruit set?? Good job, Duane! I'm at least 7-10 days away from that. Need to start earlier next year. Not that it's a contest or anything --

[duajones]

I appreciate the replies, especially with it being a hybrid. I am growing this variety because it was so prolific last year, with one plant even though it was in a container, and I didnt keep up with my daconil regimen like I should have. Over 40 toms off the variety with foliage problems, and while it isnt even close in taste to the few heirlooms I have eaten, it still beats the hell out of store bought tomatoes. And Suze, you are exactly right, no contest here, we all deal with the conditions and climate that we are dealt. And I also spotted my first stink bug today, so we are along way from any so called success. Heres hoping for a good season for all including myself.

Duane

[bydsign]

Originally Posted by duajones

I appreciate the replies, especially with it being a hybrid. I am growing this variety because it was so prolific last year, with one plant even though it was in a container, and I didnt keep up with my daconil regimen like I should have. Over 40 toms off the variety with foliage problems, and while it isnt even close in taste to the few heirlooms I have eaten, it still beats the hell out of store bought tomatoes. And Suze, you are exactly right, no contest here, we all deal with the conditions and climate that we are dealt. And I also spotted my first stink bug today, so we are along way from any so called success. Heres hoping for a good season for all including myself.

I'll drink (hot tea) to that!

[duajones]

Big beef and Jet Star have also set fruit this morning

[duajones]

So far, bush early girl, big beef, jet star, sungold,cherokee purple and black krim have set fruit. bush celebrity had some blossom drop but is trying to set now, azoychka seemed to be a slow starter blossom wise, but is well on its way now. Brandywine has had lots of blossom drop but finally had its first blossom open yesterday without dropping. NBD has dropped all of its blossoms so far.

[TomatoDon]

I found some nice plants earlier and kept them inside, then we had a nice warm spell for a couple of weeks and they stayed out and really came on. Lots of people planted out last week, then the freeze came, and it wiped out the planting. I brought mine back inside and now that it's warm again they are happily sitting outside in the warm weather. I have trays of them ranging from cells to 4 inch pots, to half gallon containers. I have tons of blooms and lots of tiny tomatoes forming. A couple of the bush types have fruit the size of marbles and a little larger.

This has been an interesting year, and it really hasn't started yet. Suze helped me back in Jan/Feb select what I needed to build a seedling tray, and it works really good. Thanks Suze. Last year my germination was pitiful because it was my first real attempt and I didn't know how to do it. This year I had pretty good luck with it and have grown around 150 seedlings I guess, maybe 25 varieties. I also went over to Fusion's the other day and he has a yard full of babies and I picked up about 50, around 15-20 varieties I think it was. Funny...a member here called him while I was there. This man lives in North Carolina.

On top of that I found some really good plants at our favorite trio, Wal Mart, Lowe's, and HD. Lots had blossums when I got them. Found some nice large Brandywines this way, and I will not get into a discussion of what strain, is it a true strain, and how do I know. They are tomatoes and look good, the label said Brandywine, there was a reference to pink, the leaves are the right kind, so I took the chance and I'm sure they will taste just fine. Some are a foot tall and ready to go.

Then, I made a new discovery. This week I found a Co-Op carrying a "brand" I hadn't seen before. Chef Jeff. Really nice containers and labels, and I was amazed to find Green Zebra, Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, BoxCar Willie, Mortgage Lifter, more Brandywines, and maybe a dozen other varieties that we don't normally see around here.

My rule for planting out is to wait until around April 17, and if there is a good five day forecast (no night temps below 40) then I plant. Looks like that will be this week-end. I have around 200 ready to go. And gee...I was going to plant 36 this year?

I have 20 4 X 12 raised beds ready to plant, and about an acre disked five times and ready to plant also. The soil really worked up good and I'll hip up much of it, having small patches for different things. Hoping to do lots of corn and melons there, but plenty of tomatoes too. The tiller's ready, the tractor's ready, the weather's ready, the plants and seeds are ready, and I'm ready.

Happy planting! I already have dozens of baby tomatoes ...now grow babies grow!

Don
Friend of Fusion

[feldon30]

Jet Star, Brandywine OTV, Kimberly, and Brandy Boy have set.

I don't think I have had any blossom drop. Sungold is loading up with blossoms.

None of those 9 blossoms on my stunted Cherokee Purple have set yet, despite diligent pollination with an electric toothbrush. I really should try to get video of the pollen shooting out of the flower.

[FlipTX]

Woo!! Congrats! I have about ten little toms on my Sugary plant, and this morning I found pea-sized fruit on Arkansas Traveler and Silvery Fir Tree. I'm so glad I crossed my fingers and planted out two weeks earlier than I'd originally planned.

[Deer Park]

Duane,

Yours look just like mine. I have about 25% of the 350 plants with baby's. I expect they all will in a week or so.

I love being an expectant father! LOL

Michael

[duajones]

Feldon, My CP was a real slow grower for some reason, it was started on christmas just like most of the rest, and plants that were started weeks later caught up to it. I only put one in the ground for that reason. But it is growing nicely now and has 4-5 set fruit already. I am crossing my fingers with this plant, as the most fruitset I had before was 8 or so. It didnt even get a spot in my newly prepared beds, I stuck in in a spot all by itself figuring if it didnt do anything, no big deal.
Michael, I cant imagine dealing with 350 plants. Wow!