Fall tomatoes

[b54red]

Every year I try to grow a variety of fall tomatoes with varying degrees of success depending on the weather. This year I had a slow start in fruit set due to very hot dry weather in August and September. Despite that slow start my fall plants have generally done very well and the flavor of the fruits has been exceptional since we have not had any extended cool weather yet. My top producers are J.D's Special C Tex, Spudakee, Pruden's Purple, Arkansas Traveler, NAR, Zogola, Limbaugh's Legacy, IS, and Sioux.

Bill

[Starlight]

Cool! I was going to do some fall ones and glad I didn't. I've been down to almost 32F several nights in a row. The few plants I had got bit and didn't recover, so glad I didn't have more to pull out.

Hope you can get a good crop in before we do get really cold. Got a feeling winter is going to come early this year.

[AlittleSalt]

That's a nice list of tomatoes Bill. I recognize many of the varieties as ones that do well in the heat.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Starlight

Cool! I was going to do some fall ones and glad I didn't. I've been down to almost 32F several nights in a row. The few plants I had got bit and didn't recover, so glad I didn't have more to pull out.

Hope you can get a good crop in before we do get really cold. Got a feeling winter is going to come early this year.

You must be way up in the northern part of the state because the lowest we have had was 43.

Bill

[b54red]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

That's a nice list of tomatoes Bill. I recognize many of the varieties as ones that do well in the heat.

When you set out tomatoes in June and early July they better be able to take the heat. I used to plant deep when I set them out but found that I lost too many to bacterial wilt or something similar that would attack the green stem under the soil causing it to wilt and turn mushy. Another trick when setting out tomatoes when it is hot is to water the soil well a day or two before planting and cover the ground with mulch to keep it cool. When I set them out I just pull the mulch back enough to set them in the soil only as deep as they were in the cups then pull the mulch back nearly to the stem and not water them until they start wilting. It is best if you can set them out after a good rain or during cloudy weather but if you can't, wait til nearly dark to set them out.

Bill

[AlittleSalt]

It is good to read that advice Bill. I wasn't aware of the possible bacterial wilt when planting deep, but I did think of hot soil affecting the stem when planting deep, so I chose to plant normally.

I also watered for a few days before planting tomatoes in later June. I just had to do the same thing planting onion seed about 5 days ago. The soil temperature was still 80F at 5" deep. I watered the soil several days and shaded it before planting onion seeds. The onions are coming up now. Of course the 8 inches of rain between last night and tonight has really cooled the soil.

Seeing plants coming up because you helped them - feels really good.

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by b54red

...something similar that would attack the green stem under the soil causing it to wilt and turn mushy.

Bill

The strange part is when you have two equally healthy seedlings that are transplanted at the same level into a 10 gal container, and one spontaneously says <<Seacrest out>> and about 1.5 cm of its stem becomes discolored and takes on a brownish/yellow hue. You see the new growth wilt first, then the major leaves and good-bye. The stem is supple to the touch, with complete loss of function.

The other plant, meanwhile, thrives as if nothing happened, and is glad it gets to stretch out.

Direct contact with fresh mulch (right out of the bag, decorative bark) promotes the stem changes. Waiting on the mulch until the plant(s) establishes itself helped me (2-3 waterings).

Protection around the stem is a good aid too. I experimented with a few fabrics and generic kitchen drawer liner with the waffling seems to protect the most.

A hot potting mix also plays a role.