Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by efisakov

Have anyone tried growing zucchini during the summer? How about watermelon?

I'm guessing it's way too hot here for Zucchini but it is about time to plant Watermelon for a fall crop. However, I don't have the space or taste for Watermelon.
Larry

[Barb_FL]

I'm successfully growing cucumbers and peppers; see my thread in the photo section.

I picked my first cucumber from these 3 plants on June 26, and have picked another 47 since. Plants are still healthy - no spraying but covering with tulle at night to stop the dreaded pickle worm moth. I'm seeing the first stages of the crispy leaves on the plant.

Watermelon takes way too much room, but I've tried growing cantaloupe and the growing part was easy; it's the worm in every fruit that made me to give up.
I even tried the quicker varieties.

I've given up on zucchini even before.

For the peppers, I am putting up shade cloth in the late morning. Still setting fruit.

[efisakov]

Thanks for all the answers. Happy to hear that some of the plants can be grown during summer, that is with lots of care of course. Nothing is easy. Thank you.

[Fiishergurl]

My tomato plants in Philly are beautiful but if they were this big at home and only had 10 or less tomatoes i would be crying... haha. Here, since they are only getting 4 to 5 hours of sun, I'm happy to see any little tomato baby that appears. Ido have one plant with about 25 tomatoes on it (Costoluto Genovese) but most have atound 10 so far.

Orange Strawberry and Wes are doing great. But Anna Russian (the third pot farthest back in this picture) is being stubborn. It only has a few tomatoes and is just now starting to put out a good number of blossoms way behind Wes and Orange Strawberry. Which makes me think Anna Russian is not happy since it is supposed to be early.

But it sure is nice to not have the leaf diseases and pests. I think part of that is due to this being a virgin tomato plant environment.

Ginny

[Zone9b]

[QUOTE=Fiishergurl My tomato plants in Philly are beautiful but if they were this big at home and only had 10 or less tomatoes i would be crying... haha. Here, since they are only getting 4 to 5 hours of sun, I'm happy to see any little tomato baby that appears. Ido have one plant with about 25 tomatoes on it (Costoluto Genovese) but most have atound 10 so far.
Orange Strawberry and Wes are doing great. But Anna Russian (the third pot farthest back in this picture) is being stubborn. It only has a few tomatoes and is just now starting to put out a good number of blossoms way behind Wes and Orange Strawberry. Which makes me think Anna Russian is not happy since it is supposed to be early.
But it sure is nice to not have the leaf diseases and pests. I think part of that is due to this being a virgin tomato plant environment.
Ginny[/QUOTE]
"Virgin tomato plant environment" A great way of putting it. It does surely seem to be true when one grows the same vegetables in the same area for a while, a whole lot of things you don't want just show up to make a plants life miserable.
Larry

[MarlynnMarcks]

My Solar Set tomatoes are fruiting and turning red. They seem to love the heat and rain. Why did they stop selling the seed

[Barb_FL]

Marlynn - That is amazing; I've tried several different "HEAT" varieties and never had any luck. I really thought our night time lows were too high and this year I've seen the lows as high as 80 which is hotter than when I tried growing them.

Post pictures.

[MarlynnMarcks]

I'd post if I could, but cant' seem to find a way to do it on my cheap phone. It will take pictures, but I don't think it has the capacity to send or receive them. The tomatoes are about the size of a soft ball and the plants grow so many laterals that I've planted some and they seem to be taking even in this 90+ weather we've been having. All I can say is that one is in a small flat container and made the largest fruit, the other plant is in a deep grow bag and has many more tomatoes on it. I love this variety which I had grown in Michigan before I came down to Florida and recommended it a tomato line but was told they were only interested in heirlooms. Well, let me tell you, I think is tastes as good as any heirloom and is more disease resistant. I got the seed from a retired member of the Florida University program who graciously sent me an envelope of the seed. I was delighted and as the seed is not realy availble i guess I'll have to keep growing from pieces of the tomato plants as long as I can.

[Fiishergurl]

You should save seeds. Some of those hybdrids reproduce very similar. Depends on how similar the parents were I think. Anyways its worth a try.

Ginny

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by Fiishergurl

You should save seeds. Some of those hybdrids reproduce very similar. Depends on how similar the parents were I think. Anyways its worth a try.

Ginny

I agree; I grew out the F2s from UF Garden Gem and they seemed identical except for 1 plant that had all striped tomatoes.

You could take cuttings now and root them; I did this spring of '15 with BCD and the cuttings were setting fruit in the heat (June), I broke my wrist , had surgery, and couldn't sweat (go outside) for a week. DH watered but not enough during that time.

You could have fresh tomatoes year round.

This June/July is as hot as August/Sept.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by MarlynnMarcks

My Solar Set tomatoes are fruiting and turning red. They seem to love the heat and rain. Why did they stop selling the seed

Very interesting. Maybe I should get it poppin here and start some of my Skyway 687 heat set tomato seeds now.
Larry

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by Zone9b

Very interesting. Maybe I should get it poppin here and start some of my Skyway 687 heat set tomato seeds now.
Larry

The only reason not to is if you don't have many seeds or you are going away during a critical time in their development.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

The only reason not to is if you don't have many seeds or you are going away during a critical time in their development.

Barb,
You don't miss a thing. You are exactly right. 10 seeds for 4.95. I may venture 2 or 3 seeds at this time but no more.
Larry

[Fiishergurl]

Originally Posted by Zone9b

Very interesting. Maybe I should get it poppin here and start some of my Skyway 687 heat set tomato seeds now.
Larry

Yes for sure. We would all love to have super productive summer tomato plants.

Larry you need to correspond with Ellie. Shes on another forum and doesnt post on this one but she has an incredible amount of knowledge about heat setting, disease resistant tomatoes. She grows in the ground also and I believe she has been crossing disease resistant tomatoes with heat tolerant, good tasting, etc. I dont know the specifics because I dont grow in ground but when i had TYLCV last fall she totally helped me through it with tons of information. She's the one that told me me about the TYLCV resistant varieties.

I believe she grows all kinds of things in the ground. Shes in North Florida but she has our disease issues.

I will PM you some info. She is amazing.

Ginny

[Zone9b]

Ginny,
Thanks for the tip and I look forward to receiving the info.
Larry