First To Set Fruit In Cypress TX

MikeInCypress · March 15, 2006

For the second year in a row its Kimberly. Ahead of SunGold and Silvery Fir Tree. This year Stupice got sidetracked and is just now forming blossoms. Sophie Choice might catch SFT. I'll be saving seed on the Kimberly as some have had problems germinating this one ( I don't think it likes heat when it is seeded.)

Need to get some of that good pepper bacon soon.

Michael

spudleafwillie · March 16, 2006

Mike,
It's 10 years in a row for me for Kimberly having the first fruit here in sw NM. I was one of the first to grow it in the US getting my seed from Stan Zubrowski from Canada in 1995. It has become #1 on my plant list since. A super tomato to start the season off with.

The only thing I have found with Kimberly is that the earliest fruits do not contain any viable seeds, most being tiny and immature. Later fruits are OK and contain plenty of good seed. I think it is due to the low night temps for a few weeks, sometimes down to 40F, that makes the pollen sterile thus no viable seeds.
Regards,
Spud

timcunningham · March 16, 2006

Guys, when did you start germinating seeds?

Tomstrees · March 16, 2006

wow ~ I'm 3 months away yet !
~ Tom

Tomstrees · March 16, 2006

I always thought that to get almost
100% pure seed -
you should save seed from
the first mater you get ~
Sounds like a myth now ...

Tom

MikeInCypress · March 17, 2006

Tim, I think I planted seed for the Kimberly on Jan 8. Next year I will start this one in December.

Michael

creister · March 20, 2006

All of you northern folk must realize that Mike can probably plant in ground in Feb. most years.

Suze · March 20, 2006

I started seed for some of mine in late Dec. Most of the compact/early types got planted in containers last week of Feb. Kimberly set its first fruit just a couple of days after that, then Taxi a day or so later. Took some pics today (click to enlarge):

Taxi -- fruit about the size of a large gumball

Kimberly -- largest one is a fused/double fruit and is close to two inches, other two are about dime and quarter sized

Here's a side view of the double fruit

The other Kimberly I planted has yet to set fruit -- it bloomed slightly later and then the temps weren't right, so they dropped.

March 16, 2006	#2
spudleafwillie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Zone 7b sw New Mexico,. Posts: 197	First To Set Fruit In Cypress TX Mike, It's 10 years in a row for me for Kimberly having the first fruit here in sw NM. I was one of the first to grow it in the US getting my seed from Stan Zubrowski from Canada in 1995. It has become #1 on my plant list since. A super tomato to start the season off with. The only thing I have found with Kimberly is that the earliest fruits do not contain any viable seeds, most being tiny and immature. Later fruits are OK and contain plenty of good seed. I think it is due to the low night temps for a few weeks, sometimes down to 40F, that makes the pollen sterile thus no viable seeds. Regards, Spud

March 16, 2006	#3
timcunningham Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 241	Guys, when did you start germinating seeds? __________________ Visit my site: tomatoindex.com a database of over 2700 varieties. Vote for your favorite.

March 16, 2006	#4
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	wow ~ I'm 3 months away yet ! ~ Tom __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

March 16, 2006	#5
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	I always thought that to get almost 100% pure seed - you should save seed from the first mater you get ~ Sounds like a myth now ... Tom __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

March 15, 2006	#1
MikeInCypress Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 963	First To Set Fruit In Cypress TX For the second year in a row its Kimberly. Ahead of SunGold and Silvery Fir Tree. This year Stupice got sidetracked and is just now forming blossoms. Sophie Choice might catch SFT. I'll be saving seed on the Kimberly as some have had problems germinating this one ( I don't think it likes heat when it is seeded.) Need to get some of that good pepper bacon soon. Michael

March 17, 2006	#6
MikeInCypress Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 963	Tim, I think I planted seed for the Kimberly on Jan 8. Next year I will start this one in December. Michael

March 20, 2006	#7
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	All of you northern folk must realize that Mike can probably plant in ground in Feb. most years.

March 20, 2006	#8
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	I started seed for some of mine in late Dec. Most of the compact/early types got planted in containers last week of Feb. Kimberly set its first fruit just a couple of days after that, then Taxi a day or so later. Took some pics today (click to enlarge): Taxi -- fruit about the size of a large gumball Kimberly -- largest one is a fused/double fruit and is close to two inches, other two are about dime and quarter sized Here's a side view of the double fruit The other Kimberly I planted has yet to set fruit -- it bloomed slightly later and then the temps weren't right, so they dropped.