new from Texas

bonefish · May 10, 2011

What a great site! I've been roaming around here for the last month or so but this is my first post. I've got 4 earthtainers with two tomato plants in each and some are doing great and some not so great. It get real hot in Houston and I'm sure that has an effect on them. We're already hitting over 90 some days. I'm growing Rose, Amber Colored, Egyptian, Bush Beefsteak, Aussie and Homesstead 24. The plants in the earthtainers are hugh; over 6' tall and still growing. The ones I planted in pots are about half that size. I've attached a couple of pictures. One of a bowl of cherrys and amber colored and a couple of the plants; one taken today and one when ther were getting started. After the season I'll let you know which ones did the best. If anyone has any suggestions on which grow best in hot weather, i'd love to try them next year.

feldon30 · May 10, 2011

Welcome! I think we've tripled our Texas contingent in the last 6 months.

What date did you plant?

bonefish · May 10, 2011

I took them outside around the middle of Feb. (1st picture) and probably put them in the earthtainers the first or second week of March (2nd picture). I think next year I'll start earlier and keep them in pots that I can bring in for a freeze and put them in the ground the last week of Feb. or first week of March.

ireilly · May 10, 2011

Welcome from the metroplex. I was amused to see you had a bag in the first picture of the "Hapi-Gro" mulch. Lowes carries that up here too. A product of our neighbor to the NE, the Natural State. I use it also, although sometimes it has a bit much heartwood which has the highest C-N ratio of all of the tree. It is cost-effective though, and saves on the water for sure.

Nice pictures.

Walter

waterman1971 · May 12, 2011

Great looking tomato plants.

frankkj · May 12, 2011

Waterman:
Love the chair in the photo. Don't tell me you sit there and watch them grow.

Frank

bonefish · May 12, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankkj

Waterman:
Love the chair in the photo. Don't tell me you sit there and watch them grow.

Frank

Of course not. Thats crazy. I was just giving them all names. Actually I sit there while I'm filling up the earthtainers with water.

sballtx · July 10, 2011

Hi Bonefish, I am also new and in Houston. I am looking forward to growing alongside other people from around here. I am also new to growing tomatoes, so I am curious to see which varieties do well here. I don't see how ANYTHING grows here, quite frankly!

sballtx · July 10, 2011

beautiful looking plants, by the way!

feldon30 · July 11, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by sballtx

Hi Bonefish, I am also new and in Houston. I am looking forward to growing alongside other people from around here. I am also new to growing tomatoes, so I am curious to see which varieties do well here. I don't see how ANYTHING grows here, quite frankly!

Timing (and blankets/sheets/protective row cover) is everything.

Think like a New England or Canada tomato grower with an extremely short season and you'll get it.

May 10, 2011	#2
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	Welcome! I think we've tripled our Texas contingent in the last 6 months. What date did you plant? __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

May 12, 2011	#6
frankkj Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 90	Waterman: Love the chair in the photo. Don't tell me you sit there and watch them grow. Frank __________________ Old and Wise? Or maybe just getting old?

May 10, 2011	#4
ireilly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 344	Welcome from the metroplex. I was amused to see you had a bag in the first picture of the "Hapi-Gro" mulch. Lowes carries that up here too. A product of our neighbor to the NE, the Natural State. I use it also, although sometimes it has a bit much heartwood which has the highest C-N ratio of all of the tree. It is cost-effective though, and saves on the water for sure. Nice pictures. Walter

May 12, 2011	#5
waterman1971 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: The great state of Texas Posts: 43	Great looking tomato plants.

July 10, 2011	#8
sballtx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Houston, Texas Zone 9a Posts: 10	Hi Bonefish, I am also new and in Houston. I am looking forward to growing alongside other people from around here. I am also new to growing tomatoes, so I am curious to see which varieties do well here. I don't see how ANYTHING grows here, quite frankly!