Sand Hill's tomato growing

[cdntomato]

From Sand Hill's blurb on tomato growing:
Ideally, we start our tomatoes in mid-April to set out in late May. Lately, our tomatoes have been started in early May and set out in mid-June. I've noticed we have virtually no early blight problems and, if properly cared for, have lots of tomatoes. Plant outside after all danger of frost is past. On early plantings, we speed growth up by covering new transplants with milk jugs which have had the bottoms cut out and lids removed. We set out plants about 12" apart in a row and cage to support indeterminate types.

I am curious how other large scale growers circumnagivate potential problems in their respective areas. I too have had success with very late seeding and planting out, but have not tried such close spacing. Am curious too as to whether Glenn does this just with plants of same variety or with the full complement. And how does he manage to cage that many plants?

Comments?
Thanks.
Jennifer

[bcday]

What I wonder is how big the cages are and whether suckers are left on or pruned off.

I can't imagine pruning that many plants. But with such close spacing, also can't imagine not pruning.

If there is a way to plant closely and not prune, I'd sure give it a trial with a few spare plants here, but I'd probably just get a bumper crop of early blight or some such.

[carolyn137]

Glenn hires some of his students from the HS where he teaches and that's how he gots everything out there and in place. And I don't mean just tomatoes. I mean all the squash, the melons, the corn, etc. He has time after everything is out to care for stuff in the summer b'c he isn't teaching, but he still gets help from time to time.

He does let some sprawl b'c as was quoted above he cages only the indeterminates and he does grow a lot of determinates as well.

As far as I know he does not prune his plants but I'll ask him next time we talk.

As befits the word "sand" in Sand Hill, he doesn't always get lush growth in such sand and relies on water from the sky, so sometimes he does have failures.

And some varieties don't like sand. Whether that's the reason or not he still hasn't gotten Aunt Gertie's Gold or Neves Azorean Red to perform so he can get enough seed to list. And don't think he doesn't give ME a hard time about it.

About the only variety we squabble over and have for years is Sandpoint which I hate and he doesn't.

There aren't many companies that produce all their own tomato seed, or most of it. I can think of Marianne Jones and Cindy at Tanager Song Farm, but i don't know how they grow their tomatoes.

Linda at TGS subcontracts out most of the tomato seed production for heirlooms,
although they trial all new varieties themselves by growing in large pots at their home.

And b'c they subcontract out for most OP stuff I can send the same new variety to Glenn and Marianne and Linda and Glenn and Marianne can get seed most of the time from varieties I might send in the Spring ready to go that Fall whereas there's at least a two year wait for stuff I send to Linda. Although the past few years I've sent stuff only to Glenn and Linda.

Well I did send a huge number of varieties to TJ at Johnny's, as asked for, for their large OP trial that was done in either 2004 or 2005, I can't remember, but I haven't heard anything back on results, except for noting that they offered Eva Purple Ball in the 2006 catalog and the seeds for their seed production were from me.

Carolyn, who gave TJ a hard time about EPB, noting that so many other places already offered it, but that's another story.

[cdntomato]

Carolyn, I am still curious how Glenn cages indeterminates if his spacing is only ~12 inches in a row. If his plants are less lush than one might expect, maybe that explains it in part. I would have thought such close spacing would have cross-pollination consequences.

Jennifer

[carolyn137]

I would have thought such close spacing would have cross-pollination consequences.

Maybe his place is pretty much insect free b'c of all the heirloom birdies around and eating them.

When I was doing my wrong varieties threads Sand Hill and TGS had the lowest rates of X pollinated/wrong varieties offered commercially, as I recall. And while Glenn does all his seed production TGS subcontracts out for most of theirs. So I think it's great that TGS takes such care in who they place their subcontracts with.

So whatever the reason(s), obviously Glenn does not get that much X pollination.

[cdntomato]

Carolyn, I'm sorry that I added that line about cross-pollination. Glenn would not continue to grow in a manner that would create seedsaving problems. And the issue of x-pollination was not my focus--sorry, that seems to have misled you.

I really only wanted to know how someone could be so successful while apparently flouting all the 'rules': starting so late and planting soooo close, especially indeterminates.

Has anyone else grown against recommended guidelines? Found ways around problems in their gardens like Glenn has? How far can one push the envelope?

Jennifer