Early leaders this year

b54red · June 4, 2016

My early bed was planted with almost entirely large fruited pink or red beefsteak varieties. So far the early leader in production is German Johnson PL with 10 large fruits ripe already off of just one plant. The other varieties that are right behind it in production are Limbaugh's Legacy (9), Red Barn (8) and Marianna's Peace (7). The rest of the varieties are trailing in production but as the season progresses I'm sure there will be changes in the numbers since ripening is really starting to take off with the heat index getting on up there. The other thing that is really taking off are the foliage diseases which were almost non existent 2 weeks ago and are now on most of my early plants to some degree or another. Going out to spray with copper today before dark and hope it doesn't rain again tomorrow. Good luck everyone.

Bill

Gardeneer · June 5, 2016

Bill, I have not grown any of them but I always though German Johnson is one of the largest beefsteaks. So it is interesting to know that it is also early.
Good Season !

Gardeneer

b54red · June 5, 2016

Surprisingly German Johnson and Barlow Jap were my two earliest varieties this year. I didn't plant any of my traditionally early tomatoes because I wanted to concentrate on the larger beefsteaks that tend to do more poorly once it gets really hot and humid here. If planted at the same time I'm sure that Pruden's Purple, IS, ISPL, Spudakee, and JD's Special C Tex would have been a few days or even a week earlier as they usually are; but since those varieties do so much better I decided to set them out later since I stagger my planting dates.

Bill

WilburMartin · June 5, 2016

The rain is messing up my creole plant, too - Southeast MS. Leaves starting to curl today - I have not put water on them on over a week; mother nature is punishing my plants.

I just raised them of the ground (in containers), in hopes more water would drain out - I hope it doesn't drown the roots to the point of killing my green tomato laden plant. Sun, come on back and play a while. Of course, in about a month (or less), the rain will be more than welcomed.

Gerardo · June 5, 2016

Bill, how does GJ compare to Dester on the EB spectrum, as I understand that and fungus are two of the main foes in your garden. I have a hard time keeping them going, it seems at seedling stage they're already hiccuping, the GJ that is. Dester hiccups too, but a little later.

brooksville · June 6, 2016

MagiQo was our first one pulled. We planted march 12 and continued for the next 2 weeks. We keep waiting for the first big haul, seems the fruits do not want to blush. We have been able to get a beer flat full twice. P.S. We have the best crop of toms yet!

Bill, we have a lot of rain coming, what is your spray strategy? If I should ask on another thread just, let me know....

Gardeneer · June 6, 2016

This is my earliest .

It is one of the 2 plants that I bought (Bonnie grown).
It is called " Tidy Treats ". Although not mentioned as dwarf but it has all the dwarf feature.
Gardeneer

clkingtx · June 6, 2016

How does Tidy Treats taste? What color does it ripen? Is it sweet? I wonder if it is like the Sweet N Neat tomato? I was really blown away by their flavor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

This is my earliest .

It is one of the 2 plants that I bought (Bonnie grown).
It is called " Tidy Treats ". Although not mentioned as dwarf but it has all the dwarf feature.
Gardeneer

June 4, 2016	#1
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Early leaders this year My early bed was planted with almost entirely large fruited pink or red beefsteak varieties. So far the early leader in production is German Johnson PL with 10 large fruits ripe already off of just one plant. The other varieties that are right behind it in production are Limbaugh's Legacy (9), Red Barn (8) and Marianna's Peace (7). The rest of the varieties are trailing in production but as the season progresses I'm sure there will be changes in the numbers since ripening is really starting to take off with the heat index getting on up there. The other thing that is really taking off are the foliage diseases which were almost non existent 2 weeks ago and are now on most of my early plants to some degree or another. Going out to spray with copper today before dark and hope it doesn't rain again tomorrow. Good luck everyone. Bill

June 5, 2016	#2
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,909	Bill, I have not grown any of them but I always though German Johnson is one of the largest beefsteaks. So it is interesting to know that it is also early. Good Season ! Gardeneer

June 5, 2016	#4
WilburMartin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Mississippi Posts: 169	The rain is messing up my creole plant, too - Southeast MS. Leaves starting to curl today - I have not put water on them on over a week; mother nature is punishing my plants. I just raised them of the ground (in containers), in hopes more water would drain out - I hope it doesn't drown the roots to the point of killing my green tomato laden plant. Sun, come on back and play a while. Of course, in about a month (or less), the rain will be more than welcomed.

June 5, 2016	#5
Gerardo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego-Tijuana Posts: 2,594	Bill, how does GJ compare to Dester on the EB spectrum, as I understand that and fungus are two of the main foes in your garden. I have a hard time keeping them going, it seems at seedling stage they're already hiccuping, the GJ that is. Dester hiccups too, but a little later.

June 6, 2016	#6
brooksville Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: South Georgia Zone 8a Posts: 179	MagiQo was our first one pulled. We planted march 12 and continued for the next 2 weeks. We keep waiting for the first big haul, seems the fruits do not want to blush. We have been able to get a beer flat full twice. P.S. We have the best crop of toms yet! Bill, we have a lot of rain coming, what is your spray strategy? If I should ask on another thread just, let me know....