Tomatoes

[IrTxRx]

There are two things on this planet that absolutely convince me that there is a higher power and she wants us to be happy /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Cold beer and HOME GROWN TOMATOES.

Made a BLT on whole wheat with a tomato that was as large as the entire peice of bread, sliced it about 1/2" thick, and added a little Gouda cheese to the warm bacon. Cold beer works for chest pain too /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif!

maybe I should post this on polecats "sinful" post, but I had a question for TBN,

I planted better bush, better boy, big boy, celebrity and early girl varieties. All have turned out exceptional tomatoes but the better bush, early girl and better boy are really exquisite for flavor, texture and size.

Question - how do you harvest tomatoe seeds for next year. Do you let the tomatoe hang on the vine until it drops or dries, pick when ripe and freeze/dry/sundry seeds?

How do you store before planting the next year???

Should I plant in seedling containers indoors, or just plant in ground in late winter?

I get some volunteer fall tomatoes from the previous owners, but they wre nothing like these, I really want to try to cultivate the best of the best.

BTW, I am in Central Texas, our winter is usually only one day. A hard frost in late March/early April that kills all of our tomatoes and peaches /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

thanks

 

[fishman]

IrTxRx,

I may be wrong, but I don't think the seed from any of those varieties will come out true to type. They are all hybrids. If you want to save seed, you'll have to grow one of the heirloom varieties like Brandywine. It makes delicious tomatoes, but I've not been very successful with it at all.

This year, the best looking tomatoes I've grown are a new variety called 444 that a buddy gave me. They are stout plants with the tomatoes tucked in next to the stem. Should have some to harvest in the near future. Until then I'll make do from my other varieties.

You are right, fresh tomatoes are great! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[om21braz]

And they ain't many meals can't be made better with a few slices of those "home growns" on the side !

 

[Chuck52]

I'm pretty sure you're right about the hybrid seeds.

One of my buddies found a site that had just about every tomatoe known to the universe. He's got about ten different varieties planted this year. Should be an interesting experiment. I, too, have had very limited success with Brandywine. I gave up on them a couple years ago, and last year I looked for a substitute. Park's Whopper is somewhat similar, I think, in that it is kind of pink on the outside with a darker interior. Anyway, they were great tomatoes last year and even convinced my daughter that real tomatoes taste good. Got them, Better Boy, Big Boy, Celebrity, Lemon Boy, Santiam, Sweet 100 Cherry, and two different kinds of Romas this year. However, the really wet spring has damaged some of the plants, especially the Lemon Boy. They look like they might have a fungus, with lower branches dying. I have so many plants that I'll get something anyway!

Chuck

 

[IrTxRx]

<font color="blue"> They are all hybrids </font>

Well now I don't have to worry about sacrificing the "best" tomato. the one last night was incredible, way more meat than seed or pulp, perfectly red, juicy, tart/sweet and the size of a dessert plate.

Fishman- the ones that grow close to the stem are harder to harvest, but the sure do stand up better and seems like it is easier on the plant to grwo BIG tomatoes. Let me know how those 444's are.

Also, what does everyone use for tomato cages. I can barely get my hand through the spaces on the wire I used (live and learn). I am thinking of bending some cattle panels into 18" squares (or whatever 4 spaces is) and have a welder weld a 6' peice of 1/2" rebar in the corners. Obviously, these will be something I would store and use year-in year-out. This project might also be a good excuse to go buy one of those Wal-mart welders /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

What would be the best way to bend 6 gague cattle panels???

Thanks

 

[BB_TX]

I agree with everyone about the seeds not coming true. The blooms are polinated by whatever other plants may be around. Don't know how the nurseries do it.
There is nothing like a homegrown tomato. You can't buy them in the store like it. The homegrown ones are far more "meatier" inside instead of the watery seed pockets of the store bought kind.

 

[Boondox]

Man, I'm dying of envy! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

My poor garden is off to a horrible start! The beans and sugar peas got zapped hard by a frost just last week, the corn was about three inches high when the chickens found it, the leaf crop never even sprouted, and the tomatoes are about the smallest plants I've ever seen this time of year! Got a few flowers on the 'maters, but it certainly isn't looking promising for the home team!

One of my late summer delights in this life is a small bowl of diced tomatoes fresh out of the garden with some olives and feta tossed in, and a bit of oil and basalmic on top! Yum! But here we are a month into the growing season and things are barely started!

Maybe I should talk to the plants...

Pete

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Also, what does everyone use for tomato cages. )</font>

The best thing I ever used was some concrete reinforcing mesh, and now I've forgotten exactly what size it was, but it was easy for me to reach through anywhere.

 

[Chuck52]

I use cages made from concrete mesh. The holes are big enough for my hands, though they are tight, I guess. I just roll about an 18" cylinder and use the cut ends to hold it together. I cut off the bottom horizontal wire and use the exposed ends to stick in the ground. No need for a post, with so many wires sticking in the dirt. The only problem is that they rust. If I could get some clean mesh, I might be tempted to paint it to keep it neat for a few years use. Since I'm cheap, I made my cages from some free mesh left over from a friends house construction. It was pre-rusted!

Cages made from cattle panels would surely be sturdy!

Chuck

 

[Lazy]

Hi
here is our tomater patch planted in race tires so they can grow faster. these wire cages were bought at home depot I think

charlie