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Post by paquebot on Feb 15, 2015 2:03:56 GMT -5
Got the list of the 22 dwarfs from my friend. She'll be in charge of growing them but I will still get many of the seeds.
Amber Colored Balkonstar Balkon Star Bushy Charbarovsky Cherokee Tiger Citron Compact Demidov Dwarf Arctic Rose Dwarf Stone Dwarf Sweet Sue Gruntovyi Gribovskiy 1180 Malinovsky Tsvet Makita New Big Dwarf Orange Pixie Sleeping Lady Summertime Gold Summertime Green Yellow Canary Yellow Pigmy Yukon Quest
Martin
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Rosefriend
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Post by Rosefriend on Feb 15, 2015 10:10:01 GMT -5
Martin, I'm curious about Vilma. Have you grown it before? I had Venus, the yellow version, in 2011 and liked the compact plants and form a lot. I've been looking for Vilma since I wanted to try the red version, but I haven't found a commercial source for seed. All my micro dwarf plants got foliar diseases just as the fruits were ripening in 2014. I may try a few in a low tunnel this year to protect the foliage from rains. Swamper, no idea about what Wilma/Vilma will do. Ventmarin just says that it's a red cherry with Czech origin while Tatiana doesn't mention it. I got it in trade with a Dutch gardener and only know that it's a red cherry. A quick look in the packet shows 15 seeds. I normally start 6 seeds of each variety. If you would be happy with 6 seeds, let me know and I'll share them with you. Martin I've been growing Wilma for a few years now - sold a lot here in Germany, Holland and the UK. Here is a link from Thompson and Morgan... www.thompson-morgan.com/vegetables/vegetable-seeds/tomato-seeds/tomato-vilma/743TMI can't say that I have had quite as many tomatoes on my plants as that but they are healthy sweet tasting cherries. I still have seeds if any are needed. The difference in spelling is that a "W" is pronounced as a "V" here in Germany so sometimes it is written with a W or V!! I thought that I had a pic of the toms but can only find one in flower at the moment but here it is...it doesn't get much bigger then it is on the photo.. I like the variety, certainly worth a go anyway.
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grapenut
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Post by grapenut on Mar 3, 2015 20:39:54 GMT -5
I am growing a White and yellow Pepper tomato...it's hollow on the inside and seeds are on top of the inside just like a bell pepper...anyone ever grow these before? any input on flavor or just any thoughts would be welcome...am also growing a Peach tomato, you know fuzzy on the outside, any info would be great.
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Post by stratcat on Mar 4, 2015 1:12:16 GMT -5
Hi, grapenut. I've grown Garden Peach tomato as a novelty. It was yellow with a little pink blush. Yes, it was fuzzy and had a nice sweet taste. Fun!
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Post by paquebot on Mar 4, 2015 13:28:51 GMT -5
I've grown both yellow and red versions of Garden Peach. Agree that it was fairly sweet. Production was also decent and most were used for processing into sauces. Can't say the same for the "pepper" tomatoes. With little meat comes little juice to taste. There use is strictly as a stuffer. Grew both a red and pink variety from Romania last year and didn't bother to save seeds. They weren't any better than any other hollow ones that I've grown.
Martin
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Post by paulf on Mar 5, 2015 9:58:28 GMT -5
Wapsipinicon Peach is another "fuzzy" tomato. Named after the Wapsipinicon River valley in Iowa. The locals call it the Wapsi River. This edition is a cherry sized yellow tomato with fuzzy skin and a sweet taste.
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aqua
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Post by aqua on Mar 11, 2015 23:30:52 GMT -5
Hello to all- peace to all from a garden hippie in NE Fla (Jacksonville) with bravery and hope I add my list to the fray Chocolate Cherry Juliet Hybrid Sweet Million Tzi Bi Tu Ceylon Gold Nugget Esterina Whippersnapper Tumbling Tom
Some of these are new to me; some are fifth generation saved seed. I will enjoy reading everyone's progress.
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aqua
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Post by aqua on Mar 18, 2015 10:22:33 GMT -5
Cutworms took out three healthy tomatoes last night- so the TP rolls were installed today as protection.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Mar 18, 2015 16:05:09 GMT -5
Blasted cutworms! Hopefully the TP rolls will save the rest of your plants. Do you have replacements for the three plants that you lost?
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Post by stratcat on Mar 18, 2015 16:09:52 GMT -5
Cutworms took out three healthy tomatoes last night- so the TP rolls were installed today as protection. Sorry to hear that, aqua. When I plant my tomatoes and pepper starts, I wrap a strip of newspaper around the stems; above and below ground. If the plants are too small, I place two toothpicks across from each other into the soil. I'm careful not to pierce the plant. I'd dig up the three tomato stumps and look for the cutworm and do it in.
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lmehaffey
Junior Member
Floriferis ut apes in saltibus omnia libant
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Post by lmehaffey on Mar 18, 2015 18:18:19 GMT -5
Seeds started that just began showing yesterday: Uncle Mark Bagby Black Brandywine Jeff Davis Pink Elephant Pink Icicle
There are a couple of others that haven't yet made an appearance.
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Post by daylilydude on Mar 20, 2015 4:15:48 GMT -5
lmehaffey, how many of each variety do you grow?
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Rosefriend
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Post by Rosefriend on Mar 20, 2015 12:17:16 GMT -5
Hope everyone is doing well - I am a bit annoyed at myself. Someone gave me one of these modules with loads of small holes...great I thought as I ended up doing 112 tomatoes...trouble is that they dry out too quickly...I think I have got used to them now but I have had to re-sow as some toms have either dried out or rotted.. Think next year I shall make sure that I use larger modules, as I always used to !!
I am going to be a bit later this year methinks!!
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lmehaffey
Junior Member
Floriferis ut apes in saltibus omnia libant
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Post by lmehaffey on Mar 21, 2015 6:51:59 GMT -5
DLD: about 20 of each --- I don't keep them all, though ... my kids get a couple, my brother gets some, and my "suburban garden guerilla" neighbor/fellow-resistance planter gets his share.
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aqua
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Post by aqua on Mar 21, 2015 9:57:29 GMT -5
Imehaffey- it's nice to hear of folks who share. It's always fun to hear about the grand-plants successes and how happy people are when they realize that yes, they CAN grow a tomato!
stratcat- that's a good idea, using the newspaper. The remaining 34 toms are safe from cutworm action now. They all got Neptune's Fish and Seaweed yesterday, too. Happy babies. Glad to hear about the newspaper because I used up all my saved TP rolls.
Laura- I still have about 72 toms to be given away, so there's plenty for replacement. But I've never had any luck with anything but cherry tomatoes; luckily the varieties seem endless.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Mar 21, 2015 12:00:04 GMT -5
aqua, I thought you were growing cherries because that's what you like. I hate to hear that you are only growing cherries because you don't have any luck with the bigger toms. You and I have similar climates and planting dates, and I can grow tomatoes, though I did have to change up how I garden to make that happen. I'm sure we can find a way for you to grow some big delicious tomatoes if you are interested in giving it another try. If you are, I'd like to hear about how, when, and where you grow your tomatoes and what happens to them. If I can figure out what the biggest issues are in your yard, maybe I can help you fix the problem or find varieties that are more resistant to whatever the worst problems are in your area. It's true that in July and August it is hard to get production out of anything except cherries. But there is no reason a spring planting of tomatoes can't give you a nice crop before the plants die off in July. You can plant again in August/early September for a fall crop before frost. And I still haven't given up on finding a good heat setter or two. I am trialing a few varieties every year until I find some that work.
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Post by stratcat on Mar 21, 2015 13:17:14 GMT -5
aqua-I forgot to mention I have had a cutworm problem where the cutworms shimmied up the tomato stalks. The first year that I noticed foliage damage, I went out after dark with the flashlight. I expected to see a hornworm, but it was a cutworm I nabbed. Ah, so some can climb! A few years ago, I was getting foliage damage on my small tomato starts. I dug one plant up and found the cutworm. I replaced the plant and put diatomaceous earth around that plant and a few others that showed a little damage. The problem stopped. PS: townsfolk think I'm nuts out there searching for worms with a light at night, heheh.
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Post by horsea on Mar 22, 2015 17:28:04 GMT -5
...PS: townsfolk think I'm nuts out there searching for worms with a light at night, heheh. Er...now, that's not "nuts". "Nuts" is working in the garden in a roaring rain. I have been known to do this even when there was no particular emergency. See, now you know. Gardeners are crazy.
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aqua
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Post by aqua on Mar 26, 2015 10:58:31 GMT -5
so I'm not the only one who considers a flashlight to be a gardening tool?
Laura- I do love the many colors and shapes of the cherries, letting co-workers taste them and exclaim over the brightness and difference in flavors, and simply looking at the colorful mix in a bowl. I tried moneymakers one year; they were ok, but no tomatoes set higher than 18" up the stem. I have tried so many different ones but I think my heat sets in too soon. Aunt Ruby's German turned into waterballoons of stinky grossness. Kinda turned me off on standards for a while. Right now, we've had a major lack of sunshine, and many of my babies are getting brown spots already. They look really bad- I put a pic on the "what's going on in your garden" thread.
Always willing to try new things.
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Post by stratcat on Mar 26, 2015 11:28:41 GMT -5
so I'm not the only one who considers a flashlight to be a gardening tool? Last year, I started wearing my LED personal headlamp to perform some garden activities after dark, including covering plants at frost time. Frees the hands up nicely.
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aqua
Pro Member
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Zone:: 8b9a
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Post by aqua on Mar 28, 2015 9:40:40 GMT -5
Last year, I started wearing my LED personal headlamp to perform some garden activities after dark
I am among my people!
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Mar 30, 2015 11:51:29 GMT -5
aqua, I at the "I am among my people!" comment. Early heat is THE big issue with spring tomatoes in North Florida. Usually I don't get many, if any, full-size tomatoes to set fruit set after Memorial Day. In some years fruit set shuts down even earlier. My best advice is to get your tomatoes started early and get them planted out ASAP in the spring. I try to get my tomatoes out the first or second week in March unless we are actually having frosts. The idea is to have them settled in, growing fast, and blooming by the first week in April, so they have the whole month of April and hopefully most or all of May to set fruit. I know this goes against the conventional advice to not plant tomatoes until nights are consistently above 50F. But if you wait that late, you might only get fruit set on the first 1-2 clusters. Besides, I have learned that if the tomatoes are gradually hardened off to cool nights, they are perfectly fine with some nights in the 40s or even occasionally the upper 30s as long as the days are warm. In a cool year, you can also consider using Wall 'o' Water or similar devices to keep them warm the first few weeks after planting. You can also put out black plastic a couple of weeks before planting to warm the soil, and remove the plastic when it gets hot. I grow mine in Earthboxes, the dark colored ones, and use the black plastic cover on top. So the soil in the boxes warms up faster than the ground. Of course, setting the plants out early means that you need to be prepared to cover them through a late frost or two. Also, try to avoid planting out during or just before a cool and wet spell, because that increases the risk of damping off. (When planting out early, it's good to have extra seedlings on hand for replacements if at all possible.) Another alternative if you have the indoor space (I don't), it so keep potting seedlings up and set them out as big, blooming transplants in late March. You can also try for a fall crop, though the timing is tight. Extra-early tomato varieties are easier. ____________________________ One other thing I do to optimize harvests is to NOT prune the plants except to remove diseased foliage. I let all those suckers go because each one will make more flowers which means more chances at fruit. Once the plant has quit setting fruit you can prune to keep the plants manageable. But even after fruit set is over I like to leave as much foliage as I can. More leaves = more photosynthesis = more energy to put into the fruit. _____________________________ A lot of the popular heirloom tomatoes are just not well-adapted to our area. I have tried and failed with a number of them. So although I do try some heirlooms that might not work each year, I also grow varieties that were developed in and for hot climates, looking for tomatoes that might be disease-resistant and heat-setting. The University of Hawaii and University of Florida have developed a number of varieties - some are hybrids, but others are open-pollinated. There are also some good candidates out of Louisiana. Weirdly, another option is Russian tomatoes because they tend to be quite tolerant of cool spring weather (though they still have to be protected from frost). You can set them out extra-early and they will grow quite happily. I had good luck planting Korol Gigantov as a "suicide trooper" on January 31 last year - seriously! I had to protect it from frosts, but it turned out to be my best yielder - 14.5 lbs from one plant. The tomatoes were quite tasty, too. The plant was even one of the last to quit producing when it got hot. It would be a near-perfect tomato except that variety tends to catface badly. But catfaced tomatoes are better than no tomatoes, right? If any of the varieties I am trying do especially well this spring/summer (and if they taste good) I will save seeds. I would be happy to send you some seeds to try - you'd know that they can be successfully grown in North Florida and they taste good. ___________________ Regarding the Moneymakers, I have never tried them. As far as I know, they don't have a reputation for heat-setting. I have never tried the Aunt Ruby's German Green, either, though they are well-regarded. Maybe yours had some sort of disease? Or maybe they are just a variety that overripens very quickly in the heat. I don't usually have that problem, since I have to pick most of my tomatoes at blush and let them finish ripening indoors. If I try to leave tomatoes on the vine to full ripeness, the birds, squirrels, or leaf-footed bugs will ruin them.
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aqua
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Post by aqua on Mar 31, 2015 23:43:18 GMT -5
thank you laura for the in-depth and considerate response. Normally, I do have everything out and blooming by April- that's exactly how I roll. But this year? Oh, Mother Nature had other plans. My first 72 plants were over four inches tall- and all dead by the 3rd week of Feb. We've had so little sun these first three months this year- I broke down and bought a grow-light. Talk about feeling defeated.... We have totally different attitudes about pruning- but I have to, otherwise it would be too damp in my beds- my "garden" is nothing more than numerous flower beds around the back yard. A fence like yours, too. I'd LOVE any shared seeds. I share with other folks too, on another site. Don't know if I'm allowed to discuss that? but I still have chocolate cherries from bountiful gardens (3rd generation saved) if there's any takers.
Whippersnapper vs Tumbling Tom- anyone have any thoughts? they're both hanging on the fence for a challenge.
peace n dirty toes-
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mullerslanefarm
Junior Member
Posts: 14
Zone:: 5a
Favorite Vegetable:: Peppers
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Post by mullerslanefarm on Apr 2, 2015 10:20:44 GMT -5
I have started:
Amish Paste Brandywine Mortgage Lifter Pantano Romanesco & a yellow pear that pops up all over the place since I first planted it a decade ago.
Also started are 2 varieties of Paprika peppers
Envious of the pictures of plants in the ground! The trees are *just* starting to bud the past 2 days.
Cutworms ... ick. I always place a couple toothpicks when planting my maters.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 2, 2015 15:57:17 GMT -5
mullerslanefarm, I have never heard of Pantano Romanesco. I assume it's Italian from the name, but what kind of tomato is it? Have you grown it before? How does it taste? aqua, I hate to hear that you lost your first batch of seedlings. Being set back really makes it hard to get a crop off anything but cherries. Disease control is harder when you grow in the ground and when you leave the suckers on. I do understand why you prune. But for me I found that pruning reduces yield so much with our brief window for fruit set that I don't prune and just try to keep the plants alive long enough to ripen the fruit that they set in April and May. There are always tradeoffs, aren't there? I have not grown Whippersnapper or Tumbling Tom, so I can't say. I know a few people who are fans of Whippersnapper, though. One of them sent me seeds for Whippersnapper so I can try it, but I haven't gotten around to growing it yet. By the way, there is no problem mentioning other gardening websites here, or even linking to threads of interest every once in a while. (Assuming that the other site doesn't have a problem with linking.) Most of us here are members of other sites, too. We just ask that anything you post or link be appropriate for this site.
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mullerslanefarm
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Posts: 14
Zone:: 5a
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Post by mullerslanefarm on Apr 2, 2015 23:06:11 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL, This will be my 3rd year growing them & I consider it a keeper. It is a red, round Italian tomato. They are quite meaty and they have produced the earliest the past two summer. I love them for canning because the majority of the fruit seems to ripen all within a week ... BAM! ... I'm canning them as fast as I can pick them. Then they seem to dwindle down. How does it taste? Well, I'm not big into raw tomatoes ... I like the flavor of tomatoes but not the nasty, snotty, ooshy, goo .... so I'm not one to be able to compare the flavor of these to other varieties!! Sorry! Here is a picture of pantano romanesco sliced two ways
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aqua
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Post by aqua on Apr 3, 2015 9:53:44 GMT -5
What a beautiful sight, mullerslane. (I can't figure out how to make a person's name in blue) I swear I think I can smell them! The mortgage lifter did not do good for me here in the south; I hope it does better for you. And the toilet-paper rolls do a great job for saving the plants from cutworms- also gives a nice little funnel for watering when they are still babies.
Laura- the TumblingTom and Whippersnapper have been both been grown under exact same conditions, except the whippersnapper seeds are a year or two older. So far, the whippersnapper is doing better. Greener, a little taller, fuller.
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Post by daylilydude on Apr 3, 2015 12:39:42 GMT -5
(I can't figure out how to make a person's name in blue) aqua , all that is, is a tag and all you do to tag someone here is if you are in quick reply or if you use the reply button you should notice at the top it says " Simple Tagging just pick the members name you want to tag and click on it or all you have to do is put an "@" in front of their name now to help with that all you do is slide your mouse to the said persons name and it will show you the name that they signed up with... hope this helps and doesn't confuse anyone? Case in point... if you want to tag me, @daylilydude will not work, mine would be @ admin (without the space) and it will come out as daylillydude...
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aqua
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Post by aqua on Apr 3, 2015 19:07:01 GMT -5
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 5, 2015 19:52:08 GMT -5
mullerslanefarm, those pantano romanesco tomatoes are just beautiful. With that brilliant crimson color, I bet they make a gorgeous sauce. Maybe we can trade seeds later on? aqua, thanks for the update. I hope you'll give a taste comparison between Tumbling Tom and Whippersnapper later. I lost my SuperSauce tomatoes...that pack of seeds was a failure right from the start. So, today when I was at the nursery I picked up a Homestead plant - Elliemater said Homestead 24 did well for her in the heat last year. So I will plant it in the spot where SuperSauce had been. All of my other tomatoes are doing really well, growing by leaps and bounds. They are all blooming and most of them should have their first fruit visible in a few days. Iva's Red Berry and Kalinka have already set several fruit each. I saw a few spots on the lower Persimmon leaves already ! Time to break out the Serenade before the disease spreads.
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