2012 Winter Greenhouse Tomatoes
 

I planted in 5 gallon buckets using the global bucket method on 9/15. All plants have flowered and Yukon Quest is getting ready to fruit. I used Tomato Tone 3-4-6, 240 ccs, 120 ccs of Espoma cal/mag and 1 tablespoon of Azomite in the growing medium. The mix is Fertilome Ultimate Potting Mix. I gave them a snack one time with FloraNova Grow (4-7-10 with micronutrients), 1 tsp to a gallon of water. Everything looks great. Temps in the greenhouse are averaging 90-95 high, 60 low.

The varieties on the first row are from left to right:

Jade Beauty, Summertime Green, Tastywine F-6, Tastywine Black F-2,Emerald Beauty, Sweet Scarlet F-6, Boronia F-7, Chocolate Lightning F-5, Blazing Beauty F-7, Yukon Quest.

The varieties on the second row are from left to right:

Iditarod Red, Wherokowhai F8, Peppermint Stripes F-5 and Tadesse (the real one from Carolyn, not crossed, RL).

Looking very good Michael!

Jeff-So far so good!

Michael, very nice indeed. The Yukon Quest and Iditarod always impressed with their vigor. Will be interested in how the Tastywines turn out. Ami

Ami-They really are vigorous, and looks like they will be first to fruit. I will check them this morning. I grew both of the Tastywines last year, the black is from seed saved by me.

I was wrong. The first to fruit is my Summertime Green. I think Yukon Quest will be right behind.

Michael, looks great! Which vial # is your Sweet Scarlett F6 from?

Steve

Steve-Its vial 12-112.

Jade Beauty was the second to fruit at 31 days from transplant.

Very nice!

Hi Michael,

Your plants look wonderful!!:love:

Was there a reason you went with Fertilome Ultimate Potting Mix? In reading the Spec Sheet at their site, it lists Sphagnum Peat Moss as between 83 to 93% of its composition. Coarse Perlite, Dolomitic and Calcitic Limestone make up the balance. This seems similar to Pro-Mix BX as well as the "original" Sunshine Mix #4.

Just curious as I am searching to replace the Sunshine [B]Advanced[/B] Mix #4 in my InnTainers this Winter, and was leaning toward a Pro-Mix BX (or HP) formulation. The Sunshine Advanced coir based product ran too wet for my liking this Summer. :(

Raybo

Raybo

First of all, thanks to you and all your posts with information about swc's-it led me to try swc's. And with my total lack of handiness, even I could make the global buckets.

I can't get the Pro-Mix where I live. I even talked to the rep that has this territory, and he confirmed no-one near here has it. So in looking at the earthbox site and forum, the Fertilome is a recommended mix. It was available in Las Cruces, about 40 miles from here, and I am there often. The price for the 3 cf (its not a compressed 3 cf although) was pretty good-around 16 dollars. If I could get the Pro-Mix, I might use it. But the Fertilome is very light and is really doing great so far.

I considered using the earthbox formula for making my own mix. I might do that next year, when I plan on using mostly, if not all, global buckets. I will have to figure out the cost/hassle of making my own.

Michael,

$16.00 is a very good price for the Fertilome! I am looking at paying about $37.00 for a 3.8 cu. ft. bale of Pro-Mix HP out here.:evil:

I have tried to locate sources for Fertilome in the San Jose area, but no one seems to carry it in this region. I'll keep looking as it appears to be a very good product with lots of happy customer reviews.

Raybo;)

Raybo

Isnt the promix a compressed bale? So it goes a lot further than non-compressed, right?

Michael,

My personal experience with so-called compressed bales is that when wet, the cubic area shrinks back down to the original size of the bale. The Sunshine Advanced Mix #4 lettering on the bag claims "it fluffs up to 6.0 cubic feet". Well, I have a feather pillow that is about 12 inches tall - yet ends up at 6 inches when in use. Same observation for these compressed bale claims by the Manufacturers. In ACTUAL use, you get no where near the [B]functional[/B] cubic area as claimed in the advertising.:evil:

Raybo

Thats good info Ray, thanks. Although I cant get ProMix or Fertilome anywhere near me, $13.00 for 3 feet is similar to the cost of peat I have been using and adding perlite and/or some potting mix for a while now plus lime to the containers.

Raybo-That is interesting. Thanks for that observation.

Here are the plants two weeks later, October 27, 2012.

The varieties on the first row are from left to right:

Jade Beauty, Summertime Green, Tastywine F-6, Tastywine Black F-2,Emerald Beauty, Sweet Scarlet F-6, Boronia F-7, Chocolate Lightning F-5, Blazing Beauty F-7, Yukon Quest.

The varieties on the second row are from left to right:

Iditarod Red, Wherokowhai F8, Peppermint Stripes, Tadesse (the real one from Carolyn, not crossed, RL and Wuhib (also from Carolyn, started it late).

I have fruit set on: Jade Beauty, Summertime Green, Tastywine F-6, Tastywine Black F-2, Emerald Beauty, Yukon Quest, Iditarod Red and Wherokowhai F8.

Looking good Michael,that Sweet Scarlet F-6 has a really unusual leaf shape

RIchard-my sweet scarlet germinated later than the others, probably is about 7 days behind. Still, its an extremely compact plant right now. We will see if it stays that way.

[QUOTE=mdvpc;306903]Steve-Its vial 12-112.[/QUOTE]

oops, sorry... I meant to ask what your F5 vial was (I'm assuming these are your saved seeds from your F5 plants?). I'm growing out an F6 from F5 vial #11-43 in my unheated winter greenhouse - I think Sweet Scarlett has great potential and I'm curious how it does for you this winter in Arizona. Is there an additional thread I should be following for your Sweet Scarlett growout?

btw... plants look great!

Steve

Great looking tomato plants and names I am unfamiliar with, thanks for sharing the photos.

Question, Can you guys who live in San Diego and Arizonia grow 2 crops a year. If so that would take only 1/2 the time to find a stabalized cross. How nice to speed up the process.

Tastywine sounds delicous ... thats a great name .... Any tomato crossed with brandywine is high on my radar.

I grow a few dwarfs that do two generations per year thanks to my tunnelhouse.

Steve-My seed came from Craig. Actually I grew it last winter, send seed to Craig, and he distributed that seed. Then he sent me fresh seed this fall. I havent posted on any other thread yet, but will keep this one updated for sure.

I am in El Paso, not Arizona. I do grow two times a year, but the fall/winter is in the greenhouse.

Casino-Tastywine is one of the dwarf project varieties that are being developed. All these varieties are from the dwarf project except for Wuhib and Tadesse. The project varieties with the F generation after them are unreleased, the ones without are released already.

Michael, thanks, I'll keep an eye on your progress! (I don't know why I thought you lived in Arizona)

Casino, Yes, I can also grow 2 generations. (3 if it's cherries) However, nights are cool in my unheated winter greenhouse so fruit doesn't develop flavor - I can only do flavor evaluations in the warmer months. In the winter I grow to save seed and growout my F1 crosses.

Steve

Hello MDVPC

When did you put the seeds in the ground for photos October 27, 2012?

In any case, bravo!

Patrix

Patrix

Bonjour!

They went into the containers on September 15. The plants were already germinated, probably about 3 weeks before.

Here is the google translation:

Ils sont allés dans les conteneurs le 15 Septembre. Les plantes ont été déjà germé, probablement environ 3 semaines avant.

Photo of Bornonia F-7. Going to pick it this weekend and weigh it. Will save seed after tasting it and send the seed to Craig. Have had several tomatoes already- jade beauty, summertime green, Yukon Quest.

looks a good size too Michael:D:D

Richard- it is. Are you growing this now also? If so, how are yours doing?