February 20, 2013 | #31 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Zone 8a
Posts: 120
|
Quote:
I ask cause I don't get that kind of results from my 5 gallon buckets. |
|
February 20, 2013 | #32 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 317
|
Richmond, eh? I was just living in Clodine only one summer ago...
Get 'em in the ground early and be ready to cover. Anything over 80 days is really pushing it around here, as a rule. Atkinson rules! but it is a late finisher, no matter what the descriptions actually say. Black Krim will also do fine, as will Cherokee Purple, Goose Creek, Kosovo/Hungarian Heart, Dona, Orange-1, Azoytchka, JD's C-Tex, Berkeley Tie-Dye, Pork Chop, Hawaiian Pineapple, Gregori's Altai, B/B Boar, Bloody Butcher, any hybrid sold at the big box store (ain't nothin' wrong with Celebrity, folks!), and any cherry you can lay hands on.
__________________
There is no logical response to the question, "Why won't you let me plant more tomatoes?" |
February 21, 2013 | #33 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: killeen
Posts: 3
|
I'm in Killeen and the last two years have been brutal on the plants. I had eight plants of various varieties (from WalMart) and non of them did well. REALLY hot and the Earthboxes probably need the soil changed. I think I used a 50/50 mix of garden dirt and compost that may have had some residual chemicals. The plants showed signs of something that I could not recognize the cause for.
|
February 21, 2013 | #34 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2008
Location: DFW, Texas
Posts: 1,212
|
Hello Pilgrim: ;-)
I have only one earthbox, but several of Raybos earthtainers. I found that the soil mix earthbox sent remained wet and caused things to rot. I switched over to Rays tested 3:2:1 mix and the EB did well. Check out his posts in the how to section for details on the soiless mix. Good luck. Dewayne mater. |
February 21, 2013 | #35 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Freeport, Texas
Posts: 134
|
South of Houston, my experience has been.....no problem growing any kind of tomato you want if you sprout your seeds in early Jan and get them outside by mid-Feb, preferably 12" tall.
What the northerners don't know is that we really don't have the long growing season they think we do. We have two short seasons: Spring and Fall/Winter. Summer is so brutal that most folks plan on their gardens being done by July 1. Take a break, and start germinating again in mid-August. That's what we do, and we've been very successful. We grow all the heirlooms and hybrids in those two seasons. We tried Solar Fire through one summer. We had huge plants and tons of tomatoes, but we literally threw hundreds of them away because the quality was so bad. If you look at my avatar picture, that is a row of Solar Fire. Terrific pollination in the heat, awful tomato.
__________________
theurbanfarm.com |
February 22, 2013 | #36 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: copperas cove TEXAS
Posts: 637
|
copperas cove -1hour north of austin. blush, lime green salad,black plum,sun gold,tigers paw,all did well.but like they say plant early
|
February 22, 2013 | #37 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Richmond, TX
Posts: 327
|
Seeing a few new buds on Pecan trees.... It's officially on...
|
February 22, 2013 | #38 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Richmond, TX
Posts: 327
|
Quote:
|
|
February 22, 2013 | #39 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Zone 8a
Posts: 120
|
I agree with the early and two seasons and only a couple of indeterminates are strong enough to carry both seasons. Last year Amish Paste and Large Red Cherry made it. Most years I can get a Better Boy to be strong enough to out produce a new fall transplant.
About the early, I look at the last average freeze date. A week before that date, my tomatoes are ready and if the weather looks good and the soil is warm, they go in. If not, I wait until it is. That could also be a week late. Develop a second group in case of hail or a late freeze. You can always cover if it gets cold the first week or two but the soil has to be warm. If you buy transplants, get them early. The box stores get shipments early and some do not water or bring them in from the cold. Buy them early but don't plant them until the time is right. |
February 22, 2013 | #40 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 239
|
I've already started planting. I put about 13 plants in buckets/pots on Sunday. This weekend I'll be prepping the rest of the garden for plant out next week. I've never planted this early with such large seedlings. Fingers crossed that it's a great year. I know I'll be doing a lot of watering. It's going to be a very dry season, I'm afraid.
|
February 22, 2013 | #41 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Freeport, Texas
Posts: 134
|
Quote:
__________________
theurbanfarm.com |
|
February 22, 2013 | #42 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Freeport, Texas
Posts: 134
|
Quote:
To move seedlings along quickly, feed them 1/2 to 3/4 strength every time you water them.....as long as you over-water 10-15%. Veggie is what you want at this time. A trick that is used to produce green, stout, bushy, really nice-looking market transplants is to use a growth inhibitor. It keeps the internodes short. |
|
February 22, 2013 | #43 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 239
|
I've thought about it. However, I don't think they are legal in my city. We are already in stage 2 water restrictions and drip irrigation isn't allowed.
|
February 22, 2013 | #44 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Zone 8a
Posts: 120
|
Are you sure? Most cities approve of drip irrigation as a way to SAVE water. I would check to see if you can drip during the week when you can water. When we limit to two days a week for watering, the drip is still ok for 7.
|
February 22, 2013 | #45 | |
Guest
Posts: n/a
|
Quote:
Ted |
|
|
|