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Old July 9, 2012   #1
babice
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Default Hello Midwesteners!

Hi there Midwestern Tomato Growers! I am wondering -- anything in particular you think grows better in the Midwest than other varieties? I think it's hard to predict what kind of weather we'll be dealing with. So, how do you plan for what will grow best 'round here? I remember years ago when, we were in a different house, we opened the pool and that summer was so cool we never swam in it that whole year. This year we here in the Midwest have had brutally hot weather with little rain. Or, like tonight, it's very humid after a heavy rain (so humid the windows are fogged up).

So - how do you decide what to grow? I'm new to this tomato-growing game. I am trying many varieties this year but no results thus far for me to know what I think might be good to grow in this area.
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Old July 10, 2012   #2
delltraveller
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One of my aunts always grows Bonny Best for her production tomato. It seems to do well most years. Another aunt always requests I start plants for Aunt Ruby's German Green, White Wonder and either Black Krim or Cherokee Purple for her.
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Old July 12, 2012   #3
babice
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Any other Midwesterners out there?
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Old July 12, 2012   #4
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After living in south central Iowa for more than 30 years, we retired to southeast Nebraska, the middle of the Mid-West Tomato Fest country. I know the soil and climate for the general area of the Quad Cities and you should have no problem with any of the varieties anyone here talks about.

Mostly what you have to do is watch out so that when you transplant your tomato seedlings that your head is not directly above the plant, otherwise you may get a tomato plant bonking you on the noggin on its way up.

Where we live now there is enough delay I can stand back.
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Old July 12, 2012   #5
Mudman
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Quote:
Originally Posted by babice View Post
Any other Midwesterners out there?
There are a bunch from WI, MN, and MI that I know of, but I never know we would be considered Midwesterners. I go with Upper Midwest because once you get south of the MN, WI, and MI boarder the landscape and sometimes climate seems to change dramatically.
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Old July 12, 2012   #6
babice
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There are a bunch from WI, MN, and MI that I know of, but I never know we would be considered Midwesterners. I go with Upper Midwest because once you get south of the MN, WI, and MI boarder the landscape and sometimes climate seems to change dramatically.
Really good point! I think of MN, WI and MI as being in "my neck of the woods", personally! If you'll have me, I'd like to be part of your club! NE, ND, SD, KS, MO, IL, IN and OH are typically considered "Midwestern" states, too. That's a pretty darned large area, though, huh? You have a pretty similar growing season to Dell and I here in Iowa, though, don't you? I didn't even realize you were in WI for some reason until just now.

Last edited by babice; July 12, 2012 at 10:43 PM.
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Old July 12, 2012   #7
babice
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After living in south central Iowa for more than 30 years, we retired to southeast Nebraska, the middle of the Mid-West Tomato Fest country. I know the soil and climate for the general area of the Quad Cities and you should have no problem with any of the varieties anyone here talks about.

Mostly what you have to do is watch out so that when you transplant your tomato seedlings that your head is not directly above the plant, otherwise you may get a tomato plant bonking you on the noggin on its way up.

Where we live now there is enough delay I can stand back.
Really? Mehbe this is a weird year here in Iowa? Not sure of Dell's results but mine are kinda slow-growing. Although, I didn't get them out until early June. Most folks so you shouldn't plant before Labor Day but I'm thinking they may be wrong.

Are things really much diff in Nebraska?
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Old July 12, 2012   #8
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There are quite a few of us here. As to the varieties, you need several different ones. Some years are cold and rainy others hot and humid, and some a mix of both. Most plants do well here except for those that take forever to mature.

Each year is a new adventure.
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Old July 12, 2012   #9
Mudman
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Quote:
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Really good point! I think of MN, WI and MI as being in "my neck of the woods", personally! If you'll have me, I'd like to be part of your club! NE, ND, SD, KS, MO, IL, IN and OH are typically considered "Midwestern" states, too. That's a pretty darned large area, though, huh? You have a pretty similar growing season to Dell and I here in Iowa, though, don't you? I didn't even realize you were in WI for some reason until just now.
Similar, but I am a bit north and east of St. Paul so a bit cooler than you. I think of Midwest as sort of a cultural thing, but as for gardening I think a place like SD or NE would quite different than my area.
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Old July 12, 2012   #10
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A drought is severely affecting many midwestern areas. This has been happening more frequently in recent years. It might be a good idea to search for heat/drought resistant varieties in the future. BTW, being in zone 5b, you have a much longer growing season than us peeps in the north woods of WI. Use DTM as one of your tools when considering a new variety.
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Old July 13, 2012   #11
greenthumbomaha
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Hi Babice!

I'm here in Omaha, where it can get a bit harsher in the winter, that is, before climate change at least. We've had some pretty extreme lows as well as the winters that weren't the past two years. Since I started reading the boards, I tried container growing in addition to traditional in-ground. This has allowed me to extend the growing season by planting a few pots of early variety (Stupice, Bloody Butcher, etc.) so I can have tomatoes while waiting for the soil to warm up for a main crop planting. I haven't "run out of season" in any variety I've planted, so unless we get a surprise frost, you should be good with whatever strikes your fancy. I'm glad you woke this board up. I hope you can visit Omaha sometimes. Lauritzen Gardens is very nice.

Edit : Totally agree with the above poster on drought conditions. Some early springs it seems it will never stop raining and it slips into blazing heat and drought. I am looking into mulching material that conserve water as well as drought tolerant vegetables. I will start a sustainable product thread when I gather up some info unless one of the board members already has that knowledge to share.

Last edited by greenthumbomaha; July 13, 2012 at 12:56 AM.
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Old July 13, 2012   #12
PaulF
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Eastern Nebraska has been officially declared a drought area. Many things are growing but very slowly. It has been a strange year and we had an idea it would be hot and dry all year with record high temps beginning in February.

Greenthumb: keep an eye out for the Mid-West Tomato Fest soon to be known as the Denise Kjar Mid-West Tomato Fest or maybe the Piegirl Tomato Fest. Usually happens in August.
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Old July 13, 2012   #13
ginger2778
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Quote:
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Really? Mehbe this is a weird year here in Iowa? Not sure of Dell's results but mine are kinda slow-growing. Although, I didn't get them out until early June. Most folks so you shouldn't plant before Labor Day but I'm thinking they may be wrong.

Are things really much diff in Nebraska?
Hi Babice,
Er- would that be Memorial day?
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Old July 13, 2012   #14
babice
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Hi Babice,
Er- would that be Memorial day?
Bah ha!!! Good catch!
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