Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old September 11, 2016   #1
b54red
Tomatovillian™
 
b54red's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
Default Indian Stripe vs Indian Stripe PL

It is now clear to me that ISPL is the far better tomato in late summer and for fall production. For some reason the regular IS doesn't do as well in the fall. It doesn't grow as fast nor does it set anywhere near the number of tomatoes that ISPL does. The difference in the number of fruit set on both is noticeable in the spring also but the size of the regular IS fruits is usually a bit larger. I am amazed at the difference in the fall where ISPL outshines every other variety that I have tried that time of the year including its brother IS. I have been growing both variations for quite a few years and in the early part of the season it is not unusual for IS to outproduce ISPL and as I said the fruits are usually larger by a bit but in the fall every year for the past few years ISPL has not only produced more fruit but they are frequently larger.

The only other tomato that has even come close to setting fruit like ISPL in late summer and early fall has been Prudens Purple.

Bill
b54red is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 11, 2016   #2
carolyn137
Moderator Emeritus
 
carolyn137's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a
Posts: 21,169
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by b54red View Post
It is now clear to me that ISPL is the far better tomato in late summer and for fall production. For some reason the regular IS doesn't do as well in the fall. It doesn't grow as fast nor does it set anywhere near the number of tomatoes that ISPL does. The difference in the number of fruit set on both is noticeable in the spring also but the size of the regular IS fruits is usually a bit larger. I am amazed at the difference in the fall where ISPL outshines every other variety that I have tried that time of the year including its brother IS. I have been growing both variations for quite a few years and in the early part of the season it is not unusual for IS to outproduce ISPL and as I said the fruits are usually larger by a bit but in the fall every year for the past few years ISPL has not only produced more fruit but they are frequently larger.

The only other tomato that has even come close to setting fruit like ISPL in late summer and early fall has been Prudens Purple.

Bill
I believe you Bill,but you are in Alabama and I wonder how that matchup would do elsewhere.

I keep reading how many in the south don't like PL's b/c they are susceptible to bacterial and fungal foliage diseases, but if so,my question is what about the rugose varieties and why wouldn't they be even more susceptible But when talking about the Dwarf Project ones,rugose, I admit I don't read all the threads,but rarely have I seen anyone complain about rugosity and increased fungal diseases.

Carolyn
__________________
Carolyn
carolyn137 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 11, 2016   #3
SharonRossy
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Montreal
Posts: 1,140
Default

I only grew ISPL this year for the very first time and found it took longer to set fruit than ISRL. For my climate ISRL produced larger and more tomatoes. I'm just starting to get fruit from ISPL. Flavor is great but I'm still partial to ISRL.
SharonRossy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 11, 2016   #4
b54red
Tomatovillian™
 
b54red's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
Default

Carolyn for many years Indian Stripe was my favorite tomato for a host of reasons besides just the great flavor. They are less susceptible to the common soil born diseases here than many others and they continue to set fruit in the high heat down here. The potato leaf version didn't really do quite as well until I started concentrating on setting out most of my black tomatoes a bit later to take advantage of their ability to set fruit in the intense heat when many others slowed to a crawl or stopped entirely. But it was the latest tomato set-outs that were geared for the very late summer and fall production where ISPL began to really shine for me. Gray mold can really do a number on them but it can do a number on most of the black varieties; it just looks worse on a potato leaf plant because the loss of a few leaves looks more dramatic with the larger leaves. The worse varieties for gray mold are actually JD's Special C Tex, Black from Tula, Berkley Tie Die Pink, Carbon, and Black Krim. Spudakee which is PL is actually the most resistant to it in my experience of all the black tomatoes I have grown.

I don't know how it would fare in other areas but both are great tomatoes so experimenting would be fun no matter where. It would take more than a few seasons to come to any conclusions. I have been growing both every year since finding ISPL and some years one will do better than the other but in the fall the difference is clearly noticeable to me now but of course that could change.

Bill
b54red is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 14, 2016   #5
Gardeneer
Tomatovillian™
 
Gardeneer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7
Posts: 4,909
Default

I am growing ISRL for the first time. I did not want PL version because , IMO, they are prone to gray mold disease later in the season when we get more rain here in PNW.
But my ISRL is doing great. More production than CP but no where near Black from Tula next to it. I think the falvor, color and texture is about the same. Also BFT is more early than IS. I will retire CP next year and will grow BFT and ISRL.
But next year I won't be in PNW. Carolina, here I come .
__________________
Gardeneer

Happy Gardening !
Gardeneer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 14, 2016   #6
carolyn137
Moderator Emeritus
 
carolyn137's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a
Posts: 21,169
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gardeneer View Post
I am growing ISRL for the first time. I did not want PL version because , IMO, they are prone to gray mold disease later in the season when we get more rain here in PNW.
But my ISRL is doing great. More production than CP but no where near Black from Tula next to it. I think the falvor, color and texture is about the same. Also BFT is more early than IS. I will retire CP next year and will grow BFT and ISRL.
But next year I won't be in PNW. Carolina, here I come .
And why the move,and which Carolina,N or S,sounds like a good move to me after listening to my brother praise NC so much after he moved.

Carolyn
__________________
Carolyn
carolyn137 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 15, 2016   #7
Gardeneer
Tomatovillian™
 
Gardeneer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7
Posts: 4,909
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by carolyn137 View Post
And why the move,and which Carolina,N or S,sounds like a good move to me after listening to my brother praise NC so much after he moved.

Carolyn
I am not moving because of gardening. There are other reasons for it.
The address is NC but it is very close to the border with SC. The USDA zone 8a and heat zone 7.
As I have replied in another thread Heat tolerant Tomatoes ), I will have to get my plants out much early ( mid March ?). This way I might get good fruits set before the heat arrives in July. I will also try some staggered planting ( from cuttings ) for late summer ( Sept to Nov. )
__________________
Gardeneer

Happy Gardening !
Gardeneer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 15, 2016   #8
b54red
Tomatovillian™
 
b54red's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gardeneer View Post
I am not moving because of gardening. There are other reasons for it.
The address is NC but it is very close to the border with SC. The USDA zone 8a and heat zone 7.
As I have replied in another thread Heat tolerant Tomatoes ), I will have to get my plants out much early ( mid March ?). This way I might get good fruits set before the heat arrives in July. I will also try some staggered planting ( from cuttings ) for late summer ( Sept to Nov. )
You will want to get your large pink beefsteaks out first since most of them are more sensitive to the high heat when it comes to setting fruit. I manage to get somewhere around 20 to 30 fruits off stingy varieties most years because I set them out before the others. I used to think you couldn't grow true Brandywines down here and now both Sudduth's and Cowlicks are two of the varieties that I grow every year and usually with very favorable results. I stagger plant all summer beginning in March and usually ending in late July. My two largest beds are always my March and April plantings because they will usually produce the best but sometimes I am surprised by later plantings and how much they will produce despite the heat.

You will also need to learn to graft if you have a heavy infestation of fusarium or nematodes or both in your soil if you want to dependably enjoy heirloom tomatoes down here. You will learn more about foliage diseases and pests gardening in the south than you ever wanted to know. The upside is a very long growing season that will frequently provide you with fresh tomatoes for half the year and sometimes longer.

Bill
b54red is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 15, 2016   #9
Gardeneer
Tomatovillian™
 
Gardeneer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7
Posts: 4,909
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by b54red View Post
You will want to get your large pink beefsteaks out first since most of them are more sensitive to the high heat when it comes to setting fruit. I manage to get somewhere around 20 to 30 fruits off stingy varieties most years because I set them out before the others. I used to think you couldn't grow true Brandywines down here and now both Sudduth's and Cowlicks are two of the varieties that I grow every year and usually with very favorable results. I stagger plant all summer beginning in March and usually ending in late July. My two largest beds are always my March and April plantings because they will usually produce the best but sometimes I am surprised by later plantings and how much they will produce despite the heat.

You will also need to learn to graft if you have a heavy infestation of fusarium or nematodes or both in your soil if you want to dependably enjoy heirloom tomatoes down here. You will learn more about foliage diseases and pests gardening in the south than you ever wanted to know. The upside is a very long growing season that will frequently provide you with fresh tomatoes for half the year and sometimes longer.

Bill
Thanks Bill. I got your recommendations in the other thread, that included ISRL among others.
About the soil borne diseases in the Carolinas , I have no idea. Sure , I can pracce grafting. In theory and technique is not that difficult. Important part is keeping th grafted seedlings under dome, in a controlled temp/humidity/light condition.
I always wanted to try it just for the heck of it.
__________________
Gardeneer

Happy Gardening !
Gardeneer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 15, 2016   #10
b54red
Tomatovillian™
 
b54red's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gardeneer View Post
Thanks Bill. I got your recommendations in the other thread, that included ISRL among others.
About the soil borne diseases in the Carolinas , I have no idea. Sure , I can pracce grafting. In theory and technique is not that difficult. Important part is keeping th grafted seedlings under dome, in a controlled temp/humidity/light condition.
I always wanted to try it just for the heck of it.
It is not as easy as it looks. My first attempt at grafting was wonderfully successful and then one problem after another until I finally developed a routine that keeps my success rate very high. You will find that things like damping off can be quite a problem during grafting down here. The stuff seems to just be in the air and there is no escaping it so learning to work around it so it isn't a problem is half the battle. Trying to graft in very hot weather can also be a real problem so some climate control is necessary for consistent success.

You can find out real quick if you have a fusarium problem by planting some Coustralee plants as it is very susceptible to the disease. Most of the other heirlooms are not resistant to fusarium wilt but some do better than others. As to nematodes you won't know if you have them til you see the roots when you pull up a dying plant.

Bill
b54red is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 15, 2016   #11
Gardeneer
Tomatovillian™
 
Gardeneer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7
Posts: 4,909
Default

Thanks Bill.
I will try to remember.
Are there any NC/SC tomato growers around here ? I know some gardeners in another board , from the area who grow tomatoes in ground.
__________________
Gardeneer

Happy Gardening !
Gardeneer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 20, 2016   #12
b54red
Tomatovillian™
 
b54red's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
Default

My ISPL plants that I set out the end of June are producing like crazy and they are also producing larger fruit than normal except on the really large clusters with too many fruit. This is the first year that ISPL has produced larger fruit than regular leaf IS but the IS reg. produced larger fruit than ISPL early in the season. Go figure.

Bill
b54red is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 24, 2016   #13
seaeagle
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: virginia
Posts: 732
Default

Although ISPL didn't ripen well in July and August, I picked about 15 or 20 last week and there are more to pick.Always good when you get any tomatoes this time of year.Bad year to judge any tomato as it was extremely hot, humid, and dry.My garden did great except for some of the tomatoes not ripening well, but a lot did well, so all is good.
seaeagle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 24, 2016   #14
Gardeneer
Tomatovillian™
 
Gardeneer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7
Posts: 4,909
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by b54red View Post
My ISPL plants that I set out the end of June are producing like crazy and they are also producing larger fruit than normal except on the really large clusters with too many fruit. This is the first year that ISPL has produced larger fruit than regular leaf IS but the IS reg. produced larger fruit than ISPL early in the season. Go figure.

Bill
Thanks Bill
I am now in location in NC ( soutwest coorner, bordering SC)
About soil, IT IS BETTER THAN 90% SAND. have no idea about RKN.
Now my efforts are on trying to establish a garden and AMEND the soil with as much organic matter that I can get. I have fall leaves, pine stray and wood ash for the starter. The grass seem to be doing just fine in the sand. The main crop around here is sweet potato, corn, soybean, tobacco, strawberries. Apparently those crops like sand. hehe.
__________________
Gardeneer

Happy Gardening !
Gardeneer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 25, 2016   #15
b54red
Tomatovillian™
 
b54red's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by seaeagle View Post
Although ISPL didn't ripen well in July and August, I picked about 15 or 20 last week and there are more to pick.Always good when you get any tomatoes this time of year.Bad year to judge any tomato as it was extremely hot, humid, and dry.My garden did great except for some of the tomatoes not ripening well, but a lot did well, so all is good.
My late summer tomatoes were very reluctant to ripen even with the temps in the mid 90s. We are in a drought and fall is here and all of a sudden last week they started ripening before the cooler night time temps got here and they have been ripening good sense then. I was beginning to think most of them wouldn't ever ripen. Go figure.

Bill
b54red is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:43 PM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★