2010 Winter Greenhouse Varieties

[mdvpc]

Photo of Utynok and Shchelkovskiy Ranniy picked today for lunch, with some evoo and a little sea salt.

[amideutch]

Michael, your getting my taste buds pumped up! Ami

[mdvpc]

Ami:

Bout time I did that to you-I suffered all summer with your photos! Best greenhouse season I have had in a long time. Last night the wife and I sliced up some Pervaya Lyubov and they were really good.

[gill_s]

Many thanks for the replies on Nitrogen levels. The web link is very useful. According to that the Nitrogen level we used was way too high at 120ppm. Hopefully we shall do better next season. In the UK we cannot get hold of the same 'ready mix' nutrients that you can. I shall have to check out the formulae of the ones we can buy. I have been using a Growth Technology product. The have different mixes for NFT, Coco, soil etc. I have been successful with NFT for productivity and longevity of the plants. I do find though that the tomatoes are more acidic in flavour compared to the same variety grown in compost/soil. I have used Grodan and clay pebbles for ebb and flow. The Grodan was more successful than clay pebbles but I am keen to try Coco next season.
Gill

[mdvpc]

Gill

You should be able to purchase general hydroponics ferts. Here is the UK website:


http://gb.eurohydro.com/


I have used their flora series in the greenhouse this winter-the plants that are on this thread are grown with the flora series, supplemented by a little botanicare 6-6-4 with calcium, and a tablespoon of epoma lime. There is also a floranova nova product on the same website that is extremely concentrated. I just bought some yesterday to try.

[gill_s]

The website link is good, thank you. I might give the Floranova a try it sounds interesting. I have still not found any of the hydroponic nutrients which are specifically for tomatoes. I always thought they needed a higher %Potassium than other flowering plants. Certainly more than peppers and cucumbers. Am I wrong in this?
I also am envious of you having the warmth to be able to have a winter crop. Although it must be difficult to ever get away for a vacation. We always take ours in the Winter when we won't be leaving the tomato plants. We are just about to escape from an unusually early, very cold spell(for the UK), and cruise in the Eastern Mediterranean. I am looking forward to trying to pick up some interesting tomatoes in some City markets! I have praised the variety Kumato in other posts. We are just coming to the end of our indoor ripening Summer crop. These Kumatos seem to be even better in flavour when they have ripened indoors and they keep without spoiling for weeks.
Thanks again. What would we do without T'ville?
Gill

[mdvpc]

Gill

Gh has specific dry tomato formula. It's called floramato dry. They also have maxigro and maxi bloom. But I don't use any product specifically for tomatoes. I have used a fish/seaweed fert that is 3-2-2, and then followed with a 0-4-4. I have used tomato tone, but used it on tomatoes, peppers, eggplant.

[mdvpc]

This shows the variety Karat-Its about an 18 inch plant loaded with fruit. The biggest fruit in the photo I picked today and its 6 oz.

[mdvpc]

This has been the best greenhouse tomato season I have ever had. Lots of ripe tomatoes, in spite of it being a very cold winter.

[Boutique Tomatoes]

Any of the varieties you would not repeat, or others that you're thinking of trying next season?

[gill_s]

Originally Posted by mdvpc

This has been the best greenhouse tomato season I have ever had. Lots of ripe tomatoes, in spite of it being a very cold winter.

I am interested to know how much you heat and light your greenhouse for overwintering tomatoes. What temperature do you keep it at? Do you grow particular varieties and is it difficult to keep fungal diseases such as Botrytis at bay? How does flavour compare with Summer crops?
I have only grown crops such as lettuce and peas overwinter in the greenhouse and even that has its problem such as aphids being delighted to find a warm cosy environment and food!

[mdvpc]

Markutt

My favorites were Pervaya Lyubov, Al-Khuffa and Shirley. I do tend to grow new varieties to try out in the greenhouse, and have been active in the dwarf project. I dont have any idea yet what I will grow next fall, but will include dwarf project varieties (I am with the Southern Hemisphere Group because I grow in my winter, their summer.)

Gill:

I dont light my greenhouse at all. I live in the desert Southwest, Zone 8, and we have plenty of winter sun. I keep the greenhouse no colder than about 50 degrees F, and the bigger problem is keeping the temp below 90 degrees F in the summer. I do have an electric heater that cycles on and off during the winter, and in the spring and early fall, I have an air conditioner that is set at 80 degrees F.

I have had problems with disease the past two or 3 years both in the greenhouse and outside. I am pretty sure its rust disease. But this year, I have been spraying with 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil to a quart of water and my disease problems are reduced about 90%.

I also grow cutting lettuces, kale, chard, herbs in the glasshouse, and sometimes outside also.

Aphids are a problem. I had them this winter, bought some ladybugs, put them in the greenhouse, and that was the end of the aphids. I have also used green lacewings in the greenhouse and outside also for aphids. I dont spray.

[mdvpc]

Here is a Pervaya Lyubov I just picked, 3/27/11. 11 5/8 oz.

[mdvpc]

21 Al Kuffa I just picked 3/27/11.

[chalstonsc]

Michael,
How often do you spray the tea tree oil? I run into all kinds of disease and as an anti-fungal, spraying with tea tree oil certainly seems worth a good try. Any idea if tea tree oil has a shelf life and if so, how long?
Tom