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Old October 1, 2018   #1
DonDuck
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Default Heatmaster tomqto!

I planted some Heatmaster tomatoes in the 110 degree F weather of this summer. Most of my spring planted tomatoes had already produced and wilted in the heat. I planted the Heatmaster hybrid tomatoes after removing the dead plants. I was very surprised to see them blooming in the heat and bright sunlight. They quickly produced tiny tomatoes which started growing larger. The plants were quickly loaded with growing tomatoes. I had two plants which were partially shaded by two very tall pepper plants. Those shaded plants didn't produce as well as the plants growing in the full heat and full sun. I also didn't lose a single plant to diseases which had plagued me with my spring plantings.


I kept thinking they can't be the perfect tomato so they will probably taste horrible. I ate my first red ripe tomato today and it was delicious. I've seen it described as sweet, but the tomato I ate had that old fashioned acidic flavor which I adore.


The tomato has an orange color phase where they turn bright orange on the vine. I kept wondering if the orange color meant they are ripe. I left the orange tomatoes on the vine and they slowly turned bright red. I will be picking tomatoes into late fall from these plants. The tomatoes have shown no tendency towards BER or cracking and remain perfectly shaped and smooth. We had seven inches of rain in two days last week. Some of the tomatoes were showing signs of ripening in the rain, but not even one tomato cracked.


They are a hybrid determinate. I expected all of the tomatoes to ripen at the same time. They haven't. The plants have some full sized tomatoes and some tiny green tomatoes. I will be harvesting over an extended period. The plants seem to have acheived their full height at about four feet and they do not seem to want to spread in their cages.




I will definitely grow them next year.

Last edited by DonDuck; October 1, 2018 at 04:37 PM.
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Old October 1, 2018   #2
imp
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Sounds like a good possible tomato for the area. The intense and prolonged heat we get in north Texas can be more than many tomatoes want, need or can survive.
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Old October 2, 2018   #3
Nan_PA_6b
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So Heatmaster lives up to its name, eh?
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Old October 2, 2018   #4
carolyn137
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https://www.google.com/search?q=Heat...&bih=815&dpr=1

And and a newer one, mentioned above, said to be better,called Ferline F1

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Old October 2, 2018   #5
DonDuck
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As the spring planted tomato plants (open pollinated, indeterminate) died in the heat, I would replace them with the Heatmaster hybrid determinate plants. I planted about fifteen plants over a one month period in the highest heat. The intermittent planting is probably the reason all of the tomatoes on the determinate plants haven't ripened in the same time frame.



I ate one more ripe tomato for lunch today just to double check my thoughts about it's taste. My first impression was right. They do have a more pronounced acidic taste than sweet taste. I read some reviews in the past saying they were sweet and some reports saying they are bland in taste. Not in my garden.


Only two of my tomato varieties planted in the spring survived the heat. Five out of ten Carbon tomatoes survived and are producing well in the fall. One out of two Moravsky Div plants survived and is producing well.


I also planted some Big Beef, Florida 91. and Bella Rosa plants in my fall garden replacing dead plants. Florida 91 was a total waste of time in my garden. They have barely grown and have only a few blooms and a few small tomatoes on them. Bella Rosa has grown well and bloomed well with a few small tomatoes on them. They may have quite a few large tomatoes just before the first fall frost in November. Big beef never lets me down. They grew well in the heat, but they didn't want to produce blossoms until the weather started cooling a little. They are loaded with small to large tomatoes right now. I think Big Beef tomatoes taste great, but the Heatmasters taste better.


My primary concern about the Heatmaster variety is the scarcity of seeds and the price. Most reputable seed vendors who do carry them only include ten seeds per packet for slightly less than $4.00 per pack. I will wait awhile before ordering to see if they become more available with the commercial fall seed harvest.

Last edited by DonDuck; October 2, 2018 at 02:06 PM.
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Old October 2, 2018   #6
DonDuck
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Quote:
Originally Posted by carolyn137 View Post
https://www.google.com/search?q=Heat...&bih=815&dpr=1

And and a newer one, mentioned above, said to be better,called Ferline F1

Carolyn

Carolyn,


I've found very little information on the Ferline F1 variety. I didn't recognize any of the seed vendors who carry the seed. I suspect most of them are European. Are you aware of any American Vendors? I do like the fact that they are indeterminate. I plan a mixture of determinate and indeterminate varieties next year.
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Old October 2, 2018   #7
DonDuck
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b View Post
So Heatmaster lives up to its name, eh?

In my southern garden, they seem to really appreciate the higher heat and intense sunlight. If I grew them in more northern climates, I think I would wait until full summer heat is approaching before planting them out side. They start blooming while still small and most of the larger tomatoes are set near the soil. As the plant grows in the heat, they set fruit from the center of the plant to the top of the plant.


Our hot summer is well over. Our fall weather is much cooler. The Heatmaster plants are producing only a few random blooms while other varieties like Big Beef are still blooming and setting fruit for a late fall harvest.

Last edited by DonDuck; October 2, 2018 at 02:34 PM.
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Old October 2, 2018   #8
carolyn137
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DonDuck View Post
Carolyn,


I've found very little information on the Ferline F1 variety. I didn't recognize any of the seed vendors who carry the seed. I suspect most of them are European. Are you aware of any American Vendors? I do like the fact that they are indeterminate. I plan a mixture of determinate and indeterminate varieties next year.
First, I was surprised to find that Ferline has been around since 2008. First time I knew that.

Here is a list of places where you can buy seed but except for one link which referred to the USDA, the rest are in England.

I've ordered seeds from that Fothergill place before,actually many years ago,give them a credit card number,they convert to lbs/pence,or Euros or whatever and charge your credit card..

https://www.google.com/search?q=Sour...&bih=815&dpr=1

Quite honestly after reading most of the links above I am underimpressed,if that's a word.

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