hardland
Senior Member
Posts: 248
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:05 am
Location: Sth Florida

A question about my Purple Russian Tomato ??

This plant is doing quite well, it's still quite mild in Sth Florida. The plant is about 7ft tall. The leaves on the bottom seem to wilt and there are no blossoms below the 5ft mark. The top of plant seems to be thriving, the bottom 3rd not. Is this normal ?

tedln
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Posts: 2179
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm
Location: North Texas

Where I live in North Texas, my plants put on fruit at the bottom first. They bloom as they grow. When they reach the six to seven foot height, the fruit at the bottom has ripened and been harvested. The leaves and branches at the bottom turn yellow and drop off or I clip them off.

I'm not familiar with your variety, but if it is an inderminate; it sounds like it is doing what most inderminates do as they grow and age.

The only thing that bothers me is why it didn't set any fruit at the lower levels. I can't answer that because it should have.

Ted

hardland
Senior Member
Posts: 248
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:05 am
Location: Sth Florida

Thanks for your input Ted.
I believe it is an indeterminate. I have other tomato plants that I believe are determinate and they have set fruit quite low on the plant. As long as I get some fruit I'll be happy !

tedln
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Posts: 2179
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm
Location: North Texas

I think I read somewhere that the "Purple Russian" was a grow out from a patch of Prudens Purple tomatoes. Tomato Fest on the net claims it is a regular leaf heirloom from Russia. If it is a Russian tomato, it may well be a cooler climate tomato and not produce well in South Florida. Let us know if they produce. It's description is very interesting.

Ted

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Duh_Vinci
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Location: Virginia

While I can't explain the behavior of the plant - I think it is a bit odd... As Ted mentioned, usually lower trusses fruit are among the first to set, though sometimes I get fruit at the lower trusses later in the season as well...

As for variety, I got my seeds from Tatiana, growing only one plant to try - got me on the color and the shape, and despite the shape - is not considered to be a paste tomato... She describes it as a Heirloom from Ukraine (very warm summers there too, just far less humidity the FL), introduced to the US sometime in the 80's and should have nice flavor. We'll see later in the season I guess...

But please, do post your observation how it does in the hot/humid climate!

Regards,
D



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