-
gardenbean
- Senior Member
- Posts: 251
- Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:47 pm
- Location: Westminster Colorado
Runningtrails,
I have used tums in my planting holes in the past. I typically crushed each tum with a pair of pliers as I dropped it in the hole and then mixed it into the dirt a little. It always seemed to help with the BER. Since I started growing in raised beds, it's a lot easier to control the moisture level without wide fluctuations. I rarely have any blossom end rot. We have had a lot of heavy rains (down pours) this spring, but I haven't had a single tomato with BER. I think the Tums really helped control it when I was still row cropping in a traditional manner.
Ted
I have used tums in my planting holes in the past. I typically crushed each tum with a pair of pliers as I dropped it in the hole and then mixed it into the dirt a little. It always seemed to help with the BER. Since I started growing in raised beds, it's a lot easier to control the moisture level without wide fluctuations. I rarely have any blossom end rot. We have had a lot of heavy rains (down pours) this spring, but I haven't had a single tomato with BER. I think the Tums really helped control it when I was still row cropping in a traditional manner.
Ted
-
gardenbean
- Senior Member
- Posts: 251
- Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:47 pm
- Location: Westminster Colorado
My experiment(s) are a bit different. Last year I grew Black Prince and it produced larger tomatoes than described. So, this year, I purchased seed from another company whose seeds I would definitely count on. Same with one of the cherry toms - growing the same named plant from two different companies for the same reason.
I'm known for growing great tomatoes and last year it was suggested I grow some for the local county fair. It was flattering to hear that but I am not a seriously competitive person. (I DO like to challenge myself.)
So, my experiment is with a tomato called Big Zac which is supposed to produce 5-7# tomatoes. I read somewhere that if you keep the number of tomatoes on a plant down, then the rest should be larger. The plant has blossoms in clusters of 5 or more. I am thinking that I am going to keep the one that produces a tomato first - keep 1 tomato per cluster and limit the number of tomatoes to about 6 (seems reasonable - 1/2 dozen). I may never grow this tomato again but it will be interesting to find out just how large of a tomato I can grow in our short season. My father would have loved this experiment.
I'm known for growing great tomatoes and last year it was suggested I grow some for the local county fair. It was flattering to hear that but I am not a seriously competitive person. (I DO like to challenge myself.)
So, my experiment is with a tomato called Big Zac which is supposed to produce 5-7# tomatoes. I read somewhere that if you keep the number of tomatoes on a plant down, then the rest should be larger. The plant has blossoms in clusters of 5 or more. I am thinking that I am going to keep the one that produces a tomato first - keep 1 tomato per cluster and limit the number of tomatoes to about 6 (seems reasonable - 1/2 dozen). I may never grow this tomato again but it will be interesting to find out just how large of a tomato I can grow in our short season. My father would have loved this experiment.
I don't think it would hurt the eggplants, but since they typically don't produce until hotter weather, I've never had BER on an eggplant fruit. I don't think the tum is needed for an eggplant. The BER I've had on tomatoes before I started growing in raised beds was always on the fruit which set earliest in the spring. Later fruits didn't have it for me.gardenbean wrote:Does anyone know if one can use Tums for Eggplants too?
Ted
I have a similar experiment going on, and for the same reasons. There was a time that I could get a couple of seasons out of soil for tomatoes, but it seems not to be the case anymore. Also, one year I had a brand new spot that was converted from yard to garden, never had tomatoes, but the soil must have been diseased because the beautiful plants put on good fruit but slowly curled and died.hendi_alex wrote:So this year I decided to try tomatoes in three gallon pots again. I set the bottom three inches in the ground with half and the other half are sitting on concrete and watered daily or as needed. After just a few weeks there is a big difference in the plants. Those set in the ground evidently get a much more even supply of water. The plants in free standing pots look less vigorous and are already developing yellowish leaves at the bottom of the plants. I set those in the ground today, to see if the plants pick up. The reason for planting in containers is that the yard soil is filled with disease as well as root knot nematodes. But when planted in pots with sterile soil the plants start out growing much more strongly. So this somewhat hybrid method of in pots but in the ground may turn out to be a useful strategy for getting healthy plants all the way into production.
I have some three gallon and seven gallon pots. So far the three's are in the ground about five inches, and the seven's are on top of some black cloth. I may go back and put some of the seven's in the ground a bit to mimic your experiment. Couple of questions:
1. Do you really use 25 gallon containers?
2. What is a good source for containers? I do no plan to put another tomato directly in the ground, but rather will be using containers and fresh soil. Of course, I get the soil from some farm land so will always run the risk of it having some disease as well
3. It is my opinion that the plants do well until the roots hit the affected areas. Is there something we should put in the bottom of the container, or under the container, to allow water to escape but keep the roots from reaching any affected soil?
4. I am assuming that the wind is more troublesome to plants in containers.
Good luck with your experiments
-
hendi_alex
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 3604
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
- Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina
I have a friend who runs a nursery business and he gives me very large 25-35 gallon black nursery pots. Takes a lot of synthetic soil for those six plants though, and they still have to be watered twice per day during the over 90 degree days. One day I may try some kind of hydrophonic system for a few container plants. It seems that those might be o.k. in three gallon pots with something like perlite, and with nutrients circulated over them throughout the day. Will take a good bit of research and maybe expensive first time set up cost though.
I wanted to try some recently released dwarf varieties which were bred to provide good production of full sized, tasty tomatoes of various colors on short stature, very stout plants. The photo shows four varieties which I had to plant in containers ranging in size from three gallons on the left to five gallon on the right. I set them up with drip irrigation in order to keep the soil moist without hand watering them two or three times per day in this 97 degree heat. When the photo was taken, they were only about 26" tall and blooming. They are now over 36" tall with a lot of fruit on them. I think I am going to need to change to larger drip emmiters on the smaller containers because they get pretty dry before the evening watering occurs.
Another interesting thing about these plants is the fact that due to the late release of the seeds after a five year development program, I had to plant the seed direct in the pots, in early March; instead of growing seedlings and transplanting them.
From left to right, the varieties are Emerald Giant (green when ripe), Mr. Snow (yellow to white when ripe), New Big Dwarf (Red when ripe), and Beryl Beauty (Green when ripe with a red blush on the bottom) The New Big Dwarf variety is actually an old variety developed in the 1800's. It was a contributor to the parentage of many of the new varieties. I had no involvement in the breeding program, but followed it with excitement. All of the new varieties are open pollinated and include many other colors like blacks, pink, gold and red. The short development period was accomplished by utilizing the growing seasons of the Northern Hemisphere (United States) and Southern hemisphere (Australia and New Zealand). By doing this they were able to utilize two full growing seasons each year.
[img]https://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll308/tedln/2011%20Garden/005.jpg[/img]
Ted
Another interesting thing about these plants is the fact that due to the late release of the seeds after a five year development program, I had to plant the seed direct in the pots, in early March; instead of growing seedlings and transplanting them.
From left to right, the varieties are Emerald Giant (green when ripe), Mr. Snow (yellow to white when ripe), New Big Dwarf (Red when ripe), and Beryl Beauty (Green when ripe with a red blush on the bottom) The New Big Dwarf variety is actually an old variety developed in the 1800's. It was a contributor to the parentage of many of the new varieties. I had no involvement in the breeding program, but followed it with excitement. All of the new varieties are open pollinated and include many other colors like blacks, pink, gold and red. The short development period was accomplished by utilizing the growing seasons of the Northern Hemisphere (United States) and Southern hemisphere (Australia and New Zealand). By doing this they were able to utilize two full growing seasons each year.
[img]https://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll308/tedln/2011%20Garden/005.jpg[/img]
Ted
Great looking dwarfs, Ted!
Same here, for the first time, growing the same dwarfs as ted. Really terrific plats for the patio, and I love their compactness! Lots of flowers on all, but have not seen a fruit formed yet. Then again, these are mid/late season, and the weather has not been stable yet.
I do hope that if not production ( I know these can't compete with indeterminates), but the flavor and "enough" tomatoes would make me want to grow them out again and again! Definitely adding more dwarfs from the project next year. Having 8-10 pots on the deck is not trouble at all!
This is the first time I've attempted the "grafting"! Why... Well, there are few odd spots around the garden where I planted some "succession" crop tomatoes in the past, tend to have fusarium. I do get the enough fruit to make it worth my time, but they still die.
So in hopes to battle this, I've grafted Kosovo stem onto the root stock I grew from F1 seed of variety called Emperador (not suitable for eating if grown to the fruit), known for it's vigorous roots and resistance to soil born diseases. Kosovo has also shown some resistance to fusarium according to some folks who has grown them.
To take it a step further, I've inoculated the roots at the early stages of growth with "soil probiotic" containing the following microorganisms, that have reportedly prolonged the resistance of the plants to fight out fusarium:
Trichoderma harzianum
Trichoderma viride
Trichoderma koningii
Trichoderma polysporum
I've planted these two grafted plants this morning (finally). Now we wait and see
Regards,
D
Same here, for the first time, growing the same dwarfs as ted. Really terrific plats for the patio, and I love their compactness! Lots of flowers on all, but have not seen a fruit formed yet. Then again, these are mid/late season, and the weather has not been stable yet.
I do hope that if not production ( I know these can't compete with indeterminates), but the flavor and "enough" tomatoes would make me want to grow them out again and again! Definitely adding more dwarfs from the project next year. Having 8-10 pots on the deck is not trouble at all!
This is the first time I've attempted the "grafting"! Why... Well, there are few odd spots around the garden where I planted some "succession" crop tomatoes in the past, tend to have fusarium. I do get the enough fruit to make it worth my time, but they still die.
So in hopes to battle this, I've grafted Kosovo stem onto the root stock I grew from F1 seed of variety called Emperador (not suitable for eating if grown to the fruit), known for it's vigorous roots and resistance to soil born diseases. Kosovo has also shown some resistance to fusarium according to some folks who has grown them.
To take it a step further, I've inoculated the roots at the early stages of growth with "soil probiotic" containing the following microorganisms, that have reportedly prolonged the resistance of the plants to fight out fusarium:
Trichoderma harzianum
Trichoderma viride
Trichoderma koningii
Trichoderma polysporum
I've planted these two grafted plants this morning (finally). Now we wait and see
Regards,
D
-
Gary350
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 7420
- Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
- Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.
My Grandfather showed me how to grow tomatoes 50 years ago in Southern Illinois. Dig holes about the size of a 10" diameter flower pot in rows for each tomato plant. Holes are about 24" apart. Throw a small hand full of 15/15/15 fertilizer in each hole. Throw in a hand full of lime and a very small hand full of Ammonium Nitrate. Fill the holes with water then come back later after all the water has soaked into the soil. About an hour before sun down put about 2" of soil in each hole then plant the roots deep. Plant at lease 1/2 of the tomatoe plant stem too. Pack the soil down tight then give the plants a drink of water. The stem has the ability to grow roots any place soil toughs it so in about a week the plant will take off growing lightning fast. In about another week the roots will be down into the fertilizer soil and the plants will all turn very deep dark green. Lime keeps the tomatoes from having blossom end rot. Keep the plants watered for about 1 week then let mother nature take over. If you do not water the plants it forces the roots to grow deep in search of water then during the hot summer sun when there is no rain for several weeks the plants will do fine on their own.
Here in TN it gets very hot so I croud my tomatoes I want the plants to shade each other to keep the ripe tomatoes from getting sun burned in the hot summer sun.
I use to not use tomato cages but I learned the plants will produce 2 times more tomatoes if the plant are tied up on in cages so now I use caged on all my plants.
Here in TN it gets very hot so I croud my tomatoes I want the plants to shade each other to keep the ripe tomatoes from getting sun burned in the hot summer sun.
I use to not use tomato cages but I learned the plants will produce 2 times more tomatoes if the plant are tied up on in cages so now I use caged on all my plants.
-
GomoIsGardening
- Cool Member
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 9:27 pm
- Location: Hill Country, TX
My experiment, the Topsy Turvy Towers. Snagged a few last year on clearance.
Plants did really well until it got hot and I couldn't keep the soil consistent with moisture.
Solution and experiment, water with ice cubes from my portable ice maker. It's working! The stinkers grew at least 6 inches in the last 2 days and put on a ton of blossoms!
I wouldn't recommend this idea unless it's 98, before noon at your house.
Plants did really well until it got hot and I couldn't keep the soil consistent with moisture.
Solution and experiment, water with ice cubes from my portable ice maker. It's working! The stinkers grew at least 6 inches in the last 2 days and put on a ton of blossoms!
I wouldn't recommend this idea unless it's 98, before noon at your house.
-
ozark_rocks
- Senior Member
- Posts: 128
- Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:58 pm
- Location: Arkansas
We have a "cess pool" where all of our gray water drains from the house . This area stays to wet to mow. So this year I covered it with black plastic, cut holes, and planted tomatoes. I always have tomatoes coming up volunteer in this area anyway, so this year I won't have to cut back the weeds.
If the tomatoes taste soapy,(I don't think they will) it is no big deal, because I have planted tomatoes all over the yard.
If the tomatoes taste soapy,(I don't think they will) it is no big deal, because I have planted tomatoes all over the yard.
My experiment is pretty basic: I have Early Girls, Sweet 100s and Red Cherry tomatoes in both raised beds and deck planters. Just want to see whether one outperforms the other.
But since this is the first year I've really tried to garden, after a few half-hearted attempts a couple decades ago, it's all an experiment.
Jim
But since this is the first year I've really tried to garden, after a few half-hearted attempts a couple decades ago, it's all an experiment.
Jim
-
hendi_alex
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 3604
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
- Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina
The self watering planters whether commercial or home made seem to work very well at out performing ordinary planters. I've not used any yet, but am considering construction of some of the home made ones. Steady supply of water is always a problem for my tomatoes in containers, even very large planters of 20 gallon or more. The self watering containers solve that problem. I tried drip irrigation with them last year, but it seems I could never get the flow of water right and ended up drowning the plants.
I would not exactly call it an experiment but I am growing some new tomatoes for the first time. Black cherry, beefsteak, and German Johnson. Beefsteak went in first and is already fruiting. The Black cherry just got planted out this week and German Johnson has sprouted but does not have true leaves yet.
-
dtizme
- Cool Member
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 10:23 pm
- Location: Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada. Zone 5a
Growing a few different kinds this year. 2 cherokee purple, 2 yellow plums and 2 hybrids as well as 3 cherry tomatoes. All transplants. Always had good success with the hybirds but well see how the heirlooms grow compared to the hybrids. gonna try the slow watering technique as opposed to just dumping water om them through a picture glass because what I read watering mimicing as the rain poromotes deeper roots. As well I'm gonna get a rain barrel and use the water out of that instead of tap water. well see how things turn out? I'm sure it wil be nothng but the best. we'll c. Best of luck everyone
Good luck with the new varieties. So many people rave about Beef this and Beef that, so I tried some last year. I did not get the right ones I guess. Did not have good luck. I have heard great things of Black cherry also.imafan26 wrote:I would not exactly call it an experiment but I am growing some new tomatoes for the first time. Black cherry, beefsteak, and German Johnson. Beefsteak went in first and is already fruiting. The Black cherry just got planted out this week and German Johnson has sprouted but does not have true leaves yet.
-
hendi_alex
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 3604
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
- Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina
Blackcherry has become one of our favoites, very abundant with great combination of sweet and tart and rich flavor. We have also come to love the super sweet golden plums over the past couple of years. Very productive, mild, sweet. One unknown slightly pear shaped also lasted a long time off the vine and has a pleasant crunch when bitten. It came in a mislabled pack and I'm still trying to find the variety.
I googled black cherry to get info on them. Wow, they look like muscadines. I may have to give them a try.hendi_alex wrote:Blackcherry has become one of our favoites, very abundant with great combination of sweet and tart and rich flavor. We have also come to love the super sweet golden plums over the past couple of years. Very productive, mild, sweet. One unknown slightly pear shaped also lasted a long time off the vine and has a pleasant crunch when bitten. It came in a mislabled pack and I'm still trying to find the variety.
-
hendi_alex
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 3604
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
- Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina
Very interesting thread.
My "experiment" this year involves support and pruning. I am using the Florida weave system using T-posts and baler twine. With 18 tomato plants and being 57 years old, I really think the 4000 foot roll of twine will outlive me.
Growing both determinate and indeterminate tomatoes. Pruning the indeterminate varieties to 2-3 stems. Just don't have what it takes to prune them all the way back to a single stem. The determinate varieties are just being pruned of the bottom leaves to avoid soil splash.
For support in the past I have tried individual 2X2 treated lumber stakes for each plant. Although that method works, it is a bit of trouble especially if you let indeterminate plants get out of hand between tying sessions. Cages was a total disaster and I consider pre-made cages to be absolutely worthless for tomatoes. They do adequate on peppers though.
I am a relative newbie to gardening. Last year my garden was a tremendous success for the first time. I am going to attribute that success to recognizing that my garden needs a lot of water, in the absence of rain, here in central Illinois. In prior years, if we didn't get an inch of rain in a week, I would turn my sprinkler on the garden for an hour. Last year, if we didn't get an inch of rain, I would water for 4 hours. The additional water made a very noticeable improvement in production in tomato and pepper plants.
My "experiment" this year involves support and pruning. I am using the Florida weave system using T-posts and baler twine. With 18 tomato plants and being 57 years old, I really think the 4000 foot roll of twine will outlive me.
Growing both determinate and indeterminate tomatoes. Pruning the indeterminate varieties to 2-3 stems. Just don't have what it takes to prune them all the way back to a single stem. The determinate varieties are just being pruned of the bottom leaves to avoid soil splash.
For support in the past I have tried individual 2X2 treated lumber stakes for each plant. Although that method works, it is a bit of trouble especially if you let indeterminate plants get out of hand between tying sessions. Cages was a total disaster and I consider pre-made cages to be absolutely worthless for tomatoes. They do adequate on peppers though.
I am a relative newbie to gardening. Last year my garden was a tremendous success for the first time. I am going to attribute that success to recognizing that my garden needs a lot of water, in the absence of rain, here in central Illinois. In prior years, if we didn't get an inch of rain in a week, I would turn my sprinkler on the garden for an hour. Last year, if we didn't get an inch of rain, I would water for 4 hours. The additional water made a very noticeable improvement in production in tomato and pepper plants.
-
JosephsGarden
- Cool Member
- Posts: 79
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2014 2:51 pm
- Location: Cache Valley, Rocky Mountains
- Contact: Website
My tomato experiment this year is selecting for varieties that are highly attractive to bumblebees. The goal being to develop my own strain of tomatoes that is promiscuously pollinating. Last growing season I grew two varieties that the bumble bees were constantly visiting. I replanted a few hundred seeds from those plants and will watch for naturally occurring hybrids. Also added about a dozen varieties to the trial that may have traits that would attract bumblebees. I'll also be watching the general tomato population for any plants beloved by the bumblebees or other pollinators.
-
hendi_alex
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 3604
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
- Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina
Interesting idea, though in a period of declining bee populations, it would seem that wind pollination offers some advantage. Also, when singularly focused on bee attraction, what will happen to things such as flavor, productivity, disease resistance, fruit size and shape, etc? Think I'll stick with bee balm for the bees, and select tomatoes based upon other more relevant traits for my needs and uses. BTW, you would not believe the number and variety of bees and wasps which visit our chaste tree each day. Of course we have wildlife friendly plantings throughout the grounds and as a result, have a very active assortment of bees and wasps to visit.
-
grrlgeek
- Senior Member
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2013 10:03 pm
- Location: Southern California Desert
I have two experiments planned for this year. Can't say they're the "latest," though, since they're my first!
#1 - I am going to try starting new plants from cuttings of a couple of my determinates that I want more tomatoes from. Coinciding with this, I will try/hope to keep the parents going (okay, how about just, alive) during the 2 month, no-grow, 110 degree summer temps and see if they will produce again in the fall. I already have my first clone rooting in a pot. It's wilty, but still trying and hopefully it will take. It's one of the indeterminants however, and an impromptu selection at that, given that I broke the branch while moving the pot. Call it my test-run. I plan to snip the determinates this weekend.
#2 - Starting indoors from seed at three-week intervals July 5th through Sept 6 , (4 batches) I have some early "arctic" variety tomatoes that I want to torture test into the winter. The ones I'm trying are Bison, Beaverlodge 6806 Plum, and Sub Arctic Plenty. It remains to be seen if any of them taste great, or even good, but I figure that none will be worse than a grocery store tomato in general, and all will be better than a store-bought tomato in January no matter what! It's not the best test since all are determinate varieties, but if things work out at all well, I'll be on the lookout for indeterminates for next year, or for a winter leg up on all you Southern folks who were eating fresh tomatoes in May!
#1 - I am going to try starting new plants from cuttings of a couple of my determinates that I want more tomatoes from. Coinciding with this, I will try/hope to keep the parents going (okay, how about just, alive) during the 2 month, no-grow, 110 degree summer temps and see if they will produce again in the fall. I already have my first clone rooting in a pot. It's wilty, but still trying and hopefully it will take. It's one of the indeterminants however, and an impromptu selection at that, given that I broke the branch while moving the pot. Call it my test-run. I plan to snip the determinates this weekend.
#2 - Starting indoors from seed at three-week intervals July 5th through Sept 6 , (4 batches) I have some early "arctic" variety tomatoes that I want to torture test into the winter. The ones I'm trying are Bison, Beaverlodge 6806 Plum, and Sub Arctic Plenty. It remains to be seen if any of them taste great, or even good, but I figure that none will be worse than a grocery store tomato in general, and all will be better than a store-bought tomato in January no matter what! It's not the best test since all are determinate varieties, but if things work out at all well, I'll be on the lookout for indeterminates for next year, or for a winter leg up on all you Southern folks who were eating fresh tomatoes in May!
This year I planted Black cherry. It is very tall with long internodes and does not have a lot of trusses. It is just flowering now.
The second tomato is Beefsteak. It has started making tomatoes, but I haven't eaten any yet.
The third tomato. I haven't planted that one yet. I have a couple of wild cherries from former plantings that have been coming up and producing fruit. I still haven't really decided what to plant for the third tomato.
The second tomato is Beefsteak. It has started making tomatoes, but I haven't eaten any yet.
The third tomato. I haven't planted that one yet. I have a couple of wild cherries from former plantings that have been coming up and producing fruit. I still haven't really decided what to plant for the third tomato.
-
JosephsGarden
- Cool Member
- Posts: 79
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2014 2:51 pm
- Location: Cache Valley, Rocky Mountains
- Contact: Website
The bumblebee population in my garden seems adequate for the task. I noted at least 5 species last year on the tomatoes.
Last year in my garden the tomato plants that were highly attractive to bumblebees were the earliest and most productive plants in my garden. Other plants flowered earlier, but they did not set fruit. The flowers just dropped off. (I figure that wind-shake pollination was inadequate.)
I believe that every trait that I care about will be enhanced by encouraging promiscuous pollination. The genetic roulette wheel will spin more often, giving me many more opportunities to find winning combinations of genes.
Last year in my garden the tomato plants that were highly attractive to bumblebees were the earliest and most productive plants in my garden. Other plants flowered earlier, but they did not set fruit. The flowers just dropped off. (I figure that wind-shake pollination was inadequate.)
I believe that every trait that I care about will be enhanced by encouraging promiscuous pollination. The genetic roulette wheel will spin more often, giving me many more opportunities to find winning combinations of genes.
-
JC's Garden
- Senior Member
- Posts: 280
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 10:43 pm
- Location: Moultrie, GA Planting Zone 8, Sunset Zone 31
This thread has been interesting to go through and find what's new. I had a couple of things going last year that didn't quite work out. I'm trying again!
One was cross-pollinating varieties of small, early tomatoes that I like and don't much care if they share one characteristic or another. So, why do that cross? Well, you gotta start somewhere and having a nice little tomato that is a bit different from either parent is about the best I can hope for. I'm a total novice at this!
I messed up last year probably because I kept those plants in too small of containers, making life too difficult so that they didn't have very many blooms. When they did bloom, it was at different times! How you gonna move pollen around when you don't have a fresh flower to move it to?! (I 've since learned that you can keep it in the fridge for a few days.) The easy to recognize difference, indicating that I succeeded in making the cross, is that the potato-leaf mother will have regular-leaf offspring. The leaves are not important to me but it will just show that the pollen made it!
My second experiment is to continue to grow out an unintended cross of Kellogg's Breakfast. It was red, not yellow. And, it was much earlier than Kellogg's Breakfast! Last year I grew 4 plants from the seeds of those fruits. Two had yellow fruit and two had red. I saved seed from the red. Hopefully, I won't lose the earliness while I'm messing around trying to weed out the yellow genes. BTW, the red tastes great but the yellow isn't as good as the Kellogg's Breakfast grandparents.
These things are gonna take a few seasons
.
Steve
One was cross-pollinating varieties of small, early tomatoes that I like and don't much care if they share one characteristic or another. So, why do that cross? Well, you gotta start somewhere and having a nice little tomato that is a bit different from either parent is about the best I can hope for. I'm a total novice at this!
I messed up last year probably because I kept those plants in too small of containers, making life too difficult so that they didn't have very many blooms. When they did bloom, it was at different times! How you gonna move pollen around when you don't have a fresh flower to move it to?! (I 've since learned that you can keep it in the fridge for a few days.) The easy to recognize difference, indicating that I succeeded in making the cross, is that the potato-leaf mother will have regular-leaf offspring. The leaves are not important to me but it will just show that the pollen made it!
My second experiment is to continue to grow out an unintended cross of Kellogg's Breakfast. It was red, not yellow. And, it was much earlier than Kellogg's Breakfast! Last year I grew 4 plants from the seeds of those fruits. Two had yellow fruit and two had red. I saved seed from the red. Hopefully, I won't lose the earliness while I'm messing around trying to weed out the yellow genes. BTW, the red tastes great but the yellow isn't as good as the Kellogg's Breakfast grandparents.
These things are gonna take a few seasons
.Steve