Varieties for the Swamps of Miami, Florida
I am still looking for varieties that can survive the heat and humidity of a Miami summer. Most heat resistant varieties specify DRY conditions. That won't do here. Does anyone have any ideas?
-
SFloridaGardener
- Full Member
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2015 4:58 pm
Hey there neighbor. I'm new to gardening but thought I'd let you know I'm having good success so far with the Fourth of July tomato from Burpee. I bought a pre started plant from them about a month ago and transplanted it in my raised bed. I haven't gotten any fruit growth yet but it has grown several inches taller and more leaves since I planted it. Hopefully it will withstand our summer heat and produce tomatoes. I'll let you know how it does!
I hear heatmaster is a good one for Florida as well.
I hear heatmaster is a good one for Florida as well.
Solar Set, Heatwave, Florida 91(?-not sure about the number). Check with the Florida State Ext. agency. They have a good one, and can recommend for your area. I am in South Louisiana, and my tomatoes are usually done by the end of June-but I baby my plants (shade, water) through the summer-trim them up in Sept. and I have tomatoes until December.
-
suncitylinda
- Full Member
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:54 pm
- Location: 9A SoCal Inland
Many of the cherry tomatoes supersweet 100, sungold, gardener's delight, and sun cherry do better in heat than the larger tomatoes. Arkansas Traveler, Porter Pink, Super Souix, Creole and Big Beef are more heat tolerant. Celebrity also takes the heat well too.
It is true that most of these tomatoes for the most part are just o.k. to bland. But they are better than a market tomato or nothing at all. P.S. a lot of the market tomatoes grown locally are celebrity. The flavor of the cherry tomatoes are usually better.
Living in closer to the equator you have to plant smarter. We have a nearly year round growing season so we can plant off season and plant early and late varieties. In summer plant your tomatoes on the east side of the house so they will get some afternoon shade. In the cooler months I plant them on the west side where they get pretty much all day winter sun.
Mine are in containers that face the house. Behind the tomato trellis is my main raised bed vegetable garden which is about a foot higher than the tomato pots. In summer I plant sweet corn. They get about 6-8 ft high. (Silver Queen) they are on the West facing side of the tomatoes and because they are as tall or taller than the tomatoes, they shade the lower parts of the tomato. The house casts shadows on the tomatoes till about 10 a.m. It keeps the tomatoes from drying out too fast.
Watering tomatoes 2-3 times a day in summer with the noon watering being with a mister only for a couple of minutes. Its' purpose is to cool not to water the tomatoes. That can be run on a faucet timer.
I have used self watering pots with 5 gallon reservoirs and that helps to prevent the midday wilting and BER.
It is true that most of these tomatoes for the most part are just o.k. to bland. But they are better than a market tomato or nothing at all. P.S. a lot of the market tomatoes grown locally are celebrity. The flavor of the cherry tomatoes are usually better.
Living in closer to the equator you have to plant smarter. We have a nearly year round growing season so we can plant off season and plant early and late varieties. In summer plant your tomatoes on the east side of the house so they will get some afternoon shade. In the cooler months I plant them on the west side where they get pretty much all day winter sun.
Mine are in containers that face the house. Behind the tomato trellis is my main raised bed vegetable garden which is about a foot higher than the tomato pots. In summer I plant sweet corn. They get about 6-8 ft high. (Silver Queen) they are on the West facing side of the tomatoes and because they are as tall or taller than the tomatoes, they shade the lower parts of the tomato. The house casts shadows on the tomatoes till about 10 a.m. It keeps the tomatoes from drying out too fast.
Watering tomatoes 2-3 times a day in summer with the noon watering being with a mister only for a couple of minutes. Its' purpose is to cool not to water the tomatoes. That can be run on a faucet timer.
I have used self watering pots with 5 gallon reservoirs and that helps to prevent the midday wilting and BER.