JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

OK, I'll join the picture parade...

My first batch of babies. At the time, it seemed like I started these really early, but I think they'll be just fine. I guess they've been planted a little over a month or so. I really should make better records. I up-potted them into solo cups Friday night, and they've been getting a couple hours of full sun outside most days since. Today, they were out in partly cloudy skies with a pretty decent wind from about 9:00 a.m. until about 2:45. They seem no worse for the wear. I suppose I can consider them pretty well hardened off at this point?

Anyway, I'm not quite on the Gixx/Rainbow/Apple level just yet :shock: . I do have my "main batch" of another 8 plants that are just poking their heads through the soil, and I'll do one more late batch in a couple weeks.

The two on the right are Lehrer Tomate and the two on the left are Grandma Oliver's Chocolate. Thanks again for the seed Don!

Image

valley
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1335
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:25 am
Location: ranches in sierra nevada mountains California & Navada high desert

Like my old friend Dominic Shavoni use to say: "Pecha worth thasen word."


Those tomatoes look nice, when can you plant them outside?

Richard

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

What happened to the picture?

JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

applestar wrote:What happened to the picture?
it's working for me, and it looks like valley was able to see it as well...not sure...

JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

valley wrote:Like my old friend Dominic Shavoni use to say: "Pecha worth thasen word."


Those tomatoes look nice, when can you plant them outside?

Richard
most of the old timers say May 15th, a few say June 1! Average last frost is around the end of the first week in May. Truthfully, I get the itch about mid April. Usually, if the 10 day forecast on about the 3rd weekend in April looks really favorable, I'll stick 'em in the ground. Then hilarity ensues a week later when the night time lows get in the upper 20s and I'm piling mounds of mulch over various upturned pots I use as covers...sigh...

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Ah... It's showing up now. It said can't find the server before. Guess a momentary glitch.

Looking good! :D

User avatar
gixxerific
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 5889
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:42 pm
Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B

Looking good and you are more than welcome. You will love these especially Grandma Oliver's Chocolate. please report back if you have time.

JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

OK, so I couldn't resist another photo op. I up-potted to 2 liter soda bottle bottoms this past weekend. I'd prefer to not up-pot them any more. How long do you think they can stay in these containers? If the 10 day forecast is favorable, I might get them in the ground this coming Monday, but that is still pretty early for here. The picture below is 9 days later than the one above. They seem to be happy! :cool:

Image

Looking forward to some opinions about how long they can stay in these pots. I'm already seeing roots up against the sides of the containers. Thanks!

User avatar
gixxerific
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 5889
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:42 pm
Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B

Looking good, I would say you have a few weeks on that set up if not more pushing it. You should be fine.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Gixx is right. They'll be fine for a while. Look here for a 20 oz cup version. :arrow: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 13#p296913
Go on to the next page of the thread for when really root bound.

As they grow they will need a slender bamboo stake or similar support and will want to fall over very easily, so find deep enough tray/basket to keep them upright. I also tied the group together.

JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

Thanks! I shouldn't need more than a week or two...

User avatar
gixxerific
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 5889
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:42 pm
Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B

I almost like the 16 oz cups better they seem to stand in the trays better for me.

Soon Jaypoc it will all be over and onto to the next mission caging and picking.

JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

OK...final pre-planting update... :lol:

I'm going to stick these suckers in the ground this weekend, barring a drastic forecast change. Right now the 10 day forecast goes out to the 4th, and the coolest two nights bottom out at 40. If that holds up, we should be frost free from here on out (famous last words). I just think these guys will do best if I get them in the ground. My "main batch", which I started a month later, just got up-potted for the first time this week. Anyway, the two Lehrers are on the left in this picture, and the two Grandma Olivers are on the right. The GO's are smaller than the Lehrer. Are they generally a smaller plant? Or are Lehrers generally a larger plant?

Image

JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

Image

First four in the ground. I think I'll take a picture from a similar angle every couple of weeks and post them up here. Might be sort of neat to watch them develop over a few months. Unless everyone is bored with my little mater patch.... :lol:

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

That rock wall (?) should keep them warm. 8)
Have you posted photos of the rest of your garden? Curious now.... :wink:

I'd love to see progress photos. :D

JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

applestar wrote:That rock wall (?) should keep them warm. 8)
Have you posted photos of the rest of your garden? Curious now.... :wink:

I'd love to see progress photos. :D
Hmm...sure I have, but I can post them here again. I like to show it off, humble as it may be. Basically, my house is on a flat spot they blasted out of a shale hill, so very little actual dirt anywhere. You can't generally dig more than 2 or 3 inches before hitting solid shale.

The tomato patch pictured above is right behind my house. The wall you see is a retaining wall about 3.5 or 4 feet tall at the highest that separates my back patio area from the back yard, which is at about eye level if you walk out the back door. Another shot of that area:
Image

Up above the wall is my most recent "bed". I dug that out and have planted corns, beans, and collards here over the last couple of years. This area is at the top of the wall at about eye level:
Image

This bed is up in the middle of the yard. 4 feet by 8 feet:
Image

My "main" bed is about 16 feet long by 6 feet wide. Its above the main portion of my retaining wall which is a typical block wall. The far end of this bed is where I put my hoop house in the fall.:
Image

Image

I also have a few other beds tucked into various recesses in the retaining wall system, and I also have a LOT of containers.:
Image

Image

I have one additional bed out in the front yard that is about 15 feet long by 5 feet wide, but no pictures at the moment.

Finally, since this is the mater board, lets finish off with a money shot of a cluster of sleeping lady from last year.:
Image

Franenuss
Full Member
Posts: 38
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2014 10:51 pm
Location: santiago, Chile

Continue to update it! I'm following this progress! :D

JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

Two weeks later:

Image

I've trimmed off the bottom most branches that were touching or nearly touching the ground. I'm going to cage them up this afternoon weather permitting.

Image
blossoms!

JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

Ok...another two weeks has passed. Some of my earliest blossoms dropped, due (I think) to a couple of really cool nights. Things are looking good though now....

Image

Planted these this past week:
Image
yellow dragon in the front and my mystery potato leaf in the rear.

And my supersweet cherries in buckets (with a few picklebush cukes in the foreground):
Image

I also put a Cherokee Purple in the ground today, but I already took the camera back in the house...I'll show that in my next update. Also, I had a neat find today that I posted about on the other tomato board.

I have two other "full sized" plants to get in the ground tomorrow, and several dwarfs in the coming week or two...

User avatar
gixxerific
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 5889
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:42 pm
Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B

GO for me was a slightly smaller plant, though more productive in fruit. But Lehrers gave mi biggest fruit at over 2 lbs last year.

JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

I realized it had been a while since my last update...

my "main patch". I guess you could say they've taken off:
Image

And the bed with my mystery potato leaf and yellow dargon:
Image

I have several other plants going in other areas....a most pitiful looking whispy Sgt. Peppers that already has a handful of chicken egg sized fruit, a cherokee purple, and a german johnson. I also have 2 supersweet cherry tomatoes going as well...

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Wow that potato leaf tomato has MASSIVE foliage :shock:
They really like those in the southern/hotter areas because those leaves shade the fruits from scorching in the sun. Can wait to see what it produces. 8)

In the main patch, what is holding up the wire fencing? I assume you are using that to support the tomato vines. They are going to get heavy....

JayPoc
Greener Thumb
Posts: 769
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

applestar wrote:Wow that potato leaf tomato has MASSIVE foliage :shock:
They really like those in the southern/hotter areas because those leaves shade the fruits from scorching in the sun. Can wait to see what it produces. 8)

In the main patch, what is holding up the wire fencing? I assume you are using that to support the tomato vines. They are going to get heavy....
I think I have some pics still up on the heirloom forum that shows what the "mystery potato leaf" produced for me last year.

In the main patch, that wire fence is resting across the top of regular 52" big box store tomato cages like the ones in the bottom picture. Each plant has its own cage, and then the fencing is laid across the top and zip tied in a few places to each cage sort of tying the whole thing together. First time I've tried it this way. We'll see how it goes....

dsyukon
Full Member
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 10:40 am
Location: HUMBLE, TX

Hello ,
Hope that everyone is having a great season !

I got started a lil late this year but so far no complaints,

You all have some awesome plants !
Attachments
20140629_183931.jpg
20140629_183931.jpg (26.08 KiB) Viewed 12385 times
20140612_174055.jpg
20140612_174055.jpg (52.23 KiB) Viewed 12385 times
2014 Japs.jpg
2014 Japs.jpg (50.71 KiB) Viewed 12385 times
MATERS I.jpg
20140708_203329.jpg
20140708_203329.jpg (53.02 KiB) Viewed 12286 times
20140708_203235.jpg
20140708_203235.jpg (35.13 KiB) Viewed 12286 times



Return to “Tomato Garden Progress + Photos & Videos”