Days To Maturity

[DoubleDogFarm]

So I learned something today.

Looks like days to maturity has different meanings.

On tomatoes it means maturity after transplanted. Stupice tomatoes is 60 to 65 days after transplanted.

Lettuce maturity from date sown.

Is this correct or is there more to it?

I really should take better notes.
Eric

[erlyberd]

It goes something like that.

Is there more to it, appears so.

For instance the DTM info on my Victory Seed packet for Stupice is listed at 50 days. Your source says 60-65 days. I see this all the time. It really makes me wonder.

Now, For Stupice (DTM after transplant) I come up with 36 days from last years journal. That is 36 days in the ground anyway. However, that was 110 days total from the day I seeded.

In the end DTM is nothing more than a guide. I think its based on putting out 6-8 week transplants for tomatoes anyway. It all depends on the climate, growing technique, soil temp and how long/short you grow before planting it in the ground.



I'm now confused. Hmm...

[TZ -OH6]

DTM for tomatoes is usually either a value for midwest climate (I.e. agricultural station where developed) or specific to the place selling the seeds. Victory is in the PNW with a cooler growing climate than many other places so their DTMs [used to be] inflated. Territorial Seeds may be similar. My DTMs are usually close to the package values, but last year I had two weeks knocked off the DTMs for most of my varieties due to a week long heatwave in June/July that speeded up plant growth and maturation of the first fruits.

Early varieties used to have package DTM around 55-60 days (developed for harsh climates), but now I am seeing 45 days etc. with the new imports so it may be due to home gardeners in milder climates growing them and reporting back.

Another factor is age of plants when planted out. For commercial growers it is usually at the 6-8 inch high stage, but most home gardeners put out much larger plants, near to flowering or already in bloom. I've found that a good estimate for days for fruit development is package DTM minus 20-25 days, so an 80 DTM variety usually takes about 55 days from flower pollination to eating ripeness. Early season weather variation around here causes quite a bit of fluctuation in early growth before flowers/fruit.

[wordwiz]

A much better guide to determining how long it will take to get a ripe tomato (or pepper, eggplant, pea, etc.) is Growing Degree Days. I have found that mid-season, full size toms need ~2400 GDD from the time they develop the first true set of leaves, ~1800 from transplant or ~600 from the formation of a baby tomato.

This takes into account microclimates but not all factors, such as rainfall, soil quality, nutrients, etc.

Mike

[soil]

to me DTM is all dependent on the garden and its soil. toss some seeds in crappy soil, bad conditions and they will take forever. take those same seeds and put them in a well fertile prepared bed, nice sunny warm days with good water and they will be grow faster for sure.

I just plant, and wait for it to be ready.