I just called Totally Tomatoes

FarmboyBill · #1 01/10/12, 10:38 AM

Got there list for hot area drouth liveable varaties.

P 15 - Talladega Hybred
P 18 - Black from Tula
P 21 - Manalucie
P 24 - Homestead FA
P 26 - Super Souix
P 27 - Porter

Question is, If I seeded them this month, would they be big enough by planting time to set out?

mnn2501 · #2 01/10/12, 10:42 AM

I usually start mine Feb 1st so you should be fine since you're north of me.

#3 01/10/12, 10:53 AM

The rule is that you can't put out tomatoes until after the last frost. You should start them inside 4 to 6 weeks before you put them out.

Here, last frost is June 1 so I start them indoors April 15 to May 1. If you start them too early they get "leggy" (tall and thin).

olivehill · #4 01/10/12, 10:55 AM

When is your last frost date? Count back 6-8 weeks. Start them then.

olivehill · #5 01/10/12, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimrod

The rule is that you can't put out tomatoes until after the last frost. You should start them inside 4 to 6 weeks before you put them out.

Here, last frost is June 1 so I start them indoors April 15 to May 1. If you start them too early they get "leggy" (tall and thin).

Leggy-ness is a result of not enough light.

mountainlaurel · #6 01/10/12, 11:50 AM

I'm not trying to hijack your thread Willy, but since you're talking tomatoes, have you ever tried Arkansas Traveler? If you have, how is it for taste? And how does it do in your area. I believe your area is similar to mine, at least my dad said it was, he's from Picher, Ok, and I am curious about how it might would do since I never tried it before.

Thanks

mary,tx · #7 01/10/12, 11:57 AM

We plant seed mid January to put out by mid March. If you transplant them into larger containers as they grow, and keep them in sunlight, you'll have really nice starts to put out by last frost. Once the plants are up good, they go out into the sunshine every nice day, and back in at nights and on bad days.

FarmboyBill · #8 01/10/12, 11:59 AM

I usta grow lots of ATs. I thought they did alright for here. Z 6

braggscowboy · #9 01/10/12, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmBoyBill

I usta grow lots of ATs. I thought they did alright for here. Z 6

Good taste, but like most tomatos, dry hot weather like last summer takes a toll on everything and tomatos

ksfarmer · #10 01/10/12, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olivehill

Leggy-ness is a result of not enough light.

And too warm, and lack of air movement. Most recommendations say start tomatoe seed 6 weeks before last frost. Optimum temp for germination of tomatoes is 85 f. Growing temp should be lower, around 70f days and 60 f nights.

jd4020 · #11 01/10/12, 02:01 PM

If they get leggy, just dig the planting hole a little deeper. I usually start my seed in four inch pots the last part of Feb, first part of Mar. and plant them outside in the garden beds about the end of April or in May.
It's usually 55 to 65 degrees in my basement area for seed starting & I set a small fan blowing on them & keep raising the grow lights as they get taller. Never seemed to have had a problem with them producing.
I like to grow Rutgers, Cherokee purple, Old German, amish paste & Romas, brandywine, French and my very favorite, the Rose tomato.
I like to can a lot of tomato juice and they all go in the pot together to make a wonderful blend taste. The amish paste & romas go for salsa and sauce.
God bless,
jd

blufford · #12 01/10/12, 02:03 PM

Here is a last frost chart for OK. I'm allergic to tomatos which is mostly the reason why I never amounted to anything in life.

http://www.victoryseeds.com/frost/ok.html

FarmboyBill · #13 01/10/12, 03:15 PM

I was deathly allergic to them up till around 20yrs ago or less. I still wont eat one I can see. There alright in salids or hamburgers, but theres just something subconcious in takeing a bite out of a whole tomatoe. NOW those little yellow ones that look like a tiny squash, I can down a gal of them at a setting.

FarmboyBill · #14 01/10/12, 03:20 PM

I just called them again to see if they had plants. They do, listed on page 48, but there none of them the ones listed for dry conditions.

I have the cups plants have come in, as ive saved them for years. Any ideas on how to start/grow them in Jan? I have infrared heat lamp, but its heck on lectricity.

whiterock · #15 01/10/12, 03:34 PM

bill, i got a shelving unit with shop lights on it, start the seeds in a flat, they sell some with a clear plastic lid to hold moisture in, if not, put some sticks or labels in and cover with a plastic laundry bag, put in a warm place to germinate, then under the lights with light just above the plants, adjust the light as plants grow, i use one warm bulb and one daylight bulb in each shoplight. If they get leggy i just pot em up to a larger pot and put the stem in the soil to increase the roots.

Peppers generally take a bit longer to germinate, so don't use the same flats at once. It is time to start seeds here now.

I always have Porter, Improved Porter(Porter's Pride), and yellow pear. Then a variety of others, looking to see what does good here. The standbys always do well for me on this place.

Ed

HermitJohn · #16 01/10/12, 03:36 PM

There is a lady that lives in Las Vegas that raises tomatoes. Has website and sells a little book on how she does it. If she can raise tomatoes in Las Vegas, you can raise them anywhere. Stupice is one of her favorites. I raised them one year. Yep, they produce, but I wasnt very fond of their flavor. Didnt raise them again. http://www.sweettomatotestgarden.com/index2.htm

Here is her recommended list:

Green Grape Tomato
Hawaiian Tropic Tomato
Heartland Tomato
Juliet Tomato
Stupice Tomato
Black Cherry Tomato

Nearly any cherry/currant tomato will do ok here. If you get Porter, you want the original one that looks like a pink egg. Its most drought resistant. The "improved" Porter varieties arent as drought resistant. Unfortunately though the company that developed them did distinguish them from one another, now catalogs just carry one Porter and it may be the original or one of the improved varieties. Improved ones are more red and round.

braggscowboy · #17 01/10/12, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmBoyBill

I just called them again to see if they had plants. They do, listed on page 48, but there none of them the ones listed for dry conditions.

I have the cups plants have come in, as ive saved them for years. Any ideas on how to start/grow them in Jan? I have infrared heat lamp, but its heck on lectricity.

Ordered me a catalog after reading your post. Never heard of them before. I may plant some, based on the long range forcast. Tomatoes were not any good and had dust in them when you would cut one it was so dry.

whiterock · #18 01/10/12, 03:42 PM

I use tomato growers supply a good bit now. They are in Florida. Usually get my order in in less than a week. I order by phone, though. Both Porters were developed by a seedsman in Stephanville, TX. Company went out of business after he died. Until then, I always ordered from them.
Ed

HermitJohn · #19 01/10/12, 03:43 PM

As to raising plants, I just put shelf in window, no artificial light. Start them mid-February in warm room. Get some rich compost to start them in. Start them earlier and they get might spindly. Keep them watered, but not too wet. You dont need large tomato plants to set out, usually the younger smaller ones do better anyway and quickly catch up with larger ones.

If you dont have window space or its too cold, put them in warm spot and use fluorescent shoplight. I'd use the daylight spectrum bulbs rather than cool white or the yellowish ones. But dont know that it matters to the plants. Know I much prefer the daylight fluorescents for my light needs.

FarmboyBill · #20 01/10/12, 04:21 PM

Where u at HJ? I dont have any WARM room at nights. I have barely warm, and if it gets down to 10 or less, I dont have any warm room.
Like I said. Ive got plenty of big containers to start them in from tomatoes and other plants ivew bought in privious years. Just got to figure how to keep them warm above freezing when the tems drop that bad.