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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 . 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!

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


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

Richard

What happened to the picture?

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...

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...

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

Looking good!

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

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!



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!

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

Gixx is right. They'll be fine for a while. Look here for a 20 oz cup version. 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.

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

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.

OK...final pre-planting update...

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?

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....

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

I'd love to see progress photos.

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

I'd love to see progress photos.

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:


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:


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


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.:




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




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.:

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

Two weeks later:



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.


blossoms!

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....



Planted these this past week:

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):


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...

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.

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

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


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


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...

Wow that potato leaf tomato has MASSIVE foliage
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.

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....

applestar wrote:Wow that potato leaf tomato has MASSIVE foliage
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.

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....

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 !