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2005 Results Reports from Albuquerque gardeners for 2005 were very mixed regarding their tomato crops. Some gardeners had super tomatoes, but the majority of you have told me that your tomato crop was a terrible failure. My own results were good but not exceptional. I did not lose any plants, but the number of tomatoes was not as good as usual. Again, my container tomatoes and cherry tomatoes were my best producers. The tomatoes in the Rio Grande garden had to be replanted three times and still were not good. Ron Jobe lost most of his tomatoes but had some success with a variety called Super Bush. In 2004 he had one of his best crops in years and planted the Better Boy variety. Tomato Seed Sources My favorite tomato catalogues for 2006 are the following: Tomato Growers Supply company Totally
Tomatoes Marianna’s Heirloom Seeds I have added Marianna’s Heirloom seeds to this year’s favorites because it is the best source of heirloom varieties. Each of the catalogues has more than 300 varieties and offers the best selection of both hybrid and heirlooms. (Marianna’s offers only heirlooms.) If you like to start your own seeds you can buy seeds in packets larger than the 30-seed packets from Tomato Growers and Totally Tomatoes for a reasonable price otherwise you will need to buy as a commercial grower. Although your last year’s seed normally seem to germinate just fine, to be on the safe side you should order new seed each year. Starting Your Seeds Don’t get into a hurry to start your seeds, but it is very hard to wait until mid-February or March to get started. Sow tomato seed six to eight weeks before it is safe to plant them into your garden (after the last frost and after the soil temperature is above 50º). Try to have your tomato plants ready to plant into your containers and garden between mid-April and mid-May. Use shallow flats or containers filled with sterilized seed-starting soil mixture. (I have had the best results with Ferry-Morse seed-starting mixture.) Optimum soil temperature for tomato germination is between 75º and 80º. I use a Walgreen’s heating pad covered with plastic and set the 11” x 22” water tight starter tray with the 72 cell insert with a clear plastic humidity dome to hold in moisture and heat. The heating pad set on the lowest temperature setting seems to be just right. The tomato seed will sprout in five to seven days in this environment. As soon as the seedlings emerge locate them in the sunniest spot available. Seedlings grow best at temperatures of 60º to 70º and 12-16 hours of sunlight or grow lights. My environment is a glassed in south-facing porch with fluorescent lights about 3” above the small seedlings. At about four weeks the plants will form their first true leaves and can be transplanted into individual pots. For this I use the commercial flats (11” x 22”) with 32 2 ½ x 3 ¼ compartments or a commercial flat with 18 compartments and Styrofoam cups (8 oz. or larger). Be sure to put holes in the bottom of the cups so excess water can drain. At this time a good commercial potting soil is recommended. Early in April the plants can be moved outside. I use a cold frame about 3’ x 8’ made of 2” x 12” timbers with a sliding door on the top. In order to reduce transplanting shock, seedlings should be gradually conditioned (hardened off) for about a week prior to being set out into your garden. Start off with just an hour or two of exposure to the outdoors at first, then increase time slowly until you are leaving them outdoors day and night. Planting into your garden or Containers Sometime near the first week in May (in the northeast heights) it is time to put your hardened off plants into the garden soil or into your planting containers. Be sure the garden area has been double dug and the soil is loose and ready for your plants. Rows should be 30” to 42” apart and plant spacing in the row at 24” to 30”. I add back-to-earth compost with sulphur to my garden plot every year, adding about one sack for every 5’ x 5’of garden area. For my container plants I use the 20 gallon plastic rope-tote containers with three large holes in the bottom and filled with 100% potting soil. (Any good brand, although I prefer Sunshine LCI mix available at Greenhouse and Garden Supply Company.) When planting the tomato plants into the garden or into containers I put ¼ cup Epsom salts, about 2 cups of alfalfa pellets and about ½ cup of a balanced slow-release fertilizer under each plant. I use tomato cages made from the remesh used to reinforce concrete about 20” in diameter. For determinate tomatoes I use 36” tall cages and for indeterminate plants I use 60” tall cages. I also add 18” of 6 mil. plastic around the bottom of the cages for protection from the wind and cold. Favorite Varieties of Tomatoes My prior reports have stated that over the years my favorite variety of tomato changes and that other people’s tomato tastes tend to differ from mine so I was hesitant to name a favorite variety. Also, I have had very little success with heirloom varieties but I intend to give them a better test in 2006. I find that every year I tend to plant some of the same varieties of hybrid tomatoes so these must be my favorites. The tomato varieties always in my garden are Sun Gold, Juliet, Celebrity, San Remo and Al Cavis. I added Snow White this year and will add it to these varieties. The only source for the San Remo seed is Marianna’s Seeds. I still think my best tomatoes are grown in containers and the Bush Celebrity and the Bush Big Boy were certainly the best of the container varieties. Heirloom Tomatoes My friend gave me the book, 100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden by Carolyn T. Male. As the name indicates it has 100 varieties of heirloom tomatoes with pictures and descriptions. I have been able to get about 70 of the 100 varieties as seed and intend to have plants available at the April garden fair for gardeners to try. Maybe we will find a truly great heirloom for our area . Additional Information My prior tomato experiences on how to grow tomatoes is available online at gardeningfromthegroundup.us and clicking on Joe’s tomatoes. |