Tomatoes in the ground

[Saccopoo]

Finally finished up with planting all my tomatoes for the season. I've been working on this for two weeks and had to cover the ones I put into the ground probably prematurely two weeks ago several times. I'm hoping that any chance of hard freeze is gone at this point and I don't have to worry about it from here on out.

Varieties:
Hybrids:
Better Boy
Big Boy
Early Girl
Lemon Boy
DX-52-12
La Roma II
Viva Italia
Sweet Tangerine
Moscow

Heirlooms:
Mortgage Lifter
Black
Pink Brandywine
Red Brandywine
Brandywine
Big Rainbow
White Wonder
Amish
Black Krim
Green Zebra
Fourth of July
Rutgers
Mr. Stripey
Yellow Pear
Taxi
Chocolate Cherry
Rose Quartz

Peppers also went in with Bells in Purple, Yellow, Red, Orange and Green, along with Thai, Jalapeno, Cayenne, Habanero, Anaheim and Serrano.

[Extra Point]

Originally Posted by Ugly Duck

This is my first year growing tomatoes.... do they stop ripening when the nights get cool? Mine are just sitting there on the vine green as can be. Wutsup wit dat?

When does it ever freeze in OAKtown, UD?

[Ugly Duck]

Originally Posted by Extra Point

When does it ever freeze in OAKtown, UD?

Not sure if it ever gets frosty in Oaktown. I'm in the North Bay & we'll get a few nights of frost in deep winter... nothing near that yet this year. It did snow one night a couple of years ago. So... should expect my tomatoes to perk up, or do they just quit ripening in winter?

[googlegoogle]

Grow them indoors and impress me.

[Smed1065]

Originally Posted by Extra Point

When does it ever freeze in OAKtown, UD?

Sun is most factor for red tomatoes.

[Delano]

Originally Posted by Ugly Duck

Not sure if it ever gets frosty in Oaktown. I'm in the North Bay & we'll get a few nights of frost in deep winter... nothing near that yet this year. It did snow one night a couple of years ago. So... should expect my tomatoes to perk up, or do they just quit ripening in winter?

If the day lengths are too short, they'll stop fruiting. At that point you can pull the green fruits and place them on a window sill that receives lots of sun.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by Ugly Duck

Not sure if it ever gets frosty in Oaktown. I'm in the North Bay & we'll get a few nights of frost in deep winter... nothing near that yet this year. It did snow one night a couple of years ago. So... should expect my tomatoes to perk up, or do they just quit ripening in winter?

Days got too short. Mine had a metric ****load when it finally froze.

Originally Posted by Delano

If the day lengths are too short, they'll stop fruiting. At that point you can pull the green fruits and place them on a window sill that receives lots of sun.
Posted via Mobile Device

I've heard you can pull them, individually wrap them in newspaper and it will do a better job, but I don't know. I've never done it.

[Ugly Duck]

Thanks, folks. I'll just pick 'em & see what happens...

[Ugly Duck]

OK... the frost last month killed all my plants dead. Now I have to start all over. We're having an early Spring in the North Bay, temps in the 80's, the roses are blooming & the new crop of ticks have hatched. I'm ready to get some seedlings & stickem in the ground, but there's nothing to stick! There's no dang seedlings in the shops yet. I do have some seeds, but I haven't attempted to germinate any yet. Dunno if I should try that or wait till some seedlings show up. Anybody know when the shops on the Left Coast start to stock tomato plants?

[googlegoogle]

New nebraska indoor tomatoes not bad from the grocery store.

[MOhillbilly]

bump

[RockChalk]

Originally Posted by MOhillbilly

bump

when should I start planting tomatoes outside?

[MOhillbilly]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

when should I start planting tomatoes outside?

anywhere from 4/20 - 5/15 for missouri north,mid, & south. zones5b, 6a & b , 7a.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sm1.html

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by MOhillbilly

anywhere from 4/20 - 5/15 for missouri north,mid, & south. zones5b, 6a & b , 7a.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sm1.html

Dude, are you some sort of Horticulture Extraordinaire?

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Ugly Duck

OK... the frost last month killed all my plants dead. Now I have to start all over. We're having an early Spring in the North Bay, temps in the 80's, the roses are blooming & the new crop of ticks have hatched. I'm ready to get some seedlings & stickem in the ground, but there's nothing to stick! There's no dang seedlings in the shops yet. I do have some seeds, but I haven't attempted to germinate any yet. Dunno if I should try that or wait till some seedlings show up. Anybody know when the shops on the Left Coast start to stock tomato plants?

I'd recommend several different varieties that appeal to you from a decent seed catalog and start them indoors. Doesn't take much space or effort. Once you figure out which varieties you prefer, start harvesting the seeds from your strongest plants and then just do seed starts from those from there on out. Baker Creek (www.rareseeds.com) has a very nice variety of heirloom seeds, and there is usually people in your area who produce seeds for purchase from varieties that tend to do better in your specific environment.

I just started my seeds yesterday. I use the little HydroFarm Hot House for the seed starts.

[MOhillbilly]

http://www.hydrofarm.com/pb_detail.php?itemid=1899


First year using it?