On July 1st, I usually start my fall tomato crop. This year's tomato crop was pretty abysmal for me. The spring storms severely damaged the plants and knocked off most of the blooms. By the time they could recover and start blooming again, we hit the 100s in June so, obviously, no tomatoes. I am considering whether I can use these plants for my fall garden and, if so, would you cut them back and how far? I have about 25 really large plants with great root systems going so I would hate to start over. Thanks,
Annie
Texas tomato growers - what are you doing for Fall tomatoes?
I love to think about it being Fall soon!
This is our first attempt at veggies in a very long time. We had pretty much the same result you did. Got maybe 6 ripe tomatoes and around 25 or so green. Some of our plants we have cut back to about half and the others are just trucking along. Like you, I hate to pull up healthy plants. I know they don't set fruit when it is 90/70 day/night but thought we would just see how they fare. Still keeping them watered. Will wait and see what the experts have to say. I sure don't know what is the best. Only have 6 plants.
LouC
LouC,
Of the 10 or so varieties that I planted, even with this weather, my Black Cherry has produced like gangbusters. I would recommend it for anyone down here!
Annie
Thank you, Jo. Maybe I need to find some and add it to our fall garden. Time to plant them now?
It would be time to plant from seed but too early for plants. I have not seen Black Cherry at our local nurseries; I had to order the seed. Last year, Sungold was also a good producer for me and I have found that cherry plant at several nurseries.
Annie
EastexYardBoy, the King of Tomatoes from Rusk, we're waiting to hear from you. This dude brought two 5 gal buckets full of ripe tomatoes to the RU. I made homemade white bread to be worthy of these red gems. Best sammiches of the summer.
Yes, I know we have a lot of Texas tomato growers out there! I think everyone must be out working in their gardens and not on the computer as much.
Annie
Mine produced like crazy -- I picked at least 7 and as many as 23 every day for a few weeks. I've cut them back now as they've stopped producing, but am hoping they'll recover and make more 'maters in the fall. Is this a reasonable hope? I'm not hugely skilled at vegetables. YET. The romas are still producing, but only a couple a day at best.
So, for the fall garden, if I start them from seed I should do it now? Inside in little peat pots, or outside?
Ok, I'll offer what I have -- but, don't hold me to it -- I'm just an UberNewbie who's learned a lot. Here goes.
There are several Houston veggie growers (myself included) who are planning a fall garden. But we're in Zone 9a. I'm following Feldon30's planting schedule which calls for seeding inside on June 15th and planting out on August 1st. I didn't get seedlings planted in time, so now I'm scrambling to bum a coupla cherries and mid-season heirlooms to plant on August 1st. Feldon expects to get tomatoes on the table by Thanksgiving dinner.
Regarding your healthy plants -- if they're HEALTHY, by all means take cuttings and root them for plantout at the end of July. It's just too hot out right now. Holding them until the 1st will mean they'll still have to deal with the August heat (but only for one month). They should get established and start taking off by September when the weather (might?) starts to change. Also, since the growing window will be short, anything outside of cherry tomatoes and early to mid-season producers will be a total waste of time, as the temps will drop too far before they're ready.
Since yours are already in the ground, I'd suggest some shade cover to nurse them through this heat as much as possible. If you can keep them free of disease and fungus (that loves this Texas humidity), then they should start going again when the temps begin to change. I understand they won't set blooms until the temps at night start to get into the 70's, so you have a ways to go keeping them disease-free till then.
Continue a regular regimen of spraying with Ortho Garden Disease Control, and keep 'em watered.
That's as much as I can offer. LMK how it turns out if you decide to keep going!
Godspeed and good harvest!
Linda
Linda,
Thanks for all of the advice. To clarify, the ones that are in the ground, do I cut them back or just leave them be? Also, I can take cuttings from these plants. Where is the best place to cut them? How long of a piece? Just put them in water?
And, to not waste time, since my Cherokee Purple and Arkansas Traveler are late season, I should just dig them up? And I can go ahead with Aunt Gertie' s Gold, Kelloggs Breakfast, Black from Tula, and Neves Azorean Red and Black Cherry because they are mid-season? Thanks so much,
Annie
Annie, I'm no expert, and I'm not sure about Austin. But here's how I do it. I have the best luck with Early Girls because they produce so much sooner. I do take cuttings (just cut off a nice branch and stick it in the ground). I also cut back any spent foliage and spider mite damage. My plants come back, along with the cuttings, and they all usually make it through July and August with some care. They start setting fruit again in September when it cools off. Some years the maters make it to red before first frost. Other years they're just shy. You ought to make it most years in Austin.
The plant-out date (last I heard) in the Dallas area is no later than July 15. If it's Aug 1 in Houston, you're probably right in the middle.
I go with 7/15 here too
pbtxlady,
thanks for amending my instructions. much appreciated!
Linda
??? I'm sorry--didn't mean to amend your instructions at all. If I lived in Hou, I wouldn't grow them the way I do in Dallas. Way too much difference in temperature, humidity, and soil.
Rooting cuttings in water is a waste of time. Plants grown in soil need soil roots, not the delicate, wispy roots plants develop in water. Put your cuttings in ordinary garden soil/ potting soil IN THE SHADE and keep the soil moist but not wet. They will wilt a bit the first few days, but will root quickly and perk right back up. Then start moving them gradually into the sun, over a period of a week or 10 days. If you start them in 4 inch pots, when roots begin to grow out of the holes in the pots, if it's not time to put them in the soil, pot them up to a larger pot until it's time to put them in the ground.
pbtxlady,
NO, NO, NO. I truly, truly, truly MEANT "thank you." It was not a sarcastic comeback. I truly, truly appreciate your editing the timeframe for me in Houston. Looks like I'd be a tad late to wait until August 1st. Didn't know anyone was planting on July 15th, so again, THANK YOU!
Now, more importantly in keeping with the thread entitled, "what are you doing for Fall tomatoes?, I AM BEGGING FOR FALL TOMATO SEEDLINGS TO PLANT.
"HELP ME, PLEASE!" ( in the teeny, tiny voice Vincent Price used in the movie, "The Fly...")
I'm still trying to get a Black Cherry in my mouth. My seedlings all croaked. Anybody in Houston got 2 BC seedlings to spare? Anybody in Houston got 2 early to mid-season heirlooms to spare? LMK!
Thanks!
Linda