would you plant seeds for fall tomatoes now in north texas? would the seeds be able to take the heat of these upcoming months? in the tomato thread folks in south texas are planting for the fall and iwondered about trying it here
fall tomatoes
I don't see why not. If I'm not mistaken, the main reason tomatoes can't take the heat is for setting blooms. The plants will live thru the heat and start producing once again when the temps cool down. I need to start some but will wait till the end of the month. Too busy to keep them watered till then.
How close are you to Collin County? I found a link from that county's master gardener site. This site lists both spring and fall planting dates by vegetable. You would have to allow extra time for the seedlings to germinate and get up to transplant size. I don't know if this is helpful or not.
http://www.ccmgatx.org/Plants/Vegetables.asp
You could try contacting your county AgriLife agent. He/She should have the information you need. I remember seeing a site similar to this, in a slighlty different format, but it listed starting times according to the planting zones in Texas. I couldn't find it, but I believe it was by TAMU.
i live in collin county--i am having trouble getting to that link but will try again--thanks
Not sure how fast seeds will germinate and get to transplant size,but this site says to set out transplant about 100 day before first frost.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/easygardening/tomato/tomato.html
I'm going to plant mine soon, seeds that is. I have a monthly "in your garden" calendar from the Dallas Morning News gardening site that says to sow large-variety tomato seeds during the first 3 weeks of June. At mid-month you start sowing cantaloupe, eggplant, large variety pumpkin, small variety tomato and watermelon seeds.
I have a whole bunch of heirloom tomato seeds and some I got free from Campbell's 4-H seed project. I think I might do a few of the heirlooms and the Campbell's seeds.
thanks stephanie --i might try and find that dallas morning news site--
will you sow outdoors
I won't direct sow. I'll probably start them indoors in peat pots or sterile planting medium, then move them outside to a well ventilated shaded area until time to plant.
What would be a good variety for central Texas?
planolinda, now (or fairly soon) would be a good time to get started with your seeds in that general area, yes. I prefer to start inside under lights, even though it means I have to be especially careful in the heat when I have to harden them off before planting. I just seem to get healthier plants with better root development by doing so. Hot temps tend to favor lanky top growth and poor root development in young seedlings, at least that has been my experience.
You can start them outside with decent results, if you have a place that gets dappled sun or if you use some shade cloth - and are willing to watch them carefully. But I just find it easier to start inside instead of trying to baby them through the heat when they are little.
I meant to do mine last week, but did not get around to it. Tomorrow, I hope. Already got my seedstarting pots bleached and the seeds I want to start out on the counter.
Jaywhacker, I've tried all sorts of varieties for fall crop over the years, and have pretty much come to the conclusion that I prefer to be conservative and mainly stick to cherries or small fruited/saladette (usually tend to set better in the heat), heatsetting types, or ones known as productive or early to early-mid maturity varieties. Spring crop is when I grow things like Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Neves Azorean Red, Wes - eg, lg fruited, mid or late season varieties.
Some varieties I like to grow for fall crop might include:
Sun Gold, Black Cherry (or any cherry type you like the taste of)
Break O'Day, Moskvich, Sioux, Mountain Princess - med reds - either early-mid, or at least set okay in some heat
Jaune Flamme, Bloody Butcher - saladette size, productive
Momotaro did very well for me last fall. Bradley or Arkansas Traveler might also be good choices for med pinks.
This message was edited Jun 7, 2009 10:27 PM
What I liked about Momotaro last year as a fall crop is that it held its flavor long after everything else lost its own.
Also, Black and Brown Boar worked well for me, if you can find seeds.
Never had much luck with tomatoes from seed. Just going into my second year as a politically incorrect Texas gardener and amazed that my grape tomatoes (in a "topsy-turvy" hanging planter) and my Better Bush (in a pot) wintered over and are producing like mad. Of course I use the term "winter" loosely! It's a bumper crop, much to the delight of the mockingbirds...any suggestions other than netting? All the other birds settle for the sunflower, suet, peanut, safflower and thistle in the feeders, but this one guy just looooves my tomatoes.
I don't plant seed for my fall tomatoes. I just take suckers off my spring tomatoes and stick them into the ground beside their mother. When they get rooted, I move them to where I want them.
It works like a charm. I take enough suckers off to not have to pet or pamper them. I stick a bunch in hopes of a few. I usually get a bunch and have to share.
If you are not sure of what a sucker is:
Hold up your hand with the middle finger pointed up. The middle finger represents the stem of the mother plant. The thumb represents a leaf of the plant. The index finger is the sucker. (Not every leaf will have a sucker between it and the stem.) Pinch it off at the stem and it is a whole separate plant all by itself when it gets rooted. I just stick mine in the shade of it's mother plant or you could put it in a low light area and keep it watered. It will root quickly. Then you have your identical plant to the one that you liked in the spring.
I personally like the old heirlooms. My favorite is Brandywine. Ugly, but tasty.
Charlene