I was reading the hybrid post and got really excited about the project John is working on. I don't know where I'll be and if I'll have space next year for a project like that but I would love to know more about dwarf tomato plants. I'd like to be able to keep one going inside one of these years. So far I haven't had any success.

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How big is a dwarf?
Like a patio tomato?
As a container gardener, I'd be VERY interested in an open pollinated patio-type tomato.
Preferably one with that classic, tangy "beefsteak" flavor. (Although I know different beefsteaks have varying flavors- hopefully you all know what I mean).

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TK, there is no "Set" definition of a "dwarf". People in the know usually characterize a dwarf plant as growing under 4 feet tall. So unless you have some elaborate lighting system or a greenhouse, I can't imagine you being able to support a dwarf plant indoors through the winter. There are many varieties of dwarf-type tomato plants. "Patio" is probably the most well-known, but from what I've read is not very tasty at all. I've not grown it and probably never will as there are many other better varieties to try. This year I grew New Big Dwarf, Citron Compact, Victorian Dwarf, Lime Green Salad, Lucky Leprchaun and Silvery Fir Tree. Some were very good and some were not. Most are small fruited. All are stable open pollinated varieties that will do well in containers.

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John - Zone 6

quote:

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Originally posted by weezie13:
I just love it when you two talk tomato

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Not as much as me!!

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John - Zone 6

Thanks, Sorellina ! I'll be getting the seeds - definitely !

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Sorry it's taken me so long to get back. I think I lost the post or kept on getting side tracked at the Fall Fling.

Well I've had good luck with other thing but tomatoes get stressed for some reason. This year the tiny tim that I brought in did well for about a month but now it is mostly brown. There are a few semi green leaves at the very top of the plant. And it did produce several small fruits. But they appear to have stopped growing. I guess I should cut of the fruit and get rid of all the dead leaves and see if what remains can heal itself.

Either that or maybe I should take the other dwarf cherry tomato that is still outside and try bringing it inside?

Or maybe just take a cutting from the one outside and see if it will root inside?

Or maybe I should just give up until I get that greenhouse John spoke of. I don't have an elaborate lighting system just a florescent shop light and a couple of cfs lights. The coleus love them.

I just got so excited with the lettuce finally growing that I wanted to do the entire salad lol.

Are any of the dwarfs you mentioned sweet tomatoes? I really like those better than the tart.

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TK, I wouldn't say any of those varieties are overly sweet. I would say NBD was the closest to what could be characterized as sweet.

Julianna, remember, you're talking to a relative amateur in tomato tasting. My tomato tasting palate basically falls in four categories, excellent, good, average and yuck! Citron Compact was an excellent tomato. Especially for a yellow. It really wasn't "sweet", just really good. Size was 2-4oz and round and fairly early for me at 67 dtm but did not produce all that great for me, probably cuz of the less-than-ideal weather we had this year. Definitely gonna grow more than one next year. Maybe in the ground too. Here's a pic of the first fruit I got...



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John - Zone 6

Ciao John,

Don't doormat yourself. You may be a novice in terms of total growing years, but you've got the scientific method and you pick things up fast, especially details. Are you a computer guy or a science guy or some kind of techie guy? Your note-taking is very good and my goodness, all of that physical testosterone labour you did over the course of the winter and early spring with your grow-op and your raised beds..very impressive.

Give it another year and you'll be giving tasting notes like our pal from down under.

By the way, I've got a yellow that you'd probably like. I grew Manyel this year, it's a saladette and really fantastic..the flavour jumps out at you like Jaune Flammee..you grew JF this season, did you not? If not, I'll see what I can do about getting you seeds for that one as well.

Looking at your picture, the skin on that guy looks very thin..did you blanch any of these for salsa or sauce? Was the flesh almost white underneath? I'm just curious. I've got tomato processing on the brain right now. I canned up 4 quarts of Opalka salsa yesterday and I'm doing a combo yellow/orange salsa today. Greenies are starting to finally dwindle downstairs, weee!

Cheers,
Julianna

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quote:

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Originally posted by MrClint:
This year I included silvery fir tree in my fall planting. I like what I see so far. The plants aren't even 2' tall yet and are already sporting 5 to 6 tomatoes per plant.

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Are you growing those tomatoes right now?
And do you do it thru the winter months where you live???
Very interesting...
*I wish I could grow tomatoes now...*
Tell us more..

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2





http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/

Yes, we are able to garden year round here in the inland valleys of Southern California. Planting a spring and fall crop of tomatoes is fairly straight forward. The season is long and some of the more hardy hybrids like Early Girl, Juliet and others will keep putting out well into winter. It's not out of the question to overwinter some tomato plants. The first ripe tomato I picked this year was an Early Girl in late March that was planted in February.

The fall crop should go in the ground before the end of September and usually consists of cuttings from the spring crop and/or hardy cold tolerant and/or short season varieties. The better nurseries here locally will have the cold hardy fall crop seedlings for sale at just the right time.

My fall crop this year consists of Big Beef, Supersteak, Early Girl, Juliet, and Sun gold, which have carried over from the spring. Silvery Fur tree, Legend, Siberia, Jetsetter, Matina, Champion and Stupice make up the newly planted fall crop. The goal for me is to plant short season, mid-season, main crop and late season tomatoes. This way I am assured that something will do well.

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According to my calculations, the problem doesn't exist.

Oh gosh, I grow a bunch of stuff -- mostly using modified square foot gardening techniques. My watermelon post should still be floating around as well.

Right now spinach. lettuce (many kinds), chard, mustard greens, bok choi, kale, basil (2 kinds), peppers (4 kinds), garlic, bunching onions, cilantro, snow peas, parsley, are all going full bore. I have a small patch of sequoia strawberries going as well.

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According to my calculations, the problem doesn't exist.

I like to make Tabouleh (Parsley and Cracked Wheat Salad) whenever I pick a bunch of parsley. You can use different grains besides cracked wheat -- such as rice or couscous, and vary the herbs for an interesting and tasty salad. Regardless of the grain I use, a fresh herb mix of parsley with a bit of mint and a splash of lemon or lime, is really a nice taste treat.

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According to my calculations, the problem doesn't exist.