Tomatoes
-
- Back on the Road
- Posts: 3650
- Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 6:13 am
- My Bike: Kugelblitz-Kriegshammer 2200
Tomatoes
Found the last two Cherokee Purple starter plants in town by chance yesterday.
There is no better tomato for slicing and using on a sandwich or just eating. They have an unusual internal structure, almost reminds me of a pomegranate, the fleshy parts are tender as watermelon. Low acidity too.
Unfortunately critters, birds, and bugs understand this too. They often preferentially decimate the CP's while bypassing other strains.
Oh well. So begins the eternal struggle.
There is no better tomato for slicing and using on a sandwich or just eating. They have an unusual internal structure, almost reminds me of a pomegranate, the fleshy parts are tender as watermelon. Low acidity too.
Unfortunately critters, birds, and bugs understand this too. They often preferentially decimate the CP's while bypassing other strains.
Oh well. So begins the eternal struggle.
-
- Back on the Road
- Posts: 3650
- Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 6:13 am
- My Bike: Kugelblitz-Kriegshammer 2200
Re: Tomatoes
PS I had bought a little three-compartment tray of tiny salad tomatoes, the ones that were green/red I didn't care for much, but there was also bright yellow and red cherries that were good.
I popped a few wrapped in paper towel to get the seeds and let them dry out a few days. I bought one of those seed starter trays with 36 holes and I planted them. That was a few weeks ago...now I've got like 100 little plants I need to find places for.
They were going to go in 5 gallon buckets, which was the reason for the trip to Lowe's wherein I found the Cherokee Purples (mission creep)...so now I gotta go with Plan B for them...which...hasn't actually been thought of yet.
But I've found mini tomatoes to be absolute weeds. I could probably throw them out on the ground and they'd do fine...
I popped a few wrapped in paper towel to get the seeds and let them dry out a few days. I bought one of those seed starter trays with 36 holes and I planted them. That was a few weeks ago...now I've got like 100 little plants I need to find places for.
They were going to go in 5 gallon buckets, which was the reason for the trip to Lowe's wherein I found the Cherokee Purples (mission creep)...so now I gotta go with Plan B for them...which...hasn't actually been thought of yet.
But I've found mini tomatoes to be absolute weeds. I could probably throw them out on the ground and they'd do fine...
- JFL Live
- Joined a 950cc Club
- Posts: 2058
- Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2014 8:18 am
Re: Tomatoes
Great idea! I might load up a couple 5 gallon buckets myself. Love tomatoes!jeffcoslacker wrote:
I popped a few wrapped in paper towel to get the seeds and let them dry out a few days. I bought one of those seed starter trays with 36 holes and I planted them. That was a few weeks ago...now I've got like 100 little plants I need to find places for.
They were going to go in 5 gallon buckets, which was the reason for the trip to Lowe's wherein I found the Cherokee Purples (mission creep)...so now I gotta go with Plan B for them...which...hasn't actually been thought of yet.
I buy these a SAM's every now and then...
_I"T"|[___|___]
[---T--L -OlllllllO-]
()_)"""()_)/"**")_)
You will ride eternal, shiny and chrome...
[---T--L -OlllllllO-]
()_)"""()_)/"**")_)
You will ride eternal, shiny and chrome...
-
- Back on the Road
- Posts: 3650
- Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 6:13 am
- My Bike: Kugelblitz-Kriegshammer 2200
Re: Tomatoes
The strongest and best producing tomato plants I've ever seen were so-called "volunteers" that grew from where a tomato got dropped and popped. I've noticed the IDEAL scenario seems to be when they grow from a crack in or edge of a concrete slab. It makes sense...the plants are very sun-loving but the roots have to stay wet and cool...they get the full reflected sunlight from the slab but the roots are up under there where it's always cool and moist.JFL Live wrote:Great idea! I might load up a couple 5 gallon buckets myself. Love tomatoes!jeffcoslacker wrote:
I popped a few wrapped in paper towel to get the seeds and let them dry out a few days. I bought one of those seed starter trays with 36 holes and I planted them. That was a few weeks ago...now I've got like 100 little plants I need to find places for.
They were going to go in 5 gallon buckets, which was the reason for the trip to Lowe's wherein I found the Cherokee Purples (mission creep)...so now I gotta go with Plan B for them...which...hasn't actually been thought of yet.
I buy these a SAM's every now and then...
There was one where I used to live growing between sidewalk slabs, spread out all over the ground. Had nice tomatoes on it. People walking over it and stepping on it just makes them bushier. When they can't grow length, they spread out laterally and get bushy.
Growing them vertically is a human thing. They aren't meant to be like that. We do that because it takes up less space and kinda helps keep bugs and pests from having easy access. But they really were meant to grow like a vine.
Make sure your buckets have lots of holes for drainage, put some large rocks or something in the bottom to help drainage and keep the bucket from falling over in wind, I used some cheap garden starter soil with fertilizer and blended it about half and half with some mulched up leaves and lawn clippings from the first mow. A 1 cubic foot bag mixed that way filled two 5 gallon buckets...They were 4 for $10 so I got plenty of reserve for the little tomatoes. [emoji106]
- JFL Live
- Joined a 950cc Club
- Posts: 2058
- Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2014 8:18 am
Re: Tomatoes
jeffcoslacker wrote:
Make sure your buckets have lots of holes for drainage, put some large rocks or something in the bottom to help drainage and keep the bucket from falling over in wind, I used some cheap garden starter soil with fertilizer and blended it about half and half with some mulched up leaves and lawn clippings from the first mow. A 1 cubic foot bag mixed that way filled two 5 gallon buckets...They were 4 for $10 so I got plenty of reserve for the little tomatoes. [emoji106]
Years ago I built three gardens with 6x6x8s for growing vegetables, but the trees grew up and block so much sun light the tomatoes won't grow very well now. But I have a bunch of 5 gallon buckets I can load up and set on the deck where they'll get better light. Been meaning to try that but never got around to it.
Thought about trying it like this as well...
_I"T"|[___|___]
[---T--L -OlllllllO-]
()_)"""()_)/"**")_)
You will ride eternal, shiny and chrome...
[---T--L -OlllllllO-]
()_)"""()_)/"**")_)
You will ride eternal, shiny and chrome...
-
- Bike out of hock
- Posts: 3410
- Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2016 4:42 am
- My Bike: Intruder
Re: Tomatoes
[emoji2] I like a nice toasted tomato sandwich with mayo, but not enough to grow 'em. More power to ya, and good luck. [emoji106]
- franktiregod
- Joined a 900cc Club
- Posts: 1818
- Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 10:54 am
- My Bike: SUZUKI
Re: Tomatoes
Is it because you have to use a ladder to get them off the vine? [emoji2]Cuban wrote:[emoji2] I like a nice toasted tomato sandwich with mayo, but not enough to grow 'em. More power to ya, and good luck. [emoji106]
- Designer
- Joined a 1200cc Club
- Posts: 17442
- Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2014 8:34 am
- My Bike: Two 1400 Custom Made Choppers
Re: Tomatoes
Since you have an experiential Tomato "Green Thumb".jeffcoslacker wrote:There is no better tomato for slicing and using on a sandwich or just eating. They have an unusual internal structure, almost reminds me of a pomegranate, the fleshy parts are tender as watermelon. Low acidity too.
Tell me,...how do these Tomatoes compare with some mighty-fine, home-grown, fresh-off-the-vine Beef Steak Tomatoes?
Inquiring minds wanna know,....ya know. [emoji2]
- Suzuki Johnny
- Joined a 1200cc Club
- Posts: 33080
- Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:25 am
- My Bike: 2020 Tri Glide Ultra Harley
- Location: GODS COUNTRY
Re: Tomatoes
I used to plant and harvest tree varieties of tomatoes ...better boys and beef steak along with Cherry ...gotten away from that and all I plant now are the patio tomatoes...they don't take much space..don't get tall enough to suffer from wind damage and they are just as tasty as the larger variety.
duc, sequere, aut de via decede
"frapper fort, frapper vite, frappée souvent-- Adm William "Bull" Halsey
“We’re not going to just shoot the sons-of-bitches, we’re going to rip out their living Goddamned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks.”--Gen George Patton
"Our Liberty is insured by four "Boxes", the Ballot box, the Jury box, the Soap box and the Cartridge box"
"frapper fort, frapper vite, frappée souvent-- Adm William "Bull" Halsey
“We’re not going to just shoot the sons-of-bitches, we’re going to rip out their living Goddamned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks.”--Gen George Patton
"Our Liberty is insured by four "Boxes", the Ballot box, the Jury box, the Soap box and the Cartridge box"
- hillsy
- Joined a 1200cc Club
- Posts: 8846
- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 12:43 am
Re: Tomatoes
That looks interesting - I might give that a go.JFL Live wrote:
Thought about trying it like this as well...
Is that hydroponic or just regular soil / mix?
- hillsy
- Joined a 1200cc Club
- Posts: 8846
- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 12:43 am
Re: Tomatoes
Nevermind - just googled it and it is just potting mix. Sounds pretty easy [emoji106]hillsy wrote:
That looks interesting - I might give that a go.
Is that hydroponic or just regular soil / mix?
-
- Back on the Road
- Posts: 3650
- Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 6:13 am
- My Bike: Kugelblitz-Kriegshammer 2200
Re: Tomatoes
It's been a long time since I grew Beefsteak but the Cherokees seem to have more flesh and less seeds, the fleshy parts are very tender and have a sweeter taste than most. Like I said, weird internal structure, you're getting a lot more substance than the watery pulp that most tomatoes consist of, but it's very edible not tough like you might think.Designer wrote:Since you have an experiential Tomato "Green Thumb".jeffcoslacker wrote:There is no better tomato for slicing and using on a sandwich or just eating. They have an unusual internal structure, almost reminds me of a pomegranate, the fleshy parts are tender as watermelon. Low acidity too.
Tell me,...how do these Tomatoes compare with some mighty-fine, home-grown, fresh-off-the-vine Beef Steak Tomatoes?
Inquiring minds wanna know,....ya know. [emoji2]
- JFL Live
- Joined a 950cc Club
- Posts: 2058
- Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2014 8:18 am
Re: Tomatoes
hillsy wrote:Nevermind - just googled it and it is just potting mix. Sounds pretty easy [emoji106]hillsy wrote:
That looks interesting - I might give that a go.
Is that hydroponic or just regular soil / mix?
One of the things they didn't mention that I've seen on other sites. That is to put some foam around hole to protect the stem from rubbing against the bucket. Might help hold the dirt in too.
_I"T"|[___|___]
[---T--L -OlllllllO-]
()_)"""()_)/"**")_)
You will ride eternal, shiny and chrome...
[---T--L -OlllllllO-]
()_)"""()_)/"**")_)
You will ride eternal, shiny and chrome...
- hillsy
- Joined a 1200cc Club
- Posts: 8846
- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 12:43 am
Re: Tomatoes
Yeah - I was thinking to line the bottom of the bucket with weed matting or something to stop the mix falling out as well [emoji106]JFL Live wrote:hillsy wrote:Nevermind - just googled it and it is just potting mix. Sounds pretty easy [emoji106]hillsy wrote:
That looks interesting - I might give that a go.
Is that hydroponic or just regular soil / mix?
One of the things they didn't mention that I've seen on other sites. That is to put some foam around hole to protect the stem from rubbing against the bucket. Might help hold the dirt in too.
-
- Back on the Road
- Posts: 3650
- Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 6:13 am
- My Bike: Kugelblitz-Kriegshammer 2200
Re: Tomatoes
A few years ago I saw upside-down tomato growing planters ready-made, just a vinyl "sock" with a couple of metal rings for shape in the ends, and some kind of barrier on the down side. But making one would be more fun [emoji106]hillsy wrote:Yeah - I was thinking to line the bottom of the bucket with weed matting or something to stop the mix falling out as well [emoji106]JFL Live wrote:hillsy wrote:Nevermind - just googled it and it is just potting mix. Sounds pretty easy [emoji106]hillsy wrote:
That looks interesting - I might give that a go.
Is that hydroponic or just regular soil / mix?
One of the things they didn't mention that I've seen on other sites. That is to put some foam around hole to protect the stem from rubbing against the bucket. Might help hold the dirt in too.
-
- Bike out of hock
- Posts: 3410
- Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2016 4:42 am
- My Bike: Intruder
Re: Tomatoes
franktiregod wrote: Is that because you're so fucking short that you need to use a ladder to get them off the vine? [emoji2]
- franktiregod
- Joined a 900cc Club
- Posts: 1818
- Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 10:54 am
- My Bike: SUZUKI
Re: Tomatoes
I am not sure that's exactly what I said. Lol
-
- Bike out of hock
- Posts: 3410
- Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2016 4:42 am
- My Bike: Intruder
Re: Tomatoes
[emoji2]franktiregod wrote: I'm sure that's exactly what I said.
- franktiregod
- Joined a 900cc Club
- Posts: 1818
- Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 10:54 am
- My Bike: SUZUKI
Re: Tomatoes
Cuban wrote:[emoji2]franktiregod wrote: I'm sure that's exactly what I said.