Starting tomatoes indoors from seed

MorpheusPA · Post by **MorpheusPA** » May 11th, 2011, 9:23 pm

A few hours is, potentially, 1,200 watts per square meter of energy difference per hour. Near solar noon during solar summer (May 7 - August 7), anyway. On a sunny day.

There's always an enormous difference between full sun (the Full Sun, No Really We're Not Kidding kind) plants in my garden as light levels vary a fair bit. They do OK near the house, shadowed until about 11:30 AM, but do better at the far point which sees sun starting at 9 AM.

Michael Wise · Post by **Michael Wise** » May 25th, 2011, 1:14 pm

They seem a little slow to take off, but they are finally getting buds all over.

I guess they've been too happy with all the 70-80 degree temps and all the rain they've wanted.

Anyway, here are some photo highlights of my maters so far. Pics 2 & 3 are the SS 100's.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... 7d84e9.jpg

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... 2d99fe.jpg

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... 94acfd.jpg

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... 547f55.jpg

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... 537ff4.jpg

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... cc1762.jpg

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Michael Wise · Post by **Michael Wise** » May 29th, 2011, 2:43 pm

I'm finding a lot of buds/blossoms falling off. Not talking about the flowers withering up and falling off, leaving the tomato behind, but the entire bud.

The flowers fall off like normal, and then the rest of the green bid turns yellow and breaks off.

Sorry for the blurry pics. Just couldn't get a good close up.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... 983ce9.jpg

You can see in the above pic the buds turning yellow where they split. That is where they will eventually break off.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... a93c6f.jpg

The second pic shows a bud that has broken and is dangling there.

When planted them, all I used was TW's secret tomato recipe. No fertilization since then, so I wouldn't think over fertilization would be a problem.

Moisture I'm not sure about. We got a TON of rain a few weeks ago. It has been dry since last week. I check the ground by sticking my finger in it. If it is at all damp feeling, now watering. I can push my finger into the ground pretty easily.

But basically I haven't watered them for a while myself, but they have gotten a bunch of rain.

Today the soil is just barely damp. Not at all wet, but you can feel moisture when you poke around in it.

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Michael Wise · Post by **Michael Wise** » May 29th, 2011, 2:45 pm

I forgot, I did till in 4 lbs. of 6-10-10 on 2/27/11.

The tomatoes were put in the ground on 4/17/11.

A good amount of rain in between those, but I don't know for sure how much.

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MorpheusPA · Post by **MorpheusPA** » May 29th, 2011, 2:50 pm

It could be an issue, in which case somebody'll chime in, but falling blossoms is often a sign that they weren't fertilized. The same happens on my flowers if they don't get a visit--they drop the whole bud.

GaryCinChicago · Post by **GaryCinChicago** » May 29th, 2011, 3:06 pm

That's common Mike.

What's your temps been like since it flowered ... over 85 during the day / below 55 at night? Humidity is another thing that will cause blossoms to drop.

And if this is happening to your cherry tomatoes, don't worry, you'll soon see another couple thousand blooms very shortly, LOL!

Michael Wise · Post by **Michael Wise** » May 29th, 2011, 3:14 pm

Ah, humidity. Welcome to Arkansas!

The temps have probably been just like you said. 85 high, 55 low.

This weeks forecast shows 90 highs, and 68-70 lows.

Thanks for the help, guys.

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Michael Wise · Post by **Michael Wise** » June 4th, 2011, 10:12 pm

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... db510c.jpg

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... 9c36b6.mp4

I sure hope the video works. Thank you guys so much for all the help. Got a lot of green tomatoes. Just waitin' on some more to ripen.

No ****..... I think that was the best cherry tomato I've ever eaten. They ARE super sweet!

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GaryCinChicago · Post by **GaryCinChicago** » June 5th, 2011, 12:27 am

Michael Wise · Post by **Michael Wise** » June 10th, 2011, 7:09 pm

Guess it would have made more sense to ask before I pulled them off the plant, but what is the consensus on vine ripening vs. pulling them off a little early?

These were starting to soften up to normal tomato feel, and I couldn't help myself so I took 'em.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... 507d21.jpg

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MorpheusPA · Post by **MorpheusPA** » June 11th, 2011, 12:18 am

Personally? I like the taste of a vine-ripened tomato a bit better, but have never been known to refuse a tomato that looks like the ones you picked. They'll ripen nearly as nicely on my windowsill.

Vine-ripening can also attract more insects (which like the nice red tomato better, just as I do), so there's a bit of a trade-off.

GaryCinChicago · Post by **GaryCinChicago** » June 23rd, 2011, 11:24 pm

Mike, are you eating yet??!?!!?!

Michael Wise · Post by **Michael Wise** » June 24th, 2011, 12:02 am

GaryCinChicago wrote:Mike, are you eating yet??!?!!?!

Just went out and picked some about an hour ago.

I'm wondering if the big boys were the best pick for our weather. They just aren't producing as much as I expected. But then again, seeing as this is my first year, I don't know what to expect. Losing alot of buds still on the big boys. Of my 5 plants, I've only picked about 15 tomatoes. Lost 2 to bugs. There are only about 10-15 green ones on the vine at the moment.

They SS100's seem to like it here, though. Got a LOT of green ones on the vine. Picked quite a few from my 3 plants tonight, too.

Here is tonights bounty: http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... da138a.jpg

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GaryCinChicago · Post by **GaryCinChicago** » June 24th, 2011, 9:31 am

Losing alot of buds still on the big boys.

Yeah sadly, flowering and setting fruit is temperature dependent.

Michael Wise · Post by **Michael Wise** » June 24th, 2011, 12:46 pm

Well, I'm going to expand next year, so I'll be able to try a few different varieties.

This is still a lot of fun, though.

I love driving past the garden on the mower and seeing a little red that I need to pick later.

Michael Wise · Post by **Michael Wise** » June 25th, 2011, 10:08 pm

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp32 ... 8f3eb8.jpg

Here is the prize winner!

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MorpheusPA · Post by **MorpheusPA** » June 25th, 2011, 10:35 pm

Um, that's not a tomato, it's a larval human. Soon he'll spin a cocoon and emerge as an adult.

There are sprays to keep them off your tomatoes.

Unless you happen to be four foot six, that is one seriously impressive tomato plant!

Michael Wise · Post by **Michael Wise** » June 25th, 2011, 10:59 pm

Ha!

I gave him one of the first cherry tomatoes. He took one bite and spit it out. Likes broccoli, carrots, okra, squash, and others, but wasn't crazy about the tomatoes.

I don't know where he got it, but every time he tries one and spits it out, he says, "I wike 'em when I get oader?"

And I'm 5'7". That one is the tallest. One other is over my head, and the rest are about eyeball height.

They are all vining like crazy. I believe I'm now officially hooked on indeterminates. You can't see them well from the pic, but that one is pretty loaded with little green maters. There are a few budding out all the way at the tip top. May need a later for those.

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MorpheusPA · Post by **MorpheusPA** » June 25th, 2011, 11:06 pm

I don't remember refusing a vegetable ever, except cabbage. I loathe cabbage, even today. At parties you can find me at the vegetable tray, hovering.

One of these days I'll research tomatoes and actually understand what indeterminate means. Really I will.

But I did see from the photo that the tomatoes were copious, everywhere, and fairly well-advanced for June. Given your locale, that might be perfectly normal. 'Round here, you may get a few in June, but July and August are the heavy-hitters.

GaryCinChicago · Post by **GaryCinChicago** » June 27th, 2011, 2:01 am

MorpheusPA wrote: One of these days I'll research tomatoes and actually understand what indeterminate means. Really I will.

It's the opposite of determinate.

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