So Texans, Where do you Stand on Tomatoes?

[TomatoNut95]

Mad at my phone's connection today, it just cuts out when it pleases! AT&T has messed with their local tower I think. . I need a new phone because my LG Journey will get cut off next year anyway because people are stupid and think your device is considered a dinosaur the next year but I HATE new phone shopping, mines only 3 or 4 years old!
Enough of my rant.

I need advice. I want to enter my Westerlund in the contest while it weighs the heaviest but the seeds in it won't be viable if it doesn't ripen on the vine and I'd like to keep the Westerlund strain @Tormato sent me. Idk what to do.

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@karstopography Sorry, you must have been replying to my topic but I realized I put it in the wrong thread and deleted it there and redid it here.

[karstopography]

@TomatoNut95 no worries, I was just going to put that I’d let that tomato get to color break before picking, then it should ripen normally at an appropriate air temperature, such as normal room temperature, after achieving the color break.

In my experience, those big tomatoes after harvesting lose only a few grams of weight between a harvest at color break to fully ripe. You can weigh it at color break and then weigh when ripe.

I never sacrifice a tomato just for the seeds. I save the seeds and gel I want from the tomato and eat the rest.

[TomatoNut95]

@TomatoNut95 no worries, I was just going to put that I’d let that tomato get to color break before picking, then it should ripen normally at an appropriate air temperature, such as normal room temperature, after achieving the color break.

In my experience, those big tomatoes after harvesting lose only a few grams of weight between a harvest at color break to fully ripe. You can weigh it at color break and then weigh when ripe.

I never sacrifice a tomato just for the seeds. I save the seeds and gel I want from the tomato and eat the rest.

When exactly could seeds be called mature/viable? Right at color break or when the whole fruit is at least 60-70% ripe?
I save seed from tomatoes a lot but I always eat what's left after picking seed out so there's never 100% sacrifice when I save seed.

[Tormahto]

@TomatoNut95 no worries, I was just going to put that I’d let that tomato get to color break before picking, then it should ripen normally at an appropriate air temperature, such as normal room temperature, after achieving the color break.

In my experience, those big tomatoes after harvesting lose only a few grams of weight between a harvest at color break to fully ripe. You can weigh it at color break and then weigh when ripe.

I never sacrifice a tomato just for the seeds. I save the seeds and gel I want from the tomato and eat the rest.

When exactly could seeds be called mature/viable? Right at color break or when the whole fruit is at least 60-70% ripe?
I save seed from tomatoes a lot but I always eat what's left after picking seed out so there's never 100% sacrifice when I save seed.

Seeds should be viable right at color break.

Unless you have this ridiculous variety, Cole, where every other tomato, when fully or even overripe, seems to produce extremely thin seeds that don't germinate.

I eat the bottom half, fully ripe, of a tomato, and save seeds and make sauce of the, almost fully ripe, top half. With a good harvest, there's no way that I can eat, all of, every tomato that I pick.

[karstopography]

@TomatoNut95 no worries, I was just going to put that I’d let that tomato get to color break before picking, then it should ripen normally at an appropriate air temperature, such as normal room temperature, after achieving the color break.

In my experience, those big tomatoes after harvesting lose only a few grams of weight between a harvest at color break to fully ripe. You can weigh it at color break and then weigh when ripe.

I never sacrifice a tomato just for the seeds. I save the seeds and gel I want from the tomato and eat the rest.

When exactly could seeds be called mature/viable? Right at color break or when the whole fruit is at least 60-70% ripe?
I save seed from tomatoes a lot but I always eat what's left after picking seed out so there's never 100% sacrifice when I save seed.

I really don’t know. The only seeds I save from tomatoes are from tomatoes that are fully ripe and ones I am in the process of preparing to eat. In other words, I might pick a tomato at or a little after color break, most of the big slicer/beefsteak types I pick at that stage or a day or two later, but I don’t save the seed from them until those tomatoes picked have reached full ripening. So whether they fully ripened on the vine or where picked at the color break and allowed to fully ripen inside, the seeds might be saved in either case, but only at the time of full ripening.

I know seeds I saved from tomatoes like Hoy picked just after color break and allowed to ripen fully unmolested inside at room temperature are completely viable and germinate under normal conditions for tomato germination.

As I understand tomatoes, the tomatoes themselves as far as seed viability and flavor development go, are set up for success when picked at color break. The process of ripening doesn’t really change whether it’s on the vine or off, all else like an appropriate air temperature being equal, but the tomato still needs to be fully ripe to ensure the seeds are fully mature.

Would seeds harvested from a tomato at color break be as equally viable as from the same tomato plant, but a different tomato allowed to fully ripen, I don’t know. I would have to think there would be some reduction in viability, but that’s just a guess.

I don’t know of a good reason to harvest the seeds from a tomato approaching color break or just at it that stage or just beyond that point. Waste of a good tomato and there’s the risk the seeds themselves aren’t quite mature and ready to be processed and stored.

[Tormahto]

My guess is that seeds develop from nutrients supplied by the plant. Once the tomato is picked, the connection between the plant and the seeds is broken, and the seeds cannot develop any further.

[Tormahto]

Mad at my phone's connection today, it just cuts out when it pleases! AT&T has messed with their local tower I think. . I need a new phone because my LG Journey will get cut off next year anyway because people are stupid and think your device is considered a dinosaur the next year but I HATE new phone shopping, mines only 3 or 4 years old!
Enough of my rant.

I need advice. I want to enter my Westerlund in the contest while it weighs the heaviest but the seeds in it won't be viable if it doesn't ripen on the vine and I'd like to keep the Westerlund strain @Tormato sent me. Idk what to do.

20240608_104234~2.jpg

@karstopography Sorry, you must have been replying to my topic but I realized I put it in the wrong thread and deleted it there and redid it here.

I forgot to ask...Did you take off all of the other flowers, or remove all other tomatoes?

[TomatoNut95]

I forgot to ask...Did you take off all of the other flowers, or remove all other tomatoes?

On the truss that big fruit was born, yes, I removed all other blossoms. I have also done a dab of pruning to the plant which I guess helped gear a little energy into that one fruit. I recently was able to feed the plant after the soil has had long enough to dry out so I'm hoping the fruit will grow a little more.

How can you tell if a fruit is through growing before turning color? Can you encourage any fruit to get bigger at anytime before it turns?

[Tormahto]

I forgot to ask...Did you take off all of the other flowers, or remove all other tomatoes?

On the truss that big fruit was born, yes, I removed all other blossoms. I have also done a dab of pruning to the plant which I guess helped gear a little energy into that one fruit. I recently was able to feed the plant after the soil has had long enough to dry out so I'm hoping the fruit will grow a little more.

How can you tell if a fruit is through growing before turning color? Can you encourage any fruit to get bigger at anytime before it turns?

My growing techniques are completely the opposite of going for maximum fruit size. I do starts in narrow containers. I plant straight down attempting to get the smallest spreading root ball, I minimize watering, all aimed at a concentration of flavors in a tomato that grows to about 3/4 of the size it would normally get.

For you, removing all other tomatoes on the plant would be the most important thing to do. You've had enough rain, but if it's dry for about 3 to
4 days, perhaps dig a whole several feet away from your plant to see how deep the soil is, having plenty of moisture. You've done the fert, but is it quick release? I wonder if shade cloth would help on really hot sunny days?

[GVGardens]

@Wildcat82 I'll let you know. How was Prescott this spring?

[TomatoNut95]

You've done the fert, but is it quick release? I wonder if shade cloth would help on really hot sunny days?

It's quick release. Miracle Gro plant food 'vegatables and herbs' with NKP 18-18-21.
Today I pruned off all othe fruits on the plant, they were runts anyway. The big fruit is being shaded well by the plants leaves. Using some material strips I gave it support.

[Tormahto]

You've done the fert, but is it quick release? I wonder if shade cloth would help on really hot sunny days?

It's quick release. Miracle Gro plant food 'vegatables and herbs' with NKP 18-18-21.
Today I pruned off all othe fruits on the plant, they were runts anyway. The big fruit is being shaded well by the plants leaves. Using some material strips I gave it support.

My question is whether the plants leaves need some filtered shading in the extreme heat. I have no idea if it would help or hurt.

If you want the largest tomato, as soon as a multi-blossom fruit is set and growing, immediately remove all other tomatoes.

[TomatoNut95]

My question is whether the plants leaves need some filtered shading in the extreme heat. I have no idea if it would help or hurt.

If you want the largest tomato, as soon as a multi-blossom fruit is set and growing, immediately remove all other tomatoes.

When I got home and went out to water I noticed how really hot it was and saw how much direct sun the Westerlund fruit was getting so I dug out an old tablecloth and shaded the fruit quite well. I'll remove the cloth during the morning and put it back during the hottest part of the day.

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Picked this 12+ oz Kelloggs Breakfast this morning.

[MissS]

You've done the fert, but is it quick release? I wonder if shade cloth would help on really hot sunny days?

It's quick release. Miracle Gro plant food 'vegatables and herbs' with NKP 18-18-21.
Today I pruned off all othe fruits on the plant, they were runts anyway. The big fruit is being shaded well by the plants leaves. Using some material strips I gave it support.

My question is whether the plants leaves need some filtered shading in the extreme heat. I have no idea if it would help or hurt.

If you want the largest tomato, as soon as a multi-blossom fruit is set and growing, immediately remove all other tomatoes.

I do know that some of the major completive growers do use shade cloth to shade their plants in extreme heat. Some just shade their fruits if it's not too hot.

[TomatoNut95]

[quote=MissS post_id=125664 time=17183197
I do know that some of the major completive growers do use shade cloth to shade their plants in extreme heat. Some just shade their fruits if it's not too hot.
[/quote]


I will start shading my Westerlund.

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Here's some of the seedlings I have to replace my spring plants.

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[Wildcat82]

@Wildcat82 I'll let you know. How was Prescott this spring?

Both Prescott and Miel de Mexique were very slow to set this spring but over the past 3 weeks they have been putting out quite of bit of fruit. Nice balanced flavor for both. I like that they have maintained a uniform 1 ounce size unlike SunGold/Black Cherry whose fruit seems to get miniaturized by the heat.

[AKgardener]

My beautiful big sis was on tv for Hawkins Texas on maters .. guess you guys are getting all kinds of weather

[TomatoNut95]

Had 2 Kelloggs Breakfast. Meaty one with few seed weighed in at 12 + oz.

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Second one only 9.3 oz.

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[karstopography]

Kellogg’s Breakfast is such a pretty tomato. They are meaty with few seeds. I didn’t grow Kellogg’s Breakfast this year. So many great tomatoes…

[TomatoNut95]

Kellogg’s Breakfast is such a pretty tomato. They are meaty with few seeds. I didn’t grow Kellogg’s Breakfast this year. So many great tomatoes…

Such a delicious one to! Burst with flavor!