So Texans, Where do you Stand on Tomatoes?

[PlainJane]

I hope your recovery period is near over @SpookyShoe.

[TomatoNut95]

Woo wee, I'd get lost in all those tomato plants but I'm not a fan of Bonnie. For one thing their prices are outrageous when I can buy a pack of seed for cheap and save my own seed out of my plants.

[MissS]

Woo wee, I'd get lost in all those tomato plants but I'm not a fan of Bonnie. For one thing their prices are outrageous when I can buy a pack of seed for cheap and save my own seed out of my plants.

Most of us agree with you but when someone's health gets in the way, then buying plants is sure a nice option to have.

[TomatoNut95]

Woo wee, I'd get lost in all those tomato plants but I'm not a fan of Bonnie. For one thing their prices are outrageous when I can buy a pack of seed for cheap and save my own seed out of my plants.

Most of us agree with you but when someone's health gets in the way, then buying plants is sure a nice option to have.

I understand that completely; not everyone is able to start from seed. I've found cheaper tomato plants at local nurseries/greenhouses rather than Bonnie's brand. I have bought Bonnie on rare occasion, however. That's how I obtained Heinz Classic Ketchup. And I've bought quite a few of their rosemary plants.

[karstopography]

Maas nursery is over near @SpookyShoe and they tend to have more selection, including heirlooms, but I know she already knows about Maas.

[GVGardens]

I always pick up a few transplants from my local nursery because I like to support them and they have varieties that do well here that I forget/don't know about. Plus, nurseries are a great insurance policy!

My neighbors always plant on Valentine’s Day but don't start from seed. So for anyone else who's interested, here’s a list of Austin-area nurseries with tomatoes for 2/14. Tillery, Lonestar Nursery, and Natural Gardener all tend to have more interesting heirlooms in March.

NATURAL GARDENER
$1.99 each. Celebrity and Roma right now. New shipment coming -- check on Thursday for more varieties.

TILLERY STREET PLANT CO
$3 each. Sungold and black cherry in 4" pots.

GREEN AND GROWING (PFLUGERVILLE)
4" pots are $1.75 and 6 packs are $4.95. Beefsteak (4" pot), Big Boy, Celebrity, Early Girl, Roma, Patio (some of these only in 6 packs). Candyland in a 10" hanging basket for $17.95.
Peppers: Shishito, lunchbox, jalapenos, super hots (ghost, scorpion, etc).

MCINTIRE'S (GEORGETOWN)
? for individual pots $5.95 for a 6 pack. Out of Cherokee Purple. He said there were too many varieties to list but they do have the ones my neighbors were interested in: Early Girl, Juliet, Sungold, Super Sweet 100, Yellow Pear, and Red Grape.

SNOOPERS (ROUND ROCK)
6 packs for $4.99
Celebrity and Sweet 100 (and maybe something else?) all in six packs. Not open Tuesdays.

[karstopography]

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I’m pleased with my tomato starts this year. Good thick stems. Nice growth. I almost planted them today. Two beds are ready. There’s a cold night, not freezing, but too close for comfort coming Saturday according to the forecast. If the forecast improves a little, these are going in.

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Pruden’s purple, B.Cowlick’s, and A Grappoli D’Inverno pictured.

I moved these all into the cooler garage at night sooner than in past seasons and got them outside on more 60-65° days earlier than in past seasons.

Moral of the story is, for here anyhow, get them outside ASAP and keep them cool at night, too warm in general inside even if you like things cool in winter. 58°-60° is better at night than 65°.

[TomatoNut95]

Why, those are beautiful!! ❤ You're WAY ahead of me, that's for sure.

[SpookyShoe]

Worth and I will probably be in contest again for who grows the fewest tomatoes on Tomato Junction this year. I probably won't grow more than six. I've collected three already. The nurseries will have a wider selection in the coming few weeks.

Cherokee Carbon, Carmello, and Pigletwillie's French Black.

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[karstopography]

I left my tomato plants outside last night, partly with intent and there might have been a “I don’t want to fiddle with anything else” factor at work. It ended up getting to 39°, six degrees cooler than the forecast. Oh well, they will get some cool nights at times during the rest of February and parts of March once I transplant them likely on Sunday. If past seasons are any indication, one or two nights in the high thirties or low forties doesn’t do much to hurt them or even slow them down that much. Frost of any kind is bad, but I don’t see any sign of that on the leaves. It wasn’t windy either, dead calm and the dewpoint 38°.

The don’t let the tomato plants get below 50° is only workable in fantasy land, certainly not around here unless you’re willing to wait until April and miss 1/2 to 3/4 of the potential production. Some “rules” must be broken, the don’t let them get below 50°, and some risks, the wait until every possible risk of frost is gone, must be incurred or there will for an absolute certainty be very little reward.

[TomatoNut95]

I never feel good about planting outdoors until April. I'm always scared of that last frost. Some say plant after Easter, maybe I could plant April 1rst...then my April Fools joke from Mother Nature would be a frost on April 2nd.

[karstopography]

I never feel good about planting outdoors until April. I'm always scared of that last frost. Some say plant after Easter, maybe I could plant April 1rst...then my April Fools joke from Mother Nature would be a frost on April 2nd.

I’m about 12 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Our last frost date is listed at February 15th, but we do occasionally get frosts after that. The nights get noticeably warmer in May and sometime in June it is almost impossible for larger type tomatoes to set fruit. We have to go as early as reasonably possible here with the late season heirloom tomatoes or just give up trying to grow them and go with the 70 day bulletproof hybrids, determinate heat setters and cherry tomatoes.

I’m not willing yet to do the easier route.

[Wildcat82]

I never feel good about planting outdoors until April. I'm always scared of that last frost. Some say plant after Easter, maybe I could plant April 1rst...then my April Fools joke from Mother Nature would be a frost on April 2nd.

In Central Texas you have to weigh your risk of a late frost versus the risk of an early heat wave. Either event is a potential show stopper. IMHO the safest route is to plant extremely early (early February in San Antonio) in containers so you can move them inside if a frost threatens. Besides, container grown plants are a nice insurance policy against hail storms (I''ve been hailed out 2-3 times).

[karstopography]

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I did it. I transplanted 12 tomatoes today. 4X10’ Box got B. Cowlicks, P. Purple, Dester, Hoy, A’Grappoli D’Inverno, Black Krim, Aker’s West Virginia, and Sart Roloise.

Smaller Box got Principe Borghese, Red Barn, Missouri Pink Love Apple, and Creamsicle Grape.

I was tired of looking at these in their little containers getting all root bound.

[SpookyShoe]

Well, I can't match karstopography's plentiful crop of tomato plants, but I have collected the six nursery starts that will be my spring crop. Target planting date is March 1st. My dear husband is mixing in compost with the existing soil in the tomato bed this morning.

Chocolate Cherry
Cherokee Carbon
Cherokee Purple
Carmello
Paul Robeson
Pigletwillie's French Back

[karstopography]

@SpookyShoe I believe you have the right idea with six plants going in March 1st. I’m just impatient for some tomato action.

Meanwhile 40 miles or so to the southwest, My first, the twelve remain out in the beds on a currently 48° blustery and overcast day. I went outside moments ago and rescued the rest and brought them into the garage and out of the wind.

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The tomatoes have captured that wind blown look pretty well.

I’ve got plastic cloches being delivered today (we hope) and I’ll throw them over the twelve so they can get a little break from the wind and 36° cold expected overnight.

Next week looks spectacular for tomatoes and I fully expect the tomatoes will respond to the improved weather.

[worth1]

To miserable here for anything yet.

[karstopography]

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First Casualty of 2024 is Aker’s West Virginia. Blustery wind today was too much for this one.

I have another Aker’s West Virginia plant waiting in the wings or I could plant something different.

[TomatoNut95]

Aww, poor guy. No chance for it to at least produce a sucker that could be rooted?

[karstopography]

Aww, poor guy. No chance for it to at least produce a sucker that could be rooted?

Might be a chance, but I’d soon go another route. I’ve got enough spare plants including a Aker’s West Virginia replacement if decide. Everything is ready or close to being ready for transplanting that I will take the injured plant out and plant a new one in that spot. I feel like I want to avoid any delays and getting something rooted would delay things.