Tag Archive | Windowbox

Introducing Tomato ‘Lizzano’ F1, AAS Vegetable Award Winner

(Posted with permission of All American Selections)

Our final new AAS Introduction is Lizzano F1 Hybrid Tomato.

‘Lizzano’ is a vigorous semi-determinate tomato variety with a low growing, trailing habit excellent for growing in patio containers or hanging baskets. In the garden, some staking will benefit this plant despite a nice compact and uniform growth habit. The durable, appealing plants grow 16 to 20 inches tall with a compact spread of only 20 inches. Expect abundant yields of high-quality, bright red, baby cherry sized fruits. The small 1-inch fruits weigh about 0.4 ounces. The plentiful fruit set allows for continual harvest beneficial for the home gardener. Judges noted better eating quality, yield and plant habit than comparisons. ‘Lizzano’ is the first Late Blight tolerant cherry fruited semi-determinate variety on the market. Disease resistant plants will last later into the growing season. Harvest begins 105 days from sowing seed or 63 days from transplant. Bred by Pro-Veg Seeds Ltd.

AAS® Winner Data
Genus species: Solanum Lycopersicum
Unique qualities: First Late Blight tolerant cherry fruited semi-determinate variety on the market
Fruit size: 0.4 ounces
Fruit color: Red
Plant type: Semi-determinate small cherry, compact bush, trailing habit
Plant height: 16 to 20 inches
Plant width: 20 inches
Garden location: Full sun
Garden spacing: 20 inches apart
Disease tolerances: Late Blight tolerant
Length of time to harvest: 63 days from transplant
Closest comparisons on market: ‘Tumbler’ and ‘Tumbling Tom Red’

*************************************************************************

© Mertie Mae Botanics LLC and Horticulture Talk!, 2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mertie Mae Botanics LLC and Horticulture Talk! with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Introducing Terenzo F1 Hybrid Tomato, 2011 AAS Vegetable Award Winner

Jan16

(Posted with permission of All American Selections)

Now that the 2011 growing season is starting to get underway, the All-America Selections for 2011 are starting to be announced. This week we will be highlighting the seven new additions the the AAS family.

Today’s new variety is Terenzo F1 Hybrid Tomato. Terenzo is a high yielding red cherry fruited ‘Tumbler’ type of tomato that is a prolific producer on a tidy low-growing, trailing plant. The round fruit is a standard size cherry having an approximate size of 1¼ inches and an average weight of 0.7 ounces. A brix sugar content of 6.0% ensures this is sweet tasting tomato. With a plant height of only 16 to 20 inches, this compact variety is suitable for growing in hanging baskets or containers as a patio type tomato. This very easy-to-grow determinate bush variety requires little maintenance and produces fruits that are more resistant to cracking. Terenzo is loaded with a bountiful harvest of flavorful, easy-to-pick fruits throughout the summer heat. Bred by Pro-Veg Seeds Ltd.

Genus species: Solanum lycopersicum
Unique qualities: Tidy trailing plant, easy-to-grow, little maintenance
Fruit size: 0.7 ounces
Fruit color: Red
Plant type: Determinate cherry, trailing habit
Plant height: 16 to 20 inches
Plant width: 20 inches
Garden location: Full sun
Garden spacing: 20 inches apart
Length of time to harvest: 56 days from transplant
Closest comparisons on market: ‘Tumbler’ and ‘Tumbling Tom Red’

*************************************************************************

Tomatoes For Extreme Heat

Jan9

“Do you have 3-4 tomatoes seed varieties to recomment for extreme heat? I am interesting in non-determinate types.

Mark”

__________________________________________

Hi Mark,

Thanks for posting your question!

The indeterminate tomato varieties that I recommend are:

Hybrids: Better Boy, Suncoast Hybrid, Floramerica Hybrid
Heirlooms: Bonnie Best (not South FL), Walter, Flora-dade
Cherry Types: Sweet 100, Sugar Snack, Sun Gold, Sweet Baby Girl Hybrid
Grape Types: Juliet, Red Grape
Non-Red Heirlooms: Green Zebra, Eva Purple Ball, Cherokee Purple, Brandywine

*************************************************************************

© Mertie Mae Botanics LLC and Horticulture Talk!, 2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mertie Mae Botanics LLC and Horticulture Talk! with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Vicars of Vegetables, 12/18/10

Jan6

For those of you that have been following my blog for a number of years, you have undoubtedly seen various posts about the ‘Vicars of Vegetables’, Drs. Jim Nienhuis and Irwin Goldman of the University of Wisconsin – Madison Horticulture Department. Jim and Irwin are good friends of mine — heh, I’m the one that got Jim to ‘love’ eggplant dishes — and their time spent on Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Garden Talk with Larry Mueller” is always a good program to listen to. With the business of my last few weeks, I had not had a chance to visit the Wisconsin Public Radio website to catch their latest episode. However, I was in luck!

You, too, can listen to the Vicars of Vegetables spread their knowledge and occasional gardening haikus. Simple click on the link below to download the most recent Garden Talk episode from December 18, 2010.

http://wpr.org/wcast/download-mp3-request.cfm?mp3file=mlr101217f.mp3&iNoteID=94436

And for more episodes from Larry Mueller, please follow the link the his Wisconsin Public Radio website:

http://wpr.org/webcasting/audioarchives_display.cfm?Code=mlr

*************************************************************************

Rutgers vs. Rutgers? Determining which is which…

Jan4

“Dear Horticulturist, Thank you so much for telling me about Totally Tomatoes in your blog. WOW! I never knew there were so many different tomato and pepper varieties. Wonderful!

I see they list 2 Rutgers tomatoes (pages 25 & 26). One is Determinate, the other is Indeterminate. Which one is the original Rutgers of 1934? I need this information so I can place a seed order ASAP. Thank you.

~T.”

__________________________________________________________________________

Dear T,

Thanks for the question. The justly famous Rutgers tomato was introduced in 1934 by Rutgers breeder Lyman Schermerhorn as an ideal locally well-adapted and improved “General Use” tomato for processing (canning and juicing) as well as fresh market. Rutgers tomato was developed and released in the period between WW I and WW II, during expansion of canning and truck farming, when 36,000+ acres of tomatoes were grown in the Garden State.

Rutgers was a genuine horticultural improvement over non-certified saved seeds, as well as over commercial varieties like Pritchard, Marglobe, and J.T.D. (the latter two used as breeding sources to create Rutgers). Breeding objectives resulted in an amazing array of improved attributes, including:

– Pleasing flavor and taste of the juice;
– More uniform sparkling red internal color ripening from center of the tomato outward;
– Smooth skin;
– Freedom from fruit cracking;
– ‘Second early’ maturity;
– Handsome flattened globe shape;
– Vigorous healthy foliage to ripen more fruit and reduce sunscald;
– Firm thick fleshy fruit walls for its time, though considered extremely soft by today’s definition of tomato firmness;
– Uniformity true to type in the field.
– Determinate

Not only did Rutgers provide a top performing tomato for New Jersey’s processors, from Campbell Soup, Heinz, Hunt, and Ritter to smaller companies, but Rutgers tomato continued to be a preferred choice of commercial growers through much of the mid-twentieth century. It was grown worldwide, and used in breeding and selection of other improved varieties.

While no longer grown commercially, the Rutgers tomato remained popular, especially with home gardeners. Selections of the Rutgers tomato are available through many home garden seed catalogs. However, when Rutgers was released by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Professor L. Schermerhorn invited and encouraged seedsmen to continue selecting for true types in their seed fields. Thus, the original Rutgers tomato line is long lost, and all the seeds sold today are derivative selections, possibly even different cultivars, from the original. We do not have original seed maintained here at the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.

Read the original 1934 announcement by the New Jersey State Horticultural Society, “Scientific Breeding Gives New Jersey the Rutgers Tomato”.

So, in short, you are going to want to order the Rutgers PS VFASt on page 26.

Happy Gardening!

*************************************************************************

Black vs. Black Prince: Same thing or two different tomatoes?

Dec29

“I would like to know the difference between Black and the BlackPrince tomato. Some tomato sources are saying that “Black” is what somegardeners grew as “Black Prince” years ago. ~K.”

____________________________________________________

Thanks for the email regarding Black and Black Prince Tomatoes. They are not the same thing. Anyone that is telling you this is either doing a bit of false advertising or they are trying to mislead you into buying a cheaper to produce variety.

Black Tomato, photo courtesy of Totally Tomatoea, 2011

Black Tomato (80-85 days) is a Russian heirloom variety that is very early indeterminate. The fruit color is a dark red that is considered black. The skin is thin and the flesh is a shade lighter red than the skin, soft and flavorful. Black is a tomato that can grow under some rather adverse conditions.

Black Prince Tomato, courtesy of Totally Tomatoes, 2011

Black Prince Tomato (70-90 days) is a Russian heirloom variety that is also indeterminate, but they do not express the extra growth as quickly (makes you think it might be a determinate at first, then continues to grow). The fruits are round and have deep garnet colored skins with a hint of green on the shoulders. The flesh is dark red to brown colored and is tender, juicy, and flavorful. The fruit is quite a bit smaller than the Black Tomato (about 2 inches in diameter, whereas Black is about 3 inches in diameter).

*************************************************************************

Tomatoes Not Setting Fruits

Aug25

“I purchased Tomato Plants and I am so disappointed. While the plants seem healthy we only have 3 tomatoes (the size of a golf ball) 2 on one plant and one on the other. It is now Aug 24th and we haven’t had 1 tomatoe yet. We have lots of flowers. What is the problem. ~N.”

________________________________________

Thank you for your email regarding your Goliath Tomatoes. If your plants look healthy, temps are not too hot, and the breeze is blowing your flowers will self-pollinate soon enough and you will start to see some fruit setting. Be patient. I know, I know it can be so hard to be patient.

It is never a bad idea to gently shake the plants to help the flowers self-pollinate. Some people use an electric toothbrush at the base of the bloom.

Also, there may be a bit of a nutrient imbalance in your soil that is preventing fruit set. Commercial fertilizers list three very important numbers on the package

. This is what is referred to as the N-P-K ratio. The first number always represents the percent of Nitrogen (N). The second number is percent Phosphorous (P). The third number is percent Potassium (K).

(N) Nitrogen stimulates the growth of the green stuff, i.e. leaf growth and general plant growth. You do not want to use too much nitrogen, as it will prevent blossom set.

(P) Phosphorous stimulates the root growth, flowering and fruit set.

(K) Potassium stimulates fruit production.

Since you do have blooms I think all is probably proceeding as it should. But if you want to give your plants a quick boost in fruit set and production I might suggest a very diluted foliar spray of something with a higher P and K value relative to N value. Plants have the unique ability to take in nutrients through their leaves. It is important to choose a time of day when temps are lowest to spray the leafs. The cells on the leaf (stomates) that can accept a foliar spray are only open when temps are below 72 degrees. Most stomate cells are located on the underside of the leaf.

*************************************************************************

© Mertie Mae Botanics LLC and Horticulture Talk!, 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mertie Mae Botanics LLC and Horticulture Talk! with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Shouldering Up: Treating Discolored Shoulders on Tomatoes

Jul21

“I’ve been gettin gyellow shoulders on my tomatoes. Purchased last year and planted the seed both years. It didn’t happen last year. Does your seed go bad that fast? What disease is included in them? ~Very Disappointed Customer”

_______________________________________________________________

Dear Very Disappointed Customer,

Thank you for the letter regarding the yellow shoulders on your tomatoes. Thankfully, the discoloration you are experiencing is an environmental effect on the fruit of the tomato and not a disease.

What you are seeing with your tomatoes is the lycopene degradation. It is brought on by intense heat or light has probably prevented lycopene production. As a tomato fruit ripens, the chlorophyll within the cells degrades, leaving the fruit a greenish-yellow color. Normally, that yellow coloration is not noticed because the lycopene enhances during the ripening process and the two ‘swap’ places, so to speak. However, intense heat or light can damage the chemical pathway that develops the lycopene and prevents the process from continuing. Without lycopene, the ripening process does not occur as it normally would and the tissue in that area remains hard.

What can you do to avoid yellow shoulders? Here are a few easy steps:

(1) Select varieties of tomatoes that are less prone to yellow shoulder, e.g., cherry tomatoes.

(2) Pick tomatoes at the “breaker stage” when you first see pink color and let the fruit ripen at room temperature. While some people swear by this, I find that the taste is similar to a hydroponic tomato. (This is probably more of a mental thing on my part, but if you a fussy about things like that, keep it in mind.)

(3) Be sure your plants get enough potassium fertilization (Epsom Salts work great!).

(4) Make certain your plants have enough leaf cover so that ripening tomatoes are shielded from intense heat and light.

For more information on this disorder, or to quench your plant biochemical curiosity, check out these university websites and professional journal articles:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8J-4FWKDM4-2&_user=10&_coverDate=05/31/2006&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=5fcadf96918bf8b916f0b186c1c8f06d

http://www.leffingwell.com/lycopene.htm

http://www.preparedfoods.com/Articles/newsletter-development/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000540486

http://www.springerlink.com/content/m78w076637627q26/

http://www.actahort.org/members/showpdf?booknrarnr=542_38

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jmf.2005.8.413

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=MImg&_imagekey=B6T8J-4FWKDM4-2-18&_cdi=5088&_user=500342&_orig=browse&_coverDate=05/31/2006&_sk=999259998&view=c&wchp=dGLbVzW-zSkWz&md5=89b4137c5e6dff3f96891a19137a1fd0&ie=/sdarticle.pdf

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118836835/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11192026

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/els/09639969/1999/00000032/00000001/art00059

*************************************************************************

It’s Not Too Late: Controlling Early Blight on your Tomatoes

Jul16

“Dear Horticulture Talk Blogger, I have noticed that I have a lot of blight starting on my tomato plants. It is early blight, not late. Is it too late to do something about it? Love your column and would love to know your thoughts on this. Thanks, ~T.”

_______________________________________________________

Attention home gardeners — it’s not too early to start your control program for tomato early blight!

Early Tomato Blight (Alternaria solani) is generally one of the most severe tomato problems faced by home gardeners each season. Early blight shows up as a leaf blight on the lower part of plants. The disease moves upward, and by early to mid-summer, early blight has caused a “firing-up” of foliage over most of the tomato plants in the garden. As the disease progresses, leaves turn yellow, wither, and drop from plants. Tomato plant severely infected by early blight produce low yields of undersized fruit. Generally, fruit are also show signs of sun-scald since leaves aren’t present to protect fruit from direct sunlight.

Early blight tends to get off to an early start in the spring when wet weather is experienced soon after transplants are set. These type conditions are ideal for infection of young tomato plants by the early blight fungus. But probably the most important reason this disease is so common has to do with the tremendous popularity of tomatoes in Southern gardens.

For top yields of high quality fruit, early blight control is essential. Since early blight-resistant tomato varieties aren’t available, gardeners have to use a combination of practices to keep this disease in check.

As experienced gardeners know, growing a crop in the same area for several years often leads to increased disease problems. Early blight control is based on crop rotation, removal and destruction of crop debris from previous crops, staking, mulching, and timely application of fungicides.

Staking and mulching are important in an early blight control program, since staking keeps foliage and fruit from contacting the soil surface, and mulching cuts down on “soil splash” onto lower parts of the plant. Since soil particles often contain the early blight fungus, this is a good way of keeping the fungus from invading plants. Plastic, or organic mulches (pine straw or even newspapers) are equally effective.

Application of fungicides is also generally needed for early blight control. Field tests have shown that chlorothalonil, maneb, and mancozeb fungicides — all available at gardening supply stores under a variety of trade names — provide effective early blight control when used according to label directions and applications are started early in the season.

As an added plus, any of these fungicides may be “tank mixed” with an insecticide such as malathion or Sevin (or newer formulation, Eight), thus allowing a single application for control of disease and insects.

Begin fungicide applications as soon as possible after transplants are set out and continue at 7 to 10-day intervals throughout the season. Also, applications should be made after a rain. Other leaf diseases such as leaf mold, gray leaf spot, and Septoria leaf spot are controlled by these fungicides.

Make sure to read and follow label directions concerning rates, application intervals, and the number of days required from the last application until fruit can be harvested.

For more information on Early Blight Resistant Tomato varieties, click here.

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Diamant Hybrid Cucumber Growth Habit

Jun3

“What is the preferred method of growing diamant cucumber, on a trellis or allowed to crawl on the ground? ~L.”

__________________________________________

For this particular variety, they work best laying on the ground as they are more of a space-saving, short runner variety. If trellising is the only option available to you in your garden, they can be tied up to a short trellis that would normally be used for peas.

*************************************************************************

	Qistina on Who Owns Who? Where and How Mo…
	Under-appreciated pl… on Disk and Ray: Delving into Com…
	Swamped on Why I ‘Often’ Say…
	Frances on Finding an Old Friend: German…
	Blaine on Who Owns Who? Finding the real…

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: