Just 3 tips for growing your heirlooms next year: 1). In hot climates it's better to grow more than one stem (even two stems are better), because it helps the plant keep itself cooler; 2) Straw mulch (or any mulch) is your friend - if you leave the soil uncovered the surface temperature can get VERY hot in the sun; 3) 40% shade net whenever the temperatures go above 85 degrees will help to prevent heat stress.
Amateur here--I refuse to use shade cloth and my maters do fine up to around 110F, even hotter, no they don't *set* new fruit at that temp but they grow and ripen as long as watered daily, look fine. Dryer air however and spells of 90's mixed in. Definitely believer in mulch, this yr got a load of wood chips with ample layers of long pine needles good for garden mulch, wood chips I use around all permanent plants where cultivation is minimal, prior layers a few yrs old in need of replenishment, just pull back chips to plant melons, winter squash, etc., around immature smaller trees with plenty of sun between where automatic watering already set up. Water bill has fallen significantly this yr despite ever increasing trees, vines and blueberries, chips crucial for that but also maturing permanent plants and a wet winter.
I'm a little off-topic as usual. I have a tomato tip to prevent Blue Jays from stabbing your tomatoes: have a birdbath near your tomatoes. They do it because they're thirsty not out of gleeful malice, as it appears.
Lol..i have about six..if the birds dont get em seems the squirrels or raccoon or something else does ..i even FEED THEM SEEDS...it really has cut down but i still got get them before red....but this year i had the best and largest amount in my almost 80 years..AND MY BEST FALL...i swear IM GONNA BE CALLED.HOME SOON...
My sister throws away MOST of the tomato to get two "perfect" center slices for a sandwich. So she will never waste another one I grow. She doesn`t care though...because she thinks REAL tomatoes grown at home "taste funny...different...odd." She refuses to use my green onions because they`re "too big." Her son loves bell peppers...but was afraid/disgusted by the ones I grew and threw them away because "bugs" might be on them. Same with fruit trees...they "attract bugs" and have "smells" so he can`t risk planting one and besides...the fruits are inedible because bugs may have touched them. CAN`T RISK THAT! My Yankee cousins would eat anything from the stores or cans...but refused to eat ANYTHING from our farm because....it "came from the dirt." This is our ridiculous situation in the Good Ol USA!
Not all of us Yanks feel that way: I start my own from seed, pluck them off , wipe on my shirt and eat. I’ve convinced my neighbors that anything from the dirt is far better bugs and all!
I grew Dixie Red (87 day maturity) last year and it did well. I needed something that matures a bit faster, so I'm growing Red Snapper (75 day maturity) this year. Thanks for showing me Roadster (65 day maturity). I'll have to try that one next year.
I always enjoy your tomato wrap up and taste testing videos. You grow a lot of different varieties which gives us, the viewer, insights into varieties we haven't tried. 👍
I grew a ton of San marzano this year with the hopes of making some pasta sauce, and also some canned tomatoes for something else. I would love to see a video of how you all make pasta sauce.
I tried Defiant PhR from Johnny's this year as a new determinate type. I was not really pleased with it. The plants get huge. The one that I pruned I have got a couple of tomatoes off and they taste good. The one that I caged and didn't prune just looks like a giant bush with only a couple of tomatoes at the very bottom. The third one ended up being a runt that I had to cut out. I got more off my better boy this year (which is saying a lot because it is one that I grow more for the taste and not for the production). I am hoping it might just be a very late season as I am starting to see more blooms now, but I am still not seeing much fruit. On the other hand, I have enough supersweet 100 and toronjina to fill a you-pick basket every other day --- so I have enough. This was my first year with the toronjina and not planting sun gold --- they produce way more and don't split as often which is really nice!
Bella Rosa, Bushsteak, Rubee Dawn and Estiva have done the best. Red Snapper was planted late , so we’ll have to plant them again and see how they do. The Sakata varieties stay firm even when ripe. Might try Dixie Red next year and see if it sets fruit in the AZ summer heat but don’t expect to grow big tomatoes out here. Good information as always. Thanks!
I live in the Phoenix area and my Amish did pretty well this year. We germinate our seeds in January and keep them under a grow light until the beginning of March. Once moved outside, ours are covered with insect netting (mostly for the Finches) with a heavier shade cloth on top. Between the Amish, Early Girl and Big Boy (about 16 plants) we had enough for ourselves and a couple of neighbors. I will look into the varieties you listed for next year.
@@random2829 I might give Amish Paste a try. Did you have any issues with BER? Seems like you could plant earlier in the Phoenix area and get a jump on the heat. Our last frost date is at the end of April, so are window for fruit set is pretty small. Hopefully, now that the monsoon is here bring cooler afternoon and evening temperatures, some of the inter-determinate plants will set fruit. Next year I’m probably going to stick with determinate plants, except for maybe a couple cherry types for salads. Good luck with your garden!
@@archstanton9703 We used to have major issues with BER, but now we apply Gypsum dust around the plants once every two weeks (about a half-cup per plant) - along with finely crushed egg shells from our normal meals - and plant the seedlings with a fair amount of Gypsum dust at the bottom (about a cup). We also spray Miracle Grow every two weeks. We could plant earlier than we do - but we have had a number of years where we would get a late frost or freeze near March so now we target the first week of March for our planting. And I agree with Determinates! That is all we planted this year and began harvesting in late May all the way until the second week of July. We tried Indeterminates in the past and they simply could not produce anything past July. We had VERY good results with the Red Pear and Blondkopfchen cherry tomatoes (from the Thresh Seed Company) this year - way more than we could eat. 😀
@@random2829 I appreciate you sharing the gypsum tip and cherry varieties. I’ve tried bone meal and garden lime for BER, but it seems some varieties of tomatoes are more affected than others. The didn’t use MG this year but Fox Farms Grow Big and Tiger Bloom, which I think worked better. I’ve grown Black Cherry, Prescott Cherry, Eagle Smiley, Mochi, Sun Sugar, Sun Gold, Torongina, Yellow Pear, and some no-name red cherry and am not impressed with the taste of any. I might not grow any next year because of all the space the take up. I’m going to grow more compact plants next year. I’ve also grown several dwarf varieties that are pretty good eating, but they aren’t very prolific and disease resistant. Next year I’m growing fewer plants and won’t be growing as many varieties. Thanks for sharing and have a good afternoon!
I'm growing them for the first time this year also and I've been super impressed by their resistance to the heat and humidity of central SC. While my heirloom varieties are limping to the finish line, these AT's are mostly blemish free and still putting on blossoms. Next year I'm probably just going to quit bothering with heirlooms altogether and try some other heat and humidity resistant varieties.
The tomato you call Chocolate Stripey is unique. I have grown what I think you mean, Chocolate Stripes, and it is quite a bit darker with beautiful stripes green to mahogany dark when ripe. I mean, it's easy to tell that what you have is not it, but Stripes taste great.
Oh, and thank you for slicing, showing, and eating on the show. I don't want to deemphasize the things you do well by showing. I so can't wait till the watermelon is ripe with demos with the kids! God's nectar from above. All that from a seed and dirt!!!
Great tomato summary! This year I grew four plants of Red Snapper and Roadster (based on your recommendations) and both were super performers. I also had great performance from Toronjina and Mountain Vineyard (red grape) this year and will grow both again next year. Tachi performed well, but something kept stinging the tomatoes regardless of how much I sprayed. I think I will grow Shelby next year. Lemon Boy also did not perform well as disease was an issue. I look forward on your recommendations on yellow tomatoes. Turkey Creek and Dixie Red sound like good candidates for the garden next year. Keep up the good work...
Travis, have u tried Phoenix? I'm in Texas and its been an amazing produucer of big beautiful tomatoes and even in our 100° temps , its still setting fruits
Here in low inland N. Commifornia I expect mater season to last until November ish. Currently overwhelmed with them, hope to have just enough for my fresh use to end of yr. Love the idea of acclimating your own strains, I sort of haphazardly do similar just by taking advantage of repeat volunteers.
Your timing is good. My tomatoes are forming. All green yet. I have 15 varieties in. Just ordered some AgroThrive 3-3-5 to give it a boost with Alaska 5-1-1. To get at 4-2-3 at half strength. - Just my guess. Please do a bread and Duke’s mayo taste test. Yes! Duke’s is the way to go for tomato sandwiches. Look forward to your watermelons. There should be many, many, thanks coming on your recommendations.
What's the best tomato variety that you grew this year? Let us know! SHOP LAZY DOG FARM FIG TREES: lazydogfarm.com 0:00 Intro 0:44 Our Biggest Tomato Harvest of the Year! 3:08 The Easiest Tomatoes to Grow 4:57 Are These Black Beauty Tomatoes Any Good? 8:29 Why Are We Saving Seeds from This Variety? 10:19 Dixie Red Tomatoes in Raised Beds
Wow Travis, those two are beauties. I'm on the TN/GA border and my determinates have done their job, the slicing indeterminates are barely hanging in there but the cherry/grape tomatoes seem to be loving it. I can't keep up harvesting them.
Hi there Travis! I am growing the Black Beauty and looking every day for the green part to get red. Thank you for sharing what the ripe one looks like!!!! Have you ever tried Red Deuce? I haven't had one to test yet, but the plants are loaded and they are the same size as the dixie red. Thanks for the video and hope the family is doing well.
I’m impressed! This late in the season my tomatoes were riddled with pinworms before I pulled them out. They were pretty beat up. Next round is in my containers (pots).😅
I might grow several indeterminate heirloom tomatoes next year good for fresh eating, Lord willing, but I'm planting more hybrid determinates for canning. I'm done with the paste tomatoes altogether, I can make pasta sauce with the big fat tomatoes and not have such a long season of ripening, I'm sick of them and am ready to pull them out. The hybrid tomatoes are almost done and I won't be looking at a counter full of tomatoes.
Thank you for the info on when to harvest the Black Beauty tomato. I received one plant from a plant swap and it's been fun watching it change color. I'm still waiting for the bottom to turn red. I only grow heirloom varieties because I love saving the seeds. My favorite tomato to grow has been a striped roma tomato. We are on our 5th year of growing them and they do great in our 6b area.
Too Bad your not my neighbor..my jam is seed starting.. i dont like planting growing them on but am so thrilled to share with neighbors ..do t mind watering either..i never remember to fertlizer tho..i dont know why..i even got a.calendar to help remind me....life is hard when your pushing 80
Saving seeds will build your garden...I save my first ripe tomato ..i save my biggest tomato and i save my overall best looking tomato and thats my seed for next year
Hey, you’ll win a lot of universal gardening hearts over by talking tomatoes. I’ve been throughout the country, and tomatoes are always the prized cherished crop. Canned tomatoes are pretty good in the store. The fresh ones in the stores are $hit. $.H. I T. Seed pockets/voids are a negative. Meaty is good. FLAVOR is important Ability to grow well is important. Oh, Lazy Dog, give us your thoughts. You seem to think Celebrity toms are OK. YOU know what's important, Man!
Celebrity is just ok IMO. I'm not a huge fan. If I'm growing just a standard red tomato for canning, I'd much rather have a determinate. Much easier to trellis and we get a lot more tomatoes at one time.
@@LazyDogFarm I planted many newer hybrids this year. I had blight very bad last year. Giving them all more care this year. Doing the Complete Disease Control, 8-5-5, Alaska 5-1-1, and soon, 3-3-5 liquid. We’ll rate them by the end of the year. I have no problem canning/freezing the lesser ones. And I take some pride in just using (and can afford) OMRI organic products ($$). The heritage indeterminates are the ones with flavor, but perhaps, more susceptible to problems. You have to get them to grow before worrying about how they taste.
Travis do you have a variety of a paste/Roma/plum type of tomato you recommend? I think I’m growing more those next year. My final numbers are in…. Best all around tomato- red snapper Best producing bullet proof indeterminate- big beef Best tasting- Mountain Rouge I will also grow next year bHN 589 Tachi Will drop next year even though there were good varieties Bella Rosa Mountain Merit Amish Paste
Yeah my grand Marshal's are about done here in the savannah area also. WOW did they produce good. I'm also saving seed for next year to try. I'm going to try and put in some of those red snapper that you always plant.😊
I will pull a few tomato plants early but most years I keep them until frost. There just isn’t time to swap in another crop if a tomato succumbs to disease in late August or September. Frost is anywhere from late September to mid October where I live. I have picked a few cherries but no full sized tomatoes have ripened yet.
We are just getting started here in Illinois. And yes I will be milking the tomatoes down to the first frost if I can 😂 I keep thinking about moving south but a short tomato season might be a deal breaker.
We get so many tomatoes at one time that we get tired of them eventually. Although I could see where having a few indeterminate plants that survive the summer would be nice for an occasional tomato sandwich.
I still think you should try Cosmonaut Volkov and Black Krim. Both were among the most productive heirloom type tomatoes I’ve grown and with great taste. If you fancy tomato gravy, Moskvich variety takes the cake.
@@shirleyk623 I don’t remember having any more than normal. I made notes on some other varieties that were delicate skinned and prone to cracking. My concern with tomatoes that are crack resistant is they have tough skins. I don’t care to have chewy tomato skins. I eat fresh much more than processed tomatoes so the skin matters. If canning/blanching tomatoes is part of your process, it’s irrelevant. My $0.02.
I put my tomatoes in the ground way to late this year. Thankfully in SWFL we grow the best tomatoes in the fall. Starting seeds in the next few weeks. If history is any indicator, since we got a really bad hurricane last year, we're ok this year. Hopefully i didn't just jinx us 😂
Still waiting on a single red tomato here in PA i got bink brandywine and pruden purple this year. I'm very excited but the darn wait is killing me. 1 is pink should be ready here in a day or two!
The Jolene tomato, which replaces the Grand Marshal is a really good tomato. They are doing better than any tomato variety i am gowing big time. Is the flavor as good as some of the heirloom varieties no, but for a reliable canning tomato, the Joline is a winner.😮
Travis, my lemonboy (hybrid) were exceptional this year. Planted in late March, three plants yielded almost 60 fruit. A lot were over 12 oz. My Mortgage Lifters did OK, and the Black Krim were fair, but mostly small. But the bees & I may have cross bred a ML and BK. I've got one 14 oz fruit that looks exactly like a ML, but is the exact color of the BK. I've heard you mention 6 generations to cross breed a a new variety. If you can impart any wisdom on this subject, or refer me to a website I'd greatly appreciate it.
Not 6 generations to cross breed a variety, but 6 generations to stabilize a cross or achieve any local acclimation within a variety. That's just an estimate. The genetics of it all can get quite complicated.
What about plum/salsa tomatoes. I feel like they don’t get enough love. I grew Tachi, Shelby, and early resilience. Shelby will prob be my go to going forward.
@@francostacy7675 it preformed really well. It seemed to me just a little better than a roma tomato plant all around. Early resilience lived true to its name with smaller plum tomatoes early in the season but flavor was a bit watery to me. The Shelby was my favorite, the plant is slender and medium height great for tight spaces. Flavor was the best of the three. Production was very uniform and all ripened together on a raceme. If flavor is your thing nothing compares to a San Marzano type, it might have to do with its lower water in the fruit.
Instead of growing all those disease prone heirlooms you should try Big Beef hybrid. It has everything you could want in a tomato--highly disease resistant, large size, great shape, no cracking, very prolific and tastes great. 1994 AAS winner.
In a blind taste test I can’t tell the difference most of the time between an heirloom and a good hybrid variety. Taste is also impacted by your bias and your eyes….I have found heirlooms more fragile and less productive and they usually take up more space with less production. Travis some years ago that seemed to be your opinion as well. Do you still hold that opinion and if not, tell me the one heirloom variety that would most likely change my mind Thanks ….have you ever thought about doing a blind taste test amongst family and friends and don’t tell them anything other than picking by taste only….blind taste test. Have tomato enthusiast but also have people without gardens that just enjoy a good summer tomato and subject them all to a blind tastes My prediction is assuming the tomatoes got their last watering at the same time is… Tomato enthusiast will pick the taste they are most familiar with but the average country guy and gal that just loves summer tomatoes can’t tell the difference
Yes, that is still my opinion. We grow the heirlooms for fun, but the determinates are our go-to producers that we can count on every single year. I could probably taste a difference in a blind taste test, but I'm not sure the average person could.
What are some yellow determinate tomatoes I can’t find any but I would like to know some cause I’m like you the indeterminate just don’t well for me! So if you could share varieties you know I’d really appreciate that!
Nice looking tomatoes and they have good size to them. I heard the Chickens screaming out at the conclusion of the video, how are they doing? Hope your getting many eggs😅
Unless they are keeper tomatoes. Had 5 bags that lasted until March of the following year, kept in paper bags, some by the window in the kitchen and dining room. We ate every one as they slowly ripened a few at a time. So sorry to have not saved the seeds on those. I don't forget to do that anymore!
Yiu about done n I’m not zcited to see green tomatoes on my plants. I planted too many in containers so I’m plucking leaves n watering and fertilizing like crazy. Live n learn. No room 😢😢😢
I didn't care black beauty because it has a black liquorice flavor. Plus as you said takes forever. Still no for my gardens. Travis next season dabble with dwarf tomato project seeds. They are awesome
![My MOST PRODUCTIVE TOMATO Varieties! [And 4 Varieties To Avoid]](/img/n.gif)
Just 3 tips for growing your heirlooms next year:
1). In hot climates it's better to grow more than one stem (even two stems are better), because it helps the plant keep itself cooler;
2) Straw mulch (or any mulch) is your friend - if you leave the soil uncovered the surface temperature can get VERY hot in the sun;
3) 40% shade net whenever the temperatures go above 85 degrees will help to prevent heat stress.
Amateur here--I refuse to use shade cloth and my maters do fine up to around 110F, even hotter, no they don't *set* new fruit at that temp but they grow and ripen as long as watered daily, look fine. Dryer air however and spells of 90's mixed in.
Definitely believer in mulch, this yr got a load of wood chips with ample layers of long pine needles good for garden mulch, wood chips I use around all permanent plants where cultivation is minimal, prior layers a few yrs old in need of replenishment, just pull back chips to plant melons, winter squash, etc., around immature smaller trees with plenty of sun between where automatic watering already set up.
Water bill has fallen significantly this yr despite ever increasing trees, vines and blueberries, chips crucial for that but also maturing permanent plants and a wet winter.
I'm a little off-topic as usual. I have a tomato tip to prevent Blue Jays from stabbing your tomatoes: have a birdbath near your tomatoes. They do it because they're thirsty not out of gleeful malice, as it appears.
Lol..i have about six..if the birds dont get em seems the squirrels or raccoon or something else does
..i even FEED THEM SEEDS...it really has cut down but i still got get them before red....but this year i had the best and largest amount in my almost 80 years..AND MY BEST FALL...i swear IM GONNA BE CALLED.HOME SOON...
My sister throws away MOST of the tomato to get two "perfect" center slices for a sandwich. So she will never waste another one I grow. She doesn`t care though...because she thinks REAL tomatoes grown at home "taste funny...different...odd." She refuses to use my green onions because they`re "too big." Her son loves bell peppers...but was afraid/disgusted by the ones I grew and threw them away because "bugs" might be on them. Same with fruit trees...they "attract bugs" and have "smells" so he can`t risk planting one and besides...the fruits are inedible because bugs may have touched them. CAN`T RISK THAT! My Yankee cousins would eat anything from the stores or cans...but refused to eat ANYTHING from our farm because....it "came from the dirt." This is our ridiculous situation in the Good Ol USA!
So sorry.
Some people missed their woop ass when they were young.
Some people missed their woop ass when they were young.
Not all of us Yanks feel that way: I start my own from seed, pluck them off , wipe on my shirt and eat. I’ve convinced my neighbors that anything from the dirt is far better bugs and all!
Gmo ONLY diet gov approved
I picked a 1 pound 12 ounce ox heart tomato today:)
I grew Dixie Red (87 day maturity) last year and it did well. I needed something that matures a bit faster, so I'm growing Red Snapper (75 day maturity) this year. Thanks for showing me Roadster (65 day maturity). I'll have to try that one next year.
I always enjoy your tomato wrap up and taste testing videos. You grow a lot of different varieties which gives us, the viewer, insights into varieties we haven't tried. 👍
This is my first year at growing Dixie red tomatoes and they have showed up and showed out. I’m definitely going to grow again next year
Me Too...
I grew a ton of San marzano this year with the hopes of making some pasta sauce, and also some canned tomatoes for something else. I would love to see a video of how you all make pasta sauce.
I did too, but in zone 7b, I had alot of bottom rot. Still plant are really good producers. but not sure 7b is best for that variety
Same here in 6b
I tried Defiant PhR from Johnny's this year as a new determinate type. I was not really pleased with it. The plants get huge. The one that I pruned I have got a couple of tomatoes off and they taste good. The one that I caged and didn't prune just looks like a giant bush with only a couple of tomatoes at the very bottom. The third one ended up being a runt that I had to cut out. I got more off my better boy this year (which is saying a lot because it is one that I grow more for the taste and not for the production). I am hoping it might just be a very late season as I am starting to see more blooms now, but I am still not seeing much fruit. On the other hand, I have enough supersweet 100 and toronjina to fill a you-pick basket every other day --- so I have enough. This was my first year with the toronjina and not planting sun gold --- they produce way more and don't split as often which is really nice!
Bella Rosa, Bushsteak, Rubee Dawn and Estiva have done the best. Red Snapper was planted late , so we’ll have to plant them again and see how they do. The Sakata varieties stay firm even when ripe. Might try Dixie Red next year and see if it sets fruit in the AZ summer heat but don’t expect to grow big tomatoes out here. Good information as always. Thanks!
I live in the Phoenix area and my Amish did pretty well this year. We germinate our seeds in January and keep them under a grow light until the beginning of March. Once moved outside, ours are covered with insect netting (mostly for the Finches) with a heavier shade cloth on top. Between the Amish, Early Girl and Big Boy (about 16 plants) we had enough for ourselves and a couple of neighbors. I will look into the varieties you listed for next year.
@@random2829 I might give Amish Paste a try. Did you have any issues with BER? Seems like you could plant earlier in the Phoenix area and get a jump on the heat. Our last frost date is at the end of April, so are window for fruit set is pretty small. Hopefully, now that the monsoon is here bring cooler afternoon and evening temperatures, some of the inter-determinate plants will set fruit. Next year I’m probably going to stick with determinate plants, except for maybe a couple cherry types for salads. Good luck with your garden!
@@archstanton9703 We used to have major issues with BER, but now we apply Gypsum dust around the plants once every two weeks (about a half-cup per plant) - along with finely crushed egg shells from our normal meals - and plant the seedlings with a fair amount of Gypsum dust at the bottom (about a cup). We also spray Miracle Grow every two weeks.
We could plant earlier than we do - but we have had a number of years where we would get a late frost or freeze near March so now we target the first week of March for our planting. And I agree with Determinates! That is all we planted this year and began harvesting in late May all the way until the second week of July. We tried Indeterminates in the past and they simply could not produce anything past July.
We had VERY good results with the Red Pear and Blondkopfchen cherry tomatoes (from the Thresh Seed Company) this year - way more than we could eat. 😀
@@random2829 I appreciate you sharing the gypsum tip and cherry varieties. I’ve tried bone meal and garden lime for BER, but it seems some varieties of tomatoes are more affected than others. The didn’t use MG this year but Fox Farms Grow Big and Tiger Bloom, which I think worked better. I’ve grown Black Cherry, Prescott Cherry, Eagle Smiley, Mochi, Sun Sugar, Sun Gold, Torongina, Yellow Pear, and some no-name red cherry and am not impressed with the taste of any. I might not grow any next year because of all the space the take up. I’m going to grow more compact plants next year. I’ve also grown several dwarf varieties that are pretty good eating, but they aren’t very prolific and disease resistant. Next year I’m growing fewer plants and won’t be growing as many varieties. Thanks for sharing and have a good afternoon!
Saw several candidates on your plants for a batch or 2 of fried green tomatoes! Grandkids love them, especially with ranch dressing for dipping
My favorite new tomato this year is the Arkansas Traveler. I love the color and everyone of my ripe tomatoes were completely round with no blemishes.
I'm growing them for the first time this year also and I've been super impressed by their resistance to the heat and humidity of central SC. While my heirloom varieties are limping to the finish line, these AT's are mostly blemish free and still putting on blossoms.
Next year I'm probably just going to quit bothering with heirlooms altogether and try some other heat and humidity resistant varieties.
Me and my family use to pick tomatoes at Buddy Snipes Farm right down the road from you in Sale City.
The tomato you call Chocolate Stripey is unique. I have grown what I think you mean, Chocolate Stripes, and it is quite a bit darker with beautiful stripes green to mahogany dark when ripe. I mean, it's easy to tell that what you have is not it, but Stripes taste great.
Oh, and thank you for slicing, showing, and eating on the show. I don't want to deemphasize the things you do well by showing.
I so can't wait till the watermelon is ripe with demos with the kids! God's nectar from above.
All that from a seed and dirt!!!
You always inspire me! I am also zone 8B across Georgia S W. When will you plant English peas again?
I usually don't try and plant those until the temperatures start to break a little in September.
save some for sandwiches and making okra & tomatoes! good plan. hope that's fried okra w/ tomatoes and maybe a little mayo on top.
I have lots of tomatoes on the plants, but they're all still green! I can't wait for a BLT!
Fred's tie dye a dwarf tomato is awesome
Great tomato summary! This year I grew four plants of Red Snapper and Roadster (based on your recommendations) and both were super performers. I also had great performance from Toronjina and Mountain Vineyard (red grape) this year and will grow both again next year. Tachi performed well, but something kept stinging the tomatoes regardless of how much I sprayed. I think I will grow Shelby next year. Lemon Boy also did not perform well as disease was an issue. I look forward on your recommendations on yellow tomatoes. Turkey Creek and Dixie Red sound like good candidates for the garden next year. Keep up the good work...
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ENCOURAGING ME TO PULL MY TOMATOES..I ALWAYS THOUGHT I SHOULD...BUT THIS YEAR IM DOING A FALL CROP
Travis, have u tried Phoenix? I'm in Texas and its been an amazing produucer of big beautiful tomatoes and even in our 100° temps , its still setting fruits
Have not tried that one, but thanks for the suggestion!
Got a 1 lb 6 oz Red Snapper tomato off today
Here in low inland N. Commifornia I expect mater season to last until November ish. Currently overwhelmed with them, hope to have just enough for my fresh use to end of yr.
Love the idea of acclimating your own strains, I sort of haphazardly do similar just by taking advantage of repeat volunteers.
Your timing is good. My tomatoes are forming. All green yet. I have 15 varieties in. Just ordered some AgroThrive 3-3-5 to give it a boost with Alaska 5-1-1. To get at 4-2-3 at half strength. - Just my guess.
Please do a bread and Duke’s mayo taste test. Yes! Duke’s is the way to go for tomato sandwiches.
Look forward to your watermelons.
There should be many, many, thanks coming on your recommendations.
What's the best tomato variety that you grew this year? Let us know!
SHOP LAZY DOG FARM FIG TREES: lazydogfarm.com
0:00 Intro
0:44 Our Biggest Tomato Harvest of the Year!
3:08 The Easiest Tomatoes to Grow
4:57 Are These Black Beauty Tomatoes Any Good?
8:29 Why Are We Saving Seeds from This Variety?
10:19 Dixie Red Tomatoes in Raised Beds
Wow Travis, those two are beauties. I'm on the TN/GA border and my determinates have done their job, the slicing indeterminates are barely hanging in there but the cherry/grape tomatoes seem to be loving it. I can't keep up harvesting them.
Hi there Travis! I am growing the Black Beauty and looking every day for the green part to get red. Thank you for sharing what the ripe one looks like!!!! Have you ever tried Red Deuce? I haven't had one to test yet, but the plants are loaded and they are the same size as the dixie red. Thanks for the video and hope the family is doing well.
Haven't tried Red Deuce, but I've heard good things about it.
Most of my Red Snapper were softball size and bigger! Great harvest! Planning on Dixie Red next year.
I’m impressed! This late in the season my tomatoes were riddled with pinworms before I pulled them out. They were pretty beat up. Next round is in my containers (pots).😅
I might grow several indeterminate heirloom tomatoes next year good for fresh eating, Lord willing, but I'm planting more hybrid determinates for canning. I'm done with the paste tomatoes altogether, I can make pasta sauce with the big fat tomatoes and not have such a long season of ripening, I'm sick of them and am ready to pull them out. The hybrid tomatoes are almost done and I won't be looking at a counter full of tomatoes.
Thank you for the info on when to harvest the Black Beauty tomato. I received one plant from a plant swap and it's been fun watching it change color. I'm still waiting for the bottom to turn red. I only grow heirloom varieties because I love saving the seeds. My favorite tomato to grow has been a striped roma tomato. We are on our 5th year of growing them and they do great in our 6b area.
Too Bad your not my neighbor..my jam is seed starting.. i dont like planting growing them on but am so thrilled to share with neighbors ..do t mind watering either..i never remember to fertlizer tho..i dont know why..i even got a.calendar to help remind me....life is hard when your pushing 80
Saving seeds will build your garden...I save my first ripe tomato ..i save my biggest tomato and i save my overall best looking tomato and thats my seed for next year
Hey, you’ll win a lot of universal gardening hearts over by talking tomatoes. I’ve been throughout the country, and tomatoes are always the prized cherished crop. Canned tomatoes are pretty good in the store. The fresh ones in the stores are $hit. $.H. I T.
Seed pockets/voids are a negative. Meaty is good.
FLAVOR is important
Ability to grow well is important.
Oh, Lazy Dog, give us your thoughts. You seem to think Celebrity toms are OK. YOU know what's important, Man!
Celebrity is just ok IMO. I'm not a huge fan. If I'm growing just a standard red tomato for canning, I'd much rather have a determinate. Much easier to trellis and we get a lot more tomatoes at one time.
@@LazyDogFarm I planted many newer hybrids this year. I had blight very bad last year. Giving them all more care this year. Doing the Complete Disease Control, 8-5-5, Alaska 5-1-1, and soon, 3-3-5 liquid. We’ll rate them by the end of the year. I have no problem canning/freezing the lesser ones.
And I take some pride in just using (and can afford) OMRI organic products ($$).
The heritage indeterminates are the ones with flavor, but perhaps, more susceptible to problems. You have to get them to grow before worrying about how they taste.
Travis do you have a variety of a paste/Roma/plum type of tomato you recommend?
I think I’m growing more those next year.
My final numbers are in….
Best all around tomato- red snapper
Best producing bullet proof indeterminate- big beef
Best tasting- Mountain Rouge
I will also grow next year
bHN 589
Tachi
Will drop next year even though there were good varieties
Bella Rosa
Mountain Merit
Amish Paste
I haven't grown any Roma types in the last few years. Last one I grew was Tachi, which is an outstanding producer.
Have you ever tried a Cherokee Purple tomato before? They are my personal favorite heirloom variety to grow.
I have. They don't do that well for me down here. Growing Cherokee Carbon (a hybrid version) this year to see if they fare better.
great vid! on a side note If I were you I would put up a little shade for your giant pumpkins, at least your best ones, sun scald will slow growth.
Yeah my grand Marshal's are about done here in the savannah area also. WOW did they produce good. I'm also saving seed for next year to try. I'm going to try and put in some of those red snapper that you always plant.😊
I will pull a few tomato plants early but most years I keep them until frost. There just isn’t time to swap in another crop if a tomato succumbs to disease in late August or September. Frost is anywhere from late September to mid October where I live. I have picked a few cherries but no full sized tomatoes have ripened yet.
Thanks for the quick response!
We are just getting started here in Illinois. And yes I will be milking the tomatoes down to the first frost if I can 😂 I keep thinking about moving south but a short tomato season might be a deal breaker.
We get so many tomatoes at one time that we get tired of them eventually. Although I could see where having a few indeterminate plants that survive the summer would be nice for an occasional tomato sandwich.
I'm growing Determinate Laguna Red and Thunderbird and both have done great like your variety, I'm in Centra Alabama zone 7b
Haven't tried Laguna Red, but grew Thunderbird last year. It didn't seem to care for our disease pressure down here.
@@LazyDogFarm There’s so many to choose from, I also love heirloom tomatoes, Dr Witche is one of my favorites
I still think you should try Cosmonaut Volkov and Black Krim. Both were among the most productive heirloom type tomatoes I’ve grown and with great taste. If you fancy tomato gravy, Moskvich variety takes the cake.
@Farmd427. My Black Krim cracked very easily. Did you have that same problem? It wasn't even from the rain.
@@shirleyk623 I don’t remember having any more than normal. I made notes on some other varieties that were delicate skinned and prone to cracking. My concern with tomatoes that are crack resistant is they have tough skins. I don’t care to have chewy tomato skins. I eat fresh much more than processed tomatoes so the skin matters. If canning/blanching tomatoes is part of your process, it’s irrelevant. My $0.02.
I put my tomatoes in the ground way to late this year. Thankfully in SWFL we grow the best tomatoes in the fall. Starting seeds in the next few weeks. If history is any indicator, since we got a really bad hurricane last year, we're ok this year. Hopefully i didn't just jinx us 😂
I'm excited to get my turkey Creek tomatoes. Glad you gave it great review.❤❤
Travis, I'm working on my 2024 spring seed order. Will you have Turkey Creek seeds available this year?
If I do it will be only a few.
Still waiting on a single red tomato here in PA i got bink brandywine and pruden purple this year. I'm very excited but the darn wait is killing me. 1 is pink should be ready here in a day or two!
Same..Hbg area. Not a red one yet
@@lynnegarry3724 give em time. Mine are just starting and I have a feeling I'm about to be overwhelmed with them. At least... that's my hope.
Tol'ya should've 'planted' mater cages deeper! 😀
The Jolene tomato, which replaces the Grand Marshal is a really good tomato. They are doing better than any tomato variety i am gowing big time. Is the flavor as good as some of the heirloom varieties no, but for a reliable canning tomato, the Joline is a winner.😮
Great video love the chicken mobile home 👍
Make sweet green tomato relish with the remaining green ones after u pull stalks
My Amish did well this year.
Some of my indeterminate heirlooms don't pollinate well in temps over 90. My Old German bicolor tomato is especially sensitive to high temps.
Fun video
Try the Lemon Boy ❤ I grow that one with great success here in hot, humid South Carolina. And, it’s delicious! 😋
Awesome.
Travis are you going to try the lemon boy tomato next year ? I think I might. Thanks
I grew it a couple years ago and liked it, but I think I've found a couple other orange/yellow determinants that I'd like to try.
Travis, my lemonboy (hybrid) were exceptional this year. Planted in late March, three plants yielded almost 60 fruit. A lot were over 12 oz. My Mortgage Lifters did OK, and the Black Krim were fair, but mostly small. But the bees & I may have cross bred a ML and BK. I've got one 14 oz fruit that looks exactly like a ML, but is the exact color of the BK. I've heard you mention 6 generations to cross breed a a new variety. If you can impart any wisdom on this subject, or refer me to a website I'd greatly appreciate it.
Not 6 generations to cross breed a variety, but 6 generations to stabilize a cross or achieve any local acclimation within a variety. That's just an estimate. The genetics of it all can get quite complicated.
What about plum/salsa tomatoes. I feel like they don’t get enough love. I grew Tachi, Shelby, and early resilience. Shelby will prob be my go to going forward.
I like them, but we make sauce with the larger tomatoes so I don't find the need to grow the smaller ones anymore.
How did Tachi do for you?….compared to the others you grew
@@francostacy7675 it preformed really well. It seemed to me just a little better than a roma tomato plant all around. Early resilience lived true to its name with smaller plum tomatoes early in the season but flavor was a bit watery to me. The Shelby was my favorite, the plant is slender and medium height great for tight spaces. Flavor was the best of the three. Production was very uniform and all ripened together on a raceme. If flavor is your thing nothing compares to a San Marzano type, it might have to do with its lower water in the fruit.
Instead of growing all those disease prone heirlooms you should try Big Beef hybrid. It has everything you could want in a tomato--highly disease resistant, large size, great shape, no cracking, very prolific and tastes great. 1994 AAS winner.
And yes - that is definitely not Chocolate Stripes (one of my favourite tomatoes)... It's supposed to be a dark tomato with dark green stripes.
Let the tomato milking begin 😂
In a blind taste test I can’t tell the difference most of the time between an heirloom and a good hybrid variety. Taste is also impacted by your bias and your eyes….I have found heirlooms more fragile and less productive and they usually take up more space with less production.
Travis some years ago that seemed to be your opinion as well. Do you still hold that opinion and if not, tell me the one heirloom variety that would most likely change my mind
Thanks
….have you ever thought about doing a blind taste test amongst family and friends and don’t tell them anything other than picking by taste only….blind taste test. Have tomato enthusiast but also have people without gardens that just enjoy a good summer tomato and subject them all to a blind tastes
My prediction is assuming the tomatoes got their last watering at the same time is…
Tomato enthusiast will pick the taste they are most familiar with but the average country guy and gal that just loves summer tomatoes can’t tell the difference
Yes, that is still my opinion. We grow the heirlooms for fun, but the determinates are our go-to producers that we can count on every single year. I could probably taste a difference in a blind taste test, but I'm not sure the average person could.
Watched a couple times, whats the variety youre saving seeds from?
It's called "Turkey Creek." We got it from a guy in Kentucky who's been growing it for years.
What makes tomatoes start to rot when they're starting to turn we've had alot of rain here in Kentucky
What are some yellow determinate tomatoes I can’t find any but I would like to know some cause I’m like you the indeterminate just don’t well for me! So if you could share varieties you know I’d really appreciate that!
Here's one I've got my eye on for next year: www.harrisseeds.com/collections/determinate-slicer-tomato/products/13251-tomato-bendida-f1
@@LazyDogFarm if you find any more I’d like to see them to thank you very much for sharing!
Have you ever made green tomato relish
I have not made it, but I've had it and it's delicious!
will heirloom tomatoes cross pollinate?
They can, but it doesn't happen that much because tomatoes flowers are small and they're self-pollinating.
Those Dixie Reds looked an awful lot like the Hossinators I grew last year.
Id put one of those big tomatoes on a cheeseburger. : )
Nice looking tomatoes and they have good size to them.
I heard the Chickens screaming out at the conclusion of the video, how are they doing?
Hope your getting many eggs😅
Getting lots of eggs. They're doing very well and enjoying some nice garden scraps.
@@LazyDogFarm thanks for the update.
👍
Do you think you'll ever offer the Sarpo Mira potato starts in your store?
Probably not. Wood Prairie does a great job, so we'll just tell folks where they can get them.
What is that tomato that you want to save the seeds?
Take your green one out the. Paper bag or news paper wrap them put them in dark. In few days they will go red.
Unless they are keeper tomatoes. Had 5 bags that lasted until March of the following year, kept in paper bags, some by the window in the kitchen and dining room. We ate every one as they slowly ripened a few at a time. So sorry to have not saved the seeds on those. I don't forget to do that anymore!
We're do you buy your seeds
Several different places online. We get a lot of stuff from Harris Seeds and Johnny's Seeds.
Will you have seeds from the Turkey Creek tomato available for sale? If not, can you direct me to a grower that does sell the seed?
Yes, I hope to have more of those on the site early next year.
I'm puzzled. My determinates always seem to produce earlier than indeterminates. As well, my indeterminates produce much longer than the deteminates.
That's normal.
Yiu about done n I’m not zcited to see green tomatoes on my plants. I planted too many in containers so I’m plucking leaves n watering and fertilizing like crazy. Live n learn. No room 😢😢😢
U wouldn't have w few eating tomatoes longer in the summer or can you not stomach the thought of more eating tomatoes
We get tired of tomatoes usually by this point.
W hat is your favorite tomato
Probably Red Snapper just due to the plant vigor, fruit size, and production.
I didn't care black beauty because it has a black liquorice flavor. Plus as you said takes forever. Still no for my gardens.
Travis next season dabble with dwarf tomato project seeds. They are awesome