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Post by here to stay on Jul 2, 2015 13:59:05 GMT
I live in a wonderful place that is certain death to tomato plants. I thought it was difficult growing tomatoes when I lived closer to the bay and temperatures never got above 65 degrees. The marine layer of course. But here I am high enough to be in the marine layer. I have the old problem of low temperatures but the even worse problem of days in the fog.
Just about the time it has warmed enough to get a fruit set, along comes every kind of blight known to man and tomato because of the constant damp.
my old go to's of various cherry and small fruiting types have not worked out.
Can anyone recommend a tomato of any size, color or habit to set fruit in cooler temperatures, survive a few weeks of 80-90 degrees yet not succumb to damp fostered blights?
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Post by vickilynn on Jul 2, 2015 14:43:05 GMT
Have you used any disease-controlling sprays such as Serenade? There are other home remedy-type sprays too, baking soda is one I think. You can do an internet search for those. They tell what foliar diseases they control on tomatoes.
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Post by seaeagle on Jul 2, 2015 15:17:45 GMT
You might want to look at this link www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Growing-tomatoes-in-Bay-Area-4395438.php Chronicle Golden Gate Gardener columnist Pam Peirce is an expert on the challenges and particulars of fog-influenced microclimates. Her book "Golden Gate Gardening: The Complete Guide to Year-Round Food Gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area and Coastal California" (Sasquach; 2010) is in its third edition and includes planting calendars for inland as well as coastal microclimates. Peirce's home garden is too cool and shady for tomatoes, so she grows her plants in a community garden in a sunnier part of San Francisco and at several other sites across the city. For six years, she has conducted formal tomato trials, looking for varieties with good resistance to late-blight, a virulent disease that causes sudden death in plants. Proven winners: If you don't have tomato late blight, then 'Early Girl' and 'Stupice' are still winners. If you do have blight, count on 'Defiant,' 'Juliet' or 'Mountain Magic' to see you through. Hope it helps |
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Post by paquebot on Jul 2, 2015 16:47:36 GMT
Interesting that I have about 10 of the varieties mentioned in the SF article. I don't think that I would include Brandywine in that group and would wonder why Brad Gates would be growing it. All of his other ones are good ones for hot days and cool nights but I don't think that that includes fog.
If you have wind problems, create a barrier to slow or stop the winds. If cool temperature problems, use black plastic to warm the soil. If you have wet problems, use Serenade or a similar fungicide as soon as the plants are a foot or so high on a weekly schedule. Best that I can say since I don't have to deal with them as a major concern.
Martin
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Post by Skandi on Jul 2, 2015 19:59:44 GMT
Ah cold and damp are you sure you're not my neighbour! Unfortunatly I can't give you specific varieties as they're all different here, but I have had great sucess with a medium sized cherry that I saved seeds from here. and also a beefsteak, although that didn't ripen in our climate, it did make wonderful fried green tomato.
To avoid the blight I strip the leaves off, as the trusses set, remove the leaves below them, to keep the airflow moving round them, I also plant up against a black fence to help with warmth, and grow in pots/growbags. we do get a few weeks at 80 but not every year, most times it's around 60-70 closer to 60 than 70 and humidity sits around 80% (it was actually dry today and only 53%! wows!)
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Post by here to stay on Jul 2, 2015 20:14:07 GMT
Ah cold and damp are you sure you're not my neighbour! Unfortunatly I can't give you specific varieties as they're all different here, but I have had great sucess with a medium sized cherry that I saved seeds from here. and also a beefsteak, although that didn't ripen in our climate, it did make wonderful fried green tomato. To avoid the blight I strip the leaves off, as the trusses set, remove the leaves below them, to keep the airflow moving round them, I also plant up against a black fence to help with warmth, and grow in pots/growbags. we do get a few weeks at 80 but not every year, most times it's around 60-70 closer to 60 than 70 and humidity sits around 80% (it was actually dry today and only 53%! wows!) That stripping leaves off thing might help. Last year I managed to get lots of set but just as the first one ripened, it turned black overnight. I swear it was overnight. I have tried Serenade but either missed timed it or it didn't help. That list of tomatoes of seaeagle's lead me to a site on blight resistant tomatoes. So the every optimistic gardener in me will order some for next year. I expect our drought to break this winter and it will be even wetter next year. |
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Post by paquebot on Jul 2, 2015 21:17:30 GMT
Ah cold and damp are you sure you're not my neighbour! Unfortunatly I can't give you specific varieties as they're all different here, but I have had great sucess with a medium sized cherry that I saved seeds from here. and also a beefsteak, although that didn't ripen in our climate, it did make wonderful fried green tomato. Off thread topic a bit but have you ever grown Danish Export or Selandia? Both developed in Denmark. First has been around for 100+ years and is a very prolific canner. The second dates from the 1930s and a good slicer. They loved it here and should do well in your part of their homeland. Martin |
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Post by Skandi on Jul 2, 2015 22:35:24 GMT
Ah cold and damp are you sure you're not my neighbour! Unfortunatly I can't give you specific varieties as they're all different here, but I have had great sucess with a medium sized cherry that I saved seeds from here. and also a beefsteak, although that didn't ripen in our climate, it did make wonderful fried green tomato. Off thread topic a bit but have you ever grown Danish Export or Selandia? Both developed in Denmark. First has been around for 100+ years and is a very prolific canner. The second dates from the 1930s and a good slicer. They loved it here and should do well in your part of their homeland. Martin No, but only had a greenhouse this year (getting another as well!) grew three types outside last year but only the cherries made it to ripe. Next year I may try outdoors again, we'll see how it goes with time and cleared land. Now.. back to topic! |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2015 22:57:15 GMT
Oregon Spring....James
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