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Ken Cameron -- USDA Zone 6
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 Apr-14-03, 05:15 AM (EST)
 
"Determinate Tomatoes Again"
 
   Hi again, I've asked this question before and I didn't get the answer I was looking for. I'm talking about determinate tomatoes. I've never grown them before and I need to know about how many days after the first tomatoes turn red, they'll keep on producing? I realize that each different named tomato plant will have a different growing time, but give me a ball park figure. Is it a week or two or three or more? The reason I'd like to know is that I'd like to replace them if their going to die off so I can continue to have tomatoes up until frost. I'm trying five different kinds this year, to see which grows the best in my area. Sieltz, Daybreak, Red Rocket, Spitfire and Patio. Next year I'll cut back and grow the ones that grew the best and had the best taste. Next Question. Should I have hardened off the tomatoes I just planted in Kozy-Coats, or just put them in the ground and let them grow? I put two Sieltz and one Park's Whopper in six inch pots and waterer them with warm water an then dug a hole the size of the pots and put them under Kozy-Coats Saturday the 12 th. of April. They looked strong and green when I put them in the ground and now they look very pale and the leaves are turned in a little. It looks like I should have asked this question before I planted them. Also I put the Kozy-Coats out a week before planting so hopefully they would warm up the soil so it wouldn't be such a shock to the plants. As you can see, I need some help in this area. I thank you in advance for any help you can give me. Ken Cameron at bassing@peoplepc.com P.S. Have agreat growing season and may all your problems be small.


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Diane Franklin -- USDA Zone 5
Member since Feb-3-02
295 posts		 Apr-14-03, 03:57 PM (EST)
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1. "RE: Determinate Tomatoes Again"
In response to message #0
 
   Hi Ken,
You can figure about 4 weeks of production with determinates. Definitely grow indeterminates also, to cover the whole season. I am not familiar with most of the cultivars you mentioned except Parks Whopper which is an indeterminate and will grow up to 8 feet tall. They are one of our favorites. Can’t find a better tasting large tomato around. If they are kept in the 6-inch pots (any of them but especially indeterminates) they will not have enough root space and won’t grow properly. A 5-gallon bucket would be minimum space in a confined area. Tomato roots can grow 7 feet across and 4 feet down if given enough room. The stronger the root system the stronger the plant and they will produce more and larger fruit.

Hardening them off first is always a good idea. We harden ours off then plant them very deep; sometimes past their first set of leaves, depending on how big they are. Sometimes the leaves will turn off color on you at first, especially when nights are cold. They should recover.

It was good to warm the soil first.

Take good notes on your procedures this year so you can improve them next year.

Hope this helps,
Diane


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