[tomato] Looking for Pefect Determinate?
Orchid (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Sat, 8 May 1999 21:12:28 -0400
Hi guys, I know you haven't heard from me in awhile. Well, one reason is
that I've been too busy picking my ripe tomatoes! I have thousands (I mean
it) sweet 100 cherry tomatoes! I think I planted too many plants. I've
been giving them away by the bucket full. I even have a few Big Boys I
planted with some really big ones. The Santa F1 grape tomatoes are just
beginning to ripen. The few I tasted taste better than the Sweet 100's.
Now for my question. I'm enjoying my sweet 100's, but I've really been
knocked out by the taste of my large tomatoes. Previously, when I lived in
a condo and had a small veg garden, I never had luck with the larger
tomatoes...bad luck with worms and the heat. My cherry tomatoes were always
fine. When I moved to my house, I assumed that I would have the same bad
luck with the large tomatoes. Not so, and now I'm sorry I didn't plant more
of them..and less sweet 100's. But the area on the side of my house where
I do most of my vegetable planting looks like a jungle! You practically
need a machete to get the tomatoes in the back. I also feel sorry for my
neighbor who's kitchen breakfast window faces this mess. Having a little
more experience now, the next time I plant, I will do things a little
differently. I will plant less and space them further apart. I also will
use plastic mulch.
Sorry, now for the question. I would like to plant a tomato that preferably
is determinate, won't grow over 4-5 feet, and grows large beef steak size
fruit with great taste. Am I asking for too much? I want a determinate
tomato so my garden doesn't look like the Jungle it now resembles. I don't
want to give up on taste, and I want the tomato to be large enough so I can
sink my teeth into it. I want to concentrate on quality, not quantity. Of
course this tomato has to grow in South Florida. This is for next year,
(probably) so I will start it in the cooler part of the year for Florida.
ANY SUGGESTIONS? I would really appreciate your help.
Peter White, South Florida, Zone 10