[tomato] Fwd: Re: Heirloom tomato

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Hi Jan,

>> At 10:23 PM 7/11/99 -0400, you wrote:
>> >Does anyone know which of the non-hybrid (or heirloom) tomatoes
>> >do well in the winter greenhouse?
>> >
>> >A member of HGA has sent this inquiry to the HGA Publications
>> >Office. Would appreciate any help the listserv can offer.
>> >
>> >Jan Hale, HGA
>> >


I contacted Carolyn male and got the following in response to the question
of heirloom tomatoes in greenhouses.

>> The question about heirlooms and greenhouses or tomatoes in general and 
greenhouses is complex. Need to know what months the person will be growing
in a greenhouse. Regular greenhouse or doing hydroponics? heated or not,
which goes along with months to be grown in. High intensity lights or not?

The varieties hydroponic growers use are special and most folks don't have 
all that good luck with non-hydroponic growing if using the greenhouse
heated 
during the winter. My friend Sahin in Holland grows all sorts of heirlooms
in 
a heated greenhouse so I know it can be done, but these are the type of 
greenhouses where plants are put in the ground and trellised way up high. I

doubt most folks can trellis like that in a home greenhouse. That leaves
them 
with determinate varieties to grow and there simply aren't that many good 
determinate varieties or even semi-determinates.

Once you ascertain answers to the growing conditions you might suggest 
heirloom determinate varietes. If you need names I can provide. But in our 
hemisphere the light intensity just won't allow for good growing in the 
winter. Tomatoes must have high light intensity. Those high intensity bulbs

are great but horribly expensive.

Carolyn<<

I know this isn't very promising but there don't seem to be many simple
solutions.  This seems to be a situation where you have to "go big or stay
at home!"  I agree with Carolyn about there being few, if any, really good
determinate varieties. If a variety isn't all that great to start with it's
probably going to lose quality under glass.  There is a dwarf variety, "Red
Robin," that would probably do well but it certainly is not a viable
commercial one.  The flavor is outstanding when grown under glass but the
production isn't all that great.

Chuck Wyatt

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