Tomato variety recommendation

[bethney]

hi everyone I am new here. we just got our garden tilled and planted seeds and they are lettuce and carrots and radishes for now. we are looking for some really good tomato plants as of the last 3 years the ones we got at walmart and lowes didnt produce. looking for some big boy or at least a good producer any tips?,lol. thanks.

[Newt]

Hi Bethney,

It's difficult to say why your tomatoes haven't produced over the last 3 years, but some ideas that come to mind would be:
1. not enough sun
2. poor soil
3. too much fertilizer (especially if it was synthetic) that caused leaf production instead of flower production
4. plants were already stressed when purchased due to lack of water and/or in starter pots too long and rootbound and/or leggy
5. heat stressed from high temps over 90*F when most toms stop flowering and producing. If it helps any, 2008 was one of the worst years for growing toms for most folks.

Tomato plants are one veggie (actually a fruit) that can be planted deeper then they were in the pot, so you might want to do that when you transplant them. They will grow roots along the stem and make for stronger plants. Soil that is rich in organic matter, such as compost, will help them along.

As to recommendations, you don't say if you would like to grow heirlooms. Many of these have more taste then the hybrids like 'Big Boy'. Of the cherry types, 'Sweet Million' is a great producer.

Newt

[bethney]

thank you very much on the advice on tomatoes, were gona see if we can get the sweet million around here. if not we may order some seeds for next years planting . we have moved our garden this year where it gets lots of good ole sunshine and have been working the ground to get a good soil going. crossing fingers we all have a banner year this year on all our gardens, cant wait to taste a homegrown tomato!!

[Newt]

Bethney, you are so very welcome! Hopefully others will reply with recommendations of good producers too.

Newt

[bethney]

any and all advice is very welcomed!!

[johnnieutah]

Hi, I am new here, too. I plan on attempting to grow several tomato varieties here in NW Washington state, where summers are a bit cool. I just moved from Utah last summer, so do not know for sure how the tomatoes will do here because of the drastic change in climate, but these are the 7 tomato seed types left over from last year that I will try. Most are short to mid season meant for cooler climates so they should do well here. I plan on starting in pots Mid March and planting out in Mid May. I might even try others as tomato plants are available at the farmers market here in town that starts up again in April.

Cherokee Purple

Paul Robeson

Improved Gurney Girl II (VFNT) not a heirloom, but said to be very disease resistant and early

Black Cherry

Aunt Ruby's German Green

Aunt Ruby's German Green Cherry (supposedly a mutation, not stabilized yet. Some fruits may still be red)

Ponderosa (free seeds I got, these are late season, about 86 days, so not sure if they will make it here)

[bethney]

welcome . sounds like you have a lot to get started. I still havent got mine in the ground yet as we had a frost last week. hopeing it was our last here in the south. good luck on your tomatoes and let me know how things go!!

[Newt]

Hi Johnnieutah,

Most counties in Washington have a website for their local extension service. You can look here to see what your county has to offer. They might list which tomatoes are the best to grow in your area.
http://ext.wsu.edu/locations/

Newt

[Newt]

Bethney, you might want to look around your local extension service too.
http://www.aces.edu/

Newt