Tomato plants

[DonnaMarieNJ]

I'm wondering if anyone can point me to a good eating tomato to grow in New Jersey. Plant or seed, whichever, and where to purchase. I am in the northern section of NJ and am looking to eat the tomato in sandwiches, not cook with it. Am I too late to plant seeds? Plochs in Clifton has a nice selection, but I do not know what to get. There were so many varieties to choose from and I do not know the difference between an heirloom (of any variety) and any other tomato. I cannot seem to find that one tomato that tastes as good as my mom purchased when I was a child (MANY years ago). Will I ever find that good a tomato again? Back then, I lived on simple tomato sandwiches growing up: white bread (THE ONLY TIME I EAT WHITE BREAD), mayo and salt. To me it just couldn't get better than that. <sigh>

[WHT]

I did well in Montclair with the Burpee Beefsteak line. Too late for seeds but you should be able to find the plants at a garden center.

[Rebecca263]

Hi! I'm new to the North East myself, we bought Beefsteak plants 2 weeks ago and I also planted my own (from last year's Florida garden) plum tomato seeds then as well. The plants are all thriving in my tiny townhouse backyard, and the beefsteaks have begun climbing. I got them at a garden center, and this morning I saw lots of different kinds of tomato plants at Home Depot (home of the $3.33 evergreen for Floridians who don't understand Northern plantings!). I get free coffee grounds at Starbucks monthly for my garden. You can just walk in and ask, they put them in a five pound bean bag for you. It's loveliest when there are no grounds when you arrive and they give you fresh ones, so warm and fragrant! I've enriched any garden with it for years, and it really seems to help my tomatoes, peas and pineapples best. Good luck!

[rooftop1000]

For starting out definately the beefsteaks with some early girl and big boys thrown in too ....see how well they do then next year you can start playing. I really like the big yellow ones called lemon...something....

tracey

[Kim WB]

beefstaeks, Rutgers, and big Boys, at this time I'd suggest plants...I had a deer problem this year, so I had to do container plants, thriving, have doubled in size in two weeks..indeed, yesterday I had to stake them.

[lcdm]

beefstaeks, Rutgers, and big Boys, at this time I'd suggest plants...I had a deer problem this year, so I had to do container plants, thriving, have doubled in size in two weeks..indeed, yesterday I had to stake them.

←

We are doing a lot of contruction and I was hesitant to plant in the ground (you never know where that backhoe will end up).

What kind of containers do you use, how large are they?

What kind of soil do you use (do you just fill with dirt or some kind of potting soil)?

[MikeyMike]

What are the coffee grounds for?

[phaelon56]

Coffee grounds add acidity to the soil - very helpful for plants that thrive on acidic soil. I just planted sixteen arbor vitae along the back line fo my property and will start bringing home grounds from the cafe where I work part time - most evergreens thrive on acidity.

Eventually, if they shed needles, that will provide a natural source but in the meantime I'll keep them happy with the grounds. I also intend to try them in the soil with my patio tomato plants this year.

[Kim WB]

beefstaeks, Rutgers, and big Boys, at this time I'd suggest plants...I had a deer problem this year, so I had to do container plants, thriving, have doubled in size in two weeks..indeed, yesterday I had to stake them.

←

We are doing a lot of contruction and I was hesitant to plant in the ground (you never know where that backhoe will end up).

What kind of containers do you use, how large are they?

What kind of soil do you use (do you just fill with dirt or some kind of potting soil)?

←

I use the large white plastic containers..18 inches across. Miracle Gro container mix, w/ the moisture pellet things. I use Miracle Gro tomato plant food, too, at the start, then cut back once they start to flower and grow. Water early in the morning, never in bright sun. I keep them in 90% sun, just some late afternoon shade. I've done both ground and container tomatoes, and haven't noticed a differnnce in taste betweent he two. I've had years they sucked, both in and out of containers..tomatoes are all about sun, sun, sun.

[Taboni]

Always had good luck with Better Boy and Supersonic. We usually plant at least

1 Sweet 100 as well.

[DonnaMarieNJ]

Do the Better Boy, Big Boy, Early Girl, Rutgers and Supersonic taste better than the Beefseak? I'm looking for a good tasting tomato. I'm not looking for the quantity of tomatoes that grow on the plant, sturdiness or hardiness of the plant (as the supersonic name suggests to me). All I want a delicious tomato.

I happen to love the cherry/grape tomatos! Wonderful in a salad with fresh basil!!!!!

Thanks EVERYONE for your help!

[LNorman]

Martha Stewart Living (March or April 2005 issue) had an article about tomatoes that grow in lots of different climates in eighty days. You have to start with seeds but most of the seeds came from Siberia where the summer is very short and the seeds have been breed to withstand many climates and grow quickly. These seeds work in cold climates and hot climates like Louisiana.

I'm sure your local library would have a copy of the magazine and you can get the addresses of the companies listed that sell this special seeds.

Also here are some links to some of those sellers:

http://www.bountifulgardens.org/shop/cooltomato.html

http://www.seedstrust.com/

Good luck.

[DonnaMarieNJ]

Rebecca263 what are the porportions for the coffee grounds? My plants are in the ground now and I would appreciate knowing how much and how often. My BF is a Starbucks addict, so hopefully, he can get me some, too.

Thanks!

Rooftop1000 are you talking about Lemon Boy? I see those plants being sold online.

Donna

Edited June 14, 2005 by DonnaMarieNJ (log)

[Rachel Perlow]

Note: I changed the topic slightly, to what to grow in NJ.

I've planted Early Girl, Roma, some type of Cherry, and some type of Beefsteak. Total of 16 plants. I bought them late for the season in my area, the first week of June, so I had to take what I could get. Some plants were bigger, bought staked and now already need the cage, some are still mere seedlings. A couple already have small green fruit.

Question: For plants that are still pretty small, 12-14", but are already producing fruit, should that early fruit be culled? I'm thinking the plant may need to devote its energy to developing as a plant, rather than to produce fruit, at this stage. Opinions?

Let's all take pictures of our tomato plants and fruit this year.

[JohnL]

I don't know if this is the right thread but here goes!

I have not been able to find really good tomatoes anywhere for the past few years.

New York, Connecticut, New Jersey.

Since you all grow your own can I ask:

have you found your home grown tomatoes to be better than those available at markets in general over the past few years?

[Rachel Perlow]

I find they're better primarily because you can allow them to ripen fully on the vine and you can eat them while still warm from the sun. You can't even get them at farmers markets that fresh and ripe.