Pick fully ripe tomatoes and cut them in half horizontally, across the middle squeeze out the pulp into a container. Seed Saving: Since cross pollination between most tomato varieties is unlikely, isolation is not a concern. Unripe tomatoes will ripen eventually if kept in a warm place out of direct sunlight. Vine ripened tomatoes have the best flavor, but as soon as frost comes, all tomatoes should be harvested, even the green ones. If the stem does not come easily off the vine, cut it with a scissors. The mature color also indicates ripeness. Harvesting: Test the ripeness of tomatoes by pressing them gently the flesh should yield slightly. Pruning the "suckers," or shoots that grow between the main stem and the branches, will greatly improve the production and strength of the plant. A thick layer of mulch helps conserve moisture and control weeds water the plants once a week, but avoid getting the leaves wet. Since temperatures below 55 degrees F can damage production, protect the plants if temperatures drop. As the vines begin to grow, tying them to the support helps their development. Put the supports in place before the seedlings develop vines. Growing: Indeterminate tomato varieties often perform best when provided with a trellis or support, since this protects them from various pests and diseases in connection with too much soil contact. For companion planting benefits, plant tomatoes with carrots or onions, but avoid planting them with cabbage or tomatoes. If providing a trellis, space the plants 2' apart, but if allowing the vines to spread, space the plants 3-4' apart. When the soil temperature reaches at least 70 degrees F, plant the seedlings in full sun and very rich soil once more, bury the entire stem up to the lowest set of leaves. A week before planting the seedlings outside, begin exposing them to the weather during the day to harden them tomatoes cannot endure cold weather, and should not be transplanted outside until all threat of frost has passed. When the second set of leaves emerges, transplant the seedlings into individual pots bury the stems up to the lowest set of leaves to grow strongly rooted plants. Keep the temperature at 70-75 degrees F until germination, as well as providing adequate light in a sunny window or under a grow light keep the soil moist, but make sure drainage is adequate. I assume he still kept some seeds back and no, I'm not sending back to him the seeds he sent me for you, as you asked above.Sowing: Start tomatoes indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost of spring, sowing the seeds in a flat 1/4" deep and 1" apart. You already had sent me your home address in an e-mail as I requested and I'm sure I still have that and will get the seeds out to you this summer. John, I told you in the e-mail that he would be sending the seeds, he did, I received them a couple of weeks ago and since you had already told me that you weren't sowing the seed until next year I didn't think there was a hurry on getting the seeds out to you. I'd be very interested in trying to grow this variety next year myself, if you're able to forward any of these seeds. Will you be sending the seeds you've received back to your contact in Canada, or did this person happen to save some for growing out themselves? I just wasn't aware that you'd actually gotten the seeds from your contact in Canada. I'm the same person with whom you corresponded in the GardenWeb forums about Wild Sweetie. There are quite a few varieties in Amy's book which are not available to the public either commercially or through the Yearbook and that was also true of her melon and squash books. When I wrote my book about tomatoes the Editor said that anything that I featured had to be available to the public, either commercially or through the SSE YEarbook, and I agreed with him, and strongly so. I'm going to encourage the person who sent me the seeds to grow some out next year and offer them, and he is commercial. John, I've just gone through this with someone else who asked about that variety and there is no commercial source that has seeds.īy doing one heck of a lot of background searching I was able to find one person who had a few 2005 seeds and he sent them to me to send on to the person who requested them but I don't think it would be right for me to open that pack, which I still have, and send some of them elsewhere. Any suggestions for where else to look?īy the way, this tomato is distinctly different from a tomato called Sweetie.Īny feedback or suggestions greatly appreciated. Seed Savers Exchange doesn't list them either. Goldman references a source in Australia called Diggers that no longer has the seeds. I'm at a loss for tracking down seeds though. I read about a currant tomato in Amy Goldman's Heirloom Tomato book called Wild Sweetie that I'm interested in growing.
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