My BEST TOMATO VARIETIES This Season

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Күн бұрын

This is a vegetable garden tour of my tomato garden, showcasing my best tomato varieties this season. Growing tomatoes in the Southeast tough due to our hot humid climates, which causes blossom drop and high disease pressure. These tomatoes are disease resistant and set fruit under hot, humid conditions!
This video focuses on larger slicer and beefsteak tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes produce easily in hot and humid climates, as well as resist disease well, so we don't need to showcase them. I'm showcasing bigger, meatier tomatoes because they suffer in places with hot, humid and wet summers. This plant tour highlights a mix of indeterminate tomatoes, determinate tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes and hybrid tomato plants that excel in tough conditions.
We're harvesting tomatoes throughout this video, and at the end, I have a short tomato taste test featuring one of my most productive tomatoes, the Big Beef tomato, against two of my best tasting tomato varieties.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 My Best Tomato Varieties Garden Update
0:38 My 3 Least Productive, Disease Prone Tomatoes
2:04 Variety #1: Chef's Choice Pink Tomato
3:25 Variety #2: Big Beef Tomato
4:14 Variety #3: White Tomesol Tomato
5:16 Variety #4: Big Brandy Tomato
6:47 Variety #5: Bella Rosa
7:42 Variety #6: Arkansas Traveler
8:33 Runner's Up: Chef's Choice Bi-Color, Red, Purple, Green
9:03 Dwarf Tomato Project Tomatoes And Other Updates
10:31 Tomato Harvest Results!
11:09 Big Beef VS Brandywine Yellow VS Dwarf Emerald Giant
13:31 Dale Gives Us A Tomato Taste Test
If you have any questions about how to grow tomatoes, need more info about my most productive tomato varieties, want to know about the things I am growing in my garden, are looking for any gardening tips and tricks, or have questions about gardening and organic gardening in general, please ask in the Comments below!
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ABOUT MY GARDEN
Location: Southeastern NC, Brunswick County (Wilmington area)
34.1°N Latitude
Zone 8A
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© The Millennial Gardener

Пікірлер: 327

@kime.7285 Ай бұрын

I’m growing White Tomesol for the first time this year as well and I’m also super impressed! Germination was 100% and the plants are so vigorous & healthy! No ripe tomatoes yet but if they taste good this variety is definitely a keeper!

@billytingen3567 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing. Tomatoes are one of my favorite eats. It made my mouth water when you did the taste testing. Any tomato grown at home is always better than any purchased in the store. My tomatoes are still in progress but they have little tiny tomatoes forming. I can't wait.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Hope things speed up soon. Are you growing cherry tomatoes? They're a great way to lengthen your growing season since they're ready a month before the larger types.

@2020Dreamlife 3 ай бұрын

That’s for sure

@nancytharp8213 3 жыл бұрын

Enjoyed the taste test. Living in Florida I can sympathize with the rain & cracking of tomatoes 🍅. Too bad we can't ship excess rain to AZ or CA.😎🏖🏝

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

They can have all my rain from June 1 to September 30! Take it all! That's my fig and tomato season, so we don't need any of that! If I had acreage in Florida, I would probably build a large high tunnel but keep the sides open and simply build my raised bed garden under the roof. Assuming you're south of Jacksonville, you could probably grow all year under that.

@comfortablynumb143 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener interesting idea 💡. I may need to consider that.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

@@comfortablynumb143 it's surprisingly affordable to build a standalone 24X40 high tunnel. And by "surprisingly affordable" I mean a lot of money, but not out of reach for most people with some saving. For Florida growers, it's more affordable since you don't need to enclose the whole thing, and if it's pretty open, that negates the need for ventilation systems.

@janwilliams4282 3 жыл бұрын

Happy to see how your tomatoes are doing. If Dale likes em, I’m sure all of will.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

He's not picky, I'll tell you that much! He's never met a tomato he doesn't like!

@4Lucky 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing dear friend 👋🤗 Have a wonderful day. God bless you 🥳🙏🍀💞

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching! I really appreciate it.

@garden_geek 3 жыл бұрын

I have seriously upped my tomato game so much this year because of you.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

That's excellent! I'm happy to help!

@jeil5676 3 жыл бұрын

I got big brandy and chefs choice and sungold on my list for next year. Thx Millennial.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@doolittleranch8302 3 жыл бұрын

Those r some good choices, right their….

@jeil5676 3 жыл бұрын

@@doolittleranch8302 Actually the tiny tims are a dwarf plant. I didn't realize. I thought the tiny just referred to tomato size.

@jeil5676 3 жыл бұрын

@@doolittleranch8302 OOPS. nevermind my other reply. I was answering the wrong post.

@kansasgardener5844 2 жыл бұрын

Beit Alpha is by far the best cucumber I've ever grown. Great production they taste fantastic and I've never had a bitter one! I highly recommend them.

@daniasv5349 3 жыл бұрын

Beautiful garden and top notch content; thanks for sharing! Here in NW Indiana I've been most enjoying smoky and rich Vorlons (Brandywine Purple x Pruden's Purple--the latter reputedly better for places with cool nights?) and tangy, bright Green Zebras. Can't wait to try the Pink Sudduth and Emerald Green next year and see how they do. Also--saw a Cherokee Purple x Carbon F1 on High Mowing Seeds--might be another option to try in a wet climate. Finally, I was also blown away by the productivity of the White Tomesols last year, but found the flavor mild.

@DeborahBrown-tj7wx 2 жыл бұрын

Louisville, Ky here zone 6b. I have tried and tried to grow the Dwarf Emerald Giant because of your rave reviews and I LOVE acidic tomatoes. Haven't had any luck with them. I think I need to put them in a sort of isolated spot because this past year, I accidentally stepped on it twice because of it's small size. Maybe in a corner where I don't walk! lol

@ronsites2694 3 жыл бұрын

Great video, live in Hampstead and I agree it has been a super wet month. I want to try some of your varieties. Thanks!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

You're only around 45 mins from me, so if the varieties do well for me, they should perform identically for you.

@Lisa-pn1eu 3 жыл бұрын

I seen the notification while at work so I was happy when it was time for me to clock for my lunch break to watch this video thank you

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching! I'm glad to provide some lunchtime entertainment!

@shpuply 3 жыл бұрын

I'm glad to hear that all of these are Dale approved! We all know who's really running the show... lol

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Dale hasn't found a tomato he doesn't like. He's an equal opportunity connoisseur 😂

@shpuply 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener I can see Dale and being the best of buds then! Then maybe someday he'll introduce me to you. lol Thanks as always for the great upload!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

@@shpuply thanks for watching!

@terryli340 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing.

@udoperkuhn7971 3 жыл бұрын

Your earlier videos had me convinced I was the only one with poor production problems this year, but this update lets me know it's not just me! Seems the dry cool April/May and really wet June made it a bad season. I've put your Chef's Choice Pink on my list for next year. Thanks for all your recommendations, keep them coming! Oh, fyi, the better bush/better boy match up, no contest, the Better Boy are still better, both in taste and production and still producing while the better bush is done. The German Johnson's still rule in my garden though. Happy harvesting!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Glad the video was helpful. Tomatoes love dry weather with moderate temperatures. 75-80 degree days and 60 degree nights are what they love. If the cool, dry weather would have persisted into June, I'd have a bumper crop, but the sudden deluge of rainfall created so much cracking, splitting and rotting. It's truly a shame. I need to find a way to place some type of "roof" over my trellis over the winter to keep them dry.

@kockla 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent video. Excellent educational information. I subscribed to your channel because of this video. I look forward to great future videos from you. Keep it up!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for subscribing! I'm glad you found the video useful. Thanks for watching!

@mikeporro3311 3 жыл бұрын

I know what u mean about the Heirloom Brandywine, they taste great but split a lot and yield low production. I planted more determinate tomatoes this year nice small compact plants. The craziest indeterminate seems to be the sweet 1000, they are all over the place but make hundreds of fruit.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I have the Super Sweet 100's and they're heavy, heavy producers. I will say, the Sun Gold produce just as well with larger and better tasting (in my opinion) fruit. I just stumbled across a variety called Sunchocola F1, and I may have to add that to my list.

@mikeporro3311 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Will put Sun Gold on my list for next season, thanks.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

You’ll love it! It’s my favorite this season by far.

@carollyncheeyen Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing! I'm from Malaysia and boy do we have hot humid climate. And I picked up white tomesol recently from Bakers creek. Please do share more about heirloom tomato plants growing well in your garden!:)

@peggyluna4670 3 жыл бұрын

Such a great video.TFS 🤩🤩✌️💚

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!

@KatherineRoseArt 3 жыл бұрын

I have the same issues growing cherokee purple here in Texas but i still grow them cuz i just love them. I'll have to try these varieties next year! I did pick up a big beef hybrid this year. Can't wait to see how that one does.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I recommend you try Chef's Choice Purple. It is virtually identical to Cherokee Purple, but it has 2-3 times the yields and much stronger plants. It'll greatly outproduce in your climate. It's a solid tomato!

@jiraporncovey9500 3 жыл бұрын

We leave in Virginia, I grow the tomatoes also but I have a chipmunk and squirrel eat my tomatoes and persimmons, it was bad last year all my fruits and tomatoes got attack from them, your video is excellent I got so many ideas from you Thanks so much 🙏🏾

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Sorry to hear about the damage. You may want to check out Agfabric's website and get yourself some netting or plant jackets.

@berryhillacres6293 3 жыл бұрын

I love your editing and personality. Thanks for showing us the less fun and glamorous side of gardening

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I really appreciate that. I try to edit out my bad personality 😂 Thank you for watching! I really do appreciate it.

@LillyR539 3 жыл бұрын

That made me so hungry mine are thinking about turning 😊🦋🦋🦋

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Once they start turning, it happens so fast. We go from no tomatoes to more tomatoes than we know what to do with! The latter is a good problem to have1

@storytime9617 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Dale.. commented 3 days ago and giving an update on the tomatoes.. after giving them the 4-18-38 from greenway Biotech(below) , then adding Cal Mag and the temp being cooler for the last week..EVERY one of my tomato plants now have small tomatoes! Maybe this will help others who watch your great videos!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

The cool temps is what helps most. Temps need to drop into the 60's at night for pollination of larger tomatoes to become effective. Pollination is best when daytime temps are around 80 and nighttime temps are around 60 with dew points in the 50's. That keeps the pollen dry and fertile. High temps and high dew points are the enemy of tomato flowers. Right now, it's a steam bath here. It's like walking into a sauna, even at 7AM, so our tomato season is going to come to an end (except for the cherry types, which can still set). I will be giving the cherry types and Arkansas Traveler some bloom booster (10-30-20) to flush them with new flowers, but for the rest of the tomatoes, it's not worth giving them fertilizer in these conditions, because the flowers will just drop.

@nancynyberg1123 3 жыл бұрын

Based on your recommendation last year, I planted Beit Alpha. Here in Charlotte the cucumbers are prolific and, as you said, delicious. My first year growing plants from seeds and I am definitely a convert! Thank you. I grew Abe Lincoln and Anaheim tomatoes - the voles LOVED the Abe Lincoln and I am hopeful the leaf I saved will produce fruit (it rooted). The Anaheim’s are going crazy and I am pruning carefully, again, thanks to your recs!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Beit Alpha is the best cucumber I've ever grown. Fantastic flavor. The BEST. The skin is paper thin and it crunches like a bag of tortilla chips. Just amazing. I tried growing Abe Lincoln once when I lived in PA. I grabbed a bag of seed from Home Depot, and the seed was a dud. It was the wrong variety, and I got a plant full of 2 inch diameter tomatoes that had absolutely no taste at all. I think that's the 3rd time I've gotten mislabeled seed from those seed display shelves! I never tried it again because where I live now, heirlooms just don't set well.

@nancynyberg1123 3 жыл бұрын

Wait, not Anaheim Tomatoes. That makes no sense. They are Oregon Spring and you are right, big box store. So we shall see.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

@@nancynyberg1123 I figured you just meant one of your peppers 😆

@BadarTVTrends 3 жыл бұрын

best tomato varieties, excellent work

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

@Iloveorganicgardening 3 жыл бұрын

We are super dry here...even though we got some rain this week, it wasn't enough to soak in...send a bit this way !! Oh, your 🍅 tomatoes look great!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Where are you located approximately? Most of the state is in a big rainfall surplus. It's been brutally wet here on the coast.

@Iloveorganicgardening 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener I am north of charlotte...right near Lake Norman and it seems like storms go north or south of us!

@farmerbob4554 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip on Chef’s Choice. I got some seeds for this season’s second crop. Interesting you’re getting hammered with rain and we’re in a drought. Also I can’t grow beefsteaks but pink Brandywine is a decent producer for me.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

This whole drought issue...you know, we've known for 200 years the western half of the country goes through cyclical droughts. The water infrastructure was constructed back in the 1920's and 1930's out there when the population was 10% what it is now, and we're still working off the same man-made reservoirs. They haven't invested any money into building out the infrastructure. We have pipelines all over this country moving millions of cubic feet of natural gas, oil and gasoline around the country. Every single year, the Mississippi River floods and wipes out entire communities from the torrential rains we get here on the eastern half of the country. Why can't we build a pipeline system that pipes water from the Mississippi and other problematic floodplains where we have too much water out to places like Lake Meade? We could refill that thing no problem and solve two problems at the same time: remove the water where we have too much, and refill the lakes where we don't have enough. I sure wish I could send you all of my rain for the next 3 months. I won't miss it at all! But until we can move storms, why can't we just build a simple water pipeline?

@farmerbob4554 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener The Western States will need to do something radical to get enough water to survive present and future droughts. Pumping water over the Rockies will be a challenge but I think it’s already being done (Denver pulling from the Colorado). I’ve already stopped watering my turf grass and will go to a California native landscape plus some raised beds for annuals and veggies using micro irrigation. Our water usage is already pretty high to keep 40 fruit trees going but I may have to decide to sacrifice some if we get another season with little precipitation. It could get pretty bad.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

@@farmerbob4554 my thoughts are if they can build a road through it, they can run a pipeline along it. Roads that are cut through the Rockies have underground storm drainage, so if they can put 24" RCP under there, they can surely install some 18" Iron Ductile Pipe. If we can install water main to every house, we can install a single main from point-to-point. And if that's too much of a challenge to feed laterally from east-to-west, then we can certainly feed the area directly from the Pacific. Build some water desalination plants. It would be costly, but the population out there has increased tenfold, so there is certainly the money coming in to do it. Call me cynical, but sometimes, I think the problem is wanted more than the solution. This is certainly a workable, fixable situation. I sure hope you guys get some much-needed rain soon, but I know how these Mediterranean climate patterns work, and the likelihood of rainfall before October is...unlikely.

@SuperSaltydog77 3 жыл бұрын

Northern Ohio here, so far this season we have been hot and wet but not to the extant that you have. Cherokee is one of my favorites, some years the yield is better than others, but the taste is wonderful. Usually grow Celebrity and sweet 100's, not this year. Only growing San Marzano. So far they are getting some leaf curl but not excessive.Tomato horn worm is usually my biggest problem and the occasional groundhog snacking on the Cherokee Purples. Good luck to you.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

If you like Cherokee Purple, try Chef’s Choice Purple. It is basically the same tomato, but 2-3 times the yields. Leaf curl is nothing to worry about. It is simply the tomato reducing the surface area of its leaves on its own to reduce solar intensity. They do that when they’re exposed to more sun than they want. It is harmless. As for tomato worms, I recommend either BT or Spinosad concentrate. It will make short work of them organically. I have both linked in my Amazon Storefront in the video description. Store them in a cool, dry place, because they are a natural bacteria.

@thepiratedoc4247 3 жыл бұрын

Great info. My Cherokee Purples are doing OK but the excess rain has been an issue. Better Boys are producing consistent fruits but no very many. Romas are going nuts but starting to succumb to disease a bit. I'm already looking forward to next year!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

If they're the determinate Roma, that's no big deal. They die back naturally, so you don't have anything to lose.

@SlackerU 3 жыл бұрын

I found the first portion of the video quite funny. 'I grow terrible plants b/c they taste amazing.' It sold me on Brandywine & I'll be trying some next year. 10/10

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

It's true. The longer I live here and struggle with my miserable summer climate, the more I'm moving away from heirlooms because they just aren't worth it. They don't taste *that* much better, and all the extra work for so much less food isn't worth it to me anymore. EXCEPT Brandywine Yellow. I just can't replace that plant. It is so good that I'll grow it forever until they come up with a perfect hybrid option. I will say Brandywine Pink may officially be defunct with Chef's Choice Pink and Big Brandy on the scene, though. And Chef's Choice Purple is a direct replacement for Cherokee Purple now, with triple the yields. But that Brandywine Yellow...I just can't replace that girl.

@Car-jy8pw 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. Not a lot of fluff. I enjoyed that. Brandywine does not do well here either. Produce great but they have some blight. My white tomesol are super productive too but they’ve needed a ton of support. (They got around 7 and 8 feet tall.) Some of my white tomesol have splitting and problems with bottom leaves. What did best this year for me were the Paul Robeson... but those had splitting problems. My Kellogg’s breakfast tomatoes are very productive but are not doing well with the amount of rain we got this year.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I'm glad you enjoyed it. If you struggle with Brandywine Pink, Chef's Choice Pink, Brandy Boy and Big Brandy will increase production 2-3 times with almost identical flavor. Chef's Choice Pink has been the most impressive in terms of yields and flavors, in my opinion.

@charlesdang2557 3 жыл бұрын

I have one common problem with you -- I stare at my tomatoes too! Thanks to you, I am trying out some determinate varieties. Started relatively late, but by labor day I should have a ton of tomatoes. Growing season for tomatoes here potentially can go as late as December. I will definitely try growing some on your list next year.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Very nice. I'm jealous. We usually get our first frost around November 10, and our heat "runs out" around October 15. It gets hot here quickly and cold here quickly. Our beautiful shoulder seasons are short on the East Coast.

@charlesdang2557 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener For that short window, you are definitely going gangbusters. Thanks for all you do.

@elsiejannett7028 3 жыл бұрын

I'm in north Florida, I grew one cherokee purple this year, I got 30 nice size fruit off of that plant(mind blown). And yes, yellow brandywine taste fantastic. But the rain and hot humidity does a number on those poor plants. Going to try that big beef tho!!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

That's crazy for a Cherokee Purple. I've grown it for 5 years in 2 different states, and I never seem to be able to get more than 5-10 off a plant. I know it's not me, because all my other varieties are loaded, and I treat it the same as all my others. I think the conditions have to be "just right" for it. Since you get a much more agreeable, consistent cool season than I do, maybe that's the ingredient I'm missing: stability. Our climate where I live is all over the place until summer when it becomes stable, and by then, it's way too hot for them.

@SuperEvilC 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks 🌞❤🌱🍅

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@jackzampella5758 3 жыл бұрын

I have been growing "Big Beef" tomatoes for the past 5 years. It is highly productive and highly disease resistant. For me it is a must have in my garden. No matter what varieties I grow, I always grow a few Big Beef. If you have never grow Big Beef try 1 plant. It will be a must have for your garden too.

@LillyR539 3 жыл бұрын

I have one for the first time I am impressed 😏🦋🦋🦋

@29slowjoe 3 жыл бұрын

Great producers but bland flavor.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I will say while it isn't the best tasting tomato, it's the most disease-resistant, consistently-sized beefsteak I've ever seen. My mind is blown by how perfect, uniform and consistent the fruits are. The disease resistance is really blowing my mind, so even though while it isn't my favorite in terms of flavor, I'll happily take them over nothing. I'll be growing a couple plants next season for sure.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

If you live in a climate with low disease pressure, more agreeable dew points and temps, and your tomatoes fruit reliably all summer, I would probably pass on Big Beef because, like you said, it isn't the most flavorful. However, if you live in a tough environment, I'd highly recommend it. 9 out of 10 heirlooms just don't work here. If you live in a place where they do well, grow them, but if you don't and tomatoes are a struggle, Big Beef is a solution.

@29slowjoe 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Believe it or not I have more issues with hybrids dying of disease than heirlooms the last two years. (Bella rossa and big beef) I live in central louisana where the temperature and humidity are both over 90. I think at that point its just luck of the draw. Disease resistance here means you get 4 more days. Lol

@amyk6028 2 жыл бұрын

So I sit down with my pad and pen to write down all your recommendations because I live in hot, humid Georgia and early blight usually sets in about June 1st here. So very early! It’s a constant struggle. If I didn’t love the taste of homegrown tomatoes so much, I wouldn’t bother

@TheMillennialGardener 2 жыл бұрын

It's absolutely brutal growing tomatoes here. I know your pain. Variety selection and timing is *everything* for success down here in the South, and as a former Northeast resident, I can tell you that growing up there my entire life, I had no idea how hard it can be to grow tomatoes without the ideal conditions the Mid-Atlantic region provides. I just finished filming my annual tomato tour, so please stay tuned, because I'll be showing you all my varieties next week. It'll help you find more good performers.

@amyk6028 2 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Excellent! I’m looking forward to watching that one for sure ❤️ I just started my second round of seeds yesterday. I have learned to do a second round so I can replace my first round tomato plants that are dying from blight by mid July 👍🏼

@elenagava4660 3 жыл бұрын

wow lovely

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@reighngold 3 жыл бұрын

In GA it's been much the same :( Thanks for doing this video!!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

It's pouring as I type this comment. We're up to nearly 1.5 inches in about 30 mins. Brutal weather in the South!

@dickdaley9059 2 жыл бұрын

Dale's eyes told the taste story!

@theapopkagardener2485 3 жыл бұрын

Dale is so adorable ☺️

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

He is, he knows it and he fully exploits it! The "eyes" he gives you when he wants something...you just can't say no.

@bestearthexplore 3 жыл бұрын

Learned a lot from this video...Dale is cute ...

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

He is, and he knows it 😂 Thanks for watching!

@lagalleta27 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you man 🖐👍

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@donaldduke8675 2 жыл бұрын

I am greatly impressed with your gardening performance and tips .Thank you so much. My question is how can I get some indeterminate celebrity tomato seeds to buy ?

@MyLadyAmalthea 3 жыл бұрын

Chef choice usually does great for us here in central SC and Big Beef as well. Have you tried or had any success with the Pink Berkeley Tie Dye?

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I have not grown Pink Berkeley Tie Die, though I've grown Fred's Tie Dye for years from the Dwarf Tomato Project, and it uses Pink Berkeley Tie Dye as a parent. Heirlooms here are just so tough. Chef's Choice varieties are clearly big improvements on the parent heirlooms.

@dogslobbergardens6606 3 жыл бұрын

Cherokee Purple is one of my very favorite tasting maters, but it's not very productive for me and it's the most susceptible to disease by the time the fruit start getting ripe. The good news is it makes outstanding fried green tomatoes, so I often just pick and use them at that stage. Next year I will for sure try the Purple Boy hybrid you've mentioned.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Try the Chef's Choice Purple. It's basically Cherokee Purple. It looks the same, tastes the same, but it sets 2-3 times the fruit and is a bit more disease resistant.

@dogslobbergardens6606 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener cool, thanks!

@DebashmanDutta 3 жыл бұрын

Wow Nice👌👌👌👌

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@albert1437 2 жыл бұрын

Nice. Tomatoes. What. Was. Dales. Favorite

@SpiceyKy 3 жыл бұрын

Now I feel like I didn't plant enough tomatoes. 😆

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

The only dangerous amount is none!

@Hatfield_Country 3 жыл бұрын

Don't feel bad, I only planted 8 lol. However my Amish neighbor has a few thousand planted for market and we get more than we can handle from them for free.

@SpiceyKy 3 жыл бұрын

@@Hatfield_Country I'm succession planting as we type. 😆

@Hatfield_Country 3 жыл бұрын

@@SpiceyKy I hear ya 🤣

@bulbousborb 3 жыл бұрын

@@Hatfield_Country I have only enough room to plant 4..... :|

@karunald 3 жыл бұрын

If I had your sunny space, I would create a 'lid' for them. Either a High Tunnel with open sides, or a structure similar to your structure/poles for the string system and use those corrugated clear panels. Just 'something' to keep direct rain off.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I've considered this, but I am in "Hurricane Alley." We get more tropical systems than anywhere in the country - even more than anywhere in Florida - so it is very difficult to build any infrastructure that has a "roof" on it. I've wanted to enclose my garden, but it isn't possible without spending thousands on structural items, and I can't really do it by my HOA. All I could do is build hoop houses over my beds, which would be expensive, time-consuming and would only work for determinate tomatoes. It's a real challenge.

@karunald 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener If it's any consolation - it seems things are going pretty shitty for many this season.

@kicknadeadcat 3 жыл бұрын

Try black krim tomatoes. They are one of the best tasting and productive tomatoes in my garden. The color is a deep red to dark purple. This year i grew 5 varieties of heirloom. All tolled i have 32 plants. The 6 black krim are over 5ft tall. All have at least 10 large tomatoes with a lot more flowers. One plant has 21 large tomatoes. That is the plant ill be taking seed from for next year. I plan on growing 14 of that variety.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I have not tried Black Krim. I tried once, but I got mislabeled seed, unfortunately - one of the 3 times I've gotten mislabeled seed from those seed stands at the big box store. I struggle with heirlooms here due to my dew points, so my future experimentation will be limited. I'm going to get more into cherry types next season since they're nearly no-maintenance, here. It sounds like you're having some success! That's awesome. Try to keep them dry and cross your fingers for no big storms. We're swimming over here in rain.

@kicknadeadcat 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener just started growing figs this year. I’ve had great success. 25 cuttings only 3 failed. I have 2 in the ground but I purchased those. The rest are in 2 gal grow bags in a plastic pop up greenhouse. Lots of airflow and no rain. Only gets water when I give it to them. Which I do according to how hot it is. They are huge……Another interesting tomato is Indigo Apple. I have one in a 10 gal bag. It has three branches up 5 ft now, each branch an inch or more thick. I’ve never seen a tomato stalks that thick especially branches, as thick as the base. Seems to be slow flowering though but now they must have 20 or more that just pollinated with huge wide flowers. I’m real curious on their taste and size.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

You have never grown figs before and you are starting with 2 dozen? Boy, that sounds familiar 🤔 There is no easing into figs, it seems. I would *strongly* caution you against growing any tree in a grow bag. They are not designed for trees. I made a whole video on it here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Zr-YlthhzMDaeKM.html I lost 2 seed grown palms in grow bags, and I’ll never use them for anything but annuals again. They’re GREAT for annuals, but trees are an accident waiting to happen.

@mayhetrosalesvlog 3 жыл бұрын

look nice!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I appreciate you watching!

@karunald 2 жыл бұрын

Will you be doing any taste test or taste reviews of these? I'm curious about them for next season

@TheMillennialGardener 2 жыл бұрын

I have many taste tests on tomatoes on my channel. Some of them are accumulated here: kzfaq.info/sun/PL1gY7BoYBGIG8a5cJO4fUHLVub5qvTpaf kzfaq.info/sun/PL1gY7BoYBGIGfgiHsBselLJKV-JwI2KLF kzfaq.info/sun/PL1gY7BoYBGIEPEM058yfMiEW1-nM3UeN0

@marebear5894 3 жыл бұрын

In Wilmington too, it's been a rough tomato year.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

10.61 inches of rain since June 2nd here and counting. It's a shame, because April and May were so dry and everything was doing so well. As soon as things started to ripen, disaster struck!

@lennapelayo3252 3 жыл бұрын

May I ask where you purchased yr best disease resistant tomatoes from and the best Heirloom tomatoes from too Thank you for great video

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I buy my seed from several suppliers. I have a video where I purchase from here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/msWfgrN-krC3dnU.html Most of my tomato seed is sourced from Tomato Growers, but some of it is also from Baker Creek, Victory Seed and Southern Exposure.

@gregleach5833 3 жыл бұрын

The only large tomato I grow here in South Georgia is Big Beef . I picked my first few May 17th and they’re still going strong on June 26 th . They give me great crops from May through July . By early August I take them out due to leathery thick peels and smaller tomatoes but the plants will still look good . I’ve had great success with cherry tomatoes like you said . I live 20 miles from where Hoss Tools is located . I need to try some Beit Alpha cucumbers . I will get some of those seeds next year hopefully.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Bella Rosa is probably one you will want to consider. Hoss likes them. I guess that pegs you around Moultrie? I guess being inland, you dry out some in August? We don't here, and our rains only increase until mid-September, where it finally lets up. I'm hoping I can get another planting in in the fall to get some taste tests in in more reliable conditions.

@gregleach5833 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener August is usually rainy and the most humid nasty month we have . I don’t grow or plant anything in August but by early September it dries out if we don’t have tropical systems move in . I’m in Tifton btw. I will try Bella Rosa if it does well it may be a keeper . Big Beef taste is very good if rain is not excessive but would love to try new varieties!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Bella Rosa is a lot like Celebrity. It really reminds me of it.

@davidbush6482 3 жыл бұрын

We have been growing pink brandywine tomatoes for years but not this year as it's just not worth the fight with blight anymore. I am testing Bella Rosa and Red snapper tomatoes for the disease resistance.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I recommend giving Brandy Boy, Big Brandy and Chef's Choice Pink a try. They all produce better and resist disease better with nearly identical flavor.

@davidbush6482 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Thx!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome.

@lorraineshobajo7648 3 жыл бұрын

It’s been raining for 3 days straight in the Midwest zone 5 where I reside. So far no disease on my tomato plants. I did prune them back heavily 2 was ago. But not sure how much more water they can take. Mine are in containers. They have began to fruit as well.

@29slowjoe 3 жыл бұрын

If its raining alot i give my tomato roots a hydrogen peroxide boost. The roots can take in the extra oxygen and it also kills anything anaerobic nearly instantly.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Now is a good time to preventative spray. The hydrogen peroxide video I just posted may be of some help to you: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hsp2mJd8rbavnGg.html Hopefully, you dry out soon. The humidity today is the most oppressive I've felt in a full year. My current dew point is 76.3F 😓

@ArabicOrchard 3 жыл бұрын

I love your channel

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching my channel! I really appreciate it.

@dogslobbergardens6606 3 жыл бұрын

Don't take this the wrong way, but I sort of enjoy your struggles and pain... because my climate way up north in East TN near the KY border is milder than yours, so if a variety works for you I can be very confident it will work for me as well. Thank you for taking the time to try and document so many different varieties! Thank you also for not turning your back on heirlooms... I prefer to save seeds, so that's important to me. (Although I also grow hybrids to make sure I always get some good harvests.)

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

What you mentioned is why I do this. I have to put in all this work for myself anyway, so I figure why not document it and save others time? If it works for me, it'll definitely work for you since I'm even wetter and more humid. I'm happy to go through the growing pains on camera in hopes that I can save others the pain.

@Gloszz 3 жыл бұрын

I'm in Houston and all my vegetables had issues. First year gardening in Texas as I am from Canada. We had rain and high humidity for a whole month.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Wow. That's a major shock, I'm sure. The heat and humidity down south is a real challenge. It's taken me 4 years to find varieties that work for me, pest and disease control measures that work and, of course, timing and hand pollination methods!

@Gloszz 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener would you be willing to trade some seeds? I went crazy and bought a bunch of different heirloom vegetables and decided to try and grow them out. It's all one big experiment haha.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I have been slowly growing fewer and fewer heirlooms. 9 out of 10 heirlooms will simply not work for you in Houston, unfortunately. Some, like Arkansas Traveler, which was bred long ago for the humid south, can take it, but the famous heirlooms you may have loved up north will probably not do well. My advice after 4 years of gardening down here is to try and find F1 hybrids that approximate heirlooms and see what works for you. It’ll also pay dividends to get into growing heat resistant determinates and cherry tomato types. They do much better down south. Beefsteak indeterminates often fail, and I recommend growing as few as possible. Only grow the ones that you absolutely must have, and try to find the tastiest hybrids.

@americancubangardener 3 жыл бұрын

I’m gonna have to try does variety. I’m in Orlando Florida and it is being raining for a week and my tomatoes have all kind of disease. Also my cucumber, melons and my fig trees that I have thank to your Chanel, they look really bad.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

It's so hard to grow in the Southeast. Have you tried growing tomatoes during your dry season? I'd think all you'd need is a simple frost cloth, or a modest low tunnel, for protection maybe 2-3 nights a year.

@americancubangardener 3 жыл бұрын

I did the plant just died. Definitely better in the fall. What do you think I can do to help my fig trees? Thank you so much for your help.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

What about them look bad?

@americancubangardener 3 жыл бұрын

They look like they have rust. I tried cutting the leafs and put copper, powder sulfur, peroxide and they don’t get better.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

@@americancubangardener I'm guessing they're in containers? What you're describing sounds like what happens when container-grown figs get oversaturated with water. The roots sit in a soggy medium and the leaves start turning yellow, and they also brown at the tips. This usually happens when we're stuck in rainy patterns and getting deluge thunderstorms. There are basically only two ways around it: 1. Grow your figs in-ground. My in-ground figs don't suffer this because the soil percolates, whereas the containers don't and stay soggy on the bottom. 2. Cover your containers with a trash bag so water can't get in. If you're growing in containers and this is your issue, you may want to wrap a trash bag around the tops of the containers so water can't get in, then let them dry out until the fig trees just start to wilt ever so slightly. That will ensure your containers have dried out, but you can't let them get to the point of total dryness or all your leaves will dry up, crisp and you'll lose them. You really need to keep an eye on them.

@coramurray8211 3 жыл бұрын

I think I'm close to you (I'm in Morehead, right on the Crystal Coast) - my Cherokee Purples are doing beautifully. I'm new to gardening in the South (from a lifetime in Upstate NY) and I'm still learning to deal with the pest and disease pressure - it's RIDICULOUS here! - and I obviously put my plants out later than yours: mine have just recently started to set fruit - but no complaints. Maybe experiment with succession planting to get around some of our lovely weather issues? I'd rather have a fabulous harvest later than watch my plants peter out by the end of June.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I spent my entire life in NJ and PA, so moving here was a rude awakening. The pruning strategies are entirely different. In PA and NJ, you prune indeterminate tomatoes for airflow to make the plants last all season because they'll produce up until frost. Here, it's totally the opposite. You have to let the plants sucker very early in their life to provide as many low flower clusters as possible so they can set fruit in April and May while temps agree, because once June rolls around, you'll have nearly 100% blossom drop and disease takes over. It's a total opposite strategy. That's why string-trellising works so well here, and staking does not. You need a lot of suckers down low so you get lots of flowers early. What I'm finding is you just need to grow smaller-fruited tomatoes here. Cherry types, smaller paste-types like San Marzano, and reliable smaller-fruited heirlooms like Arkansas Traveler will produce in our summers. They will grow through August and give you fruit. Your beefsteaks will be ripped out by then. The good news is, we should be starting seed right now for a fall planting of tomatoes. However, make sure you grow EARLY types, because our falls are not warm enough for beefsteaks to mature. I will be starting seedlings this week for my fall wave of early determinates. I already have a couple cherry-type seedlings that are 3 inches tall that will go in-ground in 3-4 weeks, too. Forget the larger beefsteaks for fall.

@coramurray8211 3 жыл бұрын

I hear what you're saying. Right now I've got 3 different stages going (with 4 different fruit sizes)- two new seedlings just went in yesterday, in fact. I think I'll take your advice and get some additional seedlings started when I get my brassicas going this week. I've been here 3 years, but this is my first year getting into it again. I used to have what I called my mini-farm going on an acre in NY (every zone 4 perennial fruit you can name and something like 14 annual intercropped inground beds - it drove my neighbors crazy LOL ). Here I only have 3 raised beds & a handful of containers. And I WORK HARDER HERE. I swear it's a whole different world...BTW - I think I've convinced my sister to put in a banana tree thanks to one of the videos you did - so thanks for that (I had to promise her I'd take care of it!). Where did you source yours from? And how long is it to maturity? And variety recommendations? Its supposed to be pretty dry this week - enjoy it! 😊

@Gaspa79 3 жыл бұрын

Love your videos. I just didn't understand the connection between disease resistance and inbred/open pollination you mentioned when talking about the dwarf tomato project variety. I've also never heard of this before. Where did you get this information? Has there been a study or anything? Thank you as usual for your great content.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Most varieties of tomatoes are Open Pollinated. To "open pollinate" a tomato, all you do is shake around a tomato flower. Because tomatoes are self-fertile, most fruit naturally pollinates itself via wind. Cross-pollination is when you take pollen from one genetically unique variety and mix it with another. When bees fly back and forth between tomato flowers of different varieties, they are cross-pollinating and making F1 hybrid seed. When you grow hybrid tomatoes, you're growing seed purposefully cross-pollinated. Cross-pollinated seed adds genetic diversity into the mix. If you remember Punnett Squares from grade school science class, recall when you cross two unique parents, the dominant genes tend to express. Hybrid tomatoes are usually more disease-resistant, because those varieties have more dominant gene expression. To stabilize an open pollinated seed, you need to "grow it out" via self-pollination for around 7 generations or so. To make a new "stable, open pollinated" variety, you need to take a purposeful cross (where you manually cross-pollinate two varieties), then save the seed and plant it. Then, you have to grow the plants in isolation and save the best offspring for something like 7 generations, ensuring you only "open pollinate" them. By Generation F7, usually the seed stabilizes long enough that you won't get anymore variation. Basically, you're only pollinating the tomato with itself for 7 generations of seed-saving, so while you'll get a ton of variation in the F2 lineage, by F7, it fades away as no foreign pollination is introduced. It takes a long time to do this, and lots of seedling selection. It's fairly complicated, and I'm not sure if I'm describing it 100% accurately, because I've never done this before. A consequence of Open Pollinated/Heirloom varieties are in the process of stabilizing the seed so you can save it, you're losing out on generations and generations of cross-pollination, so you begin favoring weaker, recessive traits in the quest for "taste" or "look."

@Gaspa79 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener First of all thank you very much for your answer. You described it very well in my opinion. Also I didn't express myself well: I knew most of the information you typed. I was asking particularly about the disease resistance + inbred combination. Basically what I got from your comment now and in the video (I may have misinterpreted) is the idea/claim that you inevitably "wash out" disease resistance throughout generations of seed-saving an F1 hybrid. The reason why I was asking for the source is because I thought that this doesn't appear to be true in my experience. While I 100% agree that the majority of F2s and F3s will lose cool traits, I thought that in theory you could achieve a stabilized version of the plant with desired traits on pair or even better than F1. Of course this will only apply to tomatoes in which heterosis/hybrid vigour doesn't play as much of a role than in crops like corn. It's because of the video you posted about the rosella purple in march 2018 that I got into gardening and studying it, so here's my humble knowledge/experience as a thank you for that: after 4 generations of disliking having to buy sungold seeds (very expensive in my country) I somewhat stabilized 2 varieties super similar to sungold f1 (which I compare regularly with the original breed to check for disease resistance and yield which otherwise is hard to measure). So an F4 sungold still has cool traits if you're able to filter properly the ones that are not resembling the original type (I think, cannot be 100% sure especially with disease resistance). This is why I was surprised about the claim of losing it inevitably. As always, thanks for the awesome content and for replying to my comment. If you want to save money on seeds I know that if someone is able to "create" a cool tomato variety by selectively inbreeding a hybrid that's you. Best of luck! And please if you have a source that proves me wrong please tell me because I don't wanna waste time and space in breeding something that will inevitably be inferior to the sungold. Hugs to Dale!

@LillyR539 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video mine are looking great I hope that continues thanks for the info on what you grow have you grown black beauty. Cherry?

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful. I haven't grown Black Beauty. I will be growing more cherry-types next season based on many recommendations, and I'm probably going to select Black Cherry as one since everyone raves about it.

@LillyR539 3 жыл бұрын

My first time@@TheMillennialGardener

@mikalkrall 3 жыл бұрын

Great video, and what a huge number of tomato plants! We’re about to get the hottest temperatures this region has ever seen-temperatures in excess of 110F. Being a pretty new gardener, I’m extremely concerned over how that’ll affect my plants, especially my tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers. Do you have any insights you can share about those? Thanks! And thanks for the great videos!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Where is your location? I saw the Portland area was going to have 100-110 degree temps for 2-3 days. Honestly, even though the temps are high, the UV index isn't that awful because the latitude is so high. If you're up around 50N latitude, as long as you keep the plants watered so they don't dry out, they should be able to tolerate a couple days of high temps assuming it cools down at night. Most plants can take a few hours of it. The problem is where it persists. If you're very concerned, you can buy some shade cloth or agricultural fabric and toss it over the plants to protect them from the sun. Now, if you're at a lower latitude in the 20's or 30's, then UV index becomes an issue. If that's the case, shade cloth will be a REALLY good investment, but it's tough to find. You'd need a large 30-40% shade cloth tarp, or a roll of 1-2 oz agricultural fabric to provide protection. I have this stuff all linked in my Amazon Storefront, but the problem will be getting in time since it's happening now. This stuff is very hard to find locally. If none of this stuff is feasible, you may want to get some 8 foot furring strips, pound them into the ground and just buy a $20 grommetted tarp and hang it above your plants to shield the sun, but you'd have to angle it properly to block the 12-4PM sun.

@mikalkrall 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener thanks for the very detailed reply! Yep, I’m in the Portland area. I’ve got loads of agricultural fabric, but I’m not sure what it’s weight is. It’s just something I found on Amazon. Just looked at my order… looks like it’s only .55oz, so I could just layer it, right? Thanks again!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I had a feeling you were around there. I think the 0.55oz fabric will be enough. Even though it is hot, you guys don’t have extreme UV loads, so that fabric will simply take the edge off. I personally wouldn’t double it, but if you have a ton and want to be certain you’re safe, you can. Your #1 priority, in my opinion, is to keep them hydrated.

@mikalkrall 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener that’s excellent news. Thanks again for all the help and advice! Today and tomorrow are our hottest days, so we’ll see how everything fairs :)

@ramz1455 3 жыл бұрын

I'm very impressed with your tomato production! With so much tomato growing do you have any issues with mice or any other tomato hungry pest?

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

All my pest issues are insect-related. I don't have problems with birds and mammals.

@carollyncheeyen Жыл бұрын

Same here. Whiteflies, leafminers, no matter how many times I sprayed neem and baking soda:(. Some caterpillars but not too bad. Leafhoppers are the worst! Curly top virus took down a few of my plants:(

@charmainederrick508 3 жыл бұрын

It's all so interesting , and am excited to try . where can I get those seeds

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I have a video showing where I buy all my seeds here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/msWfgrN-krC3dnU.html

@brucesmith6868 3 жыл бұрын

Seems at one point or another tomato plant go through some kind of weather advertise but when they come back they taste even better.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I sure hope we stay dry for a week and I can harvest what's left in hot, dry conditions. That's when everything tastes best.

@brucesmith6868 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener I think it is because of the grow time that they are exposed like that. But definitely worth the wait !!

@bigtitan27 Жыл бұрын

How does the the taste of Big Brandy compare to Brandy Boy? Ive grown Brandy Boy for several years and its one of my most productive indeterminates.

@archstanton9703 3 жыл бұрын

I've harvest a couple of the dwart tomatoes but am having to pick them as soon as they break because the birds will get them if they ripen on the vine. Right now the lower branches on my dwarfs in my raised bed are shriveling and drying up. The ones I transplanted in fabric pots are fine. I wondering if it's disease or this extreme summer heat. I'm thinking of starting a second crop to harvest in the fall, so any recommendations for a dwarf or other tomato variety would be appreciated. By the way, I kick myself for giving all the Tomesol plants away and not keeping at least one to try. Cheers!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

The Dwarf Tomato Project tomatoes are very susceptible to disease. I imagine this is accelerated because of how close to the ground the leaves are. Since they're all Open Pollinated, the disease resistance is low, and since the leaves are right up against the ground, they get infected quickly. I consider them "determinate" tomatoes. You aren't going to get much production after that first flush of tomatoes. However, the quality of the fruit is EXCELLENT. Superior to most determinates. They're overall good performers, but you can't view them as indeterminates that will produce all season.

@archstanton9703 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener I've only picked a few tomatoes from four of the five plants. They are very good eating tomatoes but the yield is disappointing. This is probably my fault for not planting them a little earlier using your milk jug technique. The four plants that I planted using the milk jugs produced earlier and were more prolific. I'm going to see if I can find some plants locally that are still healthy and as soon as I harvest the last dwarf tomato, I'll plant a second crop. It might be a little too late to plant tomatoes from seed again. I spoke with AAS and I'm definitely going to try Chef's Choice Black for next year. I'm going to look some earlier black tomatoes as well. Out of the dwarfs, Adelaide Festival, Boronia, and Tasmanian Chocolate are the only ones I'm going to plant again. Growing tomatoes out here is an exercise in patience and perseverance. I look forward to a recap on the tomato varieties you planted this summer and will plant again. Cheers!

@jamesh4966 2 жыл бұрын

Have you ever tried the Better Boy. Very tasty.

@janwilliams4282 3 жыл бұрын

I'm curious about if you have a fall garden. If so, do you amend the soil between a summer and fall planting? If you do, what do you typically amend with? Thanks

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I grow all year long, here. I grow greens and roots throughout the winter. My beds never stop. They just rest briefly. What I do is after the beds are empty, I dump a bunch of kitchen scraps on them, maybe a bag of soil conditioner and a few handfuls of organic 5-5-5, then throw a tarp over them for 60 days so it all breaks down. You can see what I do here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jJOohdenqbHGdqs.html The tarp accelerates the decomposition process greatly, so after 60 days, they're pretty much broken down, re-fed and ready to go.

@janwilliams4282 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener awesome! You are so helpful. Thank you.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I am happy to spread the gardening lifestyle!

@christines2787 3 жыл бұрын

I'm also in NC zone 8a. I'm having mixed results with the tomatoes also. My gardners sweetheart cherry, berry blue cherry, sweet 100, and the comicaly small sweet pea and spoon tomato are doing fantastic. Good tomatoes, good yield and still healthy plants. The jury is out on the husky cherry red. Great healthy plant with very few tomatoes. Early girl has set good looking fruit. Celebrity, Better boy, Sunrise sauce did poorly. I started tomatoes of an unknown dwarf in my hydroponics garden last August. We got a good amount of tomatoes all winter, and I took cuttings, rooted then and planted then outside. They ate very prolific and were healthy but so compact and low to the ground that they have air flow problems and are diseased.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Honestly, next year I'm moving to a lot of cherries, paste types and smaller slicers. It's not worth struggling with all these beefsteaks. I'll still grow some, but it's senseless growing so many in a climate that won't be compatible. Turns out you can make FANTASTIC salsa, salads and sauces out of the larger cherry tomatoes, and they breeze through the climate here. It's a no-brainer.

@christines2787 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener - I grew exclusively cherries last year. They made an excellent pasta sauce but were watery and had to spend a lot of time cooking them down. It's why I am growing the two extra tiny varieties. I'm going to try drying them and using them in place of tomato paste. The problem so far is I'm getting 3 to 10 pea sized tomatos a day. It's silly. I'm also having great luck with some close relatives. Ground cherries and tomatillo. The husk they grow in reduces the pest damage dramatically. I just love them.

@christines2787 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener - forgot to ask Have you ever tried growing the everglade tomato? Supposedly native to this continent and good in hot weather. I think that I will try next year

@SuperSaltydog77 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Last year I had only two sweet 100's but the yield was unbelievable. People got tired of me giving them away. So I made sauce with them. A bit of a pain with the skins but the flavor of the sauce was smooth without that acidic bite.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I think what I’m going to do is a mix of paste and cherry types. As you said, cherry types are watery on their own, but paste types tend to be bland. If you mix them, you’ll get the thickness of the paste type, the sweetness of the cherry type and reasonable water content.

@jaimerodriguez8797 Жыл бұрын

Chefs choice pink or big brandy?

@LaniAnne402 3 жыл бұрын

We’re living through the worst hot and dry weather here in California desert! 🌵🔥🌞🍃☄️

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

It's funny how different the country is. Here in the South, it's been one of the coolest, wettest summers on record. We're far below average for temps, and part of the reason is we've gotten so much rain. There were several days last week where we didn't get out of the 70's and were 15-20 degrees below average, and we got another 7 inches of rain 😢 I wish we could send it your way. You can't get any, and we can't get a break.

@comfortablynumb143 3 жыл бұрын

I’m down here in Central Florida. Do you have a time you do Fall plantings for tomatoes? My tomatoes are done here due to disease and pests (need that fogger) and already planning a Fall garden. PS. Hi 👋 Dale!

@nvrmindwhtevr401 3 жыл бұрын

Many of my indeterminate plants have stopped flowering however my Bella Rosa and red snappers that I started late are setting fruit and several just turning here in Central Florida 9B despite heat and humidity and now prolific downpours first time growing hope they taste as good as they look whatever?

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Yes, I do, and I will probably be starting a fresh batch of seed this week. I actually have another wave of cherry tomato seedlings that are 3 inches tall that I intend to plant next month to get me through the fall, too. I'll also be starting a third wave of seedlings that I will grow under my hinged hoop house all winter. As long as we don't see temps below 20F, the hoop house will protect them. I definitely, DEFINITELY recommend the fogger. Dale says hi!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I am quite impressed by Bella Rosa's ability to set fruit. They're good producers. Very similar to Celebrity.

@ld4083 3 жыл бұрын

Great mic handling that wind noise

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

The wind muff is amazing. It's taken me 4-5 different microphones and muffs to find the winning combination. If you need a good mic and wind muff, I have it linked in my Amazon Storefront.

@karunald 3 жыл бұрын

I'll be looking forward to your intensive taste tests. I might try a couple hybrids next year but they have to be amazing. Might go back to trying more dwarf. Also, why aren't you pulling the tomatoes at first bottom blush? Taste will be the same once they get to that breaker stage (really! Fact!). And Please wear a 'good' mask when using your new spray machine (which looks like a dream tho I wonder how hard it is to get the undersides of leaves).

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Taste tests probably won't happen this year unless we have a major change in weather. I've never had much luck pulling them early. They never get as sweet for me. I do pull them usually around 50-60%, but it's been so wet, they've been rotting on my counter before they actually ripen. That's the problem. You don't need a mask to spray peroxide since it's just water on a molecular level.

@karunald 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Oh I've had the best tomatoes pulling on blush. At that time they have all the magic they need to ripen as well as on the vine. Well, hoping for taste tests. You sound dejected :( It's early yet. Have you considered a running a 2nd round of a few faves like they do in the South?

@eleanorroberts1886 3 жыл бұрын

Do u have any recommendations for Hot dry California???? My tomatoes have shrivled up: Better Boy, Cherookee purple, Roma San Marzano, Big Boy. Temps are routinely 100 and plus. Maybe shade cloth?

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Yes. Two things will change your life: 1. Drip irrigation: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jtiEd7aB39fHZYk.html 2. Shade cloth. I recommend somewhere in the 30-40% range. Too much will halt growth. I have a really nice grommeted shade cloth tarp linked in my Amazon Storefront in the video description that I use for my pawpaw trees if you’d like to take a peek.

@eleanorroberts1886 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Thx,,,,,, what varieties do u think for hot dry areas?

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Smaller fruited varieties will set more easily. Cherry tomatoes like Sun Gold and Super Sweet 100 should still function. Also some paste varieties like San Marzano and Roma types have a better chance. I’ve had good luck with Arkansas Traveler’s ability to set fruit in bad conditions. Finally, Bella Rosa has performed well in my heat as a determinate.

@rrbb36 3 жыл бұрын

I live in a very similar climate to yours, but as an avid seed-saving survivalist, hybrids just don’t fill the bill for me. Instead, I have to grow more plants and interplant with companions to get the yield I need-and fortunately I have the space to do that.

@29slowjoe 3 жыл бұрын

They have an open pollinanted version of big beef but im not sure if it holds up to the hybrid in production.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

If you like savings seed, then F1's aren't for you. For me, personally, I need production. I don't mind spending $20 a year on the F1 seed for what I need. Open pollinated types rarely work out for me, and I'd rather spend the money on the seed than work my tail off all winter and spring for a tomato harvest that doesn't work out. That's what heirlooms get me here on the coast: tons of backbreaking work that produce little food. What I will say, though, is if you can find good open pollinated cherry types, that may be a great bridge where you can get production and disease resistance. If you need a good producer for our tough situations that you can save seed, I recommend Arkansas Traveler. They aren't the most delicious tomatoes, but they're very, very reliable.

@rrbb36 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Money isn’t the issue…availability is though. No one really knows what lies ahead with our economy these days and food security is very important. There is no food security with hybrids unless you can do some method of vegetative propagation with the adult plant.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

@@rrbb36 you can still plant the hybrid seed, and it will grow edible fruit. It just won't be exactly the same as the parent. If all you care about is food security, then you can let any volunteer tomato grow and it'll do just fine. It's entirely possible some of the seed from the F1's will be superior tasting to the parent, and F2 seed is usually even more disease resistant since it has additional genetic diversity. Seed-saving with Open Pollinated varieties is only relevant to maintain the lineage of the tomato plant.

@rrbb36 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener yes, thank you, i know that. However, i’m as picky about what i eat as you are and subsequent generations from hybrids are too much of a crap-shoot for my refined tastes. 😂

@kingjames4886 2 жыл бұрын

beit alpha makes amazing pickles.

@TheMillennialGardener 2 жыл бұрын

It is my *favorite* cucumber.

@sowgoodgardens602 3 жыл бұрын

Do you have recommendations for paste variety tomatoes for hot and humid climates?

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I grew San Marzano 3 years ago and it set fruit throughout the summer. I didn't care for them, though, because they were such small fruits. However, if that's what you're looking for, they do well all summer.

@sowgoodgardens602 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Thanks for the reply! I am currently growing san marzanos wondering if there is a more productive tomato plant. If you have a recommendation for a productive paste tomato for making tomato sauce, I would greatly appreciate it!

@moon699ik5 3 жыл бұрын

I Live in N.C. also and I have a problem with bacteria Wilt on my Tomatoes Plants .Have you ever had that problem and what did you do about it.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Bacterial wilt is when a certain soil bacteria invades the plant through the root system and attacks the pathways in the stem that provide water uptake (transpiration). There is no cure for bacterial wilt. When you get bacterial wilt, your plant will not be able to uptake any water and will wither and die. It's very important to remove those plants ASAP so the pathogen does not spread. I've only had that once, and it was in a container, so it was easy to deal with. When it's in-ground, it's more of a problem, because it can affect more plants. Remove it ASAP.

@moon699ik5 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener yes mine are in ground.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

If you are certain it is bacterial wilt, they cannot be saved and should be pulled, I’m sorry to say.

@BlackJesus8463 3 жыл бұрын

Those Brandy Boys look just like the Chef's Pink!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I actually didn't show the Brandy Boy's yet, because I had an issue with my original seedling and had to start another 2 months late. My Brandy Boy is way behind. The other monsters were Big Brandy.

@BlackJesus8463 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Big Brandy! Yeah! Those things looked real good!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

They are definitely stout, strong, productive plants 💪

@robertcanacari2610 3 жыл бұрын

I'm curious how the White Tomesol tastes. Did you try it yet?

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I did, but it wasn't ripen and totally waterlogged, so the taste was bland. I had to eat it chopped up in a salad, because it was too bland on its own. It's been such a wet year that my only tomatoes coming out with any flavor are my cherry types, my Brandywine Yellow, Dwarf Emerald Giant and a couple of those Chef's Choice Pink's. Everything else is just tasteless juice when I cut them open. It's a real shame. Next year, I need to find a way to cover my indeterminates with a roof of some type.

@storytime9617 3 жыл бұрын

im here in NC NW of Greensboro. I have a container garden and have Blue Beauty, Brads atomic grape and Cherokee purple and its been reallly hot on my deck. I had really good composted soil and tomato tone before planting my seeds.. they came up really healthy and still look healthy . they are about 3 ft high (planted a little late beginning of May) and I have blossom drop. just fed this week with Greenway Biotech, Inc. Tomato Fertilizer 4-18-38 Plus Micro Nutrients and will do some water soluble calcium tomorrow.every other day water.any suggestions? poss too hot? (im getting shade cloth tomorrow)

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Blossom drop is almost always caused by temps that are too hot, specifically at night. If your nights aren't dropping below 70F and your dew points are too high, there isn't much you can do to get tomatoes to pollinate. In hot and humid weather, the pollen becomes sticky, so the flowers can't pollinate. The pollen needs to stay dry to be viable. What you really need to do is wait for a cool night in the 60's (or 50's is even better!), then hand pollinate your flowers. I recommend the electric toothbrush method here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rpiqotKjy9a-ZWQ.html Shade cloth will help. I've found the best thing to do living where we live is to simply select tomatoes that can set fruit in these conditions. I've put a lot of work into growing probably close to 100 varieties to get some that work, here. Arkansas Traveler can set all summer in our rough conditions. Most cherry types can, and Sun Gold and Super Sweet 100 will fruit heavily no matter how hot and humid it gets. Some smaller paste-types like San Marzano set fruit all summer, here. The Abu Rawan determinate seems to be capable of producing fruit (since it comes from the deserts of Iraq), and while no beefsteak likes hot weather, I've seen the most fruit set out of Big Beef and White Tomesol, which seems to be capable of setting some fruits under heat stress (though not reliably like the others). The real way to get good tomato production here is to rely heavily on smaller-fruited tomatoes and plant them as early as possible to maximize fruit set in April and May when temps agree.

@storytime9617 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Thanks so much for your response.. thats funny you talk about the san marzano.. last year i had San Marzano and got a ton of tomatoes.. I think Ill try a couple of the varieties you highlighted here for next year. Love your vids especially because your in NC like me.. Thanks neighbor!

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Those smaller plum types can fruit in conditions that slicers and beefsteaks cannot. Best of luck!

@MollyMcBooter 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah my pink brandywine suddiths you recommended are blight magnets. In overpriced grow bags with organic soil they get blight, and in the ground well pruned they get it. I wonder if Harris Seeds sold me diseased seed stock, is that possible? Like if a plant had blight then someone saves the seeds, it passes down? I just find it weird its literally the only tomato plant I've grown that gets blight before it can even make one tomato. Won't be growing it again. All the others are doing great though. 🍅

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

It isn't the seed. It isn't the soil. It isn't you. It's just Brandywine Pink. It's a fantastically delicious tomato, but they are some of the weakest plants you'll ever grow. Brandywine Pink, Brandywine Yellow and Cherokee Purple are total disease magnets. The fruit is just so good, though. The good news is, Big Brandy, Chef's Choice Pink and Brandy Boy offer almost identical flavor with better yields and more disease resistance. All three still get blight because of the Brandywine lineage, but they handle it better and persevere. If you want to grow delicious Brandywine fruit, you have to deal with disease, unfortunately. Wait until you eat the tomato. You may change your mind about growing it again, and just deal with it like I do.

@anidnmeno 3 жыл бұрын

4:37, how'd you get that T H I C C stalk, though? That plant looks durable AF

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Aggressive fertilizing during the development stage and deep planting. It lends an enormous root system. My tomato roots are always like a wicker broom. I have a complete guide on exactly what I do here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/id-Ig7R0r9O2qp8.html

@dollysantavicca8939 2 жыл бұрын

I can't grow cucumbers without them being attacked by pickle worms, even spraying on a regular basis with BT. How do you do it.

@TheMillennialGardener 2 жыл бұрын

BT is useful against some worms and caterpillars, but BT does not harm the adult moths that lay the eggs. If BT isn't working for you, I suggest using Spinosad concentrate, instead. Spinosad will kill the adult moths, which will help break the reproduction cycle. Spinosad can harm some pollinators, but this is generally avoided by spraying after sunset when bees are no longer active.

@jwilson086 Жыл бұрын

Dale thought it was a trap! What do you mean jump up on the table?? That’s not allowed!

@sandragiordano6492 3 жыл бұрын

Please do a video on the taste ?

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

It has been too wet this year to have a taste test video. The tomatoes have been too waterlogged, so the flavor is poorly represented and I've had too many problems with splitting. We had 11 inches of rain in June, and another very destructive 3.82 inch rain event yesterday in about 75 minutes. Most of my plants have been harvested, so taste testing this season probably won't be possible.

@amy3458 10 ай бұрын

Have you tried Brandywise from Fruition Seeds?

@TheMillennialGardener 10 ай бұрын

No. I've grown Brandy Boy, Big Brandy and Chef's Choice Pink, which are all hybridized versions of Brandywine Pink and approximate Brandywine Pink Sudduth. Brandy Boy does it for me. It's so good that I just don't feel the need to find a substitute. It's the same taste as Brandywine Pink Sudduth but much more productive and tougher. It's probably my favorite all-around tomato, honestly.

@amy3458 10 ай бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you. Brandywine Pink is my all-time favorite but I can’t sell it at market because it always cracks. When I water it very consistently, that helps with production but they always crack. I’ll try your recommendation next year. Thank you! 🙏🏼

@bigtitan27 3 жыл бұрын

Have you tried the Bella Rosa yet? Thoughts?

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I cannot give a fair taste test because I've received 11 inches of rain so far in June, so everything is waterlogged, flavor isn't right and my tomatoes are rotting on the outside before the insides ripen. Most of my fruits are showing white/green cores and meat because of the terrible conditions, so I cannot give you a proper rating.

@bigtitan27 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener i hate that for you. Its been a bad year for a lot of gardeners. Its my first time growing Bella Rosa as well. Will be a few more weeks before I have any ripe.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

As long as it dries out for fig season 😂

@khaledgorila 3 жыл бұрын

hi I have a problem with my fig it's an 1 year old fig cutting it never grows it grows only when I give it a firtilizer

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I'm not sure what you mean. How large is the cutting? Often times, fruit trees want to grow roots first, so while it doesn't "appear" like the trees are growing, they actually are growing roots. If you keep fertilizing them, you may actually overwater the tree and kill it in your quest to see top growth. Sometimes, you just need to be patient and let the roots grow. In-ground trees usually don't grow until the 3rd season because they spend 2 entire years growing roots first.

@khaledgorila 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener okay thanks

@scout3541 3 жыл бұрын

do you grow all the varieties from seeds

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Yes. I grow all my plants from seed (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, watermelon, etc.).

@steveo_o6707 3 жыл бұрын

What do you do about birds?

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I have no issues with birds. I've never had any damage. The key, I believe, is giving them a fresh source of food and water, and keeping your plants low to the ground. They peck your fruits almost always out of thirst.

@jamesbarron1202 3 жыл бұрын

We’ve had a lot more rain than normal and it’s really killed the great taste of my tomatoes that I normally get in dryer years. Their really juicy and the sugars are watered down this year. High rainfall will really reduce the taste of watermelons. I never water when my melons are in their ripening stage.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

I've never grown tomatoes this bland in my life. Then again, I've never had a June so wet in my life! My weather station has logged 10.61 inches of rain since June 2nd. There just isn't much you can do with that much rainfall. It's only June 26th and we are already sitting at 30 inches for the year. The three rainiest months haven't even started yet 😓

@jamesbarron1202 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener it’ll get bone dry here the next 4 months and I’ll be praying for rain. It’s wonderful for my pecans. I should have a good crop this year. I have around 150 trees I’m thinking. I need to get a count on them. 1/3 of those aren’t anywhere near bearing yet. I’ve still got to graft that 1/3. My others are mature trees. Dry years I get no crop worth selling. They don’t fill out.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Living on the east coast my entire life, I’ve never prayed for rain once. Only to keep it away 😂 Sometimes, I think I’d like to try living in a place with a dry season.

@gwenhafford4112 3 жыл бұрын

Dale is precious! So well -behaved and his face & eyes are beautiful. Good boy!! I would love to be your neighbor right now 😂😂. It would be my pleasure to take some excess tomatoes and cucumbers off your hands. 🍅 🥒 I live in beautiful Western North Carolina now.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

Dale is a really good boy. We got very lucky with him. If you were nearby, I'd have plenty for you. The problem with the Wilmington area is that our summers are too hot to set fruit, though. So while I have a lot now, in another month, I won't have any 😢

@brettchampagne4440 3 жыл бұрын

An heirloom we tried this year that has done surprisingly well with heavy daily storms on the Gulf Coast is Black Krim, very good disease resistance and delicious taste.

@TheMillennialGardener 3 жыл бұрын

How are the yields and split resistance?

@brettchampagne4440 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheMillennialGardener Yield is good, I wouldn't say they are prone to splitting.