My Brandywine, Brandy Boy, Big Beef, and Gurney Girl plants are
producing in abundance, but not turning red yet.

However, the Cherokee Purple and Black Krim are not doing as well, with
many blossoms and few setting. It's been well into the 90°s with RH
running between 7% and 44%. The heat has caused some drooping of the
Cherokee Purple leaves, so I give them some extra water, and cover the
cages with old bed sheets during the heat of day.

I'm in metro Denver where we usually have a short season. On Aug 1, I
snip-off the new growth and blossoms that have not set, and hope for a
late frost.

From my own experience, I have no problems growing Cherokee Purple
and Black Krim here in the Chicago area. One culprit might be your
nighttime temperatures. If they are not at least 55 degrees, the tomatoe
plants may not set blossoms. Here is a web site where someone tried to
correct that problem:

http://gardeneryardener.blogspot.com...ty-tomato.html

Also, I'm finding information that suggests Heirlooms are late to set blossoms,
but I have not found that in my garden.

You can also try growing some of these difficult tomatoes in pots, which you can

move to shady cool places during a heat wave.

Hope this helps,

Sherwin

George wrote:

My Brandywine, Brandy Boy, Big Beef, and Gurney Girl plants are
producing in abundance, but not turning red yet.

However, the Cherokee Purple and Black Krim are not doing as well, with
many blossoms and few setting. It's been well into the 90°s with RH
running between 7% and 44%. The heat has caused some drooping of the
Cherokee Purple leaves, so I give them some extra water, and cover the
cages with old bed sheets during the heat of day.

I'm in metro Denver where we usually have a short season. On Aug 1, I
snip-off the new growth and blossoms that have not set, and hope for a
late frost.

Charlie wrote:
On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:06:18 -0500, sherwindu
wrote:

From my own experience, I have no problems growing Cherokee Purple
and Black Krim here in the Chicago area. One culprit might be your
nighttime temperatures. If they are not at least 55 degrees, the tomatoe
plants may not set blossoms. Here is a web site where someone tried to
correct that problem:

http://gardeneryardener.blogspot.com...ty-tomato.html

Also, I'm finding information that suggests Heirlooms are late to set blossoms,
but I have not found that in my garden.

You can also try growing some of these difficult tomatoes in pots, which you can

move to shady cool places during a heat wave.

Well I'll be. Don't hang up, Sherwin.... I'm agreeing with you here.

I have grown Black Krims along with Black from Tula, and Paul Robesons.
I prefer the Krims over the other "black" tomatoes, could be my soil.
I concentrate on heirlooms and have found that while the fruit is far
superior to hybrids, yields on many of them are reduced, but I prefer
to have fewer tomatoes that are far better tasting.

I also grow White Tomasil every year. Heavy yields for an heirloom,
cream/white flesh, lower acid. Large fruit.

Unless you prune, I have found that the indeterminate heirlooms get so
danged tall that moving them about would be impossible. I have them
trellised and tied and wrestled to seven feet and then often sideways,
and then they go downwards anyway, and the only thing that stops them
is frost.

I agree that growing them in pots is a good thing. I experiment with
amounts of sunlight on them and am finding that some tolerate partial
sun quite well, while still producing well. I have better luck with
the cherry types than standard.

As far as setting blossoms, and fruit late, again, it may depend upon
the variety. Some also take much longer to ripen.

Anyways, I quess, I'll se ya round the next organic dissed-cussing! ;-)

Chicago, eh? My dad was born and raised in Elmwood Park. Left home,
or tossed out, never sure which, had something to do with a girl of the
wrong religion (not mom) at eighteen and never looked back.

Hell, I'm developing a certain fondness, or fascination for/with ya',
old boy.

Care
Charlie

mark that up in history folks............they are agreeing on something!
the world must be coming to end soon........

lol

In article , Charlie wrote:

On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:06:18 -0500, sherwindu
wrote:

From my own experience, I have no problems growing Cherokee Purple
and Black Krim here in the Chicago area. One culprit might be your
nighttime temperatures. If they are not at least 55 degrees, the tomatoe
plants may not set blossoms. Here is a web site where someone tried to
correct that problem:

http://gardeneryardener.blogspot.com...ty-tomato.html

Also, I'm finding information that suggests Heirlooms are late to set
blossoms,
but I have not found that in my garden.

You can also try growing some of these difficult tomatoes in pots, which you
can

move to shady cool places during a heat wave.

Well I'll be. Don't hang up, Sherwin.... I'm agreeing with you here.

I have grown Black Krims along with Black from Tula, and Paul Robesons.
I prefer the Krims over the other "black" tomatoes, could be my soil.
I concentrate on heirlooms and have found that while the fruit is far
superior to hybrids, yields on many of them are reduced, but I prefer
to have fewer tomatoes that are far better tasting.

I also grow White Tomasil every year. Heavy yields for an heirloom,
cream/white flesh, lower acid. Large fruit.

Unless you prune, I have found that the indeterminate heirlooms get so
danged tall that moving them about would be impossible. I have them
trellised and tied and wrestled to seven feet and then often sideways,
and then they go downwards anyway, and the only thing that stops them
is frost.

I agree that growing them in pots is a good thing. I experiment with
amounts of sunlight on them and am finding that some tolerate partial
sun quite well, while still producing well. I have better luck with
the cherry types than standard.

As far as setting blossoms, and fruit late, again, it may depend upon
the variety. Some also take much longer to ripen.

Anyways, I quess, I'll se ya round the next organic dissed-cussing! ;-)

Chicago, eh? My dad was born and raised in Elmwood Park. Left home,
or tossed out, never sure which, had something to do with a girl of the
wrong religion (not mom) at eighteen and never looked back.

Hell, I'm developing a certain fondness, or fascination for/with ya',
old boy.

Care
Charlie

The humidity seems low at between 7% and 44% RH. Tomatoes would prefer
50% to 70% RH and would like a temp a little less than 90 F. Late season
tomatoes always seem to take forever to set. Tenting sounds good. Anyway
to get standing water under the plants (kids pool, cookie trays with
water, ?) to raise the humidity? I would try misting, usually not a good
idea with tomatoes but at 7 - 44% RH, hey.
--
Billy
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/