Good day, all.

Of the varieties of tomato & bell pepper plants at
Home Depot, Lowe's or WallyMart - which varieties will keep
producing in the "HEAT" of the summer? We had
a couple of tomatoes last year that produced "all"
summer - but I can't remember what they we-(

BTW - it froze our here last night, but the peach, etc. tree
blooms seem intact. Could they have actually survived, or will
the fall off shortly? Geesh - two years in a row...

THANKS,
Gene
Briggs, TX

--
E-mail:

"Gene S" wrote in news:CFDha.7136$Zo.83977
@dfw-read.news.verio.net:
Of the varieties of tomato & bell pepper plants at
Home Depot, Lowe's or WallyMart - which varieties will keep
producing in the "HEAT" of the summer? We had
a couple of tomatoes last year that produced "all"
summer - but I can't remember what they we-(

Write it down next time. (I do the same thing--I finally started
keeping a gardening journal, but it's very sporadic.)

I thought that any indeterminate tomato would keep producing all
summer. The one plant that I had that kept producing through the
first few freezes was called Porter, I think. I bought it at Red
Barn.

Karen

Thanks, Karen.

I did write it down, I gust lost the paper :-)
(Someday I'm going to find a really easy to use PC program
that lets me enter random text, JPGs, etc. & easily
find them later.)

BTW, where is the "Red Barn"?
Is that the one out N. Mopak, towards RR?
(I'm between Austin & Lampasas.)

Thanks,
Gene


--
E-mail:

"Karen" wrote in message
.150...
"Gene S" wrote in news:CFDha.7136$Zo.83977
@dfw-read.news.verio.net:
Of the varieties of tomato & bell pepper plants at
Home Depot, Lowe's or WallyMart - which varieties will keep
producing in the "HEAT" of the summer? We had
a couple of tomatoes last year that produced "all"
summer - but I can't remember what they we-(

Write it down next time. (I do the same thing--I finally started
keeping a gardening journal, but it's very sporadic.)

I thought that any indeterminate tomato would keep producing all
summer. The one plant that I had that kept producing through the
first few freezes was called Porter, I think. I bought it at Red
Barn.

Karen

Gene,
Merced tomato is recommended by A&M as a good producer during the Texas
heat. I've have good success here for the last 4 years or so. I've not
seen them offered at the local HD, Lowe's etc. Calloway's and other local
garden centers do have them in stock in DFW.

dennis booker
Arlington, Texas
"Gene S" wrote in message
...
Good day, all.

Of the varieties of tomato & bell pepper plants at
Home Depot, Lowe's or WallyMart - which varieties will keep
producing in the "HEAT" of the summer? We had
a couple of tomatoes last year that produced "all"
summer - but I can't remember what they we-(

BTW - it froze our here last night, but the peach, etc. tree
blooms seem intact. Could they have actually survived, or will
the fall off shortly? Geesh - two years in a row...

THANKS,
Gene
Briggs, TX

--
E-mail:

There is a variety called "Heat Wave". We have had some pretty good success
with that one during the hot months over the last couple of years. Last
year, I couldn't find any in the nurserys I checked but a couple volunteers
grew up in our yard where the dogs had munched on stolen tomatoes the year
before. A transplanted volunteer did very well. Anyway, I bought a couple
little Heat Waves this year from Red Barn.

Red Barn is on Pond Springs Road just north of where it intersects with
Spicewood Springs, near the Spicewood Springs / 183 intersection. Perhaps
there is another location; don't know.

g.


"Gene S" wrote in message
...
Thanks, Karen.

I did write it down, I gust lost the paper :-)
(Someday I'm going to find a really easy to use PC program
that lets me enter random text, JPGs, etc. & easily
find them later.)

BTW, where is the "Red Barn"?
Is that the one out N. Mopak, towards RR?
(I'm between Austin & Lampasas.)

Thanks,
Gene


--
E-mail:

"Karen" wrote in message
.150...
"Gene S" wrote in news:CFDha.7136$Zo.83977
@dfw-read.news.verio.net:
Of the varieties of tomato & bell pepper plants at
Home Depot, Lowe's or WallyMart - which varieties will keep
producing in the "HEAT" of the summer? We had
a couple of tomatoes last year that produced "all"
summer - but I can't remember what they we-(

Write it down next time. (I do the same thing--I finally started
keeping a gardening journal, but it's very sporadic.)

I thought that any indeterminate tomato would keep producing all
summer. The one plant that I had that kept producing through the
first few freezes was called Porter, I think. I bought it at Red
Barn.

Karen

Gene S wrote:
(Someday I'm going to find a really easy to use PC program
that lets me enter random text, JPGs, etc. & easily
find them later.)

There already is: Word.

As for the tomatoes, pretty much every single variety we've tried has kept
producing through the summer. This last year all our tomatoes died during
the july floods, otherwise they would've kept producing. I think it has more
to do with how good your soil is to begin with and how healthy your plants
are. If you want more tomatoes than what you know what to do with them,
try romas and mortgage lifter. Lemon boy also produces out the whazoo, but
I don't know if they sell them at the big box stores.


--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

It only went down to 37 degrees last night here in NW Austin (183 & 620).

The tomato they grow commercially down in the Fredericksburg area that will
continue to set and produce fruit in the heat of an Austin summer is Sun
Master -- my favorite for heartiness, production and flavor, produce
abundantly, about 4" fruits, smooth, round red -- it is a refinement of Heat
Wave. I use to buy them at the Wolfe's Nursery on north 183 a few miles
south of Cedar Park but that store closed. I have found them sporadically
at Hill Country Landscape And Garden Center (13561 Pond Springs Road,
258-0093), and Red Barn Garden Center (12881 Pond Springs Road, 335-8093),
both are here in far Northwest Austin just off of 183, both carry the
popular hybrids and some heirlooms. I think Hill Country Landscape is much
cheaper that Red Barn but haven't done price comparisons for awhile.

Home Depot and Lowe's (which is owned by Wal-Mart) are sporadic about what
varieties they get in but mostly traditional hybrids (hybrids' advantages
are that they are usually more disease resistant and hardy and usually
produce more heavily, the advantages of some heirlooms are that they may
come back next year as "volunteer" plants (hybrids do not produce viable
seeds) and heirlooms win on flavor). Determinate tomatoes produce well for
a short period then essentially quit (will still get an occasional tomato or
two if you don't pull the plant), Indeterminate plants (usually) will grow
much taller sprawling and will continue to produce until frost.

Typical varieties found at the three places you named:

Celebrity (Determinate)
Porter (Indeterminate)
Mercer (?)
Sweet 100 ("Cherry", Indeterminate)
Patio (Indeterminate)
Early Girl (Indeterminate)
Better Boy (Indeterminate)
Beefsteak (Indeterminate)
Roma ("paste" - good for eating and making sauces, Determinate)

The two nurseries on Pond Springs Road (Pond Springs runs off of 183 just
south of Lakecreek Blvd intersection dumping back into 183 just before
McNeil intersection) will have those plus several other varieties including
some of the more popular heirlooms like Brandywine (Indeterminate).

I have tried both Porter and Mercer and did not have good luck with either,
but taste is a personal preference and differences in soil do make very
marked differences in the flavors of tomatoes.

This year I've got a couple of heirlooms I started indoors from seed - then
from Wal-Mart one each of: "Celebrity" & "Patio", and from Hill Country
Landscape And Garden Center ($.79 for a 2" pot): "Ultra Sweet Beefsteak"
(Determinate), "Carnival" (Determinate), "Navidad Grape" (this is a very
sweet cherry style, Indeterminate), I haven't found any Sun Master yet, and
also want an Early Girl because they are always reliable.

On Bell peppers -- about everything does well -- last year I got one from
Hill Country that produced like mad even after the first freeze (I did cover
it). They had six or seven different varieties of Bell peppers to choose
from and I don't remember which that one happened to be.


--
Marta
(if you email me directly you need to remove the X )

THANKS everyone - I have enough data to shopping for tomato
& pepper -plants :-)

BTW, I noticed the thermometer at ~ 28 last night here
in the Briggs area - but the orchard "seems" to be no worse
for it, hope so.

I think I'll plant a lot of different tomatoes, seems like a good idea
to plant them next to the fruit tree base, as it's irrigated. Never tried
it,
but seems like a plan, a little shade should not hurt that much.

THANKS to all for the kind assistance.

Gene

--
E-mail:

"Wayfarer" wrote in message
digy.com...
It only went down to 37 degrees last night here in NW Austin (183 & 620).

The tomato they grow commercially down in the Fredericksburg area that
will
continue to set and produce fruit in the heat of an Austin summer is Sun
Master -- my favorite for heartiness, production and flavor, produce
abundantly, about 4" fruits, smooth, round red -- it is a refinement of
Heat
Wave. I use to buy them at the Wolfe's Nursery on north 183 a few miles
south of Cedar Park but that store closed. I have found them sporadically
at Hill Country Landscape And Garden Center (13561 Pond Springs Road,
258-0093), and Red Barn Garden Center (12881 Pond Springs Road, 335-8093),
both are here in far Northwest Austin just off of 183, both carry the
popular hybrids and some heirlooms. I think Hill Country Landscape is
much
cheaper that Red Barn but haven't done price comparisons for awhile.

Home Depot and Lowe's (which is owned by Wal-Mart) are sporadic about what
varieties they get in but mostly traditional hybrids (hybrids' advantages
are that they are usually more disease resistant and hardy and usually
produce more heavily, the advantages of some heirlooms are that they may
come back next year as "volunteer" plants (hybrids do not produce viable
seeds) and heirlooms win on flavor). Determinate tomatoes produce well
for
a short period then essentially quit (will still get an occasional tomato
or
two if you don't pull the plant), Indeterminate plants (usually) will grow
much taller sprawling and will continue to produce until frost.

Typical varieties found at the three places you named:

Celebrity (Determinate)
Porter (Indeterminate)
Mercer (?)
Sweet 100 ("Cherry", Indeterminate)
Patio (Indeterminate)
Early Girl (Indeterminate)
Better Boy (Indeterminate)
Beefsteak (Indeterminate)
Roma ("paste" - good for eating and making sauces, Determinate)

The two nurseries on Pond Springs Road (Pond Springs runs off of 183 just
south of Lakecreek Blvd intersection dumping back into 183 just before
McNeil intersection) will have those plus several other varieties
including
some of the more popular heirlooms like Brandywine (Indeterminate).

I have tried both Porter and Mercer and did not have good luck with
either,
but taste is a personal preference and differences in soil do make very
marked differences in the flavors of tomatoes.

This year I've got a couple of heirlooms I started indoors from seed -
then
from Wal-Mart one each of: "Celebrity" & "Patio", and from Hill Country
Landscape And Garden Center ($.79 for a 2" pot): "Ultra Sweet Beefsteak"
(Determinate), "Carnival" (Determinate), "Navidad Grape" (this is a very
sweet cherry style, Indeterminate), I haven't found any Sun Master yet,
and
also want an Early Girl because they are always reliable.

On Bell peppers -- about everything does well -- last year I got one from
Hill Country that produced like mad even after the first freeze (I did
cover
it). They had six or seven different varieties of Bell peppers to choose
from and I don't remember which that one happened to be.


--
Marta
(if you email me directly you need to remove the X )

I personally didn't like the 'Merced' for taste, but I do grow and have produce
all summer, 'Roma' tomatoes. They are not exactly a beefsteak, but I'm Italian
and they make great sauce.




On Sun, 30 Mar 2003 09:01:06 -0600, "Gene S" wrote:

Good day, all.

Of the varieties of tomato & bell pepper plants at
Home Depot, Lowe's or WallyMart - which varieties will keep
producing in the "HEAT" of the summer? We had
a couple of tomatoes last year that produced "all"
summer - but I can't remember what they we-(

BTW - it froze our here last night, but the peach, etc. tree
blooms seem intact. Could they have actually survived, or will
the fall off shortly? Geesh - two years in a row...

THANKS,
Gene
Briggs, TX

Made the rounds (up here in Northwest Austin) to Lowe's, Hill Country, and
Red Barn -

Lowe's needs to water theirs pretty desperately!!! However I did find (and
bought) my Sun Master there (and no where else yet). A 5" tomato round pot
cost me $1.99 (some are $2.78). Not many varieties.

Hill Country plants were well watered, cost $0.79 for a 4" pot and $1.98 for
a gallon size. Limited varieties also but said they are just getting them
in and will have a lot more (and they usually do). Already had the
varieties from them I want at this point.

Red Barn was disorganized as they had brought theirs in to protect from
expected freeze last night, so you really had to search. I didn't price the
6 packs as I never buy those (I don't want 6 of all the same variety). A 4"
there was $1.98 and they had the largest variety at this time. They had my
Early Girl (which no one else had yet) and a few heirlooms, bought the Early
Girl and two I haven't tried before that sounded good: a Bradley Pink and
Champion (anybody tried these?).

--
Marta
(if you email me directly you need to remove the X )

(Victor M. Martinez) wrote in
:
your soil is to begin with and how healthy your plants are. If
you want more tomatoes than what you know what to do with them,
try romas and mortgage lifter. Lemon boy also produces out the
whazoo, but I don't know if they sell them at the big box
stores.

I saw some at Home Depot today. There's a tomato called Mortgage
Lifter?

Karen

I planted a Mortgage Lifter three weeks ago. Doing very well so far. Still
making payments though?!@&#

"Karen" wrote in message

I saw some at Home Depot today. There's a tomato called Mortgage
Lifter?

Karen

In article , "WSZsr"
wrote:

I planted a Mortgage Lifter three weeks ago. Doing very well so far. Still
making payments though?!@&#



Did you grow it from seed or find transplants locally?

Roland

Found plants at Lowes or Home Depot. Can't remember which.

"Joe Doe" wrote in message
...
In article , "WSZsr"
wrote:

I planted a Mortgage Lifter three weeks ago. Doing very well so far.
Still
making payments though?!@&#



Did you grow it from seed or find transplants locally?

Roland

Found a few good looking tomato & pepper plants at
Home Depot - Lakeline & some more (actually better
quality & price) at WallyMart near 183 & 1431 Cedar Park.
The strawberries at WallyMart looked especially
nice - got a pallet.

Question:

Assuming a 6" tomato plant, How "DEEP" do I plant it?
The instructions said 80% deep.

Is there a "rule-of-thumb" for planting tomato plants?
I'm thinking that planting a 6" tomato ~ 2" ( 33%) in the
ground is enough, but ... That is, place dirt 2" up on
the stem.

I plan to plant a "diversion" crop of something real cheap (like
grocery store beans, peas, etc.) around the small pecan trees
to see if the hoppers will be distracted:-) I have no clue if it will
work - but better than have the little ^&*%^! eat the pecan leaves,
again.
Any suggestions as to what to plant?

Thanks,
Gene



--
E-mail:

"Gene S" wrote in message
...
Good day, all.

Of the varieties of tomato & bell pepper plants at
Home Depot, Lowe's or WallyMart - which varieties will keep
producing in the "HEAT" of the summer? We had
a couple of tomatoes last year that produced "all"
summer - but I can't remember what they we-(

BTW - it froze our here last night, but the peach, etc. tree
blooms seem intact. Could they have actually survived, or will
the fall off shortly? Geesh - two years in a row...

THANKS,
Gene
Briggs, TX

--
E-mail: