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Florida Gardening

Any luck growing tomatoes over the summer?

16 years ago

I currently have a decent amount of large plants growing outdoors hydroponically. I wanted to start some new varieties of seeds that I got but am uncertain about the florida heat.

Has anyone had luck growing tomatoes during the summer months? I do get a decent breeze from the coast but it still gets hot.

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Comments (22)

strawberrygirlie
16 years ago
From what I understand tomatoes will not set fruit if night time lows are not below 75 degrees.

Last spring I planted some tomatoes and I got some good fruit off of them. But the last of the tomatoes were gone by June.
tony_k_orlando
16 years ago
IF you really wanted to have fruit you could use 'fruit set spray' It is a hormone that bypasses the pollen mechanism. I have used it and it worked.

My suggestion would be to just go for it and see what happens. Its only a seed or two you will sacrifice in the name of knowledge and experience. Seeing as you have the hydro going anyways, what's another pot or two ?

When I was into tomatos, I was growing three crops per yr with success. If I can so can anyone else.
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I agree I would buy plants at this point as you haven't started tomatoes from seed before and it's getting late in the season. Starting tomatoes from seed will take about 6-8 weeks until you can plant them out, and if you're only planning on growing one in one topsy turvy...it would just be plain old easier and you'll probably be more successful if you just buy a plant. I would probably check out the container gardening forum for specific suggestions on soil mixes for your topsy turvy. If you are dead set on growing your own from seed, start with 2-3 seeds in a cup (poke drainage holes). I always start more than I think I will need because things happen and seedlings die. When they germinate, choose the strongest/biggest seedling, and then cut the tops off the others with scissors. Water from the bottom. Put the cup in a container with water in it, the mix you started the seeds in will wick moisture up into the rest of the cup. Water only when the soil is somewhat dry. I would highly suggest giving the seedlings more light than a bright window - you'll get faster growth and much stronger seedlings. Something like a shop light with "daylight" range bulbs set no more than 2" above the top of the seedling will work. Move the lights up as the seedlings grow. You'll want to repot them into larger containers as they get bigger (I use large yogurt/cottage cheese containers). Once they're at transplant size, you'll need to harden them off before transplanting outside (lots of information on how to do that here and other places). This will be about 6-8 weeks after your seed germinated. Those are the basics, there is a learning curve to it and it is some work. And why I think everyone is suggesting if you're only doing one or a couple plants at this time of year, it's much easier for you to buy one that someone else already did the work on.
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I agree with others that the ideal time to plant is before it gets that hot (or after, depending on your season). However, that doesn't mean you can't grow stuff now. There's usually a way to do a thing if you're determined enough. From my experience during a year where it got up to 116 to 118° F. one day (and pretty hot other days, for a long time), I wouldn't even bother trying to start tomatoes indoors, unless you have a great temperature control system indoors that can simulate the temperatures you need (not just daytime temperatures, but night temperatures, too). You could try starting them under lights in a cool root cellar. Or, you could try outdoors. Your indoor temperatures are probably pretty warm, and consistently pretty warm, whereas outdoor temperatures are very hot, and, I'm guessing much cooler at night than in the day. There may be a chance that your nights are cool enough to allow tomatoes to sprout (I wouldn't count on it, but you can experiment). The difference in temperatures between day and night can make a difference for tomatoes. However, if watered soil doesn't even grow weeds, I would worry. I would not try sprouting tomatoes in a container in those temperatures. The container will be too hot and dry out too fast. The ground will be cooler, I think. Your soil-type may matter a lot, too. I would be more comfortable with a soil that insulates well, at those temperatures, like maybe clay (a good clay that actually absorbs water instead of letting it pool on top and evaporate; partial clay or clay loam may work). Such soil may or may not be the best for germination even at good temperatures (so, you may need to plant a fair amount of seeds). Now, I have an idea. You can dig a hole deep enough that it's cooler down there, and plant seeds in it. One of the drawbacks to planting tomatoes too deep (I tried planting extra-long tomatoes 5-feet deep in our clay-type soil one year) seems to be that the roots get too cold or something, and this seems to slow the growth (although they still grow). So, that might be one way to regulate temperatures and light levels. You might want to dig a very deep hole, wait a day or two, and then measure the temperature at various depths. Then you'll know how deep to dig your hole to get the right temperature for tomatoes. Open holes seem able to stay pretty cool even in high temperatures (at least with compact soil like ours). However, with the moisture and closeness of the soil, I might be concerned that fungi might have an advantage there, but I'd probably try it, at least. If you have clay down below, you'll want a tomato variety that does well in clay (some of them do a lot better than others; Amana Orange grows extra-vigorously in clay-type soil in my experience, but some varieties don't grow much at all). You'll want to make sure your hole is a good shape to allow for proper watering. If the hole is not a good shape, and you amend the soil to make it looser or such, the water may make your soil float or such, and cause distress. Amending the soil too much to make it loose may also cause the tomato not to venture out into the unamended soil, if it's compact (so, I would make sure it's not *too* different in how compact it is). If your hole is too wide, or if it's not deep enough, it may be too hot, still, but if it's too narrow and deep, you may not have enough light, or it may be too cold. You might try rooting cuttings instead of growing from seed, if you have a friend with tomato plants who likes to prune suckers. That may be easier to do in the heat than sprouting seeds. When your tomatoes actually start to grow, you may want to shower them. In my area, that helps them to grow faster, and they seem to do better when it's hot and dry. I think the water pressure on the plants has as much to do with it as the actual wetness factor, though. It probably helps the plants to develop better, stronger roots (like wind does), and the water splattering against the leaves may help to activate the plants' defenses against insects and disease (touching them is supposed to do that, which is one reason why I think this may be true). I did notice that insects left my tomatoes and peppers alone almost entirely when I did this. If you want the benefits of showered tomatoes while they're still younger, grow a whole bunch of seeds, and don't thin them until they're big enough to be showered on their own. The plants will support each other when you shower them. When they're big enough, thin to one plant with scissors (don't pull them up by the roots). You actually need to use a shower nozzle, though (don't just spray your plants with a hose; that doesn't work, in my experience; plus, it knocks the plants over and gets a lot more soil all over them). Of course, water and soil on leaves is said to contribute to fungal diseases, but it doesn't seem to be as bad of an issue in semi-arid to arid areas. Potassium can help plants be a little more heat-tolerant. I like potassium sulfate, personally (and/or wood ash). Too much potassium can slow the growth of your plants, though (or make them not grow as big). You may try oxheart tomatoes with sparse foliage. They have smaller leaves; so, in theory, they should absorb less sunlight and be less bothered by it (although maybe sun scald might be an issue for your fruits). However, you'll want to make sure they're adapted to your area (and because oxhearts are grown heavily in more ideal conditions, it may not be easy). Saving your seeds and growing them again every year for a few years should help to acclimatize your varieties to your climate and soil better. I've found that to be true with at least some kinds of plants. I think it probably takes about 3 to 8 years of seed-saving to fully acclimatize a variety (from my observations of reseeding flowers and how they've done year after year), but you can potentially notice a big difference after a single year.
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wanna_run_faster
16 years ago
I've grown cherry and grape tomatos in the summer without any major problems. I've also get patio tomatos like 'tiny tim' going for months and months and when the plant finally burns out, I just start another one. I'm actually thinking about starting some cherries right now, maybe hanging down in a basket for easy picking.
wanna_run_faster
16 years ago
But I really defer to Tony and Treefrog -- the true tomato experts (don't even THINK about getting between them when they're swapping seeds lol!)
tony_k_orlando
16 years ago
WRF,

Those were the 'good ole days' I NO LONGER grow tomatoes intentionally. Been there, know I can do it, still hate em and now looking for another challenge.
junkyardgirl
16 years ago
A mexican neighbor gave me the strangest tomato plant he got from home once. It grew on the ground, like a vine, and had small, dark red tomatoes on it, very tasty. They grew and bore all summer. No, they weren't tomatillos, I know what those look like. I've tried and tried since then to find the plant, but I never have.
tony_k_orlando
16 years ago
junkyardgirl,

Have you tried MATTS WILD CHERRY? It is supposedly native to mexico and cant be stopped.
katkin_gw
16 years ago
I grew the Matt's and for me they weren't sweet enough. They had a more acid taste. I like the sweet grape tomatoes much better and usually get them to grow well into the summer. There is also the Fl Everglade, which some think is the Matts. That was the same for me, very tart in taste.

Vipvenom, too bad you didn't save the seeds from that tomato you liked.
oldflorida
16 years ago
This might be a naive question but how do you save/prepare tomato seeds? Do the plants you buy in the box stores have sterile seeds or can they be propagated? What about from the supermarket?

I have had best luck with patio tomatoes later in the season. I'd like to try cherry tomatoes also.
eaglejohn1
16 years ago
going to try florilina, sunmaster, and solar fire that i got from tomatogrowers supply. suppossed to be heat resistant. has anyone tried them?
coffeemom
16 years ago
I have the everglades tomato but even that takes the summer off in my yard in 10b.
pnbrown
16 years ago
I remember the feral cherry tomatoes used to fruit year-round in south florida. I agree that the more primitive strains will likely have less problems in the summer than the typical heirlooms or market varieties.
katkin_gw
16 years ago
I took the seeds from the grape tomatoes from Publix, dried them on a paper towel a day or two and planted them. They are not steril. I have even taken a whole tomato and just planted it. They are pretty easy. Peppers too, just remember only the red (or yellow, orange, purple) are ripe, not green. And you need the seeds to be from a ripe fruit to be mature. I have tried seeds from lots of things, you've got nothing to loose. ;o)
cindeea
16 years ago
I grow all kinds of grape and cherry varieties in containers into the summer. When it gets too hot they tend to take on blight. The yellow pears that I got from Denise last fall are STILL trugging along through cold, heat. They are tasty lil gems and just keep producing. When fruit falls into the planters, I let it be and another generation of yellow pears come along. My other plants are already showing signs of heat stroke and blight. I just rid them of their leaves and let the fruit carry on.

TONY, you quit tomatoes??? WOW I am surprised. How could you do that? I don't eat a third of what I grow, but I just find it so rewarding and I give tons away. They are one of the most fun plants to grow with so many different tastes and varieties. Thanks to treefrog and Denise(Naplesgardener) I'll be in tomato heaven for quite some time, now.
treefrog_fl
16 years ago
Last summer I had a Burbank tomato in a pot that gave me fruit until August. It was at the northeast corner of the house, so it got only morning sun.
Everglades tomatoes carry on, but also get stressed in the summer. As everyone else has said, the smaller wilder maters do better than large fruited varieties.
Most tomatoes won't pollinate in high heat and humidity.
I left one Cherokee Purple in the garden one summer. It was lush green, healthy through the summer, but did not produce one fruit. It finally gave up before the cooler temps came.
About saving seeds, go over to the tomato forum and check the FAQ. There's a detailed description about saving seeds.

Any tomato you buy will grow new plants, but since most are hybrids it's likely the offspring will be more like one of the parents that were cross pollinated to create that hybrid.
If you buy an "Heirloom" tomato and plant the seeds, the new plants will be the same as that tomato.
tony_k_orlando
16 years ago
Cindy,

I wore MB out, she doesnt want anymore tomatoes! Everyday I would have 4 or 5 different types with my notepad ready to see which one she liked best. Well after a while, she finally hd her fill of matos so why bother growing em? It was a difficult task to NOT start seedlings this last winter in time for spring planting, but I did it!

All this being said, once someone grows tomatos for a long while, there will be plenty of darn volunteers ready to serve especially if you grew matts!

I have a couple i took from the garden and placed em in small pots. They seem to be some sort of cherry I grew last yr. Hope its the small plant variety because I am not interested in staking any more plants.

Now you know why I dont bother with em anymore.

If someone is determined to grow matos in the heat, the fruit set spray is not sprayed on the flowers, it can be though, if you already have the flowers. It seems to stimulate flower growth, but I could be all wet on this. I sprayed it where flowers may form in the future and Poof! Flowers appeared. When you use the fruit set the fruit doesnt have any or very few seeds. The same spray can also be used on peppers too.
treefrog_fl
16 years ago
Here's the Garden Web link below for saving tomato seeds.

Simply though, cut the tomato in half around the middle.
Squeeze the seeds and juice into a small cup.
Add a little water if there's not a lot of juice.
Cover it with a paper towel or coffee filter or such.
Put it on top of the refrigerator or someplace warm.
Wait a few days. Fermentation will occur, which will dissolve the gelatinous sac around each seed, and will kill pathogens.
It will be moldy and messy.
Dump this into a mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly.
Spread the seeds on a paper plate to dry for a week or so.
Voila, clean dry seeds.

On the other hand you could do it like my grandparents used to. Squeeze some seeds onto a piece of cardboard (they used matchbook covers), let them stick and dry. Label and scrape 'em off when you're ready to plant. Worked well for them!

Here is a link that might be useful: saving tomato seeds
flmomi
16 years ago
Just found this and wanted to second the Matt's Wild Cherry... I was lucky to find it this time last year at the Volusia MG sale.. absolutely wonderful fruit.. AND it reseeded for me this year, and is still as delicious. Unfortunately, they didn't have it at today's sale.. and I couldn't remember the dern name *(until i searched here)

**Michele
le
naplesgardener
16 years ago
I KNOW it's the wrong season to grow tomatoes but I have no logic in me when I have seeds I want to start so...
I started Matts Wild Cherry, Dr. Carolyn, Everglades, Brown Berry, Cluj, Yellow Pear and about 4 more I'm too lazy to get up and look at the labels.
I know, I know it's wrong but I like growing tomatoes and eating them and I just moved to a new yard and I'm crazy. I even moved tomatoes growing in 50 lb. pots because I just couldn't throw them out.
ladybugfalcon
16 years ago
It is hard to refrain from planting tomato seeds this time of year. I just did it too. It's just a couple little seeds. We'll see. As others said, last summer, I had a 10 ft tomato plant, but it would not set fruit.
sueanne66
16 years ago
I just cut up a ripe tomato and put them in the ground. Letting them come up in small circles with tomato cages. So far they are setting flowers. Will keep you all posted on the results. Cherry tomatoes reseed themself very easy from year to year.
______
Sueanne
an_ill-mannered_ache
16 years ago
eaglejohn -- many on this list have tried the heat-resistant tomatoes. they perform no better than regular tomatoes... am i right this this has been our collective experience?

here in volusia, tomatoes continue to produce until july or so. i grew tomatoes this winter without a lot of success -- too many freezes. and i learned that i have little to no appetite for tomatoes when the weather is cool. psychology and all that.

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