skip to main content

Cornucopia - Australia

Short summers

19 years ago

Hi guys~

Here in southwestern Ontario the summer or sunshine is lacking by mid August. The temp is about 62F.

My question is this. I have tomato fruit on the vines but I don't think the weather to the end of September will ripen it. Any ideas other than the obvious hothouse or window sill.

Also my Brandywines are small (bigger than a golf ball). Should I have pinched off half the flowers.

I also have Manitoba, Stupice, Taxi and Sungold. Any help will hopefully get a better crop if not this year, next.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

gardenlen
19 years ago
dunno if i can help?

can you leave them growing where they are until the absolute max' of the season? and then i ahve heard folk over your way pull the whole bush and hang it roots up with the fruit on they say the fruit will still ripen like that.

with the brandy wines maybe too late in the season to expect much more than what you have so just let them be maybe?

len

Here is a link that might be useful: len's garden page
cosmicgardener
18 years ago
Brandywines are long season tomatoes and notoriously late but they should grow larger than golf balls and are one of the nicest tomatoes. Beefsteak types are you sure the seeds were correct?

Here is Tasmania we also have a short summer so I try to get a head start by beginning early in a greenhouse after raising seeds in my living room! I can then planting out in Late October/early November but by March it is getting cool again. I guess the opposite 6 months would be similar in the North Hemisphere.

At the end of season, I bring any partially ripened fruit indoors where I store at room temperature and use them for processing or seed saving as they ripen this way. I grow plants for local growers who all like to get started early so get feedback from them and am trying to categorise them into short, medium and long period growers to stagger my growing because space is a problem. Seasonal differences occur that affect ripening. 2006 was really bad ripening year for us. However some tomaties have proven reasonably short period and those that did do well last year and have been re-ordered were: Amish Paste.Anna Russian.Black Early,Aunty Ruby's German Green.Black Russian.Coramandel Red.Bloody Butcher. Cherokee Chocolate. Cherokeee Purple. Debarao.Druzba. Ida GOld. Imur Prior Beta. Sub Arctic Plenty ( developed in Canada)Kotlas, SIlvery Fir Tree ( my earliest) Striped Turkish Monastery. That's just a few. Some vary by a week other by a month. I'd check the growing period and if you can get it under 80 days you should do OK. Remember though that the gorwing period is from planting out to harvest, not from seed to harvest - that's a bit optimistic!

I know this is a bit late, only just spotted it, but let us know how you fared.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Blog
Related Discussions
Options for short season summer crops?
Q
Comments (9)
Last year I used pipe pots to grow transplants to a larger size. This reduced the in-garden time needed resulting in multiple crops from the same area. Others with limited space may find this method useful. The work of doing transplants is offset by almost no weeding for the crop. My best success came with corn. Below is a link to my final report with additional links to the process. I started my first corn this year per the garden calender on the 18. The bush beans I put in pipe pots last year were trialed against some direct seeded ones. The ones in pipe pots were grown to bud stage before transplanting. Though they produced beans, the pipe pot plants were not as vigorous as the direct seeded ones. I concluded that beans should be transplanted earlier, before first buds form. Here is a link that might be useful: corn in pipe pots
...See More
HAVE: Tomatoes, Veggies, and Flowers
Q
Comments (8)
My apologies for not getting back to everyone sooner! I didn't get any notification that there were replies here, and had kids out sick for the last week and a half. I'm back now! I have replied to all of the emails I received. If you didn't hear back from me, I didn't get your email. Thank you Garretds7 for letting me know there were replies here! Ruth0552, I'm not sure if I got your email. Was it one of the three I replied to? cnading, I just sent you a message as well.
...See More
What roses are blooming for you in January?
Q
Comments (40)
Nothing's producing a lot of blooms, but quite a few are intermittently, and a few steadily. Mostly everything is growing right now, and quite a few roses are getting ready to shed their leaves for a new set so are looking a little shabby. Steady: Blush Noisette SdStA Le Vesuve Gen Schablikine Lady H Mutabilis Felicia Intermittent: Jude GT For Your Eyes Only Sharifa Asma Kronprinzessin Victoria Louise Odier Pierre Oger Unknown white (Kordes I think) Buff Beauty Not-RdV (RdV is busy growing octopus arms!) Sporadic single blooms from my unknown orange ht's and floribundas and the odd one from Deep Secret. Summer Song gave me a beautiful flush of bigger prettier blooms than any I'd had all summmer - I think it is actually too dry for it in my garden - and it is in the wettest bed, ho, hum, not sure what to do about that. Having issues with botyris this year - it's not spectacularly wet like it is in some places in the UK, more just consistently damp. I've cut off and bagged mouldy blooms, not sure what else I can do really. Am waiting on a bulk load of stable manure. Of bigger note - the mildew issue on SDLM began to cause dieback on the ends of the canes. I've cut it back, (disinfected the pruners) dug it up, potted it, added some horse manure and put it away from my other roses at the end of the garden. Anything else to do?
...See More
Mad Diary of Zone Busting in Zone 3 ...The End is a Long Way Away
Q
Comments (7)
Oh my. What is a passionate rose lover like you doing in that glacial hell hole? Reading about your endeavors has exhausted me and I haven't even lifted a shovel. I admire your grit and determination, but would love to see you rewarded with thousands of blooms on your rose bushes for all your hard work. I bet they could use engineers in zones 7 to 10!
...See More

Related Stories

FARM YOUR YARD If You Have Room for Only One Summer Crop ...

Get an edible that’s long on flavor even if you’re short on space, with a long-time gardener’s favorite picks

DECORATING GUIDES Decorating for Fall When It Still Feels Like Summer

By Nicole White Designs Interiors LLC

Even if sandals and shorts are your year-round attire, you can still subtly dress your home for autumn

DECORATING GUIDES 5 Easy Ways to Summer-ize Your Home

By Vanessa Brunner

Tips to Brighten and Lighten Your Home for Summer

MOVING 5 Risks in Buying a Short-Sale Home — and How to Handle Them

By Christine Tusher

Don’t let the lure of a great deal blind you to the hidden costs and issues in snagging a short-sale property

SUMMER FRUITS AND VEGETABLES How to Grow Your Own Fresh, Sweet Corn

By Marianne Lipanovich

Here's how to plant and care for your own mini cornfield

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crops: How to Grow Tomatoes

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant tomato seedlings in spring for one of the best tastes of summer, fresh from your backyard

SUMMER FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Summer Crops: How to Grow Tomatillos

By Marianne Lipanovich

Grow this Mexican native for the freshest salsa verde — and for fewer problems than its tomato cousins

0

GARDENING GUIDES 15 Favorites for Your Summer Edible Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

Get your summer garden off to a good start with these popular fruits and vegetables

BUDGET DECORATING Budget Decorator: 16 Ways to Bring Summer Into Your Kitchen

By Laura Gaskill

Give your kitchen an easy-breezy feel by swapping in summery colors and natural accessories, and stowing cool-weather cooking stuff

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crop: How to Grow Blueberries

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant blueberries in spring or fall for garden beauty through three seasons — and a sweet superfood in summer

Sponsored

River Mill Construction

2 Reviews

Delaware County's Customer Focused General Contractor