tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3964581779470119856.post2181626564414384515..comments2024-02-23T05:41:04.826-08:00Comments on The Redneck Hippie: 2012 Celebrity Challenge: Update 2 ~ Taste TestLinda Wallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16899795559171921618noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3964581779470119856.post-44482460994220280092012-06-11T17:00:54.657-07:002012-06-11T17:00:54.657-07:00Best I can remember from where I sit (inside sucki...Best I can remember from where I sit (inside sucking up the A/C after spending all day in ONE HUNDRED DEGREE HEAT. Already. Dammitdammitdammit.), it's fairly vigorous despite the fusarium running rampant through the tomato patch this year thanks in no small part to The Winter That Never Was. I'll double check that and get back to you if I'm remembering wrong.<br /><br />It's not the greatest producer in the world, but worth it if you've got the room. (BTW, I planted EEEEEEARLY ~ they were all in by the second week of March I think. That helps a lot.)Linda Wallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16899795559171921618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3964581779470119856.post-85746440052833393642012-06-11T09:29:57.314-07:002012-06-11T09:29:57.314-07:00You are not helping with my goal of cutting back o...You are not helping with my goal of cutting back on tomato varieties! ;) <br /><br />How vigorous is the Valencia Orange plant? I've been growing Orange Oxheart for the last few years and I really like the tomato, but it is the wussiest, most disease-prone tomato plant I have ever grown. I would be happy to have a healthier tomato to take its place.Karihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16006495651241822267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3964581779470119856.post-48859045424160621072012-06-10T19:06:27.074-07:002012-06-10T19:06:27.074-07:00So the Actinovate seems to be working well? Great!...So the Actinovate seems to be working well? Great! That'll be good news to our customers who have them in their gardens.<br /><br />Thanks for the congrats! The winner of the contest was either Creole or Arkansas Traveler. My boss was entering them for me since I had to work, so I told him if registration was a pita, just enter the Traveler and Creole. Aaaaaaand registration was a pita. But I'm kind of glad because I won with only two entries, instead of six. Better bragging rights!<br /><br />Yeah, that Black Giant is nommy! Another one you should try is Valencia Orange. Sweet with just enough hint of tang to make it interesting, and very few seeds. And it's just gorgeous. I've got pictures and raves elsewhere in other recent posts. Oh, and Snow White. Fruity sweet little very-light-yellow cherry type. NOMNOMNOMNOM. Thank goodness it's incredibly productive or none of them would ever make it in the house. Eventually I'll do an end-of-year wrapup with more info about all the best ones.Linda Wallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16899795559171921618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3964581779470119856.post-22984030311650321352012-06-09T19:37:06.514-07:002012-06-09T19:37:06.514-07:00p.s. I tried the Black Giant you raved about last ...p.s. I tried the Black Giant you raved about last year. W-o-w that is a good tomato! I'll definitely be growing it from now on.Karihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16006495651241822267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3964581779470119856.post-56120012229438821502012-06-09T19:36:11.224-07:002012-06-09T19:36:11.224-07:00Congrats on your tomato victory! :D I'm look...Congrats on your tomato victory! :D I'm looking forward to hearing which one won so I can experiment with it next year!<br /><br />The Actinovate seemed to help with the nematodes, although it didn't eliminate them entirely. The tomatoes did well, but the okra and green beans weren't very productive. Of course, it was only a few degrees short of boiling all summer, so that could have been a factor as well. (I wasn't all that productive, either...) So far, so good this year. I put in raised beds with lots of organic matter and sprayed with Actinovate again and everything looks great. Take that, microscopic pests!Karihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16006495651241822267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3964581779470119856.post-32486701619551230752012-06-09T17:35:43.591-07:002012-06-09T17:35:43.591-07:00Thanks, Kari! Yeah, the Arkansas Travelers were a...Thanks, Kari! Yeah, the Arkansas Travelers were a bit of a surprise this year. I was expecting not so big and not so red. They are pinker than the others, a deep rosey purpley pink-ey red instead of a bright yellow red like the "usual" tomato. But still deeper, darker red than I thought they were. I never really had a good enough crop to notice in years passed, so was only going on what I'd read about online. I do plan to research the provenance of the seeds I started to make sure, and will be saving seeds from this plant as well.<br /><br />I won tastiest tomato in the contest today! WOOT! I'm just about to make a post about it. I'm not sure if it was the Traveler or one of the others I entered (Creole, Ponderosa Red, Snow White, Valencia Orange, or Brandywine). I had to work today, so my boss offered to take my entries over there for me. I'm SO glad he did! <br /><br />Hey, how are the root knot nematodes this year? Better since the Actinovate?Linda Wallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16899795559171921618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3964581779470119856.post-35970283593015418402012-06-09T10:58:41.086-07:002012-06-09T10:58:41.086-07:00Your Arkansas Traveler 'maters look a lot diff...Your Arkansas Traveler 'maters look a lot different than mine. Mine are smaller, rounder and pinker, but I really like the flavor and they are very productive for me. I had the same thoughts about Homestead when I grew it. It produced copious amounts of tomatoes, but they were useless for fresh eating. I'm trying Porter this year as my "heat tolerant" tomato. It's been very productive so far, but it isn't the best tomato I've ever had. I'm hoping it will be a good freezer tomato to use in soups and chili over the winter.<br /><br />And as an animal nut, I have to say that your goggies are very cute! :)Karihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16006495651241822267noreply@blogger.com