This may be a silly question but how do you prevent cross pollination between your different tomato plants? I'm growing Brandywine Red and Orange Strawberry near each other. I looked today and I have a huge, Brandywine looking tomato shaped like a strawberry! They were obviously cross pollinated. I like low acid tomatoes but my mother likes normal tasting ones which is why I was growing each. Have no idea what this will taste like. I'm in NYC so I have a small backyard. I can't space them too far apart. How can I make sure I get at least some tomatoes that are "correct"?

I always wonder about that myself.

I have a whole bunch of volunteer tomato plants that came up where my Juliet tomatoes where last year. Buy there are some really, really weird shapes and sizes on the fruits.

Elena, are your plants this year from seed that you saved yourself? If that's the case, then perhaps there was a cross... but if you started with presumably "pure" seed (or plants) and the Brandywine and Strawberry tomatoes are near each other this year, it would only affect the seeds, not this year's fruit. Or, possibly the seed (or plant) that you grew the Brandywine from was something else altogether to begin with...

Tomatoes are basically self pollinating, although it's my understanding that the older varieties are more susceptible to crossing because the flower structure is different. But, again, from this year's plants it will only affect the seeds and the plants that would be grown from them. Hope this makes sense to you... (and Brandywine does tend to be somewhat erratic in form, at least in my experience)

And if you want to save youur seeds, bag the blossoms before they open. I buy the little organza bags with drawstrings they sell in WalMart for wedding favors.

We had a huge rain last night, and while my staking/tieing held up well, I found a cluster of 7 very large Kosovo tomatoes on the ground. I bet it is close to10 lb.s worth of tomatoes. Two of them (the largest) are showing a bit of color so I know they will ripen, the other five I need to force ripen, which I have never done before.

Should I just put them in a paper bag and keep them in my non air conditioned studio (its in the 80's this week). Do I really need to put a banana in there as so many spots on the web suggest?

Or should I just make up a batch of fried green tomatoes?

I have never had much luck with really green tomatoes. Usually just use them for fried green tomatoes. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in.

When I was a kid, my mother used to collect all the green tomatoes at the end of the season and wrap them in news paper and put them in a basket. They would all eventually ripen. I never could like fried green tomatoes. Even though they looked good, I didn't like the taste. My dad used to love them. I even tried them later when I was an adult, thinking I might like them. But no way! I do like green tomato relish though!

Our oldest granddaughter loves the end of the season because that is when she can have her fill of fried green tomatoes!

I've had good success wrapping the tomatoes as Tom described, especially if they were picked before the weather had gotten too cold... (which obviously isn't a problem for you right now!) But fried green tomatoes would also certainly be a good option, if you like them -- I do, and would probably consider that a good excuse to make some, as I normally hate picking them green when it takes so long to get ripe ones.

I honestly don't think I have had fried green tomatoes in 45 years. My Grandmother from SC used to make them when I was a kid. So I am tempted to try them. I may wrap up the largest 3, and see if I can get them to ripen, and fry up the other two and give them a try.

Thanks for the feedback.

I don't even bother wrapping, just set them on the counter and they ripen.

For blossom end rot put wood ashes around the plant, about 1-3 cups dug into each tomato soil.

I don't know if anyone remembers but this spring I planted a HILLBILLY tomato plant that I bought locally. After which I wasn't sure if I had the correct variety because I had red that it was potato leafed. But apparently comes in both versions. Mine had been pumping out the fruit and it is really really tasty. I would like to plant Hillbilly again next year, I only have one plant but could plant at least two next season as I like it so much.

I'm with Arlene. At the end of the season I just gather all the tomatoes of any size that are green and set them on the counter to ripen.

I have tried the set on counter way. The tomatoes end up getting soft and squishy before or just as they are getting ripe. So now I simply don't bother. Have never tried wrapping them in newspaper and setting them in a box or basket.

Those Wild Boar Farms tomato introductions that I am growing are like heirlooms. Open pollinated and bred for old time flavor.





This is a yellow tomato introduction of theirs I am growing called Pork Chop.

I want half of my heirloom tomatoes to be determinate variety next year. Anyone have any suggestions for those that grow well in TX? I was going to buy from tomatofest, but they have no way I can see to just select determinate, and for Texas. If no one has a clue, I'll use ask a question forum.

texaskitty111 -- just wondering, but why do you want the determinate varieties? (the only reason really that I'm asking is that the only determinate variety I grow -- Viva Italia -- is always the first to succumb to the blight/wilt/whatever that always afflicts my plants; the indeterminate plants always grow fast enough to pretty much leave it behind) Of course, I'm in the north, you're in the south, but just curious...

Because for my whole life, I have been unsuccessful in getting more than a few tomatoes from each heirloom plant. I used to think it was the soil, but now, in TX summer heat, I'm guessing its like trying to grow everbearing strawberries. By the time they would start bearing fruit, its too hot. So, I thought I would give determinates a try. My tomatoes that I set out in march are now 15' tall, and still growing. Not one additional fruit, yet. The second session tomatoes set out in June, have a few fruits, ( as usual), but so far though still growing, they're not setting much fruit. I do have one determinate I bought in July, I think. It has no fruit either, but it is smaller. I fear I bought it after the fruiting season for determinates, so it may be too late.

There are some varieties that are better for setting fruit in the South, or in hot weather.