Tomatoes in New England

I have had reasonable success making covered wagon hoop house covers to grow peppers and tomatoes in.  Enough so I have invested in a couple double layered cold frames that I gave 1 foot higher walls to accommodate them. 

Turan, very nice!

CapeCoddess wrote:Lyndeeloo, what type of netting did you use?  I'm getting a little tired of the tulle not lasting thru 3 seasons...

Hi CC!
I use a cicada netting I bought on clearance at HD. They no longer carry it. I called the manufacturer and they are not making it anymore.

Both my insect barrier and cold barrier cover cloths from Johnnyseeds has so far lasted thru 4 full years with lots of life left in them to go.  I highly recommend them for any garden.

Thanks, QB.  I just checked it out and one of the reviews at Johnny's said it tore in hi winds.  Wouldn't work here. 

By this time of year the tulle tears in the wind, and the row cover I bought last yr at Agway tore also.  I'm thinking that the cicada netting might let the wind flow thru without tearing.

I put the cicada netting on after I planted and haven't taken it off yet. The weave is 1/4 inch and keeps most everything out. Used it on all my gardens, even the corn. Used pvc to make hoops and stretched it over. The smaller bees got through and did their job so I will use it again next year. And not one cabbage worm this year.

Resurrecting an old tread and putting a new spin on it...

Looking for cool climate recommendations for early season tomatoes.  What varieties are your favorite to grow, how many days to maturity, and how are they in terms of flavor and acidity?

This was my first year with trying early varieties. I grew New Yorker and won't grow it next year. Ready pretty early and the flavor and texture are very nice - but it got horrid Blossom End Rot like I've not experienced before (and this in spite of the eggshell and epsom precautions). Bellestar got some disease quickly (not blight) so I won't be growing that one again either. Not sure I've even tasted one yet - most of the tomatoes are still ripening on the almost dead plants.

I also grew a variety called "42 Days" - the claim is that you could have a ripe tomato 42 days after transplanting. My computer crashed so I lost a week of journaling and have a what I could reconstruct lump-week entry, but I either got my first tomato on that 42nd day, or within a few days of that! The flavor isn't mind-blowing, but it's good (especially if your comparison is store tomatoes.) Sweet (but not 'sugary'), clearly tomato-y, not too sour, not mushy. This season has been slow for ripening tomatoes, I've been very happy to have the tomatoes from this plant while waiting on the others. The size of mine is about 2-3 bites; too big to pop in your mouth, yet small enough you feel silly slicing it. It did have a difficult time germinating the seed for this one, but I don't know if that's a variety thing or just bad luck.

Locally, I've also heard/seen Juliet, Stupice, and Glacier sold/mentioned/recommended. I'll probably be trying Glacier and/or Matina next year, and growing 42 Days again.

I grew Stupice, which Beetles mentioned above. Personally, I wouldn't grow it again. Flavorwise, it didn't impress me. And it wasn't early for me, either. Although, that could be due to how late everything got transplanted this year. Of the varieties that I grew, although again, it's hard to say how early/late they may be, the ones that impressed me for flavor are, Paul Robeson, http://www.rareseeds.com/paul-robeson-tomato/  and Carmello, http://www.tastefulgarden.com/Carmello-Tomato-38p67.htm  Taste is so subjective, it's hard when I read raves about a particular tomato, and then taste it myself and think...really???  But those are the two that my personal tastebuds did cartwheels for this summer. Two Paul Robesons below.  

For quick fruit I grow Roma.  That usually holds us over until the others show up.  Next year I'll be trying out Fourth of July just because I have some seeds.

This year has been a bust with everything but the cherries.   Even the SuperSonic plant that I bought at Christmas Tree has only produced one ripe fruit so far.  Supersonic, a hybrid, is my fave large tomato for flavor, but as has been said already, taste is subjective.  I think it has a strong tomato flavor but not a lot of acid.  I've only grown it 3 times since I can't save the seeds and am trying to not buy anything any more.  I happened to trip over this plant a few months ago and couldn't help myself it was so beautiful.

I don't really have a fave big heirloom yet altho Gilbertie is currently the front runner.  But it's a fussy droopy plant with BER in my garden.  I'm hoping that as I save seeds from it, it will adjust and learn to behave over the years.  This year I've been pouring on the leftover hard boiled eggs water in hopes of preventing the BER but none of the fruits are near blushing yet so it's hard to tell if it's working or not.

Fave cherry tom for flavor and first producer is still Sungold.  But again, it's a hybrid, and IMO worth hunting down seeds and trading for.   I also grow Sweetie and Black Cherry every year, both heirlooms.

I assume you are speaking of slicers?  Not cherries?

If we are including cherry tomatoes, I whole-heatedly agree on Sweetie! This is my third year growing that one, and I plan on growing it again next year.

Scorpio Rising wrote:I assume you are speaking of slicers?  Not cherries?

Actually, I'm looking for input on any early season cultivars, especially those which mature in 45-55 days, since everything seems to take longer to ripen here.

I really appreciate all the responses, so far.  Thank you, everyone; I'm taking notes.

Sungold cherries.  they go early and keep coming all year.  Sweet, prolific.  Orange when ripe.