Tomato Cultivation In Thailand

[soidog2]

The forum is kind of slow now;

I went to pick some tomatoes from my “kitchen garden’ and I would like to share pictures of some spectacular tasting tomatoes.

#1 Ramapo Tomato ( Jersey, USA east coast ), larger than my fist, excellent flavor but low producer.

#2 Paul Robeson Black Russian Tomato, green on the vine.

#3 Paul Robeson Black Russian Tomato, ripe !

#4 Paul Robeson Black Russian Tomato, cut, can you taste the flavor ?

I have been growing tomatoes in Thailand for almost ten years. This black Russian surprised me by being a heavy setter with a flavor unmatched in my experience.

It’s slightly acidic with a sweet aftertaste , relatively firm , quite juicy !

For the last month I have been enjoying unbelievable salads with sweet Italian basil , rosemary & other goodys from the garden.

Totally recommended.

[jandtaa]

Hi SoiDog2

Some good looking toms you have there !!

Not familiar with those varieties (coming from the UK) are they F1's ? I'm bringing some varieties back with me in the autumn to trial (and possibly error !!) and want to find a good producer that I can save seed from and possibly breed, any advice on what to look for in a variety that will make it suitable for cultivation in Thailand. Where abouts in the country are you growing ? If it's rainy season are you growing under cover ? Any organic fertiliser tips you can share ??

cheers for sharing the pics 

J

[loong]

Soidog,

any advice on what works with growing tomatoes would be well appreciated.

For most people Toms do not grow well here or have a very short fruiting season. So is there a secret to your success? A secret that you'd like to share?

Any advice would be gratefully received.

[jandtaa]

Loong 

Have you tried hanging a sign reading 

"makhuea tet yoo tii nee mee yah pit, haam mai sai som tam !! (picture of skull and crossbones) but taste delicious in a cheese sandwich if allowed to grow big enough !! "

might extend the growing season LOL !!  

J

[loong]

Too late now Jandtaa,

Tomato plants are finished now and not 1 fruit managed to stay on the vine long enough to ripen fully

[soidog2]

Hi SoiDog2

Some good looking toms you have there !!

Not familiar with those varieties (coming from the UK) are they F1's ? I'm bringing some varieties back with me in the autumn to trial (and possibly error !!) and want to find a good producer that I can save seed from and possibly breed, any advice on what to look for in a variety that will make it suitable for cultivation in Thailand. Where abouts in the country are you growing ? If it's rainy season are you growing under cover ? Any organic fertiliser tips you can share ??

cheers for sharing the pics 

J

The “Ramapo” is a F1 variety, see picture.

In the States , on the East Coast, is well known for great taste.

“Paul Robeson” is a Russian heirloom.

I am in Buriram province, miserable weather.

Quick guide for those that asked;

# 1 Intense soil preparation is a must.

I mix cow manure & bone meal & organic compost to the tune of about 3” on top of my plot.

Use my small tractor to till/aerate the soil until it’s completely mixed in.

# 2 To survive the rainy season, I grow on top of rocky soil similar to the type used for road fill.

It must be at an angle or elevated for good drainage. When I’m done with the tilling, the dirt is very easy to work with, I do my best to raise it and build drainage canals on the side for the big rains.

# 3 Netting for shade is essential for any European or American tomato. When the plants are small , spray for leaf miners and other bugs to give them a head start.

What kills the tomatoes in the rainy season is fungus & water-logging , don’t plant to close so they can dry easily, plant disease resistant varieties.

# 4 When they start flowering, I sprinkle some organic fertilizer ( same one I use for my fruit trees ) every 3-4 weeks.

That’s it, no secrets just hard work.

JT , this is a great place to buy seeds : http://www.tomatogrowers.com/

Many varieties that will do well here in Thailand.

Regards

[jandtaa]

Cheers SD2

Nice website !!

Thinking about trying some of the Florida varieties, maybe "solar set" and I noticed one from Hawaii any experience ? Have you found early varieties to be better suited at all ?

cheers J 

[soidog2]

Cheers SD2

Nice website !!

Thinking about trying some of the Florida varieties, maybe "solar set" and I noticed one from Hawaii any experience ? Have you found early varieties to be better suited at all ?

cheers J 

My suggestion would be to try 4/5 varieties of high temperature adapted plants and see what does good in your neck of the woods.

Buy while you’re in the UK, delivery to Thailand is problematic.

Solar Set , Solar Fire, ETC will do well. Hawaii’s climate is nothing like Thailand !

Search for southern states ( Fla, La, ) breeds & disease resistance.

regards

[soidog2]

Cheers SD2

Nice website !!

Thinking about trying some of the Florida varieties, maybe "solar set" and I noticed one from Hawaii any experience ? Have you found early varieties to be better suited at all ?

cheers J 

You will find this very helpful!

Similar growing conditions to Thailand

Tomatoes_in_Florida.pdf

[jandtaa]

Hi SD2

Cheers mate some good info

allready ordered the following varieties from an heirloom seed company in the States (have family out there who can post them on to me);

Floridity, Floradade, Delicious, Homestead and Marmaglobe so along with some UK seed and some Thai seed should be able to get a decent trial going in the autumn. Also ordered up some watermelon seed selecting them along the same lines as you suggested, southern states and disease resistance,  any experience ??

cheers J

[rice555]

Hello jandtaa, which Homestead? 24 or 500?

rice555

[jandtaa]

Hi Rice555

Homestead (Heirloom)

Semi-determinate, 80-83 days. Developed in the 1950’s for growers in the Florida and the southern states, this tomato is wilt resistant and productive. At one time this was a very popular shipping variety. Firm, tasty flesh.

No number given and this is the first time I've used US varieties (and heirlooms for that matter !! ) what's the difference ? is 500 an improvement on 24 . Do you have any experience of growing these in Thailand ? I've also ordered another variety called "Tropic"

OK found this description

Homestead

Breeder and vendor: Florida Agric. Expt. Sta. and the Southeastern Breeding Laboratory, USDA, Charleston, South Carolina.

Parentage: ((Victor x Dobbies Champion) x Pan America x Rutgers). 1952. Victor is featured in 1951 Burpee Catalog as a 'All-America Winner', and Pan America as 'wilt-resistant'.

Click here to view a page from the Gleckler 1958 Catalog at Craig LeHoullier's website. This is the description from the catalog:

"A new wilt resistant tomato developed for the greenwrap production in southern states, especially Florida where it consistently has outyielded the well known Grothens Globe. Very comparable to Rutgers, but having more or less semi-determinate vine growth. Maturing slightly earlier than Rutgers, but larger in fruit size. Red fruits are exceptionally meaty, firm and a most notable absense of internal browning and puffiness. Homestead is a very excellent shipping strain. Home gardeners in Florida also praise it."

cheers J

[rice555]

Hello jandtaa, from TGS oh, and they both grew well in Korat.

rice555

Homestead 500 #4361 (30 seeds) $2.45

Selected for larger, smoother fruit. Determinate. 80 days.

Homestead 24F #4955 (30 seeds) $2.40

Especially recommended for Southern gardeners, this variety sets large crops even in hot weather. Luscious, meaty tomatoes are medium-sized, smooth, and resistant to catfacing. Large vines offer good foliage cover. Our original stock seed is from the USDA Seed Bank. Determinate. 80 days.

This is a place sells some bulk seed cheap.

Homestead 24

80 days. Improved Homestead. Red, firm, meaty tomatoes. Medium large, free from cracking. For local market, canning and green wrap, pink shipping. Large wilt tolerant vines set fruit well in hot weather. Determinate.

Package Size: 1/8oz.

Price: $1.85

http://www.willhiteseed.com/ They started selling watermelon seed a while back, it's a farm supply store, not a garden center.

[jandtaa]

Hi Rice555

cheers for the info . Read up a bit now and understand that 24 and 500 are from a long line of selective breeding of the original Homestead. Got a copy of "the seed savers handbook" by Michel and Jude Fanton a couple of years back but only just read it properly and reckon open pollinated varieties is the way forward (too expensive and too much hassle getting hybrid seed from the US each year). Can I pick your brains for any heirloom sweet peppers that have done well for you if you've grown any ??

cheers J

[Pearlgirl]

I know this is in the farming section of TV - but as a tomatoe grower myself, have any of you tried growing different variaties in clay pots? Easy to move around and keep a close eye on. I haven't tried growing in pots yet, but always did in Canada and was quite successful.

[loong]

Hello Pearlgirl,

I've never been that successful at growing toms in Thailand, but at this time of year I believe that pots under an overhanging roof is the best way to go. Soon we will have the rainy season proper and it's not good for the foliage to be constantly wet.

Just remember that the soil/compost in pots dries out much quicker and you will possibly have to water twice a day.

[soidog2]

Hello Pearlgirl,

I've never been that successful at growing toms in Thailand, but at this time of year I believe that pots under an overhanging roof is the best way to go. Soon we will have the rainy season proper and it's not good for the foliage to be constantly wet.

Just remember that the soil/compost in pots dries out much quicker and you will possibly have to water twice a day.

Those are inches, not centimeters; enjoy the view and notice the netting in the background.

Pictures from today, in Buriram province.

Regards

PS , true beefsteak tomatoes & grape tomatoes.

[soidog2]

A beautiful growing guide I came across, full of great old recopies!

http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/recipes/carvertomato.html

Enjoy !

[rice555]

Hello soidog2, ran across this looking for seed:

Sweet and acidic — like Israel! JustASC

by Andrew Silow-Carroll

"Loving that juicy Jersey tomato? Thank Israel.

Genesis Seeds Ltd. of Ashalim is reproducing the famed "Ramapo" F-1 Hybrid, once famous throughout New Jersey for its "balance of sweetness and acidity." Rutgers University’s New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station distributed Ramapo seeds to 80 farms around the state, which hope to bring the strain to market by August, the Star-Ledger reports.

The state’s tomato growers had stopped growing the breed in favor of heartier strains. But the Rutgers folks found the Israel company, which initially produced four pounds of seed for $8,000, outbidding an American company that demanded a minimum order of 25 pounds of seed for $50,000."

Also if I remember right, Genesis was bought by the worlds 4th largest seed co. from France.

I just got my seed from TGS, and will be growing southern nights Det. and black Ind., and from Souther Exposure Seed Exchange brandywine OTV Ind. Of all the Brandy's, the OTV handles the heat the best. SESE caries old verities and mostly USDA-Certified Organic seed.

rice555

[norwayeagle]

MMmm You have "Green fingers" Soidog2 .Thank u 4 sharing!

[Gary A]

If you have bad luck with tomatoes here in Thailand, don't feel too bad. I am of the opinion that you have to have a VERY green thumb along with a lot of luck. A friend of mine brought me five different varieties that were recommended for the Florida climate.

They started off great. Strong healthy looking vines, great blossom sets and lots of tomatoes. Every single plant withered and died when the tomatoes were about golf ball size. The second batch was planted in sterilized green house potting soil and I had exactly the same results.

Maybe hydroponic growing off the ground will work. I have not tried that yet.

[soidog2]

Hello soidog2, ran across this looking for seed:

Sweet and acidic — like Israel! JustASC

by Andrew Silow-Carroll

"Loving that juicy Jersey tomato? Thank Israel.

Genesis Seeds Ltd. of Ashalim is reproducing the famed "Ramapo" F-1 Hybrid, once famous throughout New Jersey for its "balance of sweetness and acidity." Rutgers University’s New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station distributed Ramapo seeds to 80 farms around the state, which hope to bring the strain to market by August, the Star-Ledger reports.

The state’s tomato growers had stopped growing the breed in favor of heartier strains. But the Rutgers folks found the Israel company, which initially produced four pounds of seed for $8,000, outbidding an American company that demanded a minimum order of 25 pounds of seed for $50,000."

Also if I remember right, Genesis was bought by the worlds 4th largest seed co. from France.

I just got my seed from TGS, and will be growing southern nights Det. and black Ind., and from Souther Exposure Seed Exchange brandywine OTV Ind. Of all the Brandy's, the OTV handles the heat the best. SESE caries old verities and mostly USDA-Certified Organic seed.

rice555

Great post , thanks !

The "Ramapo" F-1 Hybrid’ I grew here did not produce a lot ( two , three large tomatoes per vine ) but the taste was outstanding !

If by any chance you’re interested, it’s available here : http://njfarmfresh.rutgers.edu/JerseyTomato.html

I also placed an order with “ TGS” , I really liked the black Russian so I ordered it again together with some regulars.

Also got some white habanero seeds, I can’t wait to try .

Good luck with the Brandywine, mine grew nicely , bloomed and kept on growing. Never set fruit.

Too hot.

If you are successful, I will give it a shot as well.

Best regards

[soidog2]

MMmm You have "Green fingers" Soidog2 .Thank u 4 sharing!

Thank you !

[soidog2]

Reality check for rice555 !

I am in NY , picture from the farmers market at Union Square ; today !

That's a lot of Baht .

[rice555]

Hello soidog2, I posted this to the heat set tomato seed

thread by mistake, have you seen or heard anything about this article in the NYT? Un less it warms up, a lot of growers won't have the boat to paddle up stream, forget the paddle.

The one guy that spraied after 14 years to try to save his crop, if he's certified OG, it will take 3+ years to get back on the list. This has major hit to Ag in general.

rice555 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/nyregion...ml?ref=nyregion

[soidog2]

Hello soidog2, I posted this to the heat set tomato seed

thread by mistake, have you seen or heard anything about this article in the NYT? Un less it warms up, a lot of growers won't have the boat to paddle up stream, forget the paddle.

The one guy that spraied after 14 years to try to save his crop, if he's certified OG, it will take 3+ years to get back on the list. This has major hit to Ag in general.

rice555 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/nyregion...ml?ref=nyregion

Yeah , 100% accurate. In all my years in NY ( Many ) I have never experienced sustained temperatures in the 70s during July !

Slowly slowly the chickens are coming home to rust on global warming. And just think, there are still idiots out there that deny it .

I can think of at least one, G.W.

[Bkk71]

Hi,

I'm absolutely not one with a green thumb - my wife and our maid are. I wasn't satisfied with the Italian plum and beefsteak tomatoes I found in Bangkok supermarkets and brought in seeds for both from the US. The beefsteak seeds were totally US but the plum seeds were both from the US and from Italy. To date, we've not been able to get beyond the sprout on either. We live just past Don Muang Airport, where we first planted the seeds, and when they didn't take we planted them in Pak Chong with its higher elevation, clean air and lower temperatures. That didn't work either. My wife says it's the soil and the temperature - can't grow non Thai tomatoes in Thailand - I'm not so sure. Does anyone have any thought on that? Thanks much for any thoughts/help!

[soidog2]

Hi,

I'm absolutely not one with a green thumb - my wife and our maid are. I wasn't satisfied with the Italian plum and beefsteak tomatoes I found in Bangkok supermarkets and brought in seeds for both from the US. The beefsteak seeds were totally US but the plum seeds were both from the US and from Italy. To date, we've not been able to get beyond the sprout on either. We live just past Don Muang Airport, where we first planted the seeds, and when they didn't take we planted them in Pak Chong with its higher elevation, clean air and lower temperatures. That didn't work either. My wife says it's the soil and the temperature - can't grow non Thai tomatoes in Thailand - I'm not so sure. Does anyone have any thought on that? Thanks much for any thoughts/help!

If you take your time and search the forum you will find lots of growing tips.

In short, it's very possible to grow non Thai tomatoes but:

# 1, protect from the sun

# 2, good soil with the right PH

# 3, you seedlings not making it ? You are over watering or under watering & check soil for funguses snails ETC.

See rule # 1 !!

Good Luck

[mls]

Hi Soidog2,

One thing you don't mention about growing tomatoes (non-Thai) is when to plant.

Does it matter or is there an optimum time of year to sow seed? Do the seeds germinate better if you soak them first?

Haven't grown tomatoes in years and then it was in the UK. Been thinking of trying them in raised beds to avoid water-logging. Would that work here?

Thanks for all your other info.

[soidog2]

Hi Soidog2,

One thing you don't mention about growing tomatoes (non-Thai) is when to plant.

Does it matter or is there an optimum time of year to sow seed? Do the seeds germinate better if you soak them first?

Haven't grown tomatoes in years and then it was in the UK. Been thinking of trying them in raised beds to avoid water-logging. Would that work here?

Thanks for all your other info.

For best results, time your plants to start flowering with the onset of the cool season wherever you may be located.

That said, you can plant all year long, in the rainy season you will need you need to pay attention to proper drainage and lots of room for the leaves to dry off after a good soaking.

There is no need to soak the seeds, I am assuming you are using good quality store bought seeds.

Best