Tomato-please Move If Wrong Forum

[h90]

I get tomato seeds from rare kind of tomatos in europe.

I try to grow them in Bangkok. Did someone try that before.

Can they survive here?

[ayakiawe]

live in samui and just cant get tomotoes to grow well here at all (any kind)

the plants get a disease and die after a short while

no body carred for the soils here for 100 years so I know that is part of the problem but I need a solution that is non toxic any suggestions?

[h90]

live in samui and just cant get tomotoes to grow well here at all (any kind)

the plants get a disease and die after a short while

no body carred for the soils here for 100 years so I know that is part of the problem but I need a solution that is non toxic any suggestions?

try to use soil from the shop which is used for flowers. Just to test if it makes a difference.

[Jai Dee]

I've had a lot of trouble trying to get cool/dry climate plants growing in Thailand's hot and humid climate... fungus attacks.

The only time I've had any success is when I've placed the planter box downwind of the air outlet from an air conditioner condenser... warm dry air... minimal humidity.

[chownah]

I bought some Thai tomatoe seeds (two varieties) I prepared a seed bed...I planted the seeds...they sprouted and grew....when they were about 10 or 15 cm tall I transplanted them...they grew a lot more and set a bunch of tomatoes....some tomatoes got totally red and some were part red and some were green when the plants got a wilt and died. One of the kinds of seeds resisted this death better than the other. We collected all of the tomatoes (including the green ones) from the plants and slowly they mostly all ripened over a period of about two months....supplied all of our tomato needs for about three months....they were good...better than what you typically get at the market.

Edited August 9, 2006 by chownah

[h90]

chownah, Jai Dee:

I get old european races, which are only cultivated by some crazy freaks like me.

They differ very much in everything so I have the hope (it is just hope not based on any information) that maybe a few of them can handle Thailands conditions better than the others....

the first time I´ll try them near the house in ceramic bowls (spelling???) for flowers so I have a better controll over the moisture.

I tried before already with tomatos from Serbia, but has a local Thai man giving wather --> 1 cm under wather all the time-->dead. I could not bring him to put less wather....

Lets see how the new one do.....

[Jai Dee]

I wonder what kind of results you'd get by grafting your european variety seedling onto a Thai root stock?

[h90]

I wonder what kind of results you'd get by grafting your european variety seedling onto a Thai root stock?

First I´ll try to put the seeds as they are in soil and have a look what happens.

But if you want to try that, I can send you a few seeds (once I received them).

There are some kind of tomatos which can get up to 1 kg per piece, but I am not sure if I orderded this one.

[Jai Dee]

Let us know how you go... I'd be interested in the results.

1kg fruit... wow!

[h90]

Let us know how you go... I'd be interested in the results.

1kg fruit... wow!

At: http://mitglied.lycos.de/rkraft/Tomatenfotos/galerie.htm you can find pictures of I think 700 different kind of tomatos.

Red ones, orange ones, pink ones, yellow ones, violett ones, green ones (but ready to eat)........

At: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild:Tomates_anciennes.jpg on the bottom (front of the market) of the picture, you see some Mega-Giga-hugh-tomatos, that might be the 1 kg versions.

check out the links, really interesting.

[Jai Dee]

At: http://mitglied.lycos.de/rkraft/Tomatenfotos/galerie.htm you can find pictures of I think 700 different kind of tomatos.

Red ones, orange ones, pink ones, yellow ones, violett ones, green ones (but ready to eat)........

Sheesh... I never realised that there were so many different varieties...

[chownah]

I have had no luck with imported seed but I haven't tried really hard either...I have many other projects going but what I would do if I really really wanted to grow "exotic" (meaning imported) tomatoes here is the following:

1. Get some good dirt...I'm not going to try to explain how to do this since everyone has different ideas about this. Get enough dirt to fill a five gallon (20 litre) plastic container in which you will grow the tomatoes.

2. Sterilize the dirt. I'm an organic farmer so the way I would do this is to put the dirt in a large roasting pan and place a potato at the center of the dirt. Cook the dirt like you would cook a potato...when the potato in the center is done then the dirt is sterilized. You might have to do several batches of dirt to get enough to fill the container.

3. Put the dirt in the 5 gal (20litre) container (the container must hve a drainage hole in the bottom).

4. Plant some seeds in the container....you'll pull out all but the best one but I'd plant about five to be sure that you get at least one. Some people say that tomatoes do better if they are transplanted...if you believe this (I don't really know if this is true or not) then the one plant that you want to keep should be uprooted and then planted back into the container...so now it has been transplanted.

5. Keep the container where rain will not fall on it or the plant and rain water will not splash onto it or the plant...but also in a place where the plant will get at least 3 hours (4 is better...duh) of direct sunlight and bright indirect light all day long...porch, veranda, GREEN HOUSE TYPE ROOF...etc.

6. It should grow ok if you just water it the right amount which I will not describe here since if you don't know how to water a plant then this discussion will probably be pointless........also fertilize if that's what your into.

Note: The basic problem with tomatoes is that they are susceptable to all kinds of wilts and funguses and bugs.....generally speaking the larger the tomato's fruits the more delicate and the more susceptable they are....that's why all the tomatoes grown commercially in Thailand(well, maybe there are a few exceptions) are smallish. The wilt that commonly kills tomato plants (my successful planting died from such a wilt but they lived long enough to give me a crop) lives in the soil and even rain falling on the soil can splash the spores from this wilt onto your plants...and...death is inevitable.

Chownah

2.

[bina]

cherry tomatoes do great anywhere; we have no probs.... we throw the tomatoes out and they grow on their own with no help and we are arid hot so we water every day.... all the thai i know take seeds from here (from the hothouses and fields where they work) and take back to thailand ... but thai like the tomatoes greenish as they cook with them, they dont seem to eat them raw!!! or in salads as we do... my bf regularly prunes the lower branches on ours (they 'climb' up a nylon cord strung between the veranda pole and a stake) and we have more cherrry tomatoes then we can eat... no spray, no nothing (goat shit for fertilizer) and early a.m. watering

dont know what breed they are: something israeli/greenhouse type

[h90]

I have had no luck with imported seed but I haven't tried really hard either...I have many other projects going but what I would do if I really really wanted to grow "exotic" (meaning imported) tomatoes here is the following:

1. Get some good dirt...I'm not going to try to explain how to do this since everyone has different ideas about this. Get enough dirt to fill a five gallon (20 litre) plastic container in which you will grow the tomatoes.

just how do I know if the soil is good for tomatos?

2. Sterilize the dirt. I'm an organic farmer so the way I would do this is to put the dirt in a large roasting pan and place a potato at the center of the dirt. Cook the dirt like you would cook a potato...when the potato in the center is done then the dirt is sterilized. You might have to do several batches of dirt to get enough to fill the container.

I know that but do you think it is really necessary??, actually I don´t like to do that. Or if can I buy already sterilized one?

3. Put the dirt in the 5 gal (20litre) container (the container must hve a drainage hole in the bottom).

4. Plant some seeds in the container....you'll pull out all but the best one but I'd plant about five to be sure that you get at least one. Some people say that tomatoes do better if they are transplanted...if you believe this (I don't really know if this is true or not) then the one plant that you want to keep should be uprooted and then planted back into the container...so now it has been transplanted.

5. Keep the container where rain will not fall on it or the plant and rain water will not splash onto it or the plant...but also in a place where the plant will get at least 3 hours (4 is better...duh) of direct sunlight and bright indirect light all day long...porch, veranda, GREEN HOUSE TYPE ROOF...etc.

just an idea: if I close the top of the container (wood, plastic, etc) that way that say 70-90 % of the raining water can not go inside. Would that help? what do you think? For now I don´t speak about a commercial farm, I mean just for a few plants....

6. It should grow ok if you just water it the right amount which I will not describe here since if you don't know how to water a plant then this discussion will probably be pointless........also fertilize if that's what your into.

Note: The basic problem with tomatoes is that they are susceptable to all kinds of wilts and funguses and bugs.....generally speaking the larger the tomato's fruits the more delicate and the more susceptable they are....that's why all the tomatoes grown commercially in Thailand(well, maybe there are a few exceptions) are smallish. The wilt that commonly kills tomato plants (my successful planting died from such a wilt but they lived long enough to give me a crop) lives in the soil and even rain falling on the soil can splash the spores from this wilt onto your plants...and...death is inevitable.

different kind of tomatos might have a different resistance against wilts and fungus. For wine some of the old races are very resistance for everything, but never bring the quantity of modern plants, so my hope is that it might be the same with tomatos, just a hope....

Chownah

2.

[h90]

cherry tomatoes do great anywhere; we have no probs.... we throw the tomatoes out and they grow on their own with no help and we are arid hot so we water every day.... all the thai i know take seeds from here (from the hothouses and fields where they work) and take back to thailand ... but thai like the tomatoes greenish as they cook with them, they dont seem to eat them raw!!! or in salads as we do... my bf regularly prunes the lower branches on ours (they 'climb' up a nylon cord strung between the veranda pole and a stake) and we have more cherrry tomatoes then we can eat... no spray, no nothing (goat shit for fertilizer) and early a.m. watering

dont know what breed they are: something israeli/greenhouse type

I should also get some of the small one. I got told that they are less sensitiv.

In the worst case if everything fails here, I may ask you if you can pop some seeds in an envelope and send for me. But I think it will not be necessary, I hope :-)

Thanks for the info!

[Jai Dee]

... and we are arid hot so we water every day....

Therein lies a fundamental difference between successful growth of tomatoes there vs here...

[Farma]

I’ve had very little success with any seeds and bulbs I’ve brought in. This includes those just add water window box packs you buy in nursery centres.

Only a month or so ago I brought in window box packs with cucumber and tomatoes, both failed to sprout. The climate where they were bought is similar to Thailand.

I’ve often wondered if the airport baggage scanners may have affected the seeds in some way.

Does anyone know if these scanners damage the seeds?

[h90]

I’ve had very little success with any seeds and bulbs I’ve brought in. This includes those just add water window box packs you buy in nursery centres.

Only a month or so ago I brought in window box packs with cucumber and tomatoes, both failed to sprout. The climate where they were bought is similar to Thailand.

I’ve often wondered if the airport baggage scanners may have affected the seeds in some way.

Does anyone know if these scanners damage the seeds?

I don´t know if the scanner harm it. But I got told (not own experience) that if the seeds stay in the sun; like a shop has it outside for promotion within weeks 50 % are sterilzed in europe. In Asia maybe within days and within weeks everything die.

I´ll import my tomatos without scanner. If you really interested I can send you a few (the deal is if I fail and you can do I get tomatos from you for livetime )

[chownah]

I have had no luck with imported seed but I haven't tried really hard either...I have many other projects going but what I would do if I really really wanted to grow "exotic" (meaning imported) tomatoes here is the following:

1. Get some good dirt...I'm not going to try to explain how to do this since everyone has different ideas about this. Get enough dirt to fill a five gallon (20 litre) plastic container in which you will grow the tomatoes.

just how do I know if the soil is good for tomatos?

just how do you expect me to teach you what is good soil and what is not over the internet? Ulitmately the way to know is to grow some tomatoes in the dirt...if they grow well then its good dirt...if not then its not. Get a book...read about dirt....grow some things...look at the dirt....learn by doing. Generally any moderately fertile soil will grow tomatoes...don't add alot of nitrogen...phosphorous is good and to a lesser degree so is potassium....getting these things organically is best in my opinion.

2. Sterilize the dirt. I'm an organic farmer so the way I would do this is to put the dirt in a large roasting pan and place a potato at the center of the dirt. Cook the dirt like you would cook a potato...when the potato in the center is done then the dirt is sterilized. You might have to do several batches of dirt to get enough to fill the container.

I know that but do you think it is really necessary??, actually I don´t like to do that. Or if can I buy already sterilized one?

if you think its not necessary then don't do it. If you've got good dirt then you probably don't need to do this but you have already admitted that you don't know what good dirt is...so....if you don't like my way then do it your own way...makes no difference to me!!!

3. Put the dirt in the 5 gal (20litre) container (the container must hve a drainage hole in the bottom).

4. Plant some seeds in the container....you'll pull out all but the best one but I'd plant about five to be sure that you get at least one. Some people say that tomatoes do better if they are transplanted...if you believe this (I don't really know if this is true or not) then the one plant that you want to keep should be uprooted and then planted back into the container...so now it has been transplanted.

5. Keep the container where rain will not fall on it or the plant and rain water will not splash onto it or the plant...but also in a place where the plant will get at least 3 hours (4 is better...duh) of direct sunlight and bright indirect light all day long...porch, veranda, GREEN HOUSE TYPE ROOF...etc.

just an idea: if I close the top of the container (wood, plastic, etc) that way that say 70-90 % of the raining water can not go inside. Would that help? what do you think? For now I don´t speak about a commercial farm, I mean just for a few plants....

if you want to use rain water to water the plants then catch the rainwater in a bucket and then use the bucket to water the plants...one mistake allowing spores from a wilt bacteria to land on your plants will be taking a chance that they will die...why take the chance?.....if you want to then do it your way and then if your plants die you can blame me anyway if you want...it makes no difference to me!!!!

6. It should grow ok if you just water it the right amount which I will not describe here since if you don't know how to water a plant then this discussion will probably be pointless........also fertilize if that's what your into.

Note: The basic problem with tomatoes is that they are susceptable to all kinds of wilts and funguses and bugs.....generally speaking the larger the tomato's fruits the more delicate and the more susceptable they are....that's why all the tomatoes grown commercially in Thailand(well, maybe there are a few exceptions) are smallish. The wilt that commonly kills tomato plants (my successful planting died from such a wilt but they lived long enough to give me a crop) lives in the soil and even rain falling on the soil can splash the spores from this wilt onto your plants...and...death is inevitable.

different kind of tomatos might have a different resistance against wilts and fungus. For wine some of the old races are very resistance for everything, but never bring the quantity of modern plants, so my hope is that it might be the same with tomatos, just a hope....

different kinds of tomatoes DO have different resistances to wilts and fungi.....known fact...and generally the farther you get from the small and hard old style tomatoes the less resistence they have. Many people have posted here that they have a hard time getting imported seeds to grow...I'm just telling you what I would do if I wanted to do absolutely everything possible to insure that imported tomato seeds would grow. Actually I have left one thing out but I will add it in now...I might consider growing the tomatoes indoors under fluorescent lights....I've grown lots of plants this way...using only fluorescent lights and no sunlight....and let me tell you it works really really well. Back in the days when I did this my produce was legendary amongst like minded growers.

Chownah

P.S. One thing that I didn't make clear enough....when you water your plants be careful to not splash water onto the plants...especially be careful that you don't splash dirt onto the plants

Chownah

Edited August 9, 2006 by chownah

[h90]

I have had no luck with imported seed but I haven't tried really hard either...I have many other projects going but what I would do if I really really wanted to grow "exotic" (meaning imported) tomatoes here is the following:

1. Get some good dirt...I'm not going to try to explain how to do this since everyone has different ideas about this. Get enough dirt to fill a five gallon (20 litre) plastic container in which you will grow the tomatoes.

just how do I know if the soil is good for tomatos?

just how do you expect me to teach you what is good soil and what is not over the internet? Ulitmately the way to know is to grow some tomatoes in the dirt...if they grow well then its good dirt...if not then its not. Get a book...read about dirt....grow some things...look at the dirt....learn by doing. Generally any moderately fertile soil will grow tomatoes...don't add alot of nitrogen...phosphorous is good and to a lesser degree so is potassium....getting these things organically is best in my opinion.

2. Sterilize the dirt. I'm an organic farmer so the way I would do this is to put the dirt in a large roasting pan and place a potato at the center of the dirt. Cook the dirt like you would cook a potato...when the potato in the center is done then the dirt is sterilized. You might have to do several batches of dirt to get enough to fill the container.

I know that but do you think it is really necessary??, actually I don´t like to do that. Or if can I buy already sterilized one?

if you think its not necessary then don't do it. If you've got good dirt then you probably don't need to do this but you have already admitted that you don't know what good dirt is...so....if you don't like my way then do it your own way...makes no difference to me!!!

3. Put the dirt in the 5 gal (20litre) container (the container must hve a drainage hole in the bottom).

4. Plant some seeds in the container....you'll pull out all but the best one but I'd plant about five to be sure that you get at least one. Some people say that tomatoes do better if they are transplanted...if you believe this (I don't really know if this is true or not) then the one plant that you want to keep should be uprooted and then planted back into the container...so now it has been transplanted.

5. Keep the container where rain will not fall on it or the plant and rain water will not splash onto it or the plant...but also in a place where the plant will get at least 3 hours (4 is better...duh) of direct sunlight and bright indirect light all day long...porch, veranda, GREEN HOUSE TYPE ROOF...etc.

just an idea: if I close the top of the container (wood, plastic, etc) that way that say 70-90 % of the raining water can not go inside. Would that help? what do you think? For now I don´t speak about a commercial farm, I mean just for a few plants....

if you want to use rain water to water the plants then catch the rainwater in a bucket and then use the bucket to water the plants...one mistake allowing spores from a wilt bacteria to land on your plants will be taking a chance that they will die...why take the chance?.....if you want to then do it your way and then if your plants die you can blame me anyway if you want...it makes no difference to me!!!!

don't worry I don´t blame you!

6. It should grow ok if you just water it the right amount which I will not describe here since if you don't know how to water a plant then this discussion will probably be pointless........also fertilize if that's what your into.

Note: The basic problem with tomatoes is that they are susceptable to all kinds of wilts and funguses and bugs.....generally speaking the larger the tomato's fruits the more delicate and the more susceptable they are....that's why all the tomatoes grown commercially in Thailand(well, maybe there are a few exceptions) are smallish. The wilt that commonly kills tomato plants (my successful planting died from such a wilt but they lived long enough to give me a crop) lives in the soil and even rain falling on the soil can splash the spores from this wilt onto your plants...and...death is inevitable.

different kind of tomatos might have a different resistance against wilts and fungus. For wine some of the old races are very resistance for everything, but never bring the quantity of modern plants, so my hope is that it might be the same with tomatos, just a hope....

different kinds of tomatoes DO have different resistances to wilts and fungi.....known fact...and generally the farther you get from the small and hard old style tomatoes the less resistence they have. Many people have posted here that they have a hard time getting imported seeds to grow...I'm just telling you what I would do if I wanted to do absolutely everything possible to insure that imported tomato seeds would grow. Actually I have left one thing out but I will add it in now...I might consider growing the tomatoes indoors under fluorescent lights....I've grown lots of plants this way...using only fluorescent lights and no sunlight....and let me tell you it works really really well. Back in the days when I did this my produce was legendary amongst like minded growers.

considered that already. If I can grow some special tomatos I may do that for getting seeds which are not mixed with other tomatos, but for the moment I have 2 hugh (really hugh) terasses (spelling) and want to change them into a green jungle. As I am also pissed by the quality of fruits/vegetables you can buy at the local supermarkets and because I would like to have something without pestizides I try to put there something usefull there. My wife is already successfull with Thai things (I don´t know the names) and I want to add some farang things.

Chownah

P.S. One thing that I didn't make clear enough....when you water your plants be careful to not splash water onto the plants...especially be careful that you don't splash dirt onto the plants

Chownah

will keep that in mind!

Thanks for your advises

[sbk]

Tomatoes are often susceptible to cracking from heat and fungus. There are tomatoes grown for hot climates that set (ie produce fruit from flowers) even in high heat and humidity.

Here is a site that sells heirloom tomatoes that work well in high heat and humidity: Heirloom tomatoes

[chownah]

Tomatoes can crack from giving them too much water too.

[h90]

Tomatoes can crack from giving them too much water too.

are european tomatoes able to stay full direct sun all the time in thailand or is that too much?

[sbk]

Tomatoes can crack from giving them too much water too.

are european tomatoes able to stay full direct sun all the time in thailand or is that too much?

I think its too much, tomatoes are one of those plants that has been modified to fit the climate, hence I think the need for tomates bred for hot climates with high humidity. They are actually quite fussy plants.

[h90]

Tomatoes can crack from giving them too much water too.

are european tomatoes able to stay full direct sun all the time in thailand or is that too much?

I think its too much, tomatoes are one of those plants that has been modified to fit the climate, hence I think the need for tomates bred for hot climates with high humidity. They are actually quite fussy plants.

I get arround 10 different kind of tomatos, old style tomatoes, some of them look very funny.

I have two hopes: a) these old races might be more robust and when trying very different ones I might be luck and catch one which can do it.....

Just dreaming about tomatos not sure if I am successfull....

[sbk]

Heirloom tomatoes are terrific, and if they come from a hot area may do quite well here. But if they were bred for a cool climate you may find they have difficulties.

I would try to limit their sun and make sure they get alot of water. Perhaps shade cloth would be a good idea, and, weirdly enough, if you can, run a fan on them. Apparently wind (or windy areas) help reduce fungal diseases in tomatoes.

[h90]

Heirloom tomatoes are terrific, and if they come from a hot area may do quite well here. But if they were bred for a cool climate you may find they have difficulties.

I would try to limit their sun and make sure they get alot of water. Perhaps shade cloth would be a good idea, and, weirdly enough, if you can, run a fan on them. Apparently wind (or windy areas) help reduce fungal diseases in tomatoes.

I'll run some tests and will post the results. At the moment I am waiting for the seeds.....

[Jai Dee]

Apparently wind (or windy areas) help reduce fungal diseases in tomatoes.

Maybe that's why my cool climate plants germinated and grew OK downwind of an air-conditioner condenser fan on an apartment balcony...

[tutsiwarrior]

Tomatoes can crack from giving them too much water too.

are european tomatoes able to stay full direct sun all the time in thailand or is that too much?

I think its too much, tomatoes are one of those plants that has been modified to fit the climate, hence I think the need for tomates bred for hot climates with high humidity. They are actually quite fussy plants.

begs the question...are there any locally bred varieties available that can withstand local conditions?...seed packets?, seedlings at garden centers?...

[sbk]

Most of the seed packets you will buy locally have been grown locally and are probably Roma type tomatoes (ie smaller paste tomatoes). Being locally grown they are most suitably adapted to the climate.