seb@mtgzy.UUCP (s.e.badian) (02/04/86)
A little while ago someone asked about freeze resistent tomatoes. I said that I had seen them in the Thompson and Morgan catalog. A few people have asked for their address. I'm not only providing their address, but their description of these amazing tomatoes. Thompson and Morgan P.O. Box 1308 Jackson, New Jersey 08527 (201) 363-2225 For those of you near Jackson, you might want to stop in and pick up any seeds you order. For those of you in Great Britian (do they even get net.garden?) or visiting Great Britian, if you call them in NJ, they will give you directions to their store in Great Britian. Sub Arctic Tomatoes They have the ability to set fruit under colder conditions than other varieties and crop well under crowded plantings of as little as 12 in. apart. When they ripen, will stay in peak condition for over a month. Latest trials from Govt. Research Stations across the world confirm Sub Arctics as the earliest outdoor ripening varieties and the N.V.R.S in England has recently shown that using the Fluid Sowing Method they can be safely sown outdoors in late March. [ Would some kind soul enlighten me as to what the Fluid Sowing Method is? ] Some of the characteristics that they list for the Sub Arctic Tomatoes are: flowers will set fruit under very cold conditions very thin sparse foliage allows maximum light for quick ripening compact plants require only 12 in. between them sub-arctics are probably the earliest ripeing tomatoes and can average 9 lb. per plant ripe fruits sit on plants for one month without rotting even in contact with wet soil. The two varieties that they carry: Sub Arctic Plenty Medium/Small fruit (T&M Exclusive) You will always be the first in your area with ripe outdoor tomatoes. There is practically no geographical limitation to its successful growth. It even has potential as a greenhouse crop with an early sowing in Jan./Feb., producing a spring crop when tomatoes are very expensive to buy [and taste horrible to boot! ]. It needs no pruning or staking and has done very well from outdoor sowings, when the seedlings have continually withstood several degrees of frost! (Instructions included) $1.60 [ It doesn't say how many seeds that buys. ] Sub-Arctic Cherry (Bush Variety) Small fruit It grows under the most daunting conditions and has the invaluable characteristic of almost perpetually sending up new shoots just when you think it must be finished. Well looked after it averages over 300 fruit per plant and is ideal for window-boxes, tubs, etc. It makes low spreading growth (really pendulous in hanging baskets) and needs no stopping. $1.60 Both are listed as having good flavored fruit, and average disease tolerance. Sharon Badian ihnp4!mtgzz!mtgzy!seb
alan@mtxinu.UUCP (Alan Tobey) (02/05/86)
I've grown the sub-arctic varieties in foggy Berkeley, mostly in an attempt to get tomatoes ripe by June before the fog sets in (normal varieties usually won't ripen till September heat). They do set well in cool (50F night) weather, and they do ripen in near the promised 50-odd days. The fruits are small, and the flavor is merely decent -- though far better than store tomatoes. Overall, it's worth setting out a few plants at your earliest conceivable date and gambling on frost -- the payoff is ripe tomatoes maybe a month before you'd get them otherwise.