Herself’s Houston Garden

Here in Houston we have two tomato growing times. One starts in mid Feb. and ends when the lows for the day are higher than 70′F, one starts mid Aug. and goes until the nights regularly get into the 50′s.

So I went looking for tomato plants last week but none were to be found. Local mom and pop nurseries have tomato plants the big box stores don’t get it and had none. I settled for some ‘Better Boy’ seeds. They have sprouted and I’m proud to say I’ve remembered to water them daily.

I was talking to Nancy at ‘My Garden Spot’ and she told me she had been saving the seeds from the heirloom tomatoes that you find in the supermarket. I don’t know why that thought never crossed my mind, but it hadn’t. I picked up some heirloom tomatoes and will set aside some seeds this week.

To use the seeds from the heirloom tomatoes, save a few on a paper towel and let them dry out for about a week. Then plant as usual.  I tried this last fall and the plants were much sturdier and better producing than the plants I had purchased at the store.

Later I learned on Twitter from Plan Garden that tomato seeds should be fermented first. Purchase your heirloom tomatoes and let them turn to mush on your counter before removing the seeds. This is supposed to help with germination, and is reported to kill disease that may be present in the tomatoes and strengthen the seeds.

I’m told they will not germinate otherwise, but mine did fine with out fermenting last fall. So try it either way or both ways. I did some poking around and most of the old school gardeners recommend fermenting your tomatoes before removing seeds.

You’ll want to put your fall tomato plants in pots or some sheltered section of the garden. There are always a few unexpected cool days early on.

I also only filled the pots half to three quarters full with dirt. Tomatoes are a vine and benefit from having the bottom covered with dirt as they grow.

This’ll be my first fall crop down here. I’m pleased with the summer crop progress over earlier crops so I have great hopes for these guys.

Nancy also tells me there tend to be less bugs and other problems with her fall crops.

So start your fall tomatoes!

I had never heard of nematodes before, I guess that they are not as much of a problem in New England? Down here in Houston they are a problem.

When you bring a plant home, carefully check the roots before planting. Look for knots and swollen areas on the roots. Once you add root knot nematodes to your garden, they are there forever. So it is best not to bring them home. ( University of Ontario has an article with several good pictures ). Be especially sure to check your tomato plants since that is the most likely way you’ll pick them up down here.

Nematodes are microscopic worms some are good, some are bad. The bad ones have a needle like part they use to puncture plant roots. They then inject an enzyme into the root which softens root, then they suck that back out of your plant roots.

You can reduce the number of nematodes in your soil by adding grated orange peel about 1%-5% to your soil. Nematodes must be in damp or wet soil. They die when they dry out, but the eggs live on to reappear when soil gets wet.

See also:
Marigolds prevent and destroy nematodes

If you are growing tomatoes from seed they need to get going early February in time to plant in Houston.

You want to spend about 6 weeks growing them indoors before placing them outside. Find a very sunny window to get them going and remember tomatoes love heat so be sure your location is very warm as well.

It is unlikely you’ll need to add heat down here in Houston, but up north heating pads on their lowest setting are sometimes put under the trays of tomato seeds or the seeds can be placed on a radiator in the evenings.

Mid-March is when tomato plants typically go in the ground outside here. You need night temperatures over 50′F to safely plant them outdoors. If it gets chilly after you’ve put them out cover them with milk jugs or plastic to protect them.

Tomatoes have two very short growing seasons in Houston, one in the spring, one in the fall.  You need to be sure to get in early on both if you want tomatoes.  If it is too chilly, cover them with plastic. One the night temperatures bottom out around 70′F the plant will stop making flowers.

I usually collect seeds from heirloom tomatoes purchased at the market. Just stash a few seeds when you slice the tomatoes. Place them on a paper towel to dry out. Once they dry out you can pot them.

Growing tomatoes in Houston