Sweet Pea Currant Tomato

Ridgerunner · Dec 1, 2014

I always pick up one cherry tomato plant from the local Mom 'n Pop garden store and plant it at the fence next to my garden gate. It's sole purpose is for me to snack on. I don't bring any inside the house. Since it is supported by the fence, it grows through the fence. I can pick a few to snack on just walking by or go inside for even more. This year I had Mexico Midget; last year, a Black Cherry that had no variety name.

I think a tough skin, mostly seeds and gel, and great flavor pretty well describes them though some have better flavor than others.

SprigOfTheLivingDead · Dec 1, 2014

It did just occur to me that I'm going to have to personally fertilize each of the flowers on this plant that will kick out some very small tomatoes. I'm curious to see how I feel about that in a month from now.

digitS' · Dec 1, 2014

Won't that just require some shaking of the plant or flowers, @SprigOfTheLivingDead ?

I don't know, having never grown tomatoes indoors but the blossoms are self-pollinating. (Some folks make some use of electric toothbrushes for such flower-shaking.)

It makes me feel good that I'm not the only one who finds cherries and the small varieties easier to grow, and have been happy with them. I thought that it was just in this tomato-challenged environment ... and, was jealous of all those with their wonderfully well adapted Bandywines and whatnot ...

Steve

flowerweaver · Dec 1, 2014

DigitS' is correct, tomatoes are mostly self-pollinating, and just shaking them helps. If the temperatures get too high (here, above 90 F) most of them will not set fruit.

If you look at a tomato flower with a hand lens you will usually see the anthers with the pollen covering the style with the ovary hidden beneath. They are usually pollinated before they even open. Those who breed tomatoes either must carefully surgically remove the anthers from the flower and then hand pollinate with the pollen donor or grow those few varieties whose flowers exhibit an open anther pattern with the style sticking out beyond the pollen and hope for promiscuous breeding by bees.

SprigOfTheLivingDead · Dec 1, 2014

I normally have just gotten in there with my hands and flicked at each flower since I never really liked the idea of shaking the plant

The epiphany I had was my realization of the difference in size of the little currant flowers vs the big Dester flowers. I generally take a peek around and can see the dester flowers pretty easy, then give them a love tap, but the currants are so small that I'll need to make sure to keep a good eye on them.

The temp ain't gonna be the problem. It's generally mid 70s in my tent.

thistlebloom · Dec 1, 2014

I like cherries too.
I grew the Sweet Peas one year and they were very prolific. I liked the
flavor, the problem was the picking, it about wore me out.

SprigOfTheLivingDead · Dec 9, 2014

thistlebloom · Dec 9, 2014

Look at those babies!

SprigOfTheLivingDead · Dec 14, 2014

SprigOfTheLivingDead · Mar 5, 2015

These have been such a favorite for our entire family that I plan to plant at least three for the summer. So sweet and tasty

And it's still just kicking them out all over the plant. I'll likely be able to move this guy right out onto my porch

note of caution: this thing wants to grow big!

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