Anyone tried growing "western" veggies?

[Big Chief 0]

A couple years ago I tried growing some large tomato plants. I had a friend bring the seeds over for me. They grew just fine but never bloomed and never produced. Any one else have any luck growing "western" veggies? I like the big pink tomato's and you can't get them here. I also tried egg plant. They didn't get much over 6-8 inches long then dried up. No success there either.

[picoman 1]

You'll need a tomato variety that is suited to your present clime, my green thumb(less) friend. You also need to be aware of special considerations when planting tomatoes in a tropical climate. May I suggest you ask a local farmer in regards to local planting and care practices; in addition, purchase your seeds locally as these varieties will be more likely to thrive in your environment.

 

I should add that although the tomato is originally a tropical fruit/veggie, most (if not all) seeds available are hybrids. If you attempt to plant seeds purchased in the US, they will be hybrids bred to thrive specifically in US climates; thus, they will most likely shrivel up like your old nuts.

 

Edited August 25, 2006 by picoman

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

Go to your local Pattaya nursery and buy a Sunset Eastern Garden book.

 

j/k

[MrMango 667]

If you attempt to plant seeds purchased in the US, they will be hybrids bred to thrive specifically in US climates; thus, they will most likely shrivel up like your old nuts.

 

Hear hear - I resent that! I am not that old...

[Gary 4,119]

I had a friend of mine bring over some seeds for me. They were meant for planting in Florida. I had five different varieties. They grew very well and blossomed. Everyone of the varieties finally withered up and died. I tried the normal soil and potting soil in pots. After four plantings and four failures I gave up. I guess that's why there are no big tomatoes grown here. Cherry tomatoes and the Thai rubber ball variety do pretty well.

[Big Chief 0]

DAMN IT! I like the big pink heart tomato's!

[Gary 4,119]

I haven't totally given up yet. I'm looking into hydroponic. I was told that it's something in the air that diseases the plants but I can't see how that can be. If they won't grow hydroponically I'll believe it and will give up.

[147SAG 0]

What about romaine lettuce, anyone tried growing any other veggies?

[nidnoyham 30]

Why not buy some Tom's locally and take the seed and grow them ?

[Gary 4,119]

Why not buy some Tom's locally and take the seed and grow them ?

 

The varieties of tomatoes available for sale here are the rubber ball type that have no flavor and no juice. The cherry tomatoes are the only choice if you want decent flavor. Since the cherry tomatoes are not much bigger than marbles it makes it hard to put them on a sandwich.

[AtlantaJoe 2]

Tomatoes do not do well in the heat. Plant them in the coolest season, if there is one.

In the southern U.S. they are planted as soon as the threat of frost has passed and are done when the heat of mid-summer arrives. Some type of cover over them may help.

Ahh- a good plate of Beefsteak tomatoes straight from the garden is hard to beat.

Even the store bought tomatoes here in the states are picked far from ripe and lose so much before they get to market.

Good luck!

[travlling 0]

Has anyone tried Jalapenos?.....Now I know the Thais have plenty of hot and spicy peppers, but I really do enjoy growing my own and I love the taste.

 

 

[short 215]

The secret to tomatoes is sun and hard dirt.

 

If you can grow an azalea, you can grow tomatoes.

Edited August 27, 2006 by short

[travlling 0]

The secret to tomatoes is sun and hard dirt.

 

If you can grow an azelia, you can grow tomatoes.

 

What's an Azelia?

[yselmike 389]

http://www.kokopelli-seed-foundation.com/index.html

 

now theres a collection of toms for you

 

http://www.greenfingers.com.au/services/di...t_to_grow/2.htm

 

 

scroll down and you will read why its a problem to grow them in the tropics

[nidnoyham 30]

I read somewhere that tomatos and cannabis are almost identicle in their needs.

 

On a day trip out of Chang Mai, I asked the young tour guide, where was all the wild cannabis that I immagined grew up north. She said that we were too low down and they required a cooler changeable climate. So it must be a temperature thing, because Tom's self seed in sewage works after passing through the digestive system, so they are pretty robust characters.

[LocalYokul 214]

there's the answer, move into the mountains of Northern Thailand

[yselmike 389]

Its not called WEED for nothing

[Sa-teef 44]

Yes, a good Brandywine or Arkansas Traveler tomato is hard to beat!

 

You might experiment with some open pollinated varieties and consider screening them with cheesecloth to limit the amount of direct sun they get. Quite a few varieties blossom and set fruit based on length of day so you may have to do some research to find out what is appropriate in Thailand.

 

There must be an agricultural extension office in most areas of Thailand, and finding one of those guys or a prof at a Radgie who teaches the subject would have you sitting pretty.

 

Get this worked out and write down what works becasue I'll be doing the same in a few short years!

 

 

~Sa-teef

[garyh175 2]

Hey Mike,

 

Thanks for the greenfingers.com link ... Seems to explain why it is difficult to grow

tomatoes in Thailand or tropics. According to them it is related to the temperature.

 

Tomatoes need some temperature below 27C for pollination to occur, otherwise the

tomato plants will be sterile and no fertilization will take place. Once fertilization has

occurred then tomatoes can be above 27C the whole time.

 

Gary - They do make one recommendation that you might want to try. To get the plants

to below 27C, try watering/spraying the plants at night to let the evaporation cool the plant.

This might only need to be done for a short time (maybe a week) until fertilization occurs.

 

regards, gary

[Gary 4,119]

The temperature where I live is not the problem. In the winter up here it gets cold enough to be able to see your breath in the mornings. The plants pollinate fine and they fruit pretty heavily. The tomatoes get to be about the size of marbles then the plant gradually withers and dies after starting out great and healthy looking. The last time I used some spray recommended by the local green thumb and even that didn't help.

[short 215]

You need to be looking at the "Better Boy" variety (no its not sexual) of tomatoes. They can take the heat. Just make sure that they get lots of sun and some water.

[Gary 4,119]

As a matter of fact I have Better Boy, Big Boy, Buck's Country, Super Beefsteak and one other one that I have used all the seeds. They all acted the same. Plenty of tomatoes but all the plants died before they ripened.

[Larryst 7]

Has anyone tried Jalapenos?.....Now I know the Thais have plenty of hot and spicy peppers, but I really do enjoy growing my own and I love the taste.

 

I brought some jalapeno seed packets from the states. They are about 1 foot now, but no peppers on them. A few flowers on them. I'm waiting to see if I get any. I also brought some miracle grow too and spray them too.

Edited August 30, 2006 by Larryst

[nidnoyham 30]

The temperature where I live is not the problem. In the winter up here it gets cold enough to be able to see your breath in the mornings. The plants pollinate fine and they fruit pretty heavily. The tomatoes get to be about the size of marbles then the plant gradually withers and dies after starting out great and healthy looking. The last time I used some spray recommended by the local green thumb and even that didn't help.

 

 

Gary, did the plants appear to just wither away, or was it a fungal attack ? Are you growing them in pots or the ground ?

 

If you are feeding them a hight K or P fertiliser for the fruit, it may be denying them nitrogen for the leaves. Over fertilising, will kill a plant in a day or two. The symptems are curling leaves, which go brown and die at the ends, this spreads to the whole plant.

 

Over watering will deny the roots oxygen and they will rot in the soil. Letting them dry out 'till leaves droop, will be helpfull.

 

You could try removing every other leaf, to give the roots less work to do. If it's not fungal attack, try a fine mist spray in the evening.

 

You've got me thinking now.