Hi,

I live in Berlin, Germany. I do gardening, beekeeping, some woodworking and electronics. Raising plants from seeds is a funtime activity since childhood. I am growing tomatoes since many years, but too often the plants were killed by diseases before harvest. Assumed mainly late blight, but I start to suspect, that maybe other fungal diseases might have played a role in this, too.

Now since three years we have a severe drought in our region, very little to almost no rain in spring and summer, bad for trees, good for tomatoes.

In 2020 I had about 20 varieties, growing openly in the garden. (My family has no greenhouse.)
I grow heirlooms and hybrids, seeds harvested by myself and commercial seeds, plants grown by myself and plants bought from a nursery, I try biological fertilizer and industrial fertilizer, small and big tomato plants and fruits.

For 2021 I have ordered a lot more varieties, but it will get tough to find room for them.

A lot of specific questions come to mind, for example how to improve identification of the different fungal diseases. Or about the characteristics of dwarf varieties, which I have no experience with. And I would like to try breeding new varieties myself, but lack the knowledgs, for example when and how to remove the stamens from the flowers.

"Anything worth doing is worth overdoing."

Regards,
Robert

hi Robert,

Big welcome from the UK here. Nice to see new members and hope you enjoy the company of lots of other keen growers...and woodworkers and constructions workers and metal workers.. well actually people from all walks of life. A super friendly bunch, good to have you...

saw your bit about the breeding and there are a few very knowledgeable peeps here....

Incidently, just about 7,871 Kilometers North East of both Austin AND Balstrop.....

Welcome to the junction from Down Under Robert, lots of knowledgeable people here, so do not hesitate to ask questions.

You've found a great place to increase your knowledge of tomatoes and just about everything else.

Welcome from northeastern Pennsylvania. One can learn so much here about all aspects of growing tomatoes as well as other vegetables. We have friends in Berlin who grow their veggies in a community garden since their back yard is too small.

Willkommen from the Southeast US! You've landed in a special place with lots of good people and a ton of information. Make yourself at home and when you get a chance, check out the Diseases, Pests & Cures section.

Welcome from Mississippi, USA! and, yup, what [mention]GoDawgs[/mention] up there^ said...

Welcome from Austin, Texas...about 25 miles northwest of Bastrop, Texas.

Welcome to the Junction!

Welcome from Bastrop.
About 25 miles southeast of Liverpool Texas.

Welcome from the North Atlantic.
With regards leaf diseases, there are plenty of people here who quite expertly recognize diseases, so don't hesitate to post a picture.
Also as regards the breeding question, I have a file somewhere with my favorite videos from youtube that show how to emasculate the flower, collect pollen etc for practical skills you can't beat video! I just switched to a new computer so will have to dig those files out of the old one, but some time soon I will post them... At least well before the season begins. cheers.

Hello Robert, welcome! You sound like you'll fit right in! Lots of different types of gardening and gardening projects around here

Thanks a lot for the friendly welcome!

In the letterbox I just received the first package with (new to me) varieties:
- Medovij Spas (Honey Joy)
- Ilja Muromets
- Shadow boxing
- Sweet Cream
- Amber Keyes
- Saucy Mary Dwarf

I guess, that for discussing special topics I should try this in the relevant subforums.
Is there some sort of compendium about frequently discussed matters, for example about grow types - determinate vs indeterminate, dwarf vs regular and the underlying mechanisms?

Regards,
Robert

Hi Robert,
Well, this forum is just over a year old, so there will be lots of topics that haven't been discussed here yet. If you don't see a thread posted on some important topic, please start one, and we'll happily participate in the discussion.

Hello Robert, welcome!
Vladimír

Welcome Robert! This is a new forum with member's that have a wealth of knowledge that love to help one another succeed with their gardens.

Willkommen, Robert, von der anderen Ecke Deutschlands! (Welcome, Robert, from the opposite corner of Germany!) Great folks here to learn a lot from and always willing to help with knowledge (and seeds).

One question: which variety from Shadow Boxing do you grow? There are a lot, but not all are really good. I prefer Type 4 to all others!

clara wrote: ↑Wed Jan 20, 2021 1:12 pm One question: which variety from Shadow Boxing do you grow? There are a lot, but not all are really good. I prefer Type 4 to all others!

Today I received seeds for "Shadow Boxing" from Irina. And I have asked for "Shadow Boxing" and for "Shadow Boxing Type 3" from Manfred H. (pictures of all three looked different).
It might be possible that I will have more varieties than planting space, so I am not yet sure, if I really can grow three different Shadow boxing.

Somebody said that there are about 20 different Shadow Boxing varieties... If you are not pleased with the ones you are growing this year, I'll send you seeds for 2022.

Clara, this would be nice.

Btw, do you possibly have "Phil's Two"?

And I am also looking for Physalis. Last year, in spring, the Swiss nursery Lubera offered a Physalis angulata variety. But it vanished, no mention of it in the shop anymore. Does anyone have experience with these?