They claim that this can produce 60 lbs of tomatoes from one plant! Has anyone tried this? How do they taste?

http://www.gardenerschoice.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=70&dc=leader

Any non-determinate tomato plant will do what the tree tomato video claims. Year around, I always have two tomato plants growing in my greenhouse. They grow up a netting that hangs from the top of the greenhouse. All vines reach 16-feet long before I rip them out and replace them with new plants. - Millet

Thanks Millet!

When I was a kid, I remember seeing a tomato tree that is older than me. It bears tomato fruit year round, but that was in the Philippines.

The one in the video claims that it zooms into an amazing 8 feet tall in just 3 months.

One major problem of inground tomatoes in California is the heat wave. If it gets 95 deg F and higher, tomatoes will not set fruit even if they are indeterminate types. I am wondering if that tomato sold by Michigan company will still produce 60 lbs in a growing season with heat waves of more than 95 deg F going for nearly a month at times.

Joe I don't know, but I would think that at temperatures above 95F the plant would not pollinate. Of, course the #1 tomato concern, at least for me, is the varieties taste, not the quantity of production. I always grow special tomato varieties that are specific for greenhouse production from Stokes seed. - Millet

Hey Joe, I know that heat has always been an issue with tomatoes. There are some varieties out there developed to withstand higher temps and still pollinate. Here's one:

Sunmaster ($4.95) (H) 72 days. (E) This yummy specialty tomato is a very heat tolerant hybrid variety which produces delicious bright red 7 to 8 oz., sometimes up to 12 ounces, rich, full-flavored tomatoes in only 72 days. The fruit sets best during high heat, when days are 87º to 97º and night temperatures are 73º to 82º. Very disease resistant.

I'm sure there are others. I've also read where shade cloths were used to not only prevent sun scald but to lower the temps.

Someone a while back posted pics of their Epcot trip and there was a pic of the huge hydroponic tree tomato. Enormous.

Thanks Ohiojay! I'll try to see if I can find me some Sunmaster. I already found and planted California Heatwave, an indeterminate cultivar developed for the inland Valley. Shading it during the heat spell would be a good idea. Will try to do that this summer's heat wave. I still have spots for 2 more tomato plants.

Joe,
Where did you find heatwave-- I haven't found it or sunmaster--one site (TAMU) said both had been discontinued.

In one aspect high heat does not need to be that much of a factor with tomatoes. During the summer months the temperatures can bet very high inside my greenhouse. If one pollinates tomatoes early in the cool of the morning, before the temperatures climb, tomatoes will readily pollinate. I do so by simply shaking each hand of flowers. Further, how completely the tomato flower is pollinated, has a lot to do with the size of the tomatoes. Therefore, repeated pollination for several days works wonders. - Millet

I gets down to very dessicatingly low RH, less than 15% coupled with high heat. It could dessicate the pollen or the stigma. Greenhouses maintain their high RH even at high temp. So RH could be a big factor also.

Here's the link where I found the Sunmaster
http://www.heirloomtomatoplants.com/Big%20Red%20Tomatoes.htm

Thanks Ohiojay.

Joe
I am not sure this is the same tomato tree,but here is a link about it.
http://georgiafaces.caes.uga.edu/getstory.cfm?storyid=429

Millet - Do you run into any problems with tomato diseases like Verticillium Wilt, bacterial spot, blight or any other issues? I grown tomatoes in my outside garden and they always do well until about mid-season when they get hit with these diseases that kill them off. I usually get a decent crop before then, but I don't want problems building up in my soil for suture plantings. I was wondering if you have more control over it inside your greenhouse?

I have a bunch of tomatoes this year. Yellow Boy, Parks Whopper, Beefmaster, Sugary, and Early Girl. Now I just need to keep my golden retriever from eating them all.

Phillip