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Better Boy Tomato Seeds

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Better Boy Tomato

SKU: TM10-20

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Country Of Origin: USA USA

Availability: In stock

Price: $4.00

Your price: $3.75

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Overview
Planting instructions
Growing Calendar
Disease Resistant
Reviews
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75 days. Solanum lycopersicum. (F1) Better Boy Tomato. The plant produces extremely heavy yields of 10 to 16 oz bright red tomatoes. It has a rich old fashioned tomato flavor. It is very meaty, juicy, and flavorful with just the right balance of acid and sugar. It is one of the most popular tomatoes grown in the United States and one of the all time best sellers. One of the most disease resistant tomato varieties. Home gardeners have voted Better Boy Tomato as one of the Best Tomatoes to Grow. It is a Guinness World Record holder for the highest yielding tomato, producing 342 lbs of tomatoes from one plant. The plant continues to produce all season long. Perfect for slicing, freezing, canning, and sauces. Good foliage protection prevents sun scaling. The plant requires support, either staking or cages. An excellent choice for home gardens and market growers. Disease Resistant: V, F, N, A, St, LB. Indeterminate.

Lot No: 366323

Germination: 85%

Test Date: 06/24

Seeds Per Pound: 128,000

Plant Height: 60” tall

Planting Season: Spring

Sunlight Requirement: Full Sun

Planting Method: Indoor Sow

Tomato Lycopersicon esculentum

Seed Depth

Soil Temp. for Germination

Days to Germination

Sunlight Requirements

Planting Time

1/4 to 1/2"

80 F to 85 F

7 to 14 days

Full Sun

Spring

USDA Hardiness Zone

Seed Spacing

Row Spacing

Space After Thinning

Days to Harvest

N/A

48"

60 - 90 days

Tomato Seed Planting Information:

Tomato plants should be grown in a warm areas and receive plenty of sunlight, so choose a sunny spot in your garden. Relocate your tomato plants in different parts of your garden each year to avoid diseases. Optimum temperatures for growing tomatoes are between 80 and 85 degrees F. Plant your seeds indoors 10 to 12 weeks before setting outside. Use Miracle Gro Seed Starting Material for best germination results. We have tested other Seed Starting Mix and experienced poor germination rates. You may have to special order the Miracle Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix from your nursery, as it is hard to find it at many of the large home and garden centers. Do not add any soil, fertilizers, and other chemicals to seed starting material! Do not use jiffy peat pots, plugs, or potting soil, or cover the pots, as the soil may become too dry or too wet, which can lead to disease and fungus. Do not bottom water the seeds as this causes the seed starting material to become too wet and you will experience poor germination! We have experienced disease and low germination when using these types of products and covering the pots with plastic or covers. When seedlings are 4" tall, transplant them in larger pots. Plants should be at least 10" tall before transplanting outdoors. Place plants outdoors in shady area several days before transplanting outdoors. Shelter the transplants to prevent sunburn, wilting, and rain damage. Spring planting should occur when soil is warm, at least 3 weeks after last frost, and when temperatures remain above 70 degrees F. You can plant early if you use water towers. To prevent branches from breaking from the weight of tomatoes, use 5 to 6 ft tall cages. To tie plants to stakes, use soft strips of cloth. Check indeterminate plants regularly, and pinch off suckers and side branches where leaves join the stems. Plants can grow 1 to 6 ft tall.

Soil Requirements:

Requires fertile slightly acid soil in a well drained location in the garden. Apply mulch and grass clippings, or straw around base of plant. Work the soil thoroughly before planting. Add well-rotted manure and compost.

Water Requirements:

Keep soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. Water well during dry and hot spells. Water in the morning only, on the side of the plants and not directly on the leaves.

Fertilizer Requirements:

Use RootBlast, Vegetable Alive, and Slow Release Fertilizer when transplanting outdoors. Apply Miracle Gro every two weeks.

Harvest Tips:

Harvest tomatoes when they are fully mature using a garden scissor so you don't damage the plant. Pick them as they mature to encourage new fruit to form. Remove any decayed tomatoes from the plant.

Tomato
Growing Calendar

Indoor Germination Temperature: 80 to 85 F
Minimum Outdoor Temperature: Above 70 F

Start Indoors Transplant Start Outdoors Start Indoors Fall Transplant Fall Start Outdoors Fall Multiple Crops

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Depth: ¼” to ½“

Days to Germination: 7 to 14 days

Plant Spacing: 48”

Row Spacing: 48”

Sunlight Requirement: Full sun

Days to Harvest after Planting Outdoors: Early Season Tomato: 60 to 65 days Mid-Season Tomato: 70 to 75 days Late Season Tomato: 85 to 90 days

USDA Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11

Use Miracle-Gro© Seed Starting Mix for best germination results.

A – Anthracnose

Scientific Name: Colletotrichum lagenarium

Type: Fungus

Anthracnose is a world-wide fungal disease that affects the growth of cucumbers, tomatoes, and watermelons. This disease is most common in the southern, mid-Atlantic, and mid-Western parts of the United States. Symptoms include lesions on the leaves and then yellowish circular spots begin appearing on the leaves. On watermelons the spots are irregular and turn dark brown or black. The most striking symptom is circular, black, sunken cankers appear on the fruit. When moisture is present, the black center of the lesion is covered with a gelatinous mass of salmon colored spores. With tomatoes, the disease mainly affects the tomato, but also can infect leaves, stems and roots. Sunken water soaked circular spots appear on the tomatoes. Leaves show symptoms of small circular spots with yellow halos. It can cause significant yield loss and even total crops losses. The diseased tomatoes are usually unmarketable. The infected plants should be removed to avoid further infestation. Increase space between the plants to maximize air flow and drying of the leaves. The disease is favorable when temperatures are 75-82 F and usually occur when moisture and humidity are very high. Plan on using a 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, as the disease can survive in over winter on crop debris. Proper tillage practices may be helpful in managing the disease. Fungicides can help manage the disease. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

F – Fusarium Wilt (Race 1)

Scientific Name: Fusarium oxysporum

Type: Fungus

Fusarium Wilt, Race 1, is a fungal disease that affects the growth of tomatoes. It is one of the most devastating of all soil-borne diseases. Race 1 is the most widely found throughout the United States, especially in warm regions of the country. It attacks the roots of the plants and moves up the stems. Symptoms include yellowing and browning of the older bottom leaves, stunting, and wilting. Often the entire plant will die. Usually little or no fruit develops. The infected plants will produce inferior and unmarketable tomatoes. It can cause significant yield loss and even total crops losses. If you stick with Fusarium Wilt Resistant tomato varieties you don’t have to worry. Many of the older heirlooms don’t have any resistance to the disease, so if you grow these then you should keep an eye out for it. The infected plants should be removed and burned to avoid further infestation. Plan on using a 5 to 7 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, as the disease can survive in the soil up to 10 years. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

LB – Late Blight

Scientific Name: Phytophthora infestans

Type: Oomycete

Late Blight is a fungal disease that affects the growth of potatoes and tomatoes. Symptoms include large dark brown blotches with a green gray edge on the leaves resulting in large sections of dry brown foliage. Stems become dark brown. Dark brown circular spots cover most of the tomato. The entire field turns brown and wilted as if it was hit by frost and die.It can cause significant yield loss and even total crops losses. The diseased tomatoes are usually unmarketable. Late blight was responsible for the Irish potato famine of the late 1840s. The air-borne disease can destroy an entire field in a short period of time. The infected plants should be removed and burned to avoid further infestation. If you stick with Late Blight resistant tomato varieties you don’t have to worry. The disease is favorable when temperatures are 60-70 F and usually occur when moisture and humidity are very high. Plan on using a 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, as the disease can survive in the soil for 7 years. Fungicides are available for management of late blight on tomatoes. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

N – Root-Knot Nematode

Scientific Name: Meloidogyne spp.

Type: Parasites

Nematodes are soil dwelling parasites that feed on plant roots and affect cucumbers, okra, peppers, squash, and tomatoes. Symptoms include yellowing of the leaves, wilting, and stunting of the plant. The plant will have galled and decayed roots. Nematodes are most active when soil temperatures are 85 - 95 F and usually occur when the soil is moisture. Plan on using a 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year. Nematodes are most active in warm soils and they need water to thrive so take advantage of summer’s heat to wither them away. Withhold water from nematode infested areas of the garden and turn or till the soil every 7-10 days during the summer to expose nematodes to the drying effects of the sun. Proper tillage practices may be helpful in managing the disease. Certain types of marigolds work by excreting a substance that is damaging to nematodes as well as trapping them in their roots and preventing reproduction. Elbon rye is an effective nematode control that can be planted as a cool season cover crop that is turned under in early spring. The use of soil fumigants like Vapam has been helpful and a fungicide called Actinovate can also be helpful in managing the lowering of the nematode population. Using transparent plastic mulches for 4 to 6 weeks have been shown to kill nematodes. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

St – Stemphylium Gray Spot Leaf

Scientific Name: Stemphylium solani, Stemphylium floridanum, and Stemphylium botryosum

Type: Fungus

Stemphylium Gray Spot Leaf is a fungal disease that affects the growth of tomatoes. It is found in warm regions of the country, and is common in the Southeastern part of the United States. Symptoms include brown to black specks on leaves. As the lesions grow in size, they develop a gray center surrounded by a yellow area. The spots may dry and fall out, forming a shot hole in the leaf. The disease may cause the entire leaves to turn yellow, then brown, and drop off, and the plant may be stunted. The tomatoes are not usually affected unless there is severe defoliation, where sunburn damage can occur on the tomatoes. If you stick with Stemphylium Gray Spot Leaf Resistant tomato varieties you don’t have to worry. Many of the older heirlooms don’t have any resistance to the disease, so if you grow these then you should keep an eye out for it. The infected plants should be removed and burned to avoid further infestation. Plan on using a 5 to 7 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, as the disease can survive in the soil for many years. Stake tomato plants for better circulation. Give plants extra space to allow air to move among leaves to keep leaves as dry as possible. Use soaker hoses and avoid overhead watering. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

V – Verticillium Wilt

Scientific Name: Verticillium dahliae

Type: Fungus

Verticillium Wilt is a soil-borne disease that affects the growth of lettuce, peppers, spinach, and tomatoes. This disease is most common in the United States and Europe. In lettuce symptoms include wilting of the lower leaves and then the outer leaves turn yellow, wilt and die. Brown and black streaks appear on the taproot and crown The disease can cause substantial yield loss and total crop loss. It is a seed-borne disease that is spread by farm equipment, wind, and water. The infected plants should be removed and burned to avoid further infestation. The virus can live in weeds, so use weed management techniques. The fungus is very difficult to eradicate once it has been introduced into a field. Plan on using a 4 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, and can survive in the soil for 14 years. Keep the fields weed free. Deep tilling may be helpful in managing the disease. Thoroughly clean equipment after working in a field. Fumigate fields with methyl bromide. The best option is to use virus-free seeds and disease resistant varieties

2 review(s)

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From: sam | Date: 5/17/2018 2:44 PM

may 16th zone 8 , planted 3 in big planter boxes with tall trellis and they are really putting om the fruit, between them all have about 30 on them with lots of blooms coming on . hope to get some good production out of them . Took one big sucker and planted in the ground and I did not think it would make it, but it is coming back strong. will plant again.

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From: Guest | Date: 4/17/2010 2:01 PM

I think Better Boy is perfect! It is nice-sized and tasty. I suggest it for you. YUM!

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Reimer seeds has over 5,000 quality vegetable, flower, and herb seeds for the home gardener and market growers. We do not sell any Genetically Modified seeds. This year we reduced our prices on many items, added new items, and have added additional bulk items by the ounce and pounds! Take time to review our impressive Online Seed Catalog. Sorry, we do not have a printed catalog to mail you. Plan your garden, and then order your varieties for this upcoming season. Please check back often, as we add new items regularly. If you don’t see an item you want you can always email us and we’ll see if we can bring it into stock!