I see a couple of Texas gardeners posted on your other post about this that you are running out of time to grow from seed. They recommend using transplants this year as your plant out date is only a couple of weeks away in order to get fruit set before the heat of summer arrives. Will that work for you?

Dave

I was thinking the same thing Dave. I'm in Cali but zone 9A and I have been starting seed since early Jan. A lot of times I can plant out later and be OK but last year it got hot and stayed hot early. Reminded me of the need to get planted out sooner rather than later!

normally my last freeze date is around the third week of March, - however, last year we had an ice storm just about them that killed all my peach blossoms - we got sleet during the night and by noon the following day the ice had melted and it was reasonably warm. You know what they say about Texas weather - if you don't like it, just wait a little while and it will change.

I was still getting tomatoes in August last year from purchased plants, we didn't have very many 100 deg days last year (unlike the previous year). My tomatoes have late afternoon sun, which probably helps.

I'll let you know how it goes, but we really don't get many choices using purchased plants - maybe about 4 or 5 - Better Boy, Early Girl, a Patio tomato, etc.

CMM

I wonder what varieties your purchased plants were, since "Patio" and Better Boy are pretty good at handling the heat, and many of the heirlooms don't tolerate it well, though some do.

Get tonight:

Marianna's Peace

and very good bets also to maybe try:

Costoluto Genovense

1884

Black Krim

plus these are good but less ugly-looking and mostly not as meaty as you'd like (heirloom like):

Florida 91 (hy det)

Arkansas Traveler (indet)

Anna Russian (early, large, indet)

Super Sioux (ind.)

Neptune (det, early)

Homestead 24 (semi-det, EDIT, this is OP)

RC's Mortgage Lifter (large, still mid season, indet)

BTW, if you are 60 miles north of Galveston like you mentioned, you are not in zone 9b unless it is some strange intracoastal zone. Baytown and Port Arthur are 9a and Dayton and Winnie are 8b. If you do everything right you still can grow, but anyyway still, like the others said you're running late, even in 8b. I'd definitely go for it but right away. I'm 9a and started Brandy Boy this week to add to the rest started a month ago. You might be better off with a more determinate tomato like Florida 91 and Homestead 24 though they have a few extra seeds to deal with. But, hey, I like Better Boy, and tasted Patio and Florida 91 a few times and actually thought they weren't bad, so everyone has their opinion ;-)

PC

oops, yes 9a and reasonably near 8b - I think I will try Abe Lincoln, Box Car Willie, Cherokee Purple, Mortgage Lifter, Old German, Prudens Purple. I really prefer indeterminate, and these choices seem to lean toward quick fruition.

I am in 9A in SoCal. I would be starting tomatoes known to have some heat tolerance if I were just now starting my seed. The only thing I would expect to do well for you, based on my experience with it in heat is Mortgage Lifter. I will hold a good hope for you that you will beat the onset of heat and have a good season.

Yes, your 9a comment stuck out like a sore thumb since I've lived south of you in Texas, the difference between 8b and 9b is flipping the growing seasons from summer to winter.

The first 4 varieties I gave are indeterminates, and you wanted a good list and no one had worked one up for you. Try your varieties for a practice season since I'm guessing you may have gotten them onhand already from the seed rack at Lowes or HD. Maybe you don't sweat on warm nights there and have less humidity that we do here (both of us are nearby to the 8b line), and will have better results.

Good luck with those varieties my friend!

PC