Anybody growing tomatoes?

[Orchid_lady]

I am growing cherry tomatoes from seed. I have about 18 babies. I also bought 1 tomatoe plant, and was lucky enough to have 2 plants in one, so I divided them and now both are starting to growing tomatoes.

[LeftCoastAngler]

Yes. I grow Husky Cherry Red's on a E&F hydroponic table. Vigorous little rascals; aren't they! No shortage of fruit; eh?

~LCA.

[solay]

Oh, how I miss growing veggies. No room now though. I've turned my veggie area into a rose garden. I loved growing tomatoes. All types. They give back so much in return. Enough to share with everyone in the neighborhood. The only thing is in my area they tend to get powdery mildew and rust on them often times. Then again that problem still exist on my roses now. good luck with the tomatoes!

[Kassey77]

Yeah my orchid-jungle balcony also houses some cherry tomatoes. They are so easy to grow - like weeds!

[tizzycat]

I have, 30 seedlings at the moments, 15 Sungold and 15 Garden Perle - both suitable for outdoors (after the end of May) in the UK. I usually end up with four for myself and give the rest to friends and family.

[patticake]

I have sweet 100's, little yellow pear tomatoes, and some green & yellow striped heirlooms started. I'll just grow 1 plant of each- but it'll be plenty for us with a few to share!

[Hummer344]

Lets see, where to start on tomatos. LOL The garden org. I belong to seeded 12k tomatos this year for their annual sale. I helped seed and pot. something like 40 different varieties. Also peppers. I have a project in the mts. near here & today I will be planting. I think I have 6 varieties of tomatos to plant, three of each variety and I don't know how many peppers. The back of my truck is full of one gallon cans filled with veggies. The tomatos we sell are basically heirloom varieties. ie,Black Crim, Aunt Jennies Green, Ed Millinium, and my favorite, Black Cherry. I never knew how many different types there were. More modern varieties are Big Rainbow, Sun Gold & sun Sugar. Yep, I grow tomato's.

[butt0n]

We have a couple Romas and San Francisco Fogs in our backyard this year. Usually 2 tomato plants are enough for us, but we always get too many.

[articuno75]

Originally Posted by patticake

I have sweet 100's, little yellow pear tomatoes, and some green & yellow striped heirlooms started. I'll just grow 1 plant of each- but it'll be plenty for us with a few to share!

MMMmmmm Pear tomatoes!!! Those are sooo good on salads! I can't find those boogers anywhere around here! I finally did at a Home Depot in Greenfield and was going to grab it and Lovey Dovey says "OH, we can get it later." Grrrrr..... Now I can't find the darn thing....Grrrr. (For that mistake, I should have left him at HD!!!, LOL )

[evagentry]

I grow tomatoes here each year in my garden, but we have a very cold rainy summer so there is a problem with rot and black spots.

[E-Jag]

Coincidentally, I talked to a friend yesterday about growing tomatoes. I have no place to do it at my home but he has a large back yard and invited me to stick a couple of plants out there. LOVE fried green tomatoes. I assume I should put them in the ground as opposed to large buckets; does anyone have any cultivation hints or maybe a good website? Never tried farming.

_______________________
E-Jag

[tizzycat]

E-Jag, I grow mine very successfully in "buckets". They're better than the growbags as there is more depth.

You have more cotrol over the growing medium. They're also greedy and need regular "feeding".

[E-Jag]

Tizzycat, thanks. How often do you water them in the buckets? How often do you fertilize? Could I plant in a combination of, say, potting soil and sand or do they have tomato mix? Is this the right time of the season to be starting them? Forgive all the questions, I'm sure a couple of tomato plants isn't rocket science but would like to avoid the obvious (to someone) screwups.

_________________
E-Jag

[Endorphins]

I'm trying my hand at tomatoes for the first time this year as I finally have a backyard of my own. Hopefully, if it all works out, we'll have vines of Roma's, Grape Tomatoes, Lemon Boy's (never had them, but they looked pretty), and Red Beefmasters (beefmasters?). There are already a bunch of little green tomatoes growing all over - I'm antsy as can be to try them.

When I planted them, I didn't amend the soil with anything (we're acidic and hard as a rock here in W. Texas), but they get a weekly dose of Alaska Fish Fertilizer/Emulsion. Good stuff...I'm about to start worm composting, so we'll have all that awesome wormy goodness to add to the herbs and tomatoes that are running rampant outside (never mind the orchids and miscellaneous other houseplants INside!).

All I can think of are tomatoes now. LOL

[lynda]

Last year Georgia had a terrible drought and I just gave up on most of my yard and veggies.
This year I bought a couple of hanging baskets of Tom Red tomato (easy to water in case of another drought) .. should be interesting to see--I can always replant them in buckets if I have to.
I also put red/black/yellow rasberries into a large container pot -- so I'll at least know where they are and can watch out for those pesky thorns.
I pulled up lots of wild strawberries and re-planted them in container pots (maybe I'll get some to actually eat --last year the birds and nutria's ate them all.
I don't know why this year we have seen so many snakes (gee I really hate snakes) so my having things in pots on my deck I hope not to run into these snakes that are in the yard.
Herbs I always grow in my kitchen window --- tried growing them outside, but it was too much work everytime I cooked something to run outside.

[tizzycat]

Originally Posted by E-Jag

Tizzycat, thanks. How often do you water them in the buckets? How often do you fertilize? Could I plant in a combination of, say, potting soil and sand or do they have tomato mix? Is this the right time of the season to be starting them? Forgive all the questions, I'm sure a couple of tomato plants isn't rocket science but would like to avoid the obvious (to someone) screwups.

_________________
E-Jag

E-Jag, I think growing conditions in your part of the world will probably dictate a different watering pattern to my own. The main thing is not to let them dry out, (at the same time tomatoes do not like to be waterlogged.

Feed container grown plants with a "Tomato Feed" (usually high potash) once a week.

For the medium I use a good multipurpost compost. As long as you keep up the feeding regime and don't let them dry out this should be fine. Start the feeding after the first truss has set.

I have my seedlings growing and they will be ready to go outside after there is no risk of frost (usually after the end of May in the UK).

This may help:
National Gardening Association :: Food Gardening Guide

[Laura L.]

A caution on the tomato in a bucket...I have three plants in two 16" pots. (Started seed in November.) They are beautiful, but the first few tomatoes had blossom end rot, and in my 40+ years of growing veggies, never had that happen before, but have never grown tomatoes in pots, inside, before either.

I believe I over-fertilized. Once I started watering with good, clean rain/snow water, the problem went away, and we enjoyed my first batch of bruschetta last night (fresh basil is great, too).

P.S. Don't be surprised if you have to water every day.

A favorite tomato in the garden is any variety of grape. They don't split like the cherries do, and they are so prolific,,,lots for sharing, very sweeet.

I would assume you are putting holes in the bottom of your bucket(s).

[Hummer344]

Any one try growing their tomatos in pots that are hung unside down from rafters on the patio? Several people around here have tried it and had sucess. Funny, but true.

[tizzycat]

Hi Hummer, There are certain varieties that lend themselves to hanging pots/baskets; varieties that do not need inching out or staking. Garden Perle, Tumbling Tom etc.

[E-Jag]

[i]'ve read they do well in the large, cheap styrofoam ice chests with holes punched in the bottom. Most, if not all tomatoes, are either determinate (grow to a determined size, usually about 3', sort of like a bush and don't need to be staked) or indeterminate (grow tall, 6' or more and need to be staked). Indeterminates are actually better container plants BUT produce all of their fruit at once, while indeterminates produce their's over the length of the season. Think I may try a couple of Beefsteaks (indeterminate). They should begin producing by July. I understand they need at least 1 1/2" water a week, provided consistently. I figure a 1/2 gallon of water per planr, 2 or 3 times a week. Interesting thread.

______________
E-Jag

[lynda]

Originally Posted by lynda

Last year Georgia had a terrible drought and I just gave up on most of my yard and veggies.
This year I bought a couple of hanging baskets of Tom Red tomato (easy to water in case of another drought) .. should be interesting to see--I can always replant them in buckets if I have to.
I also put red/black/yellow rasberries into a large container pot -- so I'll at least know where they are and can watch out for those pesky thorns.
I pulled up lots of wild strawberries and re-planted them in container pots (maybe I'll get some to actually eat --last year the birds and nutria's ate them all.
I don't know why this year we have seen so many snakes (gee I really hate snakes) so my having things in pots on my deck I hope not to run into these snakes that are in the yard.
Herbs I always grow in my kitchen window --- tried growing them outside, but it was too much work everytime I cooked something to run outside.

I can't believe we already have tomato clusters in both of the hanging baskets ... how often should I feed these baskets -- potash??

[LeftCoastAngler]

Originally Posted by Laura L.

P.S. Don't be surprised if you have to water every day.

I concur here. And they'll let you know when their thirsty aswell... I've got one in a 5gal bucket...

Originally Posted by Laura L.

I would assume you are putting holes in the bottom of your bucket(s).

Brilliant! They'll love ya fer that!

~LCA.