16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

The tall, circular frame you're describing is a "tomato cage." One might help.

Also, you mentioned you weren't fertilizing. I talked to someone who works at a nursery about this topic earlier in the season. He said if you use Miracle Grow potting soil, which does have fertilizer, it's ok not to fertilize for a little while. BUT ... the label on Miracle Grow bag that says it fertilizes plants up to 3 months or 9 months (or whatever time frame) doesn't apply as long to potted plants because of the way they're watered. When watering a potted plant, the fertilizer escapes much quicker. Therefore, it's important to use fertilizer. Liquid plant food/fertilizer mixed with water according to instructions in an old gallon jug should do the trick.

Also, yellow leaves are totally normal, especially at the bottom of the plant. Even an occasional yellow leaf in the middle is ok. Just clip it off. The photo of your plant looks fine.

I'm not fertilizing, I understood that the Miracle Grow potting soil I used contains fertilizer.
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That is a claim made but the evidence ( your plant as a good example) shows that it may have some nutrients enough for some plants, but not enough for a tomato plant all season long. Furthermore, the mix might maintain P and K for a while but N will not last that long. And yellowing is a sign of N deficiency.

In my opinion MG Moisture Control potting mix is a bad choice for tomatoes. It tends to stay too soggy and thus allowing very little air to the root system.

An old rule of thumb is one gal of pot size to each foot of expected growth.. Bare minimum - stick with a 10 gallon and up...

i agree, pot way to small....tomatoes need root room to grow...also water is key to raising tomatoes...too much kills, not enough also kills.....use good potting mix, for good quick drainage...i finally invested in a good water meter for determining when to water in my pots....my pots are homemade, 2x4 wire about 2 ft tall and 2 and l/2 across, lined with screen wire, need to set on ground...they produce more tomatoes than any other pot i have tried, including 55 gal drum cut in half....just add compost every year...and use handufl of epsom salt in planting hole, cover with 2 or so inches of soil under plant...the indian

I will post pictures of the plants as soon as I get home about 45 mins from now thanks for the interest in helping me figure this out

are only maybe 2 inches in diameter. I thought these plants produced big tomatoes,
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You are estimating that they are 2" in dia. Maybe they are bigger and are , say 2,5" in dia. A 2.5" tomato is almost twice as big as a 2" tomato. Another thing is that the fruits set in cooler weather early on, tend to be smaller. Yet another thing, tomatoes do not grow consistently one size fruit.

I had a tomato stem damaged by a fall due to high winds. I tried to mend the stem first but, since it was so thin, I couldn't get twine or masking tape to hold the two pieces together. I decided to cut the broken portion off completely and place it in a cup of water as it already has some fruit on it. I know roots will develop soon and then I'll have two plants. :D I'll keep everyone posted.

AS long as they are attached , can be re-supported and wrapped together with some thing like cheese cloth, nylon netting. They even have special wrapping clothes in HD. What you want to do is to prevent drying out and rotting.

Thanks for the input you guys =]. I gave the dry larger plant some liquid fertilizer so hopefully that helps. I was advised to drill a hole into the container halfway up to see if it was really wet or just moist. The larger one was actually pretty dry, the small one still rather moist. I'm assuming the larger one just consumes more water because its got a substantial amount more foliage and tomatoes. As well as the increased drainage holes and lifting it off the ground.

Now my only issue is understanding how much water to give them. I have a gallon watering jug, I gave the big one about half a gallon. I didn't want to over water it again. But I just feel like that couldn't be enough? I'm also watering at the base of the main stem, thats where I read is the best spot to do so? Should I also be wetting the surface of all the rest of the soil too or no? Upon watering, I didn't feel any increase in moisture at the midsection hole. But.. I also figure this must be due to the fact I'm watering in the center...

Anyone have an idea on a per gallon basis, how much i should be giving this large plant in a 17 gallon container?

Oh and this is a rather large tomato plant, its 4.5 feet tall and 5.5 feet wide all around.

Found this nutrition deficiency article: http://www.haifa-group.com/knowledge_center/crop_guides/tomato/plant_nutrition/nutrient_deficiency_symptoms/

Phosphate deficiency.

In a raised bed with miracle grow and top soil, typically add a 13-13-13. Will add a little more. Thanks for all info everyone.

Congrats, neighbor on your first.

You can post single image directly from you pc.
Press "Browse" on top. It will take you to your pc. Then go to the folder, locate the picture, double click on it.
You are set. Now review your post, the picture should appear.
Once finished writing, just submit.

Thank you seysonn.

For a follow up, I took photos on July 16th, and noticed this on my Rutger's Ramapo F-1, a friendly Wasp or Bee taking control. I just got back from a business trip and looking over the photos.

Even though I am allergic, I guess they are my friends now.
- Mr Beno

Thanks again all, and tonight I spotted another hornworm.

No More Mr Nice Guy, these things are going down!
noticed 3-4 spots on a leaf prior taking photos earlier today. After the photos it was getting dusk so I could not pinpoint him. But knew where he crawled. I just Hope my new friends the "wasps" take care of him after my appointment tomorrow..

- Mr Beno

My vote goes with birds as well. I am an expert on squirrel damage! They are absolute terrors. I would never have believed that a squirrel could "pick" a beautiful 12 Oz. Carbon tomato and run with it in his mouth. But I saw it! I was right after him. They are not cute!

Had this problem last year. I thought at first it was a squirrel until one morning I caught a glimpse of a grey bird pecking my ripe tomato. Looked like he was after the seeds inside, so he will make a hole in one tomato, gets the seeds and move on to the next⦠So frustrating.

This post was edited by green_go on Sun, Jul 20, 14 at 20:33

Kumato is a hybrid variety developed by Syngenta in Spain and Western Europe as a result (per Syngenta)

"Developed through the natural crossing of a wild and domestic tomato" (parentage unknown except by Syngenta).

and seed distribution is heavily controlled by the corporation to a group of highly corporate-vetted commercial growers in only a few countries (primarily Australia) for commercial sales.

It was marketed in the US only recently under a different name - Russo Bruno if I recall correctly - with the same controls on the seeds..

Lots of info available about it on the web.

Dave

Below is a picture of my Kumato plant.

One this is for sure that it has a vine growing habit very much like cherry/grape tomatoe. Its branch stretch out very long and tall but the branches are thicker than cherry plants.

Since I planted mine as an experiment from store bought fruits, I am not sure what I will get. But so far the fruits are more plum shaped than round. The fruits that I bough were the size of a big cherry, maybe 2 oz each.

I wonder how OP's plants are doing, in terms of production and fruits shape/size.

For future reference: Don't put 12 tomato plants in a tiny (1.5 square meter) spot (who knew they would grow like this?!)

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Yeah, right. If you do, you have to keep them trimmed/pruned.
I do very tight planting myself but in 1.5 meter square I would plant 6. Max 8 smaller ones. Even then, I keep my plants pruned. Here is a picture of one.

One main doubled. Then each of them doubled. Now there are 4 branches growing upright ; no side branches/suckers are allowed to grow. This one is the one with maximum branches, Four, NO More.

I realize that there are those who do not prune. That is their choice and style. But in small space gardening it will be a tough task.
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This post was edited by seysonn on Sat, Jul 5, 14 at 2:48

Nice plant. I'll definitely prune them next time. I did look it up earlier and came to the conclusion that it was not necessary (which suited me, naturally). Then they grew and grew and grew: I put up a greenhouse and within a month they went from 30cm dying plants to 2m dying plants.
Upon your recommendation, last week, I hacked away some of the smaller suckers, but it's heartbreaking to do anymore. I copied your frame-style supports because it fit into the existing structure without having to put stakes through the roots. I also did a bit of florida-weave around the central ones and some fence-tying on the far ones. Much effort put into rescuing these 12 falling plants; and now I've left them in the hands of my housemates for a month. I'll let you know how the tomatoes turn out, if any do come out.