16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes
We had three weeds of dry weather, and while it did take it toll on grass, I'd prefer it for my twenty tomato plants. One year it rained two inches in a day, and on one cherry tomato plant 200-300 fruits split open. When it rains for three or four days in a row, seems like the wilts/blights spread very quickly.
I water my tomatoes and peppers every three or four days and it seems about right.
I'm outside of Columbia, MO. The rain you KC folks get comes right at us and then evaporates just before it gets to my place. Or it goes north, or south, or splits and goes both ways, missing me! I think rain is a Republican phenomenon and it doesn't want to visit this liberal enclave!
Chuck
With cherries on a single truss, to agree with those who have posted above, the fruits nearest the main stem will ripen first and the last fruits at the bottom of the truss last.
And especially with Sungold F1 some like the fully ripe orange ones nearest the main stem and others prefer the less sweet ones in the middle of the truss.
And it's no different for almost all none cherries as well, at least the many ones I've grown, that those on a single truss ripen first nearest the main stem, as noted above.
Carolyn
Using 5 gal containers is the absolute minimum size for
tomatoes. Larger containers will give you better results.
I've added a link to a study done long ago, but still
relevant to tomatoes.
In it (in case you don't want to plow through the entire
thing), it states:
the root system of a tomato plant of average size filled the soil on all sides of the plant to 2 to 2.5 feet and to a depth of over 3 feet
Much bigger than a 5 gal container.
Another section of the same article states:
In general the yield decreases in proportion to the severity of pruning. For example, at Urbana, Ill., plants pruned to a single stem gave a yield of 6.5 pounds of marketable fruit; those pruned to 2 stems yielded 10.5 pounds; those with three stems 12.1 pounds; but plants not pruned gave a yield of 19.6 pounds.
I prune to 4 main leaders and get rid of the rest. I want
to go up, not out. Limited space is my reason. I get more
than enough tomatoes from my 9 plants to satisfy all my
needs. And then some. I'm able to have different varieties
by this method.
Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato root development article
Digdirt, that is all I could have asked for in a response. I will not be pruning anything from here on out, hopefully I can get a few suckers to start growing now and making fruit.
It's ok that the post got a little off track, we are all here for the same reason. To learn and spread what we have learned.
Thanks
I grow right in the plastic soil bag. I use potting soil instead of garden soil because of the drainage issue.I also use compost teas as they have proven to be more powerful than just regular compost. I've also used our dog's old plastic swimming pool after she put a hole in it. Talk about a great raised bed.
I'll get a pic tomorrow. I really would like to know what takes them out. with most it's very fast and they die very quick, but the better boy seems to be hanging in there as it still has some good branches. the brandywine however has not shown any sign of it, and that blows my mind because I've always heard like Dave said that if it's out there they will get it... in any event I will save the seed from it if I can.. I mean I broke one part of it and it still didn't stop going. it's not a very big vine,and I let it get root bound in the starter pot. if I get seed from it I will put it up for trade as far as I see this a really good tomato plant. I would love to see it get around. I will need everyone help to teach me the proper way to save seed
Hi all,I planted a german queen for the first time this year and started it out in a topsy turvey,She didnt like this set-up,the main stalk turned black,I put her in a pot on the front deck and she is doing fine,I have used topsy's for years and have my own custom stand with a gravity fed watering system and consistantly churn out super tomatoes.Tomatoes are like anything else,you have to commit to them or it wont work,watering and temperatures go hand in hand and it takes patience and dedication for it to pay off.I grow nothing but tomatoes and have learned how to from trial and error,Happy growing
where are the leaves located? if the leaves are at the bottom those could be just old leaves. Are there anything else you have notice about the leaves? Any brown spots? How often do you water your plants? I am using containers to grow mine, And I have found out that container plants need more water and feed than ground plants. The containers leaks out food so you would need to fertilize them and water them more than usual. If you add mulch this could help stabilize the soil and keep it moist longer. Also depending on the size of the container this could prevent tomatoes from growing to the average size of the better boys.
What do you mean by "they have literally stopped growing."?
Another question, how large is that container?
Since you have "10-12 golf ball size or a little larger, tomatoes" on your plant you're doing something right.
Lower leaves yellowing are part of the aging process of tomato plants.
Can you post some pics?
A fruit eating pest that can hide in the husk itself could be any one of a number of small pests such as ants or small beetles. But honestly tomatillo pests are rare.
Potato beetles will go after them if nothing else is available and so will striped and spotted cuke beetles. Mexican bean beetles have been reported in a few cases although I have never had them bother mine. But the beetles tend to damage the leaves and the husks rather than the fruit itself.
There there are tomato fruit worms (hornworms are 3-4" so not husk-hiding size) that can do some damage but the type of damage they do is very specific to both the husk and the fruit - a round puncture hole in the husk and the fruit.
So you are going to have to do some serious plant exploring and eyeballing and open some husks to determine exactly what the culprit is. Meanwhile some questions to consider.
Is the husk still intact, still green, but there is no fruit at all left inside? Or is there damage to the husk as well as the fruit? Is the fruit only partially eaten? If so can you describe the damage in detail?
Dave
They are sitting in my balcony and get sun all day. very nice spot actually. I think it might be some kind of a worm because it left long trails of poop. I couldn't stand to look at it and flicked it off my plant before the pics were taken. I'll try the ziplock bag method. am planning to wake up tonight and go check on it. I hope I dont wake my husband. He'll think I've gone nuts and I think am almost there. I checked the plant and the surrounding plants too. I couldn't spot a thing.
And I am buying BT kurstaki today. Thanks missingtheobvious. Didn't know there were different kinds of BT. I use spray containers. The person who lived before me left a loooong hose pipe. I have no clue what she used it for. I have problem enough trying to stop when the trays are full. Half the time they drip down and thankfully the nice lady living downstairs hasn't said a thing . Just smiles at me. I'll have to get her a nice bottle of wine this christmas.
Thanks Deborah,
That makes sense. That plus Carolyn's input would suggest that "growth" and maturation are a continuous process. Due to the climate in Houston I always fill my water tanks in the evening.
Now my question is does pollination/set take place only in daylight or can it take place at night?
Jack
Pollintion can most certainly happen at night also