First time tomato grower

brendang · July 15, 2009

Hi all,
Here are a few pics of my tomato's growing in either 5 gallon or 7 gallon containers. I used good compost, sand and a peat moss mix that contains perlite and vermiculite. I've also been feeding them with a liquid fish emulsion every couple weeks but it's kind of pricey so i may be discontinuing further use of it. The tomatoes are either brandywine, austin's red pear or purple calabash. (I didn't label them) I guess i'll be able to tell them apart once they start putting on fruit. They are all heirloom varieties apparently and i sourced them from a local seed supplier. A few of the plants are really leaning over as i've only got scrawny 48" bamboo stakes supporting them. I think im going to be in trouble when the fruit starts putting on weight.
I'm happy to be a new member here.
I've enjoyed reading many of your post.
Take care,
Brendan
PS-im gardening in sunny (at the moment) Ontario, Canada

Zana · July 15, 2009

Hey Brendan!

Welcome to TV from a fellow Ontarian! Lots of great folk here to learn from. The more I learn the more I realise I NEED to learn.

Where are you? If you're close enough you may be interested in some of the taste testings that are held "nearby" in September.

I'm in K-W. And previously grew almost all of my plants in containers too. In fact got as high as 120 to 150 containers/pots of varying sizes the last 2 years. After a certain point I don't bother counting anymore. LOL This year I've got a few in pots here at the house - mostly hanging baskets. The rest are at a "surrogate" garden - in the ground and also in containers.

Your plants are looking good. You should be able to find 8' bamboo stakes at the garden centre or some place like Home Hardware or RONA or Home Depot. You could try making a "compost tea" to fertilise them. Search it here on TV - I've done it myself and added fish emulsion to it too.

Barbee · July 15, 2009

Welcome to T-ville

You could go buy some bigger stakes or you could just put your containers up against that fence and tie them up. The plants look good!

Moonglow · July 15, 2009

Welcome to Tomatoville, Brendan. Your tomatoes are looking good

.

Annapet

veggie babe · July 16, 2009

welcome to T'ville, it is a great place to visit. I have learned a lot here and have had a great year considering my troubled start. This is my first year to grow tomatoes from seeds, I have loved every minute.

neva

kevokie · July 18, 2009

Greetings! Good growing! You should have some very tasty tomatoes this year. Best of luck, this is a great place to learn!

brendang · July 19, 2009

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. I managed to straighten up one of the plants that was leaning badly by adding another 48" bamboo stake right at the edge of the container and I don't think i damaged too many roots in the process.
Take care,
Brendan

July 15, 2009	#3
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	Welcome to T-ville You could go buy some bigger stakes or you could just put your containers up against that fence and tie them up. The plants look good! __________________ *Barbee*

July 15, 2009	#4
Moonglow Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Corte Madera, CA - Sunset Zone 16 Posts: 356	Welcome to Tomatoville, Brendan. Your tomatoes are looking good . Annapet __________________ Moonglow Gardens Sustainable Gardening One Planter at a Time Sunset Zone 17 Apparently - - - Without the fog!

July 18, 2009	#6
kevokie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 157	Greetings! Good growing! You should have some very tasty tomatoes this year. Best of luck, this is a great place to learn! __________________ Kevin "A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins."- Laurie Colwin, Home Cooking

July 15, 2009	#2
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	Hey Brendan! Welcome to TV from a fellow Ontarian! Lots of great folk here to learn from. The more I learn the more I realise I NEED to learn. Where are you? If you're close enough you may be interested in some of the taste testings that are held "nearby" in September. I'm in K-W. And previously grew almost all of my plants in containers too. In fact got as high as 120 to 150 containers/pots of varying sizes the last 2 years. After a certain point I don't bother counting anymore. LOL This year I've got a few in pots here at the house - mostly hanging baskets. The rest are at a "surrogate" garden - in the ground and also in containers. Your plants are looking good. You should be able to find 8' bamboo stakes at the garden centre or some place like Home Hardware or RONA or Home Depot. You could try making a "compost tea" to fertilise them. Search it here on TV - I've done it myself and added fish emulsion to it too.

July 16, 2009	#5
veggie babe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: east texas Posts: 686	welcome to T'ville, it is a great place to visit. I have learned a lot here and have had a great year considering my troubled start. This is my first year to grow tomatoes from seeds, I have loved every minute. neva

July 19, 2009	#7
brendang Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: ontario, canada Posts: 10	Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. I managed to straighten up one of the plants that was leaning badly by adding another 48" bamboo stake right at the edge of the container and I don't think i damaged too many roots in the process. Take care, Brendan