Heirlooms in Containers

Starlight · February 18, 2015

Because of my high temps, flooding than droughts and unreal humidity, I mainly grow hybrids. Last year I started doing some heirlooms. I had started them late, which was a good thing as most of the insects and normal diseases had done passed on through, but early frost took out a lot of the tomatoes before they got good producing or turning ripe.

Since, the heirlooms lived and my hybrids were iffy, I decided to plant almost all heirlooms this year. I am not familiar with any of the seed I am planting, so it wil be an experience for me and hopefully, I'll be enjoying a lot of flavorful tomatoes.

I have to grow in containers here. Just about everything I grow is in a container. I read a blog on I believe it was nctomatoman's site which helped, but I am wondering with the high heats usually over 100+F and 100% humidity, what can I do, or add to my containers to help these heirlooms flourish and protect them if possible from disease.

3 gallon is the biggest size containers that I have. Have plenty of them, plus they a size I can lift and move if I have to provide a bit of shade during blistering , drought days, so if I have to pinch, crop or do something else to get them to grow in a 3 gallons, would appreciate any advice.

Even if I only get a few tomatoes to save seed from and to taste, that is fine. I'd just like to see if I can't switch over to more heirlooms than hybrids and to show other folks down my way, we can grow the heirlooms and don't have to eat those hard, flavorless tomatoes from grocery store.

February 18, 2015	#1
Starlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: AL Posts: 1,993	Heirlooms in Containers Because of my high temps, flooding than droughts and unreal humidity, I mainly grow hybrids. Last year I started doing some heirlooms. I had started them late, which was a good thing as most of the insects and normal diseases had done passed on through, but early frost took out a lot of the tomatoes before they got good producing or turning ripe. Since, the heirlooms lived and my hybrids were iffy, I decided to plant almost all heirlooms this year. I am not familiar with any of the seed I am planting, so it wil be an experience for me and hopefully, I'll be enjoying a lot of flavorful tomatoes. I have to grow in containers here. Just about everything I grow is in a container. I read a blog on I believe it was nctomatoman's site which helped, but I am wondering with the high heats usually over 100+F and 100% humidity, what can I do, or add to my containers to help these heirlooms flourish and protect them if possible from disease. 3 gallon is the biggest size containers that I have. Have plenty of them, plus they a size I can lift and move if I have to provide a bit of shade during blistering , drought days, so if I have to pinch, crop or do something else to get them to grow in a 3 gallons, would appreciate any advice. Even if I only get a few tomatoes to save seed from and to taste, that is fine. I'd just like to see if I can't switch over to more heirlooms than hybrids and to show other folks down my way, we can grow the heirlooms and don't have to eat those hard, flavorless tomatoes from grocery store.