My mom's 15 footer

feraltomatoes · November 22, 2011

IMAG0100.jpg
My mom has a green thumb, tomatoes have been grown in this raised bed for at least 6 years, she adds a half foot or more of compost each year. In this picture the plant was over 12 feet tall, it grew another 3 or more feet before crashing in a wind storm. It was as big as a VW bug around the top. Largest plant I have personally seen. Held up by stacking two 6' Concrete reinforcement wire cages.

Sun City Linda · November 22, 2011

[QUOTE=feraltomatoes;240984]Attachment 21165
My mom has a green thumb,

Possibly and understatement.

Oh come on, tell us what kind of tomato? Linda

mcsee · November 22, 2011

Wow, I need to add more compost.

ddsack · November 22, 2011

It's easy to see you've inherited her green thumb! How did she even pick the tomatoes from the middle of that thing! Yeah ... like Linda, I want to know what variety?

Simone · November 22, 2011

And I want to know it too!!!
Is this just one plant!?? I can´t believe that.

Please tell us.

Simone

feraltomatoes · November 22, 2011

The largest plant is an Early Girl. The other plant in the raised bed is a Cherokee Purple, it grew almost 12 feet. Both are just one plant each. Picking tomatoes in the middle of plant was a challenge. Guessing yield from this one plant 150-175 pounds

Randall · November 22, 2011

haha wow! gigantic!

semi_lucid · November 23, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by feraltomatoes

Guessing yield from this one plant 150-175 pounds

Wow. That is by far the highest yield number I've ever heard of.

Can you tell us what the time line was? When the seeds were started thru the end of the season?

Also can you tell us of the climate? Was it southern California?

John

b54red · November 24, 2011

John I know it wasn't south Alabama cause any thing that bushy would be disease riddled in no time.

Those are beautiful plants. I wish I could grow thick healthy plants like that. I sometimes get plants with vines 12 to 15 feet but they are never thick and bushy.

semi_lucid · November 24, 2011

I think I would need to have my plants in the ground in February for them to get that big.

There are palm trees in the background, so I'm guessing Southern California.

Too Tall Toms · November 22, 2011

OMG.....this is the result I WANT in my tomato garden next year!! That's incredible. What are her secrets???

tgplp · November 23, 2011

That plant looks HUGE! It's neat how it has a smaller width at the bottom, and larger at the top! Super healthy, too.

Wow. If my plants grew that big, I would only be able to grow about four plants in my limited space.

Also, my hoophouse is only six feet tall! That would definitely have to be an outside plant....

Taryn

amideutch · November 23, 2011

Hello Brad. It seems like Tomato growing runs in the family. Have a happy turkey day. Ami

Too Tall Toms · November 23, 2011

what's the spacing between those plants?

Sun City Linda · November 23, 2011

She probably used Atomic Grow, right?

Linda

November 22, 2011	#1
feraltomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Home=Napa Valley/ Garden=Solano County Posts: 245	My mom's 15 footer IMAG0100.jpg My mom has a green thumb, tomatoes have been grown in this raised bed for at least 6 years, she adds a half foot or more of compost each year. In this picture the plant was over 12 feet tall, it grew another 3 or more feet before crashing in a wind storm. It was as big as a VW bug around the top. Largest plant I have personally seen. Held up by stacking two 6' Concrete reinforcement wire cages. __________________ Brad Gates-Wild Boar Farms ______________________________

November 22, 2011	#4
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	It's easy to see you've inherited her green thumb! How did she even pick the tomatoes from the middle of that thing! Yeah ... like Linda, I want to know what variety? __________________ Dee **************

November 22, 2011	#6
feraltomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Home=Napa Valley/ Garden=Solano County Posts: 245	The largest plant is an Early Girl. The other plant in the raised bed is a Cherokee Purple, it grew almost 12 feet. Both are just one plant each. Picking tomatoes in the middle of plant was a challenge. Guessing yield from this one plant 150-175 pounds __________________ Brad Gates-Wild Boar Farms ______________________________

November 23, 2011	#13
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Hello Brad. It seems like Tomato growing runs in the family. Have a happy turkey day. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

November 22, 2011	#2
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	[QUOTE=feraltomatoes;240984]Attachment 21165 My mom has a green thumb, Possibly and understatement. Oh come on, tell us what kind of tomato? Linda

November 22, 2011	#3
mcsee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Victoria. Australia Posts: 543	Wow, I need to add more compost.

November 22, 2011	#5
Simone Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Germany, NRW Posts: 225	And I want to know it too!!! Is this just one plant!?? I can´t believe that. Please tell us. Simone

November 22, 2011	#7
Randall Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: 6a Posts: 396	haha wow! gigantic!

November 24, 2011	#9
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	John I know it wasn't south Alabama cause any thing that bushy would be disease riddled in no time. Those are beautiful plants. I wish I could grow thick healthy plants like that. I sometimes get plants with vines 12 to 15 feet but they are never thick and bushy.

November 24, 2011	#10
semi_lucid Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Texas, zone 6b Posts: 100	I think I would need to have my plants in the ground in February for them to get that big. There are palm trees in the background, so I'm guessing Southern California.

November 22, 2011	#11
Too Tall Toms Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 116	OMG.....this is the result I WANT in my tomato garden next year!! That's incredible. What are her secrets???

November 23, 2011	#12
tgplp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Pacific North West, zone 8a Posts: 510	That plant looks HUGE! It's neat how it has a smaller width at the bottom, and larger at the top! Super healthy, too. Wow. If my plants grew that big, I would only be able to grow about four plants in my limited space. Also, my hoophouse is only six feet tall! That would definitely have to be an outside plant.... Taryn

November 23, 2011	#15
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	She probably used Atomic Grow, right? Linda