General discussion regarding the techniques and methods used to successfully grow tomato plants in containers.
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December 27, 2006 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Melbourne Beach, FL
Posts: 19
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Container Growing
This is a follow up to my message of August 3rd:
I set out seven 18 gallon DIY Self-Waterers on August 21st with two seedlings per box. The mix was a melange of previous seasons Lamberts, Earth Mix, Jungle Growth, composted fines mulch from the county recycle center and whatever other, old potting mix remnants were laying about. Amendments per box were two cups 6-6-6, two cups dolomite lime, some gypsum and greensand. Box 1 was planted with a Better Boy and an Early Girl. This box produced 252 ounces, or 15.8 lbs. Box 2 was planted with a Dona and a Druzba. Production was 168 ounces, or 10.5 lbs. Box 3 was planted with a Mule Team and an Arkansas Traveler. Production was 169 ounces, or 10.5 lbs. Box 4 was planted with a Mule Team and a Super Sioux. Production was 311 ounces, or 19.4 lbs. Box 5 was planted with a Mule Team and a Dona. Production was 284 ounces, or 17.75 lbs. Box 6 was planted with a Mule Team and a Sioux. Production was 278 ounces, or 17.4 lbs. Box 7 was planted with a Box Car Willy and a First Lady. Production was 385 ounces, or 24 lbs. Plants were finished and pulled on December 22nd. Box Car Willy was by far my best performer and a fine tasting tomato. Dona and First Lady, while fairly productive were lacking in flavor, as was Better Boy and Early Girl. Druzba and Arkansas Traveler were disappointments production-wise. Sioux, Super Sioux, Mule Team and Box Car Willy remain on my list. In anout a week, I'll be starting seeds for the Spring planting. I'll be going with Brandy Boy, Ugly, Mortgage Lifter, OTV Brandywine, Tomande, Mule Team, Brandywine Sudduth and Coustralee. All are repeats for me except for the last two. Garaj |
December 28, 2006 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Saint Paris, OH
Posts: 143
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you have inspired me
Hiddy Ho reading your thread i m encouraged to attempt mine. I m starting a cont garden, i will be traveling , in my fifth wheel toy hauler, which wil now be a tomato hauler I m hitting AZ in Jan - May then I go to Utah, until Nov i m going to experiment on a traveling garden, not very big but maybe one EB of herbs, two of matos and then peppers, i have a wagon and a teen to help loading in and out , bungie cords for support while traveling , hanging lights in cargo area for growing inside. IT might work and if all esle fails i can use my chia pet |
December 28, 2006 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Zone 10 - South Florida
Posts: 91
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Garaj...
how do you manage growing 2 tomato varieties per DIY-earthbox container? How are you staking your plants? That's been one of my greatest challenges. I still got stuff growing in my container garden... some plants almost 7' tall... and still wanting to grow taller. I'm 5'11"... so with the help of a milk crate, I can still reach the tops of the plants. I've got: - what I thought was Red Brandywine, laden down with fruit (@ least 10 on that plant) that's not very tall - Brandy Boy... laden down with fruit, but had a problem with fungus yet still holding on - Brandywine... laden down with mucho fruit - Uncle Steve's Oxheart... has about 6 fruit on it - Sungold... still going gangbuster's! - Orange heirloom... has 1 fruit on it about to ripen with maybe another 2 tomato buds. I took some clippings of this plant that have rooted nicely & I've got them in larger transplant pots now. - Brandywine Sudduth... I totally lost this plant to disease. I'm wiser now so hopefully that won't happen again. - Cherokee Purple... the fruit that was ripening nicely got badly damaged by cracking with all the rain we just had in South Florida - Kellog's Breakfast... I just picked the only 2 fruitset on this plant before it may succumb to disease. I just cut it back hoping it will recover. - I got Matt's Wild Cherry, Brandywine and Sungold in regular containers. These were extra's I had when I cultivated everything from seed that I either couldn't give away or bear to throw away. Again... Pls share your staking sytem. I used thicker bamboo stakes and some 1/2" PVC pipe. The pipe got blown around by some pretty windy weather like it didn't even matter.
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Darlette |
December 28, 2006 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Zone 10 - South Florida
Posts: 91
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Ooops!
I forgot to mention that I've got some Paul Robeson seedlings that I just started a few weeks ago. And I just started some New Big Dwarf seeds yesterday. Other plans for my Spring garden: Mortgage Lifter Brandywine OTV You know, I have a tiny backyard. I'm an urban gardener and I really don't have a lot of space. I've been eyeing my neighbor's backyard. Perhaps IF I'm extra-friendly towards him...
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Darlette |
December 30, 2006 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Melbourne Beach, FL
Posts: 19
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Darlette,
With regard to how I stake my plants: When plants are about a foot and a half high, I enclose each 18 gallon box with two 48-in folding tomato trellises, one in back, one in front. These are available at Wal-Mart, HD, etc. As the plants reach trellis top, I set out three 8-foot bamboo poles, one at the rear of the box (away from the fill tube) and one at each short side. I tie off plants to the trellises or poles with green, plastic stretch tie tape, as necessary. With two plants per box, things can get a bit crowded at times. I clip any really leggy growths that get out of hand; do a very moderate amount of sucker removal and as the plants grow, I clip out a considerable amount of lower leaf growth to allow air circulation. I trust this helps. Garaj |
December 30, 2006 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Zone 10 - South Florida
Posts: 91
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garaj,
Where are you getting the 8' bamboo poles? I can find the thicker bamboo stakes @ just 1 of the Home Depot stores in my city, but still, they are only 6' or so tall.
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Darlette |
January 2, 2007 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Melbourne Beach, FL
Posts: 19
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Darlette asks,"Where are you getting the 8" bamboo poles"?
The only place I have found them has been at a local Nursery called, "Rockledge Gardens". I seem to recall that I have also seen them in one of the more upscale gardening catalogs, but I can't remember the name. When it comes to mind, I'll let you know. Garaj |
January 2, 2007 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Zone 7b sw New Mexico,.
Posts: 197
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8 foot bamboo poles
Darlette. I get my 8 foot bamboo poles from A.M. Leonard in Ohio. Web site: amleo.com phone: 1-800-543-8955
you have to buy them in bundles of 50 or 100, cost for 8' x 1" dia 50 in a bundle is $56.99 + freight (UPS) Hope this helps. Bill Malin |
January 3, 2007 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Zone 10 - South Florida
Posts: 91
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Whew Lawd!
Who ever said this gardening thang was cheap! Thanks for the bamboo info!
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Darlette |
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