My 2016 Tomato Jungle

[RomanX]

Jasper (in grey container), my out-standing cherry tomato plant: abundant producer of 1/2 inch fruit with intense tomato flavor
1 day: picked 35 in am and 37 in pm
1 day: picked 55 in am and 27 in pm
**weight of fruit on top branches brings fruit/branches lower, within easy reach**

[RomanX]

lastly, the 2 dissapointing varieties:
Cyril's Choice. . . very productive BUT tough-skinned, bland tomatoes
Siletz. . . . despite an official DTM of 52 days, it hasn't yet produced a harvestable tomato (now is 76 days) AND partially red fruit have cracks

[RomanX]

this is two days harvest (a dozen or so of the cherry tomatoes didn't make it to the house)

[javafxnoob]

I like your jungle.
Keep posting pictures, please.

[RomanX]

Slicing Mountain Merit's conjoined tomato for some 'mater sammies. . . . .
(slabs of tomatoe were as thick as a slice of bread and hung out the sides of the sandwiches!!Their size was the most remarkable thing about tomatoes from Mountain Merit: watery and UN remarkable flavor.)

[Randall]

Nice!

[newgardener_tx]

What kind of mix do you use in the shop basket and what do you use to fertilize? I am not able to build those self watered containers and make my own mix. My container growing is still a failure after so many years. I want to buy commercial available mix and use them directly in a simple basket or pots. Thank you very much.

[RomanX]

Originally Posted by newgardener_tx

What kind of mix do you use in the shop basket and what do you use to fertilize? I am not able to build those self watered containers and make my own mix. My container growing is still a failure after so many years. I want to buy commercial available mix and use them directly in a simple basket or pots. Thank you very much.

I am not able to build self watering containers, either. The self-watering containers I have are the commercially available Earthboxes (http://earthbox.com); while the box itself is only ~$40, then they nickle and dime you for (necessary for me) stability thingies and wheels! But it's worth this initial annoyance. . . set the box up with grow media (I use 2.5 cu ft MiracleGro Potting mix with a 12-in flower pot of perlite mixed in + Earthbox Re-planting Kit: 2 cups dolomite + 7-7-7 granulsar fertilizer and 1 cup Espoma Organic Garden Lime) and pour water down the fill tube to keep the ~2-3.5 gal reservoir filled. . . . then it's just a matter of tying up the plant and picking TOMATOES!!!! (I LOVE their simplicity! Plus, it's impossible to over-water!!!!)

For the 5-gal shop buckets (orange @ Home Depot, dark blue @ Walmart, lighter blue @ Lowe's. . . all less than $2) and the plastic 18-in patio container. . . 2 inches up from the bottom, on either side, I drill a half-in hole for drainage. I make my own mix following Oklahoma State University recipe: 1 part EACH of potting mix, peat moss, perlite and compost. To this I add : for the shop bucket . . . ~1/4 cup balanced fertilizer (N-P-K ratio is 1-1-1) + 1 cup Espoma Organic Garden Lime'; for the patio container. . . ~1.2 cup balanced fertilizer + 2.5 cup Espoma Organic Garden Lime. Until the first flower, I use water-soluble Jack's Classic All-Purpose Fertilizer (20-20-20 but I use this at half strength); after the first flower, I use Jack's Classic Blossom Booster fertilizer (10-30-20, diluttion half or more depending on whether the plant is still in its' growth stage).

Many peoiple who buy mix use Pro Mix BX. I don't kn ow if they then add "the goodies" to it. . .

Good luck on your container growing. If I can be of help, don't hesitate sending me a private message. . .

[newgardener_tx]

Thank you so much for the detailed instruction. I will try next spring. I wish there is a magical ready to use mix, plant, grow and pick.

[RomanX]

one morning's harvest:

(from L to s: 3 Mountain Merit, 6 "ugly" Siletz, 6 Cyril's Choice and 9 little Jasper
Close-up of the "uglies" (typical of Siletz: at least 1/3 to 1/2 of ripe tomatoes had to be discardsd as their cracks began to rot the fruit itself!)