To all you Dwarf growers out there.

[schill93]

I live in Southern Nevada that has one of the harshest climates in the US. Our summer’s are brutally hot (110-115 degrees, and our cooler weather Sept, Oct, Nov ranges between 45-70 degrees.

I have been considering trying to plant a few dwarf plants in five gallon pales in late August to see if I could grow some tomatoes in Sept-November. I normally grow tomatoes (if I can get them to produce before the brutal summer heat, but usually fail with most beside Celebrity or Early Girl. But as they are relatively tasteless and I would so like to grow some medium size heirloom tomatoes (preferably black) that tast relatively good in comparison to the above mentioned, I am looking for some ideas.

If I used 5 gallon pails, and the plants weren’t too tall, I might be able to take them in at night, come November. I couldn’t do this with the 15 gallon containers I now use, as I am an elderly older woman, who is not very strong these days.

People on the forum here have mentioned Tasmanian Chocholate, Rosella Purple and most recently Arctic Rose as for it’s very compact size. I am not sure how big Tasmanian Chocholate or Rosella Purple get, but if not so small are there any others that you might recommend for me to consider? I might add I am not a fan of cherry types, at least not to the extent of having to lift them daily in and out of the house.

[eyolf]

Our neighbor is an elderly woman but she still loves to garden. My wife and I help a bit, but one idea she had has turned her...and our lives around. She has 3 earth boxes, and asked me to help get them in coaster wagons because dragging them in and out of the garage was getting a bit much. It didn't take her long to discover her "garden on wheels" allowed her to cheat mother nature a week or two in the spring and in the fall. I have since built a trellis bolted to one of the wagons for her to enable her to grow full-sized indeterminate tomatoes.

Because I'm a heartless thief, I stole the idea, except I made my own "earth buckets" and grow hot peppers in them. But her discovery...that she can wheel her babies inside when it gets cool was the thing I really filched.

Would it help you?

Sent from my motorola edge (2022) using Tapatalk

[schill93]

Thank you eyolf for your reply. Actually I have some earth boxes, though I never bought the rollers for them at the time. However I have some stairs involved, so unfortunately I don't think they would work for me, but very much appreciate your suggestion.

[MrsJustice]

I have great ideas but I have to get permission from this company first, Amen!

I will do it next week.

But that is a nice story "Eyolf" as we must help our senior citizens, Amen!!

[MrsJustice]

I have great ideas but I have to get permission from this company first, Amen!

I will do it next week.

But that is a nice story "Eyolf" as we must help our senior citizens, Amen!!

[rhoder551]

I have only grown Purple Heart dwarf and I like it very much. It usually produces a good quantity of tomatoes and they taste delicious. I find it needs a very sturdy staking since the plant can be pulled down when full of tomatoes.

[Dark Rumor]

I am growing both Tasmanian Chocolate and Rosella Purple and they reach a height of about 40 inches or so. Both are productive.

I also grow Dwarf Brandy Fred, another purple tomato that produces larger sized tomatoes, but not as productive as Rosella Purple and Taz. Brandy Fred has a very good taste. Brandy Fred is potato leaf and is smaller in height than the other two.

I also grow New Big Dwarf, a pink tomato that is about the same height as Rosella Purple and Taz. It grows nice sized pink tomatoes that have great flavor.

The smallest plant I grow is Beaver Lodge Slicer, small red tomatoes that have a great flavor, I have grown these for many years in nursery pots and they do very well in pots.

[Shrinkrap]

Hello! I was hoping there would be an active thread about DTPTs. I grow in a similar climate (not quite as hot, but lots of days hot enough to keep fruit from setting) and in containers, but they are "self watering" sub irrigation planters. Of the ones you listed I have only grown Rosella Purple, but haven't been able to get seeds lately. I have not tried a fall crop, and I am looking forward to your results!

I grow the same 12 or so varieties each year, and they usually do well if I can have them flowering but the first week of May.

I have been growing to DTPT exclusively this way for many years.

Here are this year's plants as of June.

I will try to add this years grow list later.

[Shrinkrap]

Here's my list

[habitat_gardener]

I can't make out the name between Catydid and Confetti.

[clspie]

Originally Posted by habitat_gardener

I can't make out the name between Catydid and Confetti.

Looks like Choemato.

[Shrinkrap]

Yes; Choemato. Sorry about that. Some close ups. The Choemato is from last year.

[Balr14]

Black Krim is one of my favorite dark tomatoes. It's hardy and generally has very good yields. I have planted it in a variety of odd buckets and containers.