Zone 6 growers, how tall do your plants get?

lakelady · September 5, 2011

I see these pictures of huge massive tomato plants some of the members of the forum have grown (holy cow!) and wonder if it is a function of climate or just really great growing (and I'm jealous of both). I've grown some indeterminates, but my plants never get to over 6' before they are killed by frost, no matter how great they do, or how fast they grow. Just wondering if it is a matter of the climate and shorter season that determines how tall the plants get.

Aside from the plant size, does it affect the number of tomatoes a plant can produce or is that a genetic determination? curious.

coloken · September 5, 2011

Heredity and environment

PaulF · September 5, 2011

I agree with coloken about heredity and environment; more heredity. No matter the weather tomato plants here seem to get to the same size year after year. The tall ones get tall and the shorter ones stay the same. I like the big plants but can't say anything about size of plant and potential for increased production. My plants are at full height by the middle of July after a mid May planting and the end of the season here is mid October.

sheysd1 · September 5, 2011

I'm in zone 9 but, I am finding that my bucket grown tomatoes are much smaller and not as dense as the tomatoes I grow in-ground

I get way less fruit on the bucket grown ones as well.

ScottinAtlanta · October 30, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheysd1

I'm in zone 9 but, I am finding that my bucket grown tomatoes are much smaller and not as dense as the tomatoes I grow in-ground

I get way less fruit on the bucket grown ones as well.

How do you folks know what zone you are in?

semi_lucid · October 30, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

How do you folks know what zone you are in?

Click on your area to zoom in.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

ScottinAtlanta · October 30, 2011

Many thanks for that. Looks like Atlanta is in 7b.

dustdevil · October 30, 2011

You can climb indeterminates to the clouds if you keep fertilizing them

bobberman · January 6, 2012

Most of my tomatoes grow about 5 to 6 feet except the sweet 100's grow much higher! I think that too much nitrogen will make them grow much higher wih less fruit!

RobinB · January 6, 2012

Weird. I just looked at the zone map and it says Reno is 6b or so. I always thought it was more like 5... The weather is so wacky around here I always choose perennials that are zone 4 or so, and I always choose tomatoes that are 75 days or less. Yes, heredity makes some of them monsters! My tomatoes used to get really tall until I realized that I could trim them! I'm only 5'1 and I don't like ladders!! I'm not much into pruning them either, I just let them go. I've had some maters in recent memory that started going sideways into their neighbors cages after I stopped them from growing UP. LakeLady, what tomatoes have you tried to grow? Are you getting some tomatoes or are they still green when the first frost comes? When are you usually able to start plants outside? Have you tried anything like Wall O'Waters or row covers to start them earlier? Last year, I tried Wall O' Waters for the first time and I was able to start everything a full month earlier (May 1). Best tomato year ever.

SEAMSFASTER · January 6, 2012

I'm in zone 6b.

How early you start your tomatoes is a big factor. In 2010 I started a few of my tomatoes on January 31st, transplanted them progressively up to 4 gallon jugs, then transplanted them into a low tunnel with heated soil on March 21st. By then, the tallest plant was already 26" tall.

The only sunny spot I had available to me was a narrow strip, 33' X 2'. I didn't have much choice but to train the plants to grow up. (when will I ever learn to do that...)

Eventually, my tallest plant, a Behemoth King, was nearly 17' tall before the frost stopped it. That was several weeks after I snapped off the top 4' while trying to add more support. Church is another one that can easily hit 15'.

Another plant treated exactly the same, a Big Zac (F5+), grew to barely 6' tall (and by the way grew the tomato depicted in my avatar).

So time of planting seeds, type of treatment before the weather warms up, and variety can all influence plant height.

This picture was taken 12 weeks before the first killing frost of the Fall.

lakelady · January 6, 2012

Whoa, you're in 6B in Utah and Nevada? I need to look at the map again, lol...I thought you'd be much warmer climate than I am.

I have always grown Pineapple and San Marzano OP and then a variety of hybrids in the past. I start seeds usually in late March indoors, and transplant out, no protection, on or around May 15th depending on the weather. Usually I use Memorial Day weekend as the "safe date". I usually stake my tomatoes and they typically grow to about 6', except San Marzano which can hold at around 4' or so for me. I thought it was a determinate, and while it stays short, for me it grows really WIDE and produces like crazy all summer until frost.

This year, my plan is altogether different. I'm hoping to start seeds much earlier as in, late February, or early March. Then I'd like to try starting them outdoors with wall o waters or some protection in April. Depending on the soil temps. I might try the soil heating cables since I'll have several beds, and I have a lot of stone walls around here, so the soil may actually warm up faster than I suspect it does.

I've never added compost or leaf mold before either, and I have big plans to do so this year so it will be interesting to see if that makes a really big difference in the size of my plants. I'll always add composted cow manure which I purchase in bags, but that's pretty much it.

Do you top off your plants at a certain height, or certain time of the season? Does that produce side shoots that will then produce fruit, or simply hasten ripening/growing of the existing flowers/fruits?

Father'sDaughter · January 6, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakelady

I have always grown Pineapple and San Marzano OP and then a variety of hybrids in the past. I start seeds usually in late March indoors, and transplant out, no protection, on or around May 15th depending on the weather. Usually I use Memorial Day weekend as the "safe date". I usually stake my tomatoes and they typically grow to about 6', except San Marzano which can hold at around 4' or so for me. I thought it was a determinate, and while it stays short, for me it grows really WIDE and produces like crazy all summer until frost.

Lakelady, I followed about the same schedule as you, and my San Marzanos were the same -- about 4' and bushy. Except for those and the cherries, all my other tomatoes (all Italian OP varieties) outgrew the stakes I was using and were eventually toppled by the remains of Hurricane Irene. I'd say they topped out at about 7 or 8' and while most produced a good amount of tomatoes, the San Marzanos put out a lot more fruit per plant.

bobberman · January 6, 2012

How deep do you plant the tomatoes that get thet big.? Do you feed them all summer since the size seems to drain the soil?

kurt · January 6, 2012

I agree with dustdevil.Proper fertilization and watering dos help with plant growth.I grow in 3 gallon containers using pro mix hp for the last ten years.I have graduated away from the chemical miracle gro and found algoflash tomatoe blend.I have not bought seeds for the last five years and cull the best plants seeds for each new season.So far each year has been better than the last.My sweet million plants usually go to 15 ft.I grow a apero the same height.I prune until the plant is almost butt naked .My motto is that you are growing tomatoes not leavesThe mater plants need good airflow and sun on the berrys increase the sugar content.I have a reisentraube that is right now at ten foot with at least 15 tresses of twenty to 30 berrys each.Also producing very well is the peacevine,black cherry,yellow pear,aunt rubys yellow,fox,elfin.The only determinates I like is the mr.stripey,black from tula,black prince,garden peach,and kumatos.I believe in pruning all the suckers off and only keeping the ones I want.I will keep 5-7 suckers and the usual 4-5 leaders on each plant.I beleive all the plant growth and height is determined by all the pruning you do.I took me years to convince the wife after I grew a non pruned plant next to a manicured one and proved to here.I live here in S Florida in zone 10b,I star plants in Sept 1st and noww I have the first two of three tresses starting to turn and at the tops berries are still setting berrys.In about a week I will top offf the plants so as to let all the energys produce the bottoms.I do in container fert.every three waterings,and foliar twice a week early morning inbetween waterings.

September 5, 2011	#1
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	Zone 6 growers, how tall do your plants get? I see these pictures of huge massive tomato plants some of the members of the forum have grown (holy cow!) and wonder if it is a function of climate or just really great growing (and I'm jealous of both). I've grown some indeterminates, but my plants never get to over 6' before they are killed by frost, no matter how great they do, or how fast they grow. Just wondering if it is a matter of the climate and shorter season that determines how tall the plants get. Aside from the plant size, does it affect the number of tomatoes a plant can produce or is that a genetic determination? curious.

January 6, 2012	#9
bobberman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Latrobe Pa. Posts: 142	Most of my tomatoes grow about 5 to 6 feet except the sweet 100's grow much higher! I think that too much nitrogen will make them grow much higher wih less fruit! __________________ Frank the Bobberman & Carpet Installer Inventor of the Bobber With A Brain,. Gadening, Greenhouse, Fishing, Softball, Scrabble. Single looking for a woman with a 100 acre farm!

January 6, 2012	#12
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	Whoa, you're in 6B in Utah and Nevada? I need to look at the map again, lol...I thought you'd be much warmer climate than I am. I have always grown Pineapple and San Marzano OP and then a variety of hybrids in the past. I start seeds usually in late March indoors, and transplant out, no protection, on or around May 15th depending on the weather. Usually I use Memorial Day weekend as the "safe date". I usually stake my tomatoes and they typically grow to about 6', except San Marzano which can hold at around 4' or so for me. I thought it was a determinate, and while it stays short, for me it grows really WIDE and produces like crazy all summer until frost. This year, my plan is altogether different. I'm hoping to start seeds much earlier as in, late February, or early March. Then I'd like to try starting them outdoors with wall o waters or some protection in April. Depending on the soil temps. I might try the soil heating cables since I'll have several beds, and I have a lot of stone walls around here, so the soil may actually warm up faster than I suspect it does. I've never added compost or leaf mold before either, and I have big plans to do so this year so it will be interesting to see if that makes a really big difference in the size of my plants. I'll always add composted cow manure which I purchase in bags, but that's pretty much it. Do you top off your plants at a certain height, or certain time of the season? Does that produce side shoots that will then produce fruit, or simply hasten ripening/growing of the existing flowers/fruits? __________________ Antoniette

January 6, 2012	#14
bobberman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Latrobe Pa. Posts: 142	How deep do you plant the tomatoes that get thet big.? Do you feed them all summer since the size seems to drain the soil? __________________ Frank the Bobberman & Carpet Installer Inventor of the Bobber With A Brain,. Gadening, Greenhouse, Fishing, Softball, Scrabble. Single looking for a woman with a 100 acre farm!

September 5, 2011	#2
coloken Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NE Co Posts: 303	Heredity and environment

September 5, 2011	#4
sheysd1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: California Posts: 39	I'm in zone 9 but, I am finding that my bucket grown tomatoes are much smaller and not as dense as the tomatoes I grow in-ground I get way less fruit on the bucket grown ones as well.

October 30, 2011	#7
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Many thanks for that. Looks like Atlanta is in 7b.

October 30, 2011	#8
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	You can climb indeterminates to the clouds if you keep fertilizing them

January 6, 2012	#10
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	Weird. I just looked at the zone map and it says Reno is 6b or so. I always thought it was more like 5... The weather is so wacky around here I always choose perennials that are zone 4 or so, and I always choose tomatoes that are 75 days or less. Yes, heredity makes some of them monsters! My tomatoes used to get really tall until I realized that I could trim them! I'm only 5'1 and I don't like ladders!! I'm not much into pruning them either, I just let them go. I've had some maters in recent memory that started going sideways into their neighbors cages after I stopped them from growing UP. LakeLady, what tomatoes have you tried to grow? Are you getting some tomatoes or are they still green when the first frost comes? When are you usually able to start plants outside? Have you tried anything like Wall O'Waters or row covers to start them earlier? Last year, I tried Wall O' Waters for the first time and I was able to start everything a full month earlier (May 1). Best tomato year ever.

January 6, 2012	#11
SEAMSFASTER Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: American Fork, Utah Posts: 160	I'm in zone 6b. How early you start your tomatoes is a big factor. In 2010 I started a few of my tomatoes on January 31st, transplanted them progressively up to 4 gallon jugs, then transplanted them into a low tunnel with heated soil on March 21st. By then, the tallest plant was already 26" tall. The only sunny spot I had available to me was a narrow strip, 33' X 2'. I didn't have much choice but to train the plants to grow up. (when will I ever learn to do that...) Eventually, my tallest plant, a Behemoth King, was nearly 17' tall before the frost stopped it. That was several weeks after I snapped off the top 4' while trying to add more support. Church is another one that can easily hit 15'. Another plant treated exactly the same, a Big Zac (F5+), grew to barely 6' tall (and by the way grew the tomato depicted in my avatar). So time of planting seeds, type of treatment before the weather warms up, and variety can all influence plant height. This picture was taken 12 weeks before the first killing frost of the Fall.

January 6, 2012	#15
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,500	I agree with dustdevil.Proper fertilization and watering dos help with plant growth.I grow in 3 gallon containers using pro mix hp for the last ten years.I have graduated away from the chemical miracle gro and found algoflash tomatoe blend.I have not bought seeds for the last five years and cull the best plants seeds for each new season.So far each year has been better than the last.My sweet million plants usually go to 15 ft.I grow a apero the same height.I prune until the plant is almost butt naked .My motto is that you are growing tomatoes not leavesThe mater plants need good airflow and sun on the berrys increase the sugar content.I have a reisentraube that is right now at ten foot with at least 15 tresses of twenty to 30 berrys each.Also producing very well is the peacevine,black cherry,yellow pear,aunt rubys yellow,fox,elfin.The only determinates I like is the mr.stripey,black from tula,black prince,garden peach,and kumatos.I believe in pruning all the suckers off and only keeping the ones I want.I will keep 5-7 suckers and the usual 4-5 leaders on each plant.I beleive all the plant growth and height is determined by all the pruning you do.I took me years to convince the wife after I grew a non pruned plant next to a manicured one and proved to here.I live here in S Florida in zone 10b,I star plants in Sept 1st and noww I have the first two of three tresses starting to turn and at the tops berries are still setting berrys.In about a week I will top offf the plants so as to let all the energys produce the bottoms.I do in container fert.every three waterings,and foliar twice a week early morning inbetween waterings.