When should I plant my seeds?
Also, I am debating whether to grow in the ground or is it better to grow in large containers?
Any other advice for growing tomatoes in Miami would be appreciated! Thank you
Growing tomatoes in Miami
I am really excited about planting tomatoes this season. I bought four different varieties online (big beef, bella rosa, sun gold hybrid and black cherry). I have a few questions:
When should I plant my seeds?
Also, I am debating whether to grow in the ground or is it better to grow in large containers?
Any other advice for growing tomatoes in Miami would be appreciated! Thank you
When should I plant my seeds?
Also, I am debating whether to grow in the ground or is it better to grow in large containers?
Any other advice for growing tomatoes in Miami would be appreciated! Thank you
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CharlieBear
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- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 5:19 pm
- Location: Pacific NW
Generally you start tomato seeds roughly 8 weeks before you plan to plant them out. You can start them a couple of weeks earlier, some do.
Tomatoes always seem to do better in the ground than in a pot, no matter where you live. The main reason for planting in a pot would be so you could take them in if you get a cold snap. If you want to hedge you bet plant some both ways. For planting in pots the pots need to be quite large and often selfwatering work best, unless you get rain storm after rain storm after rain storm in a very short duration of time. Best of luck
Tomatoes always seem to do better in the ground than in a pot, no matter where you live. The main reason for planting in a pot would be so you could take them in if you get a cold snap. If you want to hedge you bet plant some both ways. For planting in pots the pots need to be quite large and often selfwatering work best, unless you get rain storm after rain storm after rain storm in a very short duration of time. Best of luck
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
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- Location: TN/GA 7b
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Not really. Compost is too dense for starting seeds well. I know my compost pile starts plenty of volunteer tomatoes, but I don't know how many seeds were in there that produced those three (or however many) volunteers. But if you are trying to do it, potting soil will work a lot better. Just put some potting soil in plastic drink cups with drainage holes.
For growing the plants you would be better off mixing your compost with some regular garden soil. There's a thread around here, that I don't have time right now to go looking for, but you could probably find with Search the Forum discussing the pros and cons of growing in 100% compost.
For growing the plants you would be better off mixing your compost with some regular garden soil. There's a thread around here, that I don't have time right now to go looking for, but you could probably find with Search the Forum discussing the pros and cons of growing in 100% compost.
Based on temperature averages, I don't see why you couldn't grow tomatoes year round in Miami... But thinking about it more deeply, I would think you could get a spring season and a fall season in for sure. Summertime temps might stay above 90F for too long to get decent fruiting.
Perhaps if you are close to the water, the breeze might even allow a summer season. And on a warm winter year, I don't see why you couldn't grow then also if the overnight temps don't get below 65 or so for extended periods of time...
That's just my two cents. I hear humidity might cause problems in the summer, though.
Perhaps if you are close to the water, the breeze might even allow a summer season. And on a warm winter year, I don't see why you couldn't grow then also if the overnight temps don't get below 65 or so for extended periods of time...
That's just my two cents. I hear humidity might cause problems in the summer, though.
I have some experience growing in Miami, mostly bad. The rainy season is impossible. I lost a lot of starts. You need a sheltered area to start seed. Seed needs to be started about 60 days before plant out. Plant out date is the end of the rainy season, usually in early October. Planting in what passes for "native" soil here is hopeless. You must have either a raised bed or use containers. Compost mixed with potting soil will do for a raised bed. For containers, use a soilless mix like Promix.
The summer gets way too hot here for tomatoes. I had several plants and and none of them set fruit (except one lucky tomato which tasted so good).
Garf, I was planning on growing some tomatoes in the ground. I bought some heavy black plastic to "cook" the nematodes and then will amend it with good soil and compost. I'll also grow several plants in containers, but is it truly hopeless growing in the ground instead of a raised bed?
Garf, I was planning on growing some tomatoes in the ground. I bought some heavy black plastic to "cook" the nematodes and then will amend it with good soil and compost. I'll also grow several plants in containers, but is it truly hopeless growing in the ground instead of a raised bed?
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FlowerPowerGirl
- Full Member
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- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:36 am
- Location: In the garden.
I'm in Ft Laud, I start my seeds now, early Sept. This should let you plant up to small pots in 2 weeks, then in large 5 Gallon containers around mid October, harvest in Late January. The last couple of winters have been colder than usual, 09-10 was very cold, that has been my biggest challenge. In containers I was able to bring the plants under the patio for some warmth. I also start a second batch from seed around early dec, to harvest in April. The average Fl winter days seem perfect for Toms, the other issue is short days and finding a place in your yard for 8+ hours of direct sun.
In Miami, you have pretty much the same weather as I do in Hawaii. Really no snow to speak of and very hot summers. Sun gold and and the cherry tomatoes do o.k. in the summer heat, but for the late summer July-September, you need to have heat resistant tomatoes. University of Florida has put out a few that can take temperatures in the 100's. I could not grow them because they lack resistance to fungal disease. The bigger tomatoes that are not heat resistant will drop their blossoms when the temperature goes over 90 but may still live on if they are disease free and will put on fruit again once the temperatures come down. Really big tomatoes don't do that well but the tomatoes in the 8 oz. size tend to do a little better. I can't grow a whopper tomato since I have short days so I have not grown a tomato that has reached a pound yet.
Tomatoes are not as fussy as peppers. They prefer warmer but will germinate as low as 50 degrees, they germinate better at 65.
Heat resistant varieties I have grown have been HeatwaveI II, Brandywine did remarkably well up to the 90's, Creole, Early Girl (stopped producing but lasted and came back), Jubilee (It was too tart for me), Sweet 100, Sungold, Red Cherry, Sioux, Arkansas Traveler, Fourth of July, and Big Beef.
Sun Leaper, Sunmaster, Florida 91 and Solar Fire are supposed to keep producing well into the 90's.
Tomatoes are not as fussy as peppers. They prefer warmer but will germinate as low as 50 degrees, they germinate better at 65.
Heat resistant varieties I have grown have been HeatwaveI II, Brandywine did remarkably well up to the 90's, Creole, Early Girl (stopped producing but lasted and came back), Jubilee (It was too tart for me), Sweet 100, Sungold, Red Cherry, Sioux, Arkansas Traveler, Fourth of July, and Big Beef.
Sun Leaper, Sunmaster, Florida 91 and Solar Fire are supposed to keep producing well into the 90's.