I would like to know from you guys what is your best tip/trick to growing tomatoes? I've made the following video sharing what I've picked up over the years, but I would like get some fresh ideas to try in the future.
Here's the video:
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SuburbanHomestead
- Full Member
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Mon Sep 09, 2013 9:33 pm
Great video.
I usually take the lower leaves off the tomato and leave only about 4 leaves and plant as much of the stem as possible. Planting on a string trellis and pruning to a single stem is very time consuming but if you want to grow more tomatoes in a small space it is an option. I prefer to cage my tomatoes in CRW. I have enough room for three indeterminate tomatoes and it is easier to keep the tomato in the cage. I take off the last foot of leaves to slow down fungal disease and use a drip system to limit splashing.
Choose the best varieties for your area. I have a long season so I can grow mid and late season tomatoes and I can plant slightly out of season to head off some of the bug problems. Most northern climates might have better luck with an early variety like Early Girl. I do live in a high humidity area so it is important to make sure the plants have enough room. The cage system works fine for that, but I also select for cultivars that have fusarium, verticillium and viral resistance. I also prefer nematode resistance since I do have nematodes, but I do get around that by planting in sterile potting soil in 18 gallon pots off the ground. I don't have problems with BER anymore since I water daily and my pots are large enough that they do not dry out. I have also grown tomatoes in self watering containers which also work just fine. I do not add lime to the pots.
Fungal diseases are easier to prevent than cure so when the weather turns wet, I will spray the tomatoes with an oil like neem, before it rains or if I do not do that, I need to use a fungicide within three days of the rain stopping.
I do plant nectar and pollen plants all over my yard year round so I have a healthy garden patrol and except for the birds, snails, and slugs I don't have many other pests eating the tomatoes.
I usually take the lower leaves off the tomato and leave only about 4 leaves and plant as much of the stem as possible. Planting on a string trellis and pruning to a single stem is very time consuming but if you want to grow more tomatoes in a small space it is an option. I prefer to cage my tomatoes in CRW. I have enough room for three indeterminate tomatoes and it is easier to keep the tomato in the cage. I take off the last foot of leaves to slow down fungal disease and use a drip system to limit splashing.
Choose the best varieties for your area. I have a long season so I can grow mid and late season tomatoes and I can plant slightly out of season to head off some of the bug problems. Most northern climates might have better luck with an early variety like Early Girl. I do live in a high humidity area so it is important to make sure the plants have enough room. The cage system works fine for that, but I also select for cultivars that have fusarium, verticillium and viral resistance. I also prefer nematode resistance since I do have nematodes, but I do get around that by planting in sterile potting soil in 18 gallon pots off the ground. I don't have problems with BER anymore since I water daily and my pots are large enough that they do not dry out. I have also grown tomatoes in self watering containers which also work just fine. I do not add lime to the pots.
Fungal diseases are easier to prevent than cure so when the weather turns wet, I will spray the tomatoes with an oil like neem, before it rains or if I do not do that, I need to use a fungicide within three days of the rain stopping.
I do plant nectar and pollen plants all over my yard year round so I have a healthy garden patrol and except for the birds, snails, and slugs I don't have many other pests eating the tomatoes.
Last edited by imafan26 on Wed Oct 01, 2014 10:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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SuburbanHomestead
- Full Member
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Mon Sep 09, 2013 9:33 pm
Thanks for the tips. The neem oil seems to be a great idea to prevent diseases. For sure ventilation around plants is another important aspect. I'll try to incorporate some of these ideas in the future.imafan26 wrote:Great video.
I usually take the lower leaves off the tomato and leave only about 4 leaves and plant as much of the stem as possible. Planting on a string trellis and pruning to a single stem is very time consuming but if you want to grow more tomatoes in a small space it is an option. I prefer to cage my tomatoes in CRW. I have enough room for three indeterminate tomatoes and it is easier to keep the tomato in the cage. I take off the last foot of leaves to slow down funal disease and use a drip system to limit splashing.
Choose the best varieties for your area. I have a long season so I can grow mid and late season tomatoes and I can plant slightly out of season to head off some of the bug problems. Most northern climates might have better luck with an early variety like Early Girl. I do live in a high humidity area so it is important to make sure the plants have enough room. The cage system works fine for that, but I also select for cultivars that have fusarium, verticillium and viral resistance. I also prefer nematode resistance since I do have nematodes, but I do get around that by planting in sterile potting soil in 18 gallon pots off the ground. I don't have problems with BER anymore since I water daily and my pots are large enough that they do not dry out. I have also grown tomatoes in self watering containers which also work just fine. I do not add lime to the pots.
Fungal diseases are easier to prevent than cure so when the weather turns wet, I will spray the tomatoes with an oil like neem, before it rains or if I do not do that, I need to use a fungicide within three days of the rain stopping.
I do plant nectar and pollen plants all over my yard year round so I have a healthy garden patrol and except for the birds, snails, and slugs I don't have many other pests eating the tomatoes.
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JC's Garden
- Senior Member
- Posts: 280
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 10:43 pm
- Location: Moultrie, GA Planting Zone 8, Sunset Zone 31
I add a couple of table spoons of baking soda to the Neem when Septoria is raging. I prune before spraying and get acceptable results. I grew heirlooms for the first time this year and I learned a lot about low resistance plants and disease prevention/control. Still have more to learn.
We have easy access to river cane around here. That's what I use (in combination with cages) to build supports for my running plants. I select stout pieces of cane and drive them in the ground about a foot and a half. We had some pretty stiff wind this season but nothing blew over. I tie the longer, smaller diameter pieces to the upright poles for horizontal support.
I cut up plastic grocery store bags for my tie strips. I like white with red logos. White to confuse white flies. Red to confuse birds. I had very few white flies and not one tomato damaged by birds. I also plant marigolds and other plants throughout my garden for pest control.
We have easy access to river cane around here. That's what I use (in combination with cages) to build supports for my running plants. I select stout pieces of cane and drive them in the ground about a foot and a half. We had some pretty stiff wind this season but nothing blew over. I tie the longer, smaller diameter pieces to the upright poles for horizontal support.
I cut up plastic grocery store bags for my tie strips. I like white with red logos. White to confuse white flies. Red to confuse birds. I had very few white flies and not one tomato damaged by birds. I also plant marigolds and other plants throughout my garden for pest control.
Thanks for the tip on baking soda. I use it to control mites, but I did not think to use it to control fungal disease. It should work since the baking soda is a desiccant and may help keep the leaves drier.
I grew Brandywine a few years ago. The plant is huge and it is not nematode resistant, so I did have it in a self watering pot off the ground, but it was very susceptible to fungal disease so I had to have a regular anti fungal spray program for it. I netted the tomatoes to keep the fruit flies from laying eggs in them and I had to net the entire trellis to keep the birds from eating the tomatoes. They were good though.
I don't need to have a lot of tomatoes so three plants produce more than I need provided I choose productive varieties. Cherries are much hardier and more productive than large fruited types. I prefer to plant tomatoes, eggplant, chili peppers and other large or perennial plants in pots around the yard and save garden space for plants that can be planted closer. It saves space in the garden and the bigger plants will have more room to grow since I can space them out in the yard.
I grew Brandywine a few years ago. The plant is huge and it is not nematode resistant, so I did have it in a self watering pot off the ground, but it was very susceptible to fungal disease so I had to have a regular anti fungal spray program for it. I netted the tomatoes to keep the fruit flies from laying eggs in them and I had to net the entire trellis to keep the birds from eating the tomatoes. They were good though.
I don't need to have a lot of tomatoes so three plants produce more than I need provided I choose productive varieties. Cherries are much hardier and more productive than large fruited types. I prefer to plant tomatoes, eggplant, chili peppers and other large or perennial plants in pots around the yard and save garden space for plants that can be planted closer. It saves space in the garden and the bigger plants will have more room to grow since I can space them out in the yard.
The trick I've been doing for large and giant tomato plants are planting the tomato plant deep. Tomato plants can sprout roots from every part of the stem, so I plant the small tomato plant I bought at any gardening store with only 4-6 inches of leaves poking out of the ground. I then fill the hole around the plant and hook up my drip system to the plant. I don't know if you have drip system, but I would recommend it. You're watering the plant at the base, which is better for the plant, and you prevent powdery mildew forming on the leaves. Also if you put a timer on the drip system, you never have to go water your plants.
By planting the tomato plant deep, I grew a 6 foot tall tomato plant last gardening season. I got about 50 ripened tomatoes and I had no need for multiple tomato plants.
By planting the tomato plant deep, I grew a 6 foot tall tomato plant last gardening season. I got about 50 ripened tomatoes and I had no need for multiple tomato plants.
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ElizabethB
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:53 am
- Location: Lafayette, LA
One point - stress the importance of selecting varieties for the grower's specific region - not just a USDA zone. Also proper planting time. In south Louisiana we have a very long growing season. Some varieties are best planted early season, others mid season and still others late season for a fall crop.
I practice SFG and opt for indeterminate varieties. G made re-bar frames that are positioned along the back sides of my boxes. I hang twine from the frames and grow my tomatoes up the twine. I do remove the suckers.
DITTO on the organic fertilizer. I keep 2 bins for composting and in the past have had plenty of carbons from the oak tree leaves. Grass clippings, kitchen waste and fully cured horse manure round out the mix.
Thanks for the video - very well done. Nice graphics, clear and concise information. BTW - like your frames I just don't have room for them.
I practice SFG and opt for indeterminate varieties. G made re-bar frames that are positioned along the back sides of my boxes. I hang twine from the frames and grow my tomatoes up the twine. I do remove the suckers.
DITTO on the organic fertilizer. I keep 2 bins for composting and in the past have had plenty of carbons from the oak tree leaves. Grass clippings, kitchen waste and fully cured horse manure round out the mix.
Thanks for the video - very well done. Nice graphics, clear and concise information. BTW - like your frames I just don't have room for them.
Thanks ElizabethB for your advice, I’ll definitely keep those points of selecting tomato varieties for the region and planting time in mind. I'm jealous of the long gardening seasons south Louisiana has. In South Eastern Idaho, we have a relatively short growing seasons with a lot of harsh weather. That’s why a lot of us use plant protectors to speed growth and protect our plants from random snowstorms, frost, and hail throughout the year.
The organic compost has worked well for me and I’ll try to incorporate more of the points you’ve included.
Thank you for the reply, the advice, and hearing your gardening methods.
The organic compost has worked well for me and I’ll try to incorporate more of the points you’ve included.
Thank you for the reply, the advice, and hearing your gardening methods.
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ElizabethB
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2105
- Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:53 am
- Location: Lafayette, LA
I forgot to welcome you to the forum. Warm welcome. Judging from your exceptional video you will be a very welcomed, helpful member. I am looking forward to hearing more from you. I also appreciate your very courteous replies to each of the members who have commented and offered suggestions. It is very frustrating to reply to comments or questions and have no response or to get an argument from the asker. Again - warm welcome.
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jal_ut
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- Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:20 pm
- Location: Northern Utah Zone 5
Not being one to fuss with trimming, trellising etc. I just pick a variety with a maturation date that seems to fit my growing area and plant. Later mulch, and let them sprawl. One thing I have noticed in this area, if they are supposed to be 90 day tomatoes, they will take 100+ and may not make it here. I need to plant 70 - 80 day tomatoes and even they take ten days longer to mature than the suggested time frame. So I have to say climate is a big factor.
When planting tomatoes that are growing in cups and are quite tall, I always make a trench and lay the plant down in the trench with only the top leaves exposed so that the roots are not deep, but the stem is covered so it can send out many more roots. They will root all along the buried part of the stem.
When planting tomatoes that are growing in cups and are quite tall, I always make a trench and lay the plant down in the trench with only the top leaves exposed so that the roots are not deep, but the stem is covered so it can send out many more roots. They will root all along the buried part of the stem.
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rainbowgardener
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The only tip I know (other than what's been said already, like being sure to bury a good amount of stem, so it roots) is that tomatoes need regular attention. Some plants can be neglected more; tomato plants you should inspect every day or two. If you watch out for things like septoria and remove infected leaves as soon as they show, watch out for hornworms and other insects, your plants should thrive, with nothing more than good rich soil and regular water.
If any of the diseases, pests get ahead of you, it may be a lost cause.
If any of the diseases, pests get ahead of you, it may be a lost cause.