Golden Roma Tomato Tips

[AngryItalian]

ok, so this is the first year I'm growing tomatoes so I could use some feedback
I had one plant that was already growing in my planter box last year so I kept it to kinda play around with it until I got around to planting my heirlooms

so it turns out this is a golden roma tomato plant and it just keeps on growing and growing so whats the best way to prune it?
also, I'm using a tomato cage to support this thing and since it just grows so much ive been wrapping it around the cage cos by now it would have outgrown the cage. I wanted to know if this is the right way to use the cage or if thees a better way to do thhis
also, I'm already getting some tomatoes, but for romas they arre awfully small (like the size of cherry tomatoes); granted thatt the weather here in San Diego has been fairly screwy so far I'm wondering if this is this due to lack of nutrients too.
do tomatoes like acidic soil? I have a pine tree back here so I'm wondering if I should use tthe needles to mulch.
lastly, the planter box is 2'x4' and 2' deep; how many plants can go in there?

thanks for the help and if you guys have any morre advice be sure to lemme know

[opabinia51]

Yes, tomatoes cages only really work for determinate tomatoes grown in a pot and even then they don't work that well. What works best is a cedar stake that is about 6 feet tall. Use old nylons or gardening tape to tie your plantsto the stake.

I wouldn't prune your tomatoe plant. What you do want to do is sucker it, that is pinch off all the new little growths in between the stem and branches.

I'm thinking that you might be getting small romas because that is what your plant grows but, I've not actually ever heard of an heirloom cherry roma. Though, there are over 500 varieties of heirloom tomatoes out there, so it wouldn't surprise me.

If memory serves, tomatoes like a slightly acidic to neutral soil. As far as fertilization is concerned, I use alternately each week liquid seaweed and liquid fish fertilizer. And when, I pot up the plants or put them in the soil, I add a handful of kelp meal.

So, that is one week: liquid seaweed

next week: liquid fish fertilizer.

[peaches]

what eles can you use as fertalizer

[jstr12]

Does either liquid fish or seaweed fertilizer smell?