Going from 50+ varieties in the country site with acreage to postage size stamp lot in the private community - takes a little getting use to... I do get about 6 hours of sun on the deck, so over the last few years I've "perfected" my container gardening skills. The "soil", the fertilizer regiment, the timing, support and pruning.
Two that make it back on the deck every year are Cherokee Purple and Lemon Boy. Exceptional producers tried and true over and over again - perfectly suited for large containers!
Cherokee's good fruit set, good size:
Lemon Boy in containers - fruit size a little smaller than in ground (comparing as far back as 2010), but much better flavor, more intense, and better fruit set if pruned to 4 main stems, with nice cluster fruit set on every truss. This year, "pointy" and "heart" shapes are more pronounced than year before due to the cold, rainy cold spring
I now usually grow 2 commercial varieties purchased at the store. This gives me a head start on the early tomatoes - simply don't have the grow room as I used to, hence - no means of starting and carrying for tomatoes in January.
First one Caroline Gold. Very large fruit, moderately sets, but early enough and very sweet, meaty and firm. Very similar to the flesh of the Oxheart varieties... been eating those for 2 weeks now
The other commercial is Better Bush. While we had our first tomato in the first week of June from this determinate plant (8 large fruits so far), that's about all the positive I can say... Definitely does not like rainy weather, and we had 17 days every day rain in June. So let's just say not going to bother with it again...
Few of the late starters and will report later (still small), Rainhard Kraft's Chocolate Heart, Cherokee Chocolate Heart and Grubbs Mystery Green. These are planted for the "late crop" and just 1-3' tall and just now starting to flower for the first time.
My first attempt to building a raised bed ended up as "partial failure", just not enough light, and oak trees near by grew so much in those 17 days of spring rain - not a good place for tomatoes at all. So that spot will become my perfect garden for Hostas and Lilly's of The Valey. But I did build another, though smaller (8x3'), 5 hours of morning sun will have to do, it's the only sunny spot in my yard and now hosts more plants that I normally will care to stuff to such small area:
Bull's Heart Pink x2,
Spudakee
Grubb's Mystery Green x2
Black Prince
Rainhard Kraft's Purple Heart
Shishito Peppers x4
Purple Basil
Green Basil
Tarragon
Green Onions
Nasturtium (6) to use as natural "mulch"
Will take some pics a little later
Cheers all and happy growing!
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
Yes indeed, Gary O'Sena certainly a fine tomato, I've grown it few years back and enjoyed it! I wonder how it does in containers?
On the "wet note" - this has been the wettest spring/summer yet. Honestly - surprised by the fruit set at all and have not lost any plants at all... But the rain has stopped, so it is time to spray tomatoes with some milk/yogurt solution and have a good bacteria eat the bad
Regards,
D
On the "wet note" - this has been the wettest spring/summer yet. Honestly - surprised by the fruit set at all and have not lost any plants at all... But the rain has stopped, so it is time to spray tomatoes with some milk/yogurt solution and have a good bacteria eat the bad
Regards,
D
- applestar
- Mod
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- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Looking forward to seeing your container garden grow -- and your WONDERFUL photos!
Have you tried some of the newer dwarf project varieties? I'm nursing along some that are now recovering from severe TRM attack that were meant to be a trial for their characteristics -- too set back and too late to really draw any conclusions for this winter's indoor growing in containers, but I might go ahead and start some of them anyway. It will be a roulette and a surprise.
Have you tried some of the newer dwarf project varieties? I'm nursing along some that are now recovering from severe TRM attack that were meant to be a trial for their characteristics -- too set back and too late to really draw any conclusions for this winter's indoor growing in containers, but I might go ahead and start some of them anyway. It will be a roulette and a surprise.
Cheers Apple!
Ohh, so sorry about your setback in the garden, you had some serious seedling variation going... But there is always next year, right?
Dwarfs from Cross Hemisphere project - no, not since the original 5 were introduced. I looked through Victory Seeds catalog few days ago, noticed there are Dwarf Hearts now, so guess who will be growing those next year???
So here is my tiny garden box, built from leftover Trex when the deck was finished. There still no grass around, this was rather neglected property when I bought it... I only have but so much time to work on in. Will be better looking next year. Plus I will expend it, still have some material leftover...
Regards,
D
Ohh, so sorry about your setback in the garden, you had some serious seedling variation going... But there is always next year, right?
Dwarfs from Cross Hemisphere project - no, not since the original 5 were introduced. I looked through Victory Seeds catalog few days ago, noticed there are Dwarf Hearts now, so guess who will be growing those next year???
So here is my tiny garden box, built from leftover Trex when the deck was finished. There still no grass around, this was rather neglected property when I bought it... I only have but so much time to work on in. Will be better looking next year. Plus I will expend it, still have some material leftover...
Regards,
D
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
Fake vines... HOA technically prohibits a "formal" vegetable gardens here, so concrete wire cages are out of the question... Well, my plants are usually 10' or taller by the end of the season, so little $2.50 cages don't exactly work, and I used concrete wire anyway. Adding those fake vines partially masks the appearance when seen from the main streetLindsaylew82 wrote:What's at the top of those cages?
Good snack (Carolina Gold)
Regards,
D