Topic: Tomatoe advice, what have i done wrong?

[umshamrock]

belle,
i love your tomato plants! maybe that will be my goal for next year....
shamrock

[prink13]

Well this is certainly an interesting thread, hopefully all you tomato growers can answer a couple of questions for me.

1. What is a cordon, as opposed to a bush?

2. Although I have now grasped the pinching out of the sideshoots from Tim's explanation, can I pinch out the tops to stop them hitting the roof of greenhouse and breaking?

3. What is  the best way of supporting the tomatoe plants, trellis?, bamboo stakes? or some other type of support?

any suggestions or answers gratefully recieved, as I have had problems with all but my hanging basket toms

Kathi

[Curryandchips]

1. I will leave this to one of the experts amongst us ... (displaying the limits of my knowledge)

2. Yes, pinch out the growing tip when you like. The plants will then divert their energies (allegedly) into fruiting.

3. I guess the correct answer is which is most suitable for you. I use bamboo canes, whereas my neighbour hangs strings from the roof and trains them onto the strings very successfully. I found trellis to be a bit cumbersome in a greenhouse, but for outdoor tomatoes it could be very effective.

Hope this helps ...

[supersprout]

What a fabulous tomato patch bellebouche, I really wanted to see how you grew that feast! ;D

[prink13]

Huge Thanks Curry, that is useful info!  ;D

[tim]

Just thought, when having my rest that, if anyplant needed thinning, it would be a bush?

Prink - a cordon keeps on growing upwards - usually kept to one stem - until you stop it.  A bush - usually earlier - grows to 2-3 feet, on many stems, & then stops.

[calendula]

and also to be boringly pedantic  :-[ toms are divided into 2 groups 'determinate' (these tend to be bush type) and 'indeterminate' (these tend to be cordons)

I like the bush type because they need so little work (not that I'm lazy) and I grow them outsise leaving more room in the greenhouse for other things but at the end of the day it has to be taste that should decide what tomato you grow

[Robert_Brenchley]

Here's one of my tomato rows. Not many ripe fruit in sight because I pick them rather than leaving them on the plant; Taxi in the foreground, Black Seaman, which hasn't ripened yet, behind. As you can see, some have collapsed, others haven't. I really must organise better supports for next year.

[tim]

Great stuff - but not at my age!!

[supersprout]

It's so pleasing to see these - especially as my toms have become wild luxuriant and I've stopped paying too much attention to pinching out. I am surrounded by models of pinched-out rigidity with old Italian gent across the path from me and the site rep from whom I get a good ribbing I can tell you :-X So pleased you are growing the Black Seaman outdoors, kind natasha sent me some seeds so I know what to aim for next year. Do post more pics when you have time Robert, they are very helpful indeed :)

[amphibian]

Just thought, when having my rest that, if anyplant needed thinning, it would be a bush?

Prink - a cordon keeps on growing upwards - usually kept to one stem - until you stop it.  A bush - usually earlier - grows to 2-3 feet, on many stems, & then stops.

I have a mystery bush variety that has reached 8' and shows no sign of stopping, it is meant to be principe borghese but none of the fruit is nippled as on my other PB plants. it is loaded with fruit, thousands of them.

I am saving seed from it in abundance as it it is totally blight free, even though its neighbours are struggling.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'll post more when I've got something that adds something new; all my rows look like that at the moment. I'm not at all happy with the staking, but I grow everything as bush because of the shorter season outdoors (most of them are bush anyway), and don't remove anything. As you can see, I get lots of fruit.

[tim]

"I am saving seed from it in abundance as it is totally blight free"

We'll no doubt be after some when ready?

[tim]

On second thoughts, Robert - better than having to carry & pour 2cwt of water daily for the greenhouse??

[Chris Graham]

I know my tomatoe plant looked really bad, but it does have fruit on it, althought it was planted at the start of June the fruit is still not ripe.

Is this normal or should i remove the fruit, i have the same problem with the tumber, loads of fruit but not ripe.

[Robert_Brenchley]

When I put my greenhouse up (hopefully over the winter), I will grow some toms in it, but probably only for the beginning and end of the season, I don't want to go overboard when I've got the space outside. I'm going to need a system for watering; probably water butts topped up from a hose to get round silly Council restrictions which they're trying to enforce, and some sort of drip feed which could be put on for a couple of hours a day if I was going to be down there. If I wasn't staying, it would have to be either a watering can or a hosepipe, which I do try to avoid.

If your tom has reached eight feet, Amphibian, are you sure it's really a bush?

[Mrs Ava]

Chris, they will ripen, just give them time.  As soon as the toms start to swell, peeps want them ripe.  How impatient are we all!!  I am as bad, but I have learnt to wait.  Ripening on the plant gives you such sweet fruits, proplerly red all the way through, and some, melt in the mouth!  Devine!!

Tim, the leaves I remove are those in the way.  As usual, I cram everything in, so to let me get through the crowds, I take away the leaves in the way.  Other than that, they tend to stay unless they look iffy.  As for dusting, I know I should spray, but I would have to make the spray up at home and take it to the plot to do it, and I never remember to do that until I am there and looking at the plants.  The powder I buy cheap in the sales at a large store in Devon and it sits in my shed all winter until I need it in June.

And as for the rest of you, glad to see my toms are as (nicely put Sarah) luxuriant as yours!  ;D

[tim]

Emma - exactly what I said elsewhwere - hate the spiders & webs as I squeeze through. NOT a question of losing weight - it's my face that gets snarled up!

[carolinej]

Hello,

I put about 10 tomato plants in the conservatory, and the others dotted around the flower garden, as it seemed a shame to throw them away. I think it got too hot in the conservatory this year, one morning was a bit late opening the door and it was 44 degrees!!! The plants looked awful, and most of the leaves shrivelled, even with watering 3 times a day.Very poor show, with few small tomatoes.

However, the ones in the garden are going MAD! They are collapsing under the weight of the crop. I'm glad I didnt throw them away, as they will be giving me loads of tomatoes. I think I will need to rethink my tomato methods if this global warming continues. Perhaps I could put tomatoes outside and keep inside for melons.....mmm .

cj :)

[supersprout]

I think I will need to rethink my tomato methods if this global warming continues. Perhaps I could put tomatoes outside and keep inside for melons.....mmm .

Caroline, that's exactly what I'm thinking for next year too ::)