Allotments 4 All

There seem to be so many different ways of growing cordon tomatoes, so it mde me wonder: What method to you use?

I grow mine in a rather traditional way, in large pots, both inside and out, in a loam based compost witha small flowerpot sunk next to the plant for watering.

This method had always worked for me and previous generations of my family, so I have always played safe and stuck to it. However I have of late considered other methods as an alternative and possible better way of growing the plants.

So what works best for YOU?

In the greenhouse border? In growbags? In the veg garden? Ring culture?

Sorry but had to post a pic of the tomato I am hoping to grow long, re-potted it yesterday, its looking healthy :)

Am growing outdoors in beds manured the previous year, 12" apart in rows 18" apart. Under mesh until early June, have you seen the brrr forecast for next week :o. In greenhouse, ring culture biodegradable pots in bags of spent hops. No idea how everthing will do, look forward to results. Jenny, have you checked that's not a giant hogweed? :P ;D

SS - giant hogweed !!! It's my pride and joy, doncha know :D

Supersprout: Does that LOOK like a giant hogweed? Looks a like a nice big, healthy tomato plant to me! Well done jenny ;D

Yes, big, and I have wired a 6ft cane into the pot, and I bring my baby indoors at night - and I whacked the light fitting with the end of the cane last night when brining it in. This may well be the most expensive tomato plant ever grown  ;D

I grow mine in 30l polypots, on my patio. This year I am going to try growing them in the ground in cages. I hate pruining things.

Quote from: amphibian on May 17, 2006, 09:08:59
I grow mine in 30l polypots, on my patio. This year I am going to try growing them in the ground in cages. I hate pruining things.

In cages? How does that work then?

Is there any added benefit in growing toms in pots inside pots?  Do you do this in open ground too jennym?  :-\

Flowerlady - when I plant them out into the open, its just the plant that goes in - I plant them a bit deeply, but no extras. I am a bit brutal when it comes to tomatoes in the open - they go in as big, as deep and as late as possible - late May or early June, and thats it - I don't feed them either.
The small pot you can see resting inside has the bottom cut off. The plant's roots are actually in the big pot, and there is a length of stem that runs up from the big pot into the smaller one. The object of doing this, will be to encourage roots to emerge from the stem area that is running through the small pot - they will make their way down into the large pot. The more roots there are, the more the plant can draw up water and nutrients and hopefully grow.

Quote from: Garden Cadet on May 17, 2006, 11:22:37

Quote from: amphibian on May 17, 2006, 09:08:59
I grow mine in 30l polypots, on my patio. This year I am going to try growing them in the ground in cages. I hate pruining things.

In cages? How does that work then?

Basically you grow indeterminate varities surrounded by a tube of wire fence, large square mesh, you don't stake or prune, just let the tomato grow up in the tube.

Was just reading about growing toms in cages in Eliot Coleman's book Four Season Harvest. To quote

"We prefer to grow fresh tomatoes vertically in tall cages made from 6 inch mesh reinforcing wire. .....The cages are 16 inches in diameter. We prune off the two lowest suckers. After that we let everything grow but encourage the stems to stay in the confines of the cage as the plant grows upward."

Sounds interesting, might try it. Easier than all that staking and tying!

thank you jennym ... I'll get there in the end!!  ::) ;D

Have just had a thought!! ...

Those adsa flower buckets that are often available for free - with their bottoms removed - would make brilliant long planters to go on the lottie  ;D

I will report back  ;)

Quote from: amphibian on May 17, 2006, 12:46:11

Quote from: Garden Cadet on May 17, 2006, 11:22:37

Quote from: amphibian on May 17, 2006, 09:08:59
I grow mine in 30l polypots, on my patio. This year I am going to try growing them in the ground in cages. I hate pruining things.

In cages? How does that work then?

Basically you grow indeterminate varities surrounded by a tube of wire fence, large square mesh, you don't stake or prune, just let the tomato grow up in the tube.

Sounds intriguing, but I cant see any advantage to it. But hey, if it works for you, why not?

What sort of yeild do you get growing this way?

on the allotment i grew my tomatoes under a frame from an early plastic growhouse (the walk in 6' kind) after it cover blew off repeatedly, i used the frame to tie strings to train the plants up and i covered the roof only with polythene, this gave protection from direct rain and warmed them slightly, got a massive crop of marmandes, yellow pears and another kind.

saw the idea in kitchen garden magazine - the italian gentleman who has a huge, and tall version of that for his toms.

Quote from: Garden Cadet on May 18, 2006, 09:58:35

Quote from: amphibian on May 17, 2006, 12:46:11

Quote from: Garden Cadet on May 17, 2006, 11:22:37

Quote from: amphibian on May 17, 2006, 09:08:59
I grow mine in 30l polypots, on my patio. This year I am going to try growing them in the ground in cages. I hate pruining things.

In cages? How does that work then?

Basically you grow indeterminate varities surrounded by a tube of wire fence, large square mesh, you don't stake or prune, just let the tomato grow up in the tube.

Sounds intriguing, but I cant see any advantage to it. But hey, if it works for you, why not?

What sort of yeild do you get growing this way?

As I said I am trying it for the first time this year, so I am afraid I cannot answer your question regarding yield.

The advantages are manifold, to my mind, the plant is less prone to disease due to less handling and pruning wounds, the fruits are protected from sun scorch and I need to pay far less attention to my plants, I will simply leave them to grow naturally.

Bottomless buckets in greenhouse  stood on the  bed a quarter filled with hoss muck or strawy compost ,then filled up to top with grow bag or general purpose compost..the supermarket tall buckets work well ..cheers ..Jim

Try the wiki, look under tomatoes, growing methods. Three are mentioned - sprawling, frame (staked & tied) and cage