up and over tomatoes

GWN 7/9/2012, 7:04 pm

Well the weather is here and WOW the tomatoes TOOK off.
Although I have tried many times in the past to grow them up to 6 feet and then OVER, I have never got that far.
I now have 2 plants that are 7 feet tall and these ones are growing in my totally open greenhouse and will soon be hitting the roof.
Lots of nice little tomatoes all the way up.
I am also growing them outside growing up the cattle panel hoop and they are getting way up there.
Can you just turn them around and grow them down the other side? up and over tomatoes Dsc_0297

In the past when they got too tall, I just added more stakes for them to climb along, but that was difficult.
I am thinking of just putting string across the top and tying them to the string over the top and then down the other side?

greatgranny 7/9/2012, 7:28 pm

GWN wrote:Well the weather is here and WOW the tomatoes TOOK off.
Although I have tried many times in the past to grow them up to 6 feet and then OVER, I have never got that far.
I now have 2 plants that are 7 feet tall and these ones are growing in my totally open greenhouse and will soon be hitting the roof.
Lots of nice little tomatoes all the way up.
I am also growing them outside growing up the cattle panel hoop and they are getting way up there.
Can you just turn them around and grow them down the other side?

In the past when they got too tall, I just added more stakes for them to climb along, but that was difficult.
I am thinking of just putting string across the top and tying them to the string over the top and then down the other side?

Wow. Those are some serious tomato plants. Yes, let them see how far they can go.

Triciasgarden 7/9/2012, 7:54 pm

You can just trim off the top when it starts blowing in the wind. They look so wonderful!

GWN 7/9/2012, 8:25 pm

but I WANT to grow them down the other side, just wondering if anyone else has done that.
Eliot Coleman has this process where he LOWERS the plants down from the top, clears all the branches off the lower 2 feet and then just lays the plant down on the ground and continues upwards.
However I wondered if you could do the same only grow it upside down
I guess I will find out soon enough Smile

southern gardener 7/9/2012, 8:37 pm

I have a feeling the tomatoes are going to reach for the sun, so they are going to try and grow up, but if you keep winding them on a string, trellis etc, you should be able to keep them going! Im in the same boat with string beans. I attempted to do the the three sisters, but only two sisters, lol. I mean I am growing corn, and want the string beans to climb up the corn. I started the beans when the corn was about 1 foot or so tall? Well, the corn hasn't grown, but the green beans are winding around what's there, and are growing across to whatever they can grab onto. My corn is all over the place. It's small, stunted. Some is a foot or so tall with tassels and pollen, and NO corn. This mix is driving me up the wall............ Rolling Eyes

Squat_Johnson 7/10/2012, 11:48 am

Yes, you can go over the top. My vines were 5' up and 5' back down the other side last year. Mine went over a 2x4 at the top.

GWN 7/10/2012, 8:35 pm

Yes, you can go over the top. My vines were 5' up and 5' back down the other side last year. Mine went over a 2x4 at the top.

Thank you thank you, that is what I needed to hear... up and over tomatoes 274447

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