Re: Tomato Tuesday 2016

countrynaturals 5/3/2016, 11:27 pm

Lookin' good, Kate. My tomatoes have failed every year I've tried them outside in our heat. This year I'm gonna outsmart them. I'm starting 4th of July and Super Snow White Cherry in the house. I'll keep them in pots and bring them in when the temps hit triple-digits. I AM DETERMINED TO HAVE TOMATOES ALL YEAR LONG NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES! rock on

CitizenKate 5/3/2016, 11:37 pm

Having them in movable containers has some pretty big advantages. For example, I was able to move mine next to the house under the roof overhang to protect them from frost a couple of nights since I've had them out.

CitizenKate 5/3/2016, 11:41 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:Coming along slow and steady. Should be ready for mid to end of month planting out using Mel's 'lay me down' method:
CC

Those are looking nice, CC.

SR, I think CC is referring to the practice of laying the bottom part of the plant on its side to bury more of the stem in the mix, and turning up the top part of the plant to grow upwards. This is also done in row gardening. It gets more of the stem hairs to develop into roots to give the plants a good root system.

countrynaturals 5/4/2016, 12:23 am

CitizenKate wrote:Having them in movable containers has some pretty big advantages. For example, I was able to move mine next to the house under the roof overhang to protect them from frost a couple of nights since I've had them out.

Yup. The only success I've had was a cherry tomato in a pot. It fried over the summer, but didn't die completely. I brought it inside and it recovered and gave me cherry tomatoes all winter.

**Turan** 5/4/2016, 12:27 am

It is nice to see this thread resurrected for this year Very Happy

It is one of my favorites.

I had to cut down this year. I had shoulder surgery in mid March. It is slow going but better every day.

So I have 4 tomatoes started from seed in soil blocks, Cour de Bue and Striped Roman. I bought a couple Purple Cherokees and Sunsugar. They are all about 4-6" and need to be planted in the next couple days in the green house.

I also did 4 seed blocks each of Krimson Lee pepper and Hot Hungarian Wax pepper.

This year I seeded lettuce all through the bed in the greenhouse for the tomatoes. It is a couple inches high. I think when I plant the tomatoes I will end up transplanting a few lettuces outside.

This year our plan is to dry a lot of the tomatoes. Last years were SO good on pizza! The canned were good too but those dried ones were intense tasting and very easy to do.

CitizenKate 5/4/2016, 1:09 am

Hi Turan, I remember some photos you posted last year that were so great... hope your recovery goes well!

CapeCoddess 5/4/2016, 11:07 am

CitizenKate wrote:
CapeCoddess wrote:Coming along slow and steady. Should be ready for mid to end of month planting out using Mel's 'lay me down' method:
CC

SR, I think CC is referring to the practice of laying the bottom part of the plant on its side to bury more of the stem in the mix, and turning up the top part of the plant to grow upwards. This is also done in row gardening. It gets more of the stem hairs to develop into roots to give the plants a good root system.

That's right, Kate. In my ANSFG book, edition one, Mel explains it on page 159.
CC

**Scorpio Rising** 5/5/2016, 8:10 pm

Yep, see that. OK. Thanks! My starts are kinda leggy-ish, just look insecure ya know?

CitizenKate 5/5/2016, 10:57 pm

countrynaturals wrote:Yup. The only success I've had was a cherry tomato in a pot. It fried over the summer, but didn't die completely. I brought it inside and it recovered and gave me cherry tomatoes all winter.

Try a sub-irrigating ("self-watering") container. They won't dry out, like a regular planter does in the heat.

CitizenKate 5/5/2016, 10:58 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:Yep, see that. OK. Thanks! My starts are kinda leggy-ish, just look insecure ya know?

That technique actually works best with the leggy ones. The stems are more flexible so you can turn the tops upward without snapping them off.

BeetlesPerSqFt 5/6/2016, 7:14 am

CitizenKate wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:Yep, see that. OK. Thanks! My starts are kinda leggy-ish, just look insecure ya know?
That technique actually works best with the leggy ones. The stems are more flexible so you can turn the tops upward without snapping them off.

I try to have the tomatoes help me help them by placing the pots on their sides over a day or two in advance of transplanting. The roots have enough of the moist potting mix secured that it hasn't made a big mess, though it does require a lot more space. They naturally try to get back to growing upwards, so the tip is already partway, or all the way, at the new "upright" depending on the age of the plant (the older thicker stems aren't as flexible so it takes them longer.)

countrynaturals 5/6/2016, 10:35 am

BeetlesPerSqFt wrote:
CitizenKate wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:Yep, see that. OK. Thanks! My starts are kinda leggy-ish, just look insecure ya know?
That technique actually works best with the leggy ones. The stems are more flexible so you can turn the tops upward without snapping them off.
I try to have the tomatoes help me help them by placing the pots on their sides over a day or two in advance of transplanting. The roots have enough of the moist potting mix secured that it hasn't made a big mess, though it does require a lot more space. They naturally try to get back to growing upwards, so the tip is already partway, or all the way, at the new "upright" depending on the age of the plant (the older thicker stems aren't as flexible so it takes them longer.)

Great idea!

**Turan** 5/6/2016, 6:38 pm

HI Citizen Kate, good to see you and your tomato bucket brigade continueing. I am curious to watch how the bags in tubs concept does as well. Smile

I planted my tomatoes and peppers out in the greenhouse. I hope we do not have a blizzard or heat wave until they are a bit settled in.

**Scorpio Rising** 5/6/2016, 6:46 pm

BPSF, really great idea! Tipping the container....genius! Tomato Tuesday 2016 - Page 3 3170584802

CitizenKate 5/7/2016, 1:09 am

BeetlesPerSqFt wrote:
I try to have the tomatoes help me help them by placing the pots on their sides over a day or two in advance of transplanting. The roots have enough of the moist potting mix secured that it hasn't made a big mess, though it does require a lot more space. They naturally try to get back to growing upwards, so the tip is already partway, or all the way, at the new "upright" depending on the age of the plant (the older thicker stems aren't as flexible so it takes them longer.)

Clever!

Windmere 5/8/2016, 8:15 pm

Hey everyone. I noticed some discussion about "trenching" tomatoes. There have been seasons where I did not get my tomatoes into the ground as quickly as I would have liked. I ended up putting them on their sides for a day and then I planted them "horizontally."

This is a picture of a root I dug up the end of the season November 2014:

Tomato Tuesday 2016 - Page 3 Trench10

This was sort of an experiment for me. I haven't kept up this practice, but I did get some great tomatoes that year.

**sanderson** 5/9/2016, 5:53 am

Windmere, Good photo of the results.

Windmere 5/9/2016, 9:18 am

sanderson wrote:Windmere, Good photo of the results.

Thanks Sanderson. It's from one of my previous posts, but I think that this particular photo is pretty cool. It's amazing how plants can adapt to different situations.

countrynaturals 5/10/2016, 7:11 pm

Finally got the last of my tomatoes planted. I know they're overcrowded, but there was no more room at the inn and I couldn't stand to turn them away. Rolling Eyes

**sanderson** 5/11/2016, 12:35 am

I have green "peas" on some of the tomatoes! This may be a good year for me with tomatoes (for a change).

countrynaturals 5/11/2016, 10:02 am

sanderson wrote:I have green "peas" on some of the tomatoes! This may be a good year for me with tomatoes (for a change).

All I have is a few blossoms so far, but I have so many plants and so many varieties, something's gotta like me (I hope). Rolling Eyes

Windmere 5/11/2016, 10:11 am

countrynaturals wrote:Finally got the last of my tomatoes planted. I know they're overcrowded, but there was no more room at the inn and I couldn't stand to turn them away.

It's always tough to get rid of the ones that don't fit. The ones that I can manage to save, well, I call them "backups."

countrynaturals 5/11/2016, 11:13 am

Boy, do I have backups! Rolling Eyes

I have the same problem with volunteers. My compost is too small to heat up, so when I use that half-decomposed material in my beds, I almost always end up with something sprouting where it doesn't belong. I never have the heart to destroy those determined little orphans so I have tomatoes and cukes in my flower beds most of the time. Embarassed

**Turan** 5/11/2016, 1:20 pm

After 2 days of cold and snow the sun has come out again and the temperature is into the 40s now. I opened up the greenhouse and it looks like every one survived. Whew! When my son and I had checked on them on Monday we found that the foundation vents automatic closing had failed so it was quite cold in there. We put a board over the vent opening and laid another layer of sheets over every thing and put a space heater on low in there. I looked in the cold frame where the tomatillos are in WoW and they look fine too.
cheers

Windmere 5/11/2016, 1:25 pm

This is actually a double post because I also posted these pictures in my "Fayetteville" thread. I couldn't resist adding them to the Tomato Tuesday thread:

April 23, 2016:
Tomato Tuesday 2016 - Page 3 Before11

Today, May 11, 2016:
Tomato Tuesday 2016 - Page 3 Dscf7130

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