The single truss tomato bed has gone mental!
I haven't kept on top of them as much as I should have but they're growing well, a little too well really. I had a massive hack at them tonight and found all the tomatoes hidden under the leaves.
The plastic is working well though as there isn't a single weed in the whole bed.
I can already see improvements for this method of growing. firstly only grow them two wide per bed, on a 30" bed I think this would be about right. These are about five deep and it just gets a bit tangled. I just got greedy on how many I put in!
Also I think that rather than just shoving in my left over plants I should grow some specially for this type of growing. I'm thinking that maybe growing determinate type (bush) rather than the indeterminate (cordon type), that way when they get pruned they might not put quite so much energy into trying to regrow.
Hopefully they're be plenty ripening in the next few weeks.
Anyone else grown in this way?
I should be growing determinate types in my very short season climate, but my favorites are all the TALL and gangly ones. I rarely get a ripe tomato, but when I do--YUM!
ReplyDeleteHope you get a great harvest!
Interesting experiment I am going to look more at cordon types I think, bush ones I find too messy and untidy
ReplyDeleteI am trying something similar, and I'm finding that they are putting on SO much extra growth to try and defeat me. The compost bin is full of all the trimmings after the weekend. Everyday when I go back there are more side shoots and branches that need trimming .... if only I could persuade my chickens to eat the leaves I wouldn't feel quite so wasteful, still it will make good compost for next year so nothing's truly going to waste.
ReplyDeleteI will have more time next year to organise the greenhouse better. I'm loving my plum toms but don't like the beefsteak despite them being tasty. Too many fruits have fused together! I'm busy writing my mistakes down in a note book so that I can look back and rectify them before doing them again! I will take a look a cordon growing.
ReplyDeleteI have grown all heirloom tomatoes this year, bar the yellow cherry tomatoes and the baby plum. Guess which ones are actually fruiting? Youve guessed it none of the heirlooms. I have had only 2 tomatoes off of 8 cherokee heirlooms. Horrendous. So much effort. Next year I am only going to grow money makers and plum.
ReplyDeleteWe did try to get the tomatoes to grow tidily up poles but somehow they have still grown all over the place. Not to worry, experience has taught us that tomatoes are actually quite a robust plant and will still give ripe tomatoes however you treat them!
ReplyDelete