Planted 30 Tomato Plants

[zygirl]

Hi Folks,

This year I planted 30 tomato plants. I live in Atlantic Canada, and we have a short season so I usually don't get the full harvest. Usually the first frost comes while they're still developing tomatoes. So after last year I decided to grow more plants to make up for it.

I grew them from seed, a mixture of a red heirloom, and I picked up a "mosaic tomato mix" from veseys that's all cherry or grape tomatoes. Some yellows, purples, reds. They're all green now but I can't wait to make pretty salads!

I didn't lose a plant. I'm having space issues but they're producing well.





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[Dawgluver]

Nice, Zygirl!

I always pick all the tomatoes before a hard freeze, even if they're green. They still ripen inside, and we can extend the harvest for quite a while.

 

[Roll_Bones]

Nice job. I have only six plants and have had to take tomatoes to the bar to give them away. I hope you have a better use for them than I do. lol

Its either sandwiches or sliced as a side dish.
I lost one plant BTW and I have overcrowding issues as well. Live and learn I guess.

 

[Katie H]

They look fine and quite healthy. You should get quite a nice return on your work.

It's all we can do to keep up with the tomatoes we planted in containers this year. There are two Roma plants, one beefsteak-type and one each of grape, cherry and yellow baby pear. It's all I can do to pick the ripe fruits off these plants every morning. I can't imagine what it would be like to have as many as you do.

We've eaten tons; given away nearly as many and I'm going to have lots and lots to can for sauce. I'm going to freeze a boat-load of the cherry and grape ones whole to add to chili and stews/soups this winter.

I'm also thinking of halving a bunch of the little critters and making green tomato pickles. We love those.

Guess I'd better get busy.

 

[CharlieD]

Tomatoes like space and will produce more per plant when they have enough room. Also as far as frost goes, when it gets to the point that it is chilly at night use your shovel to cut the root system but leave plant standing, the tomatoes on the vine will get red.

 

[GotGarlic]

Do you pinch the suckers? Those are the stems that grow in the crotch of two other stems. They weigh the plant down and take energy from ripening, so they should be removed as the plants grow.

Also, heirlooms generally take 3 to 4 weeks longer to ripen than hybrids. Just FYI, if you didn't know.

 

[CWS4322]

They look fine and quite healthy. You should get quite a nice return on your work.

It's all we can do to keep up with the tomatoes we planted in containers this year. There are two Roma plants, one beefsteak-type and one each of grape, cherry and yellow baby pear. It's all I can do to pick the ripe fruits off these plants every morning. I can't imagine what it would be like to have as many as you do.

Ha-Ha! Multiple that by 10 (30x10), and that's how many tomato plants we plant each year--started from seed. I picked the first two this week--one Oxheart and one Old German yellow. 30 plants is about the # I put in our "kitchen garden." ROFL...oh, but I have to process all those tomatoes...someone please help me up!

FWIW, our Brandywines don't start producing until mid-August. I have read that from seed to fruit, one should allow 4-5 months for heirlooms.

 

[Katie H]

We pinch the suckers and "top" them. This helps to keep them from growing too tall and encourages them to fill out. So far, we have had a more than bountiful harvest.

 

[Steve Kroll]

I only have 6 heirloom plants, but it seems like we always have plenty of tomatoes.

Below are Sweet Carneros Pink and Purple Cherokees. I noticed today the pink ones and my Old German Yellows are just starting to turn color.

 

[CWS4322]

Nice, Steve! I want Purple Cherokee seeds!

 

[CWS4322]

We pinch the suckers and "top" them. This helps to keep them from growing too tall and encourages them to fill out. So far, we have had a more than bountiful harvest.

Between the weeding, killing potato bugs, and harvesting, I try to keep the suckers under control...I don't usually get to topping them.

 

[Katie H]

Between the weeding, killing potato bugs, and harvesting, I try to keep the suckers under control...I don't usually get to topping them.

Sometimes I root the tops and plant them for a late season harvest. Am thinking about doing that this weekend.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Nice, Steve! I want Purple Cherokee seeds!

As long as it's not breaking any laws, I would be happy to send you some in the fall.

 

[CWS4322]

As long as it's not breaking any laws, I would be happy to send you some in the fall.

I'll give you a US address to send them to me. That would be AWESOME!

 

[zygirl]

Thanks for the tips guys!

I sort of passively pinch suckers. I don't normally do it on the cherry tomatoes as I find they make such a crazy amount of tomatoes anyway.

At the end of the season I pick all the green ones, usually several buckets, and drop them off to my grandmother and if there's leftovers I take them to her sisters. They make green tomato chow.

Spaghetti sauce, salsa, and just plain jarred tomatoes are in my near future. Lol


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[GA Home Cook]

I am very blessed to live in the south, where we have tomatoes ripe by the fourth of july and keep them coming into late September or october by planting late bushes. I grow all my plants from seeds. My favorite are Rutger's, Pink Girl and Brandywine. I grew some cherokee purple this year and they are nice slicing and good flavor. one thing I do is build my own cages. I buy 4 or 5 foot high concrete wire, the kind you put into concrete when you pour it, it is a much stronger cage and hold the tomatoes much better than those conical shaped things you get at Lowes. If you truly loves tomatoes - check this forum out. Tomatoville® Gardening Forums

 

[sparrowgrass]

I use cattle panels to cage my tomatoes. Cattle panels are heavy wire, 4 by 6 inch mesh, 4.5 feet tall and 16 feet long. I use two, set about 15 inches apart, with tomatoes set in between about 2 feet apart. I hang the panels on t-posts, two per panel. I have 4 sets of these, and I can plant about 36 tomatoes in the space.

Putting them up is hard work, especially alone , but once they are up and planted, all I have to do is go by and poke stray branches back inside. They last forever and are easier to store than cylinders of wire.

 

[Mad Cook]

Hi Folks,

This year I planted 30 tomato plants. I live in Atlantic Canada, and we have a short season so I usually don't get the full harvest. Usually the first frost comes while they're still developing tomatoes. So after last year I decided to grow more plants to make up for it.

I grew them from seed, a mixture of a red heirloom, and I picked up a "mosaic tomato mix" from veseys that's all cherry or grape tomatoes. Some yellows, purples, reds. They're all green now but I can't wait to make pretty salads!

I didn't lose a plant. I'm having space issues but they're producing well.

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Don't waste the green ones at the end of the summer. Green tomato chutney is good with cheese and those people who live south of you eat them fried. I'll be trying the latter if I get organised enough next year to plant up.

 

[Mad Cook]

Nice job. I have only six plants and have had to take tomatoes to the bar to give them away. I hope you have a better use for them than I do. lol

Its either sandwiches or sliced as a side dish.
I lost one plant BTW and I have overcrowding issues as well. Live and learn I guess.

That reminds me of when I had a glut some years ago. People started avoiding me in the street in case I had home-grown tomatoes about my person and whenever I rang up my best friend for a chat her first response was "I don't need any tomatoes!"

My aunt used to make tomato ketchup to her secret recipe. She told me last summer that she had done 50lbs of tomatoes. Sadly she died a few weeks ago and took the recipe to her grave.

 

[Mad Cook]

Thanks for the tips guys!

I sort of passively pinch suckers. I don't normally do it on the cherry tomatoes as I find they make such a crazy amount of tomatoes anyway.

At the end of the season I pick all the green ones, usually several buckets, and drop them off to my grandmother and if there's leftovers I take them to her sisters. They make green tomato chow.

Spaghetti sauce, salsa, and just plain jarred tomatoes are in my near future. Lol


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Most books advise against freezing tomatoes but I find they are fine for later use in pasta sauces or anything where you want the tomatoes squishy anyway.