Pics of my tomatoes. Advise needed

muckety

Can tomatoes grow OK in growbags? I have a few plants in growbags, seem to be growing ok (no flowers yet but I only planted them late March so a bit late?) - my neighbour tells me they need depth for roots, so the growbags won't work - should I try to pot them up?
or give up!? Appreciate the great advice here.

mags16

okedoke wrote: »

I was reading that after the fourth/fifth set of flowers appear to pinch out the main growing tip - can anyone explain what this means.
Also people talk about feeding once fruit has "set" - does this mean that you wait until the flowers have dropped off and you can see fruit?

Thanks

okedoke

When you have 5 or 6 sets of flowers, it is recommended that you pinch out the growing tip. That is because you want the plant's energy to go into forming and ripening fruit rather than growing more leaves and flowers.

I always assume that the term "fruit set" refers to when you see the teeny tomato forming.

Regarding growbags, tomatoes do need a deep pot for it's roots. Many people cut off the bottom of a couple of 8 or 10 inch pots and set them into the growbag. They then fill the pots with compost and plant the tomatoes in the pots. That way the plant roots get to grow into the growbag.

My tomato leaves have curled today. I believe it is because of today's heat. I hope it doesn't do them any harm.

okedoke

Thanks Mags
what does the "growing tip" mean - is this the main stem above the highest set of flowers?

okedoke

mags16 wrote: »

When you have 5 or 6 sets of flowers, it is recommended that you pinch out the growing tip. That is because you want the plant's energy to go into forming and ripening fruit rather than growing more leaves and flowers.

I always assume that the term "fruit set" refers to when you see the teeny tomato forming.

Regarding growbags, tomatoes do need a deep pot for it's roots. Many people cut off the bottom of a couple of 8 or 10 inch pots and set them into the growbag. They then fill the pots with compost and plant the tomatoes in the pots. That way the plant roots get to grow into the growbag.

My tomato leaves have curled today. I believe it is because of today's heat. I hope it doesn't do them any harm.

Qualitymark

I've grown lovely tomatoes in growbags - if you gently lay down the stem and cover a few inches extra with soil - planting it at a slant helps - it will grow extra roots along the stem.

The Tumbler kind also grow beautifully, and look decorative, in hanging baskets.

mags16

okedoke wrote: »

Thanks Mags
what does the "growing tip" mean - is this the main stem above the highest set of flowers?

okedoke

The growing tip is the very top of the plant where the tiny little new leaves are forming.

BTW I'm not an expert. I've been growing toms for a few years but I am worried about this year's crop. I think I was over zealous with the manure.

When I was planting them I was reading about square foot gardening and they talk about 1 part manure, 1 part compost and 1 part vermiculite. I unfortunately did not have a lot of vermiculite so I have a good portion of manure in the pots - perhaps 40%.

I have since heard that too much nitrogen can prevent fruit from forming. My plants look great but my fingers and toes are crossed.

MidlandsM

You'll be grand Mags.

My plants are doing well, I never bother with the shaving the armpits stuff, just plant, water and feed and I get fruit, no bother.

okedoke

Thanks Mags

okedoke

mags16 wrote: »

The growing tip is the very top of the plant where the tiny little new leaves are forming.

BTW I'm not an expert. I've been growing toms for a few years but I am worried about this year's crop. I think I was over zealous with the manure.

When I was planting them I was reading about square foot gardening and they talk about 1 part manure, 1 part compost and 1 part vermiculite. I unfortunately did not have a lot of vermiculite so I have a good portion of manure in the pots - perhaps 40%.

I have since heard that too much nitrogen can prevent fruit from forming. My plants look great but my fingers and toes are crossed.

mags16

MidlandsM wrote: »

You'll be grand Mags.

My plants are doing well, I never bother with the shaving the armpits stuff, just plant, water and feed and I get fruit, no bother.

gsxr1

couple more weeks on. I thought I would have had a crop by now. But the plants have developed a very think stem and seem to be in perfect health. lots of flowers everywhere.
I have feed them now . hoping the next update will be tomatoes





The upside down planter I have. strange thing. I put a 24" plant into it 2 weeks ago. I should have only used a seedling. But I have 20 plants so I went ahead as an experiment . Look how the main stem has done a U turn to face the sun.

okedoke

I've three plants and I'm getting the first few tomatoes visible as flowers drop off. My plants have either three or four sets of flowers on them each but some of the sets of flowers are just beginning to develop (no petals visible yet).

Should I start using tomato feed yet or should I wait until I've 4/5 sets of flowers on each and pinch off the growing tip and then start feeding?

Thanks

okedoke

gsxr1

the wind did a fare bit of damage to mine last night. 4 pots fell over breaking the plants.

okedoke

My plants are flying now I've started feeding them and the weather has been wetter. I have two or more trusses set on each plant (I've pinched out the growing tips on all - each plant has 5 trusses - some still flowering).

i've read conflicting reports on the web about removing leaves to divert more energy into fruit production. Some websites don't mention it at all. Some say remove all leaves below the lowest truss and other suggest removing most leaves on the plant.

Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

okedoke

gsxr1

okedoke wrote: »

My plants are flying now I've started feeding them and the weather has been wetter. I have two or more trusses set on each plant (I've pinched out the growing tips on all - each plant has 5 trusses - some still flowering).

i've read conflicting reports on the web about removing leaves to divert more energy into fruit production. Some websites don't mention it at all. Some say remove all leaves below the lowest truss and other suggest removing most leaves on the plant.

Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

okedoke

I have been removing the suckers, and the very bottom leaves that are starting to turn yellow. They are very healthy. I have loads of tomatoes growing now. Thick stems .

Look how the plant in the bigger pot has done compared to the small pot.

It really is worth getting them all into big containers. Some of my plants are really root bound now. And I thinks its to late to transplant. small pots are causing the leaves to yellow at the bottom.

I have been feeding twice a week and been watering every dry day.

The strong winds have damaged 20% of all my plants.Pots blowing over.
Good job I planted 20

okedoke

I'm at a similar stage, mine are in pots about the size of your larger one. Any idea how long the bigger ones in youur pictures will take to ripen?

I have 3 plants, at a rough count there are about 30-35 fruit on each plant so that should keep us going for a while once they ripen, and they seem to be ripening at different stages.

okedoke

gsxr1

AHHHHHH.. will they ever ripen !!!???

It seems like forever. (sown in April)






the plants that where planted in a flower bed have exploded and are 6' tall now.

I have hundred of green cherry tomatoes . But not one ready to eat.

MidlandsM

It was late Aug last year I got ripe ones to enjoy...............gonna have to wait man, but you have a nice crop there on their way!

Corsendonk

Some very healthy Tom photos there. Some might want to consider extra support to hold up there tom plants. The better support the more chance of a heavy crop. The commercial growers always remove the side shoots as they train the plant as there is more energy then to go into fruit production.