2013 Tomato Growing

I have bought 3 Supersweet 100 toms and planted them outside in big containers. I'm a bit rubbish at tomatoes, it says I should grow them as an indeterminate cordon, what the heck does that mean? I've already started to build an overhead gantry but are they really likely to reach 20' in my back garden?

 

Basically it means that you need to support it and take out any side-shoots. For outside toms, I normally restrict the plant to four trusses.

 

My toms today, they are still slow putting on height but there is some fruit forming.



The leaves on Tamina are huge (nearest the door) and some are the size of dinner plates.

 

Oh right, I think I can do that. I've read they should be restricted to 4 trusses for outdoor ones, is that because they are less likely to ripen outside? Do you just pinch out the lead shoot when they've got enough trusses?
Last year my Black Cherries must have got to about 4 or 5 feet, sadly I had only given them 3 foot canes. Won't be making that mistake this year!

 

Hiya Madahhlia.

Yes, just take out the lead shoot. In the greenhouse they can be left to go to six or more trusses, but outdoors, it's as you say, they wouldn't ripen. In some cases, weather dependent, one could might argue that three trusses is enough. Four is the 'norm'

 

Some Tomatoes will form a natural bush, and stop growing and produce fruit. No special attention to "pruning" needed. They "determine" their own size & shape.

Others keep growing forever, and they produce side shoots which will also grow forever. These work best by taking out the side shoots and growing them as a single-stem'd cordon (and then "stopping" them a month or so before first frost to allow all/most fruit to ripen without the plant trying to produce yet more ... these are so called "indeterminate" as they don't determine their own shape/size.

 

A few red Tumbler F1's


I neeed a bigger GH....

 

Great looking plants Loli

 

A bunch of red toms.
ooooh Loli,
that's a sight for sore eyes and no mistake...
Jenny

 

So tidy and organised Loli Enjoy your tomatoes

S

 

Thanks all I 've a couple of blind plants but otherwise doing OK...Touch wood.....

I really ought to get my Tumblers eaten but i like looking at them

 

Yup, me too

 

Very inventive Armandii