Author Topic: Tomatoes gone wild (Read 4480 times)

Mickyork · « **on:** August 07, 2010, 02:08:38 pm »

Hi all.

I bought some tomato plants which stood about 8 inches in height & they withered & seemed to die very quickly. No matter what I did to try to feed them up. As they looked like they had died I took them & slung them in the hedge at the back of my garden in a section which is a little wild. I was having a sort out in the same area earlier (in between the pouring rain) & the tomatoes have done better than the ones I had replaced them with. They are absolutely covered in fruit. All green so far. But will collect them in a day or two & take them in the house to ripen.
They look like bushes & have grown in the middle of a large group of nettles. Will be fun collecting

lazybee · « **Reply #1 on:** August 07, 2010, 02:24:20 pm »

Quote from: Mickyork on August 07, 2010, 02:08:38 pm

Hi all. They are absolutely covered in fruit. All green so far. But will collect them in a day or two & take them in the house to ripen.
They look like bushes & have grown in the middle of a large group of nettles. Will be fun collecting

Why not let them ripen where they are

they will taste better ripened on the plant. They sound quite happy in their new home

Mickyork · « **Reply #2 on:** August 07, 2010, 02:31:37 pm »

Was thinking that.

I have never grown any as good as they have done. Next year I am going to experiment by not removing any side shoots & let some grow as & how they want to. And will definitely plant some in the same place

egbert · « **Reply #3 on:** August 07, 2010, 05:47:09 pm »

I have just tried the 1st few toms today off of my plants - I let them grow as they like and only pinch them out when they are tall enough, but leave the side shoots. I have loads of green ones still, but a couple of juicy red ones today. mmm

Mickyork · « **Reply #4 on:** August 07, 2010, 07:04:02 pm »

Nice

I love fresh toms straight off the plant. I was always taught to pinch out every side shoot & only leave one main shoot.
After seeing the plant in the garden I will be taking no notice anymore

lazybee · « **Reply #5 on:** August 08, 2010, 04:15:40 am »

It really depends on the variety as to the side shoot being removed and how they are being grown. If they are in a greenhouse or in neat rows with a variety like Alicante or Money Maker it's better to remove the shoots and keep them growing straight This stops the fruits touching the ground, it is good for air circulation which will prevent blight, easier to keep weeds down and easier to water. Lots of varieties are however bush type and are better left alone. The seed packet should say.

Mickyork · « **Reply #6 on:** August 08, 2010, 04:01:34 pm »

The ones in the nettles are moneymakers. The nettles are keeping them off the ground. Works really well

Not something anyone would have done I reckon

Mo · « **Reply #7 on:** August 09, 2010, 07:52:46 am »

The nettles will be feeding them too. They always say if you have nettles it indicates good soil. Nitrogen rich.

Mickyork · « **Reply #8 on:** August 10, 2010, 09:19:45 pm »

looks like I have found the spot for planting my toms next year

Rosemary · « **Reply #9 on:** August 11, 2010, 07:58:54 am »

Don't nettles indicate human habitation, because of the nitrogen from weewee in the soil? Sure I read that somewhere. Maybe we should weewee on our tomatoes - plants only though.

Mickyork · « **Reply #10 on:** August 11, 2010, 07:52:47 pm »

Ha ha ha Rosemary. I don't think the area where my toms are growing would have been wee wee'd on by anyone. Unless they were about 2 ft tall. They are well out of the way.

As for watering with wee wee......... I think you would get stung on your bottom Rosemary

valr · « **Reply #11 on:** August 27, 2010, 10:34:19 am »

I encourage my son to pee in my compost for that very reason!

The tomatoes in my greenhouse are tall and leggy and haven't done that well - the ones I put outside are by far the best, which is weird! They are in pots and are short and bushy and absolutely laden with fruit. I didn't pinch them out at all. If only I could remember what variety they are I would plant only that variety next year! Can anyone suggest varieties that are short and bushy - may remind me what I planted ...