897tgigvib
Garden Master
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So Lucky, I have grown Tomatoes as perennials in Montana. Sometimes I kept them in the heated greenhouse at work, and sometimes at home in my living room.
Some kinds do better than others, and sometimes it is just the individual. One I had for years I named Grandmother Tomato. She was one of my F1's of my cross of Marianna's Peace X Giant Syrian. Both parents were strongly selected gor several generations before doing the cross.
There was also an F2 daughter of this cross' F1 that was one year younger, and I planted another F1 of that cross that second year that perennialized also.
Several others also perennialized well. White Beauty was strong. It takes a strong plant to start with. Growing them in a container, a 5 gallon black nursery pot works if you primo maximize the soil with bone meal and the good stuff potting soil.
Before frost bring her in after trimming her way back to good buds that are already popping. She'll be maybe a foot tall. A sunny south window works, along with a flourescent tube behind the pot. Keep her clean and neat. Whiteflies are the big mess. Though some will not kill it, too many will hurt it or make you give up. I used a nicotine tea spray with a tiny amount of shampoo to wash the plant and kill whiteflies. Always have another spray bottle with pure water to use immediately after. Voila, pretty and clean leaves. (These days I'd probably also use a mild kelp solution spray instead of pure water.)
After a few months she is big again and needs another pruning. Be watching for those healthy side buds, and encourage them with top pinching.
By plant out time she'll be tall, ready for a 10 gallon pot, and a move out into the garden at a primo spot. Keep her healthy! At season's end, repeat the process with improvements you will bew thinking of.
Some kinds do better than others, and sometimes it is just the individual. One I had for years I named Grandmother Tomato. She was one of my F1's of my cross of Marianna's Peace X Giant Syrian. Both parents were strongly selected gor several generations before doing the cross.
There was also an F2 daughter of this cross' F1 that was one year younger, and I planted another F1 of that cross that second year that perennialized also.
Several others also perennialized well. White Beauty was strong. It takes a strong plant to start with. Growing them in a container, a 5 gallon black nursery pot works if you primo maximize the soil with bone meal and the good stuff potting soil.
Before frost bring her in after trimming her way back to good buds that are already popping. She'll be maybe a foot tall. A sunny south window works, along with a flourescent tube behind the pot. Keep her clean and neat. Whiteflies are the big mess. Though some will not kill it, too many will hurt it or make you give up. I used a nicotine tea spray with a tiny amount of shampoo to wash the plant and kill whiteflies. Always have another spray bottle with pure water to use immediately after. Voila, pretty and clean leaves. (These days I'd probably also use a mild kelp solution spray instead of pure water.)
After a few months she is big again and needs another pruning. Be watching for those healthy side buds, and encourage them with top pinching.
By plant out time she'll be tall, ready for a 10 gallon pot, and a move out into the garden at a primo spot. Keep her healthy! At season's end, repeat the process with improvements you will bew thinking of.
But it's supposed to be beautiful weather this weekend, for who knows how long.
