Tomato, Heirloom!

[digitS']

I don't know if this will be any help to @HotPepperQueen . I feel kind of guilty for not joining her, wrestling out ideas for a short-season, juicing variety. I don't think it will help @Kismet with blight problems and selection of varieties that can. I do want to celebrate @Kismet 's second post on TEG, however!

I don't want to take anything away from @catjac1975 celebrating her birthday but she has a "birthday buddy!" NCTomatoman Craig LeHouiller's birthday is today. That prompted me to read this article:

Five Questions

They aren't just questions about heirloom tomatoes but Dr. LeHouiller is foremost in that field! By the way, @catjac1975 , if your husband is out shopping for a birthday present even as we speak ... that book just came on the market .

Steve

 

[catjac1975]

Digits-you are a hoot.

 

[digitS']

I'm exploring exploring exploring !.

. the possibilities again this year!

While I'm at it, some of you gardeners who might want to use the straw bale technique: "Growing vegetables in straw bales : easy planting, less weeding, early harvests," Craig LeHoullier's new book.

It was my understanding that he has long grown his 100's of tomato plants in containers on a concrete driveway. Maybe, he made a switch to straw bales, invested a good deal of research in it, and can now share what he's learned.

Any new (olde) ideas on heirloom tomatoes for your gardens???

Steve

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

well, i have to say the square straw bales are cheaper than buying the equivalent space of soil/dirt. the only problem i had 1 year with a bale that i left in the garden was it started sprouting small black mushrooms when we got to the rainy part of the season at the end of the year.

i may try using a couple bales this year to border my newer garden spaces. tomatoes would probably root nicely in them.

 

[Smart Red]

It is hard to get straw bales around here. Most of the farmers put up the straw in big round bales. I'll be watching to see how ya'll do and try asking neighboring farmers to put some in smaller bales for me to purchase.

 

[Mauldintiger]

I've been emailing Craig about his books and best varieties for this area and he's been very helpful. He published a list of his best varieties in Raleigh, NC, which should work well here in Greenville SC. Very helpful and knowledgable guy. Looking forward to this years maters!

 

[ninnymary]

@steve, getting just a tiny bit off topic. I just shortened my tomato trellis to 14.5 ft. How many tomatoes do you recommend I plant on it? I want good air circulation and not a tangle mess of vines.

Thanks
Mary

 

[digitS']

Mary, this is the same @steve who allows his tomatoes to sprawl because he's had bad experiences with sunscalding, cracking and wind damage?



Here is a trellising expert from the University of Missouri, the University of West Virginia, and who was cited in an article from the University of Oregon. Trellis system for tomatoes.

Figure credit: Lewis Jett, University of West Virginia

He is recommending 28" with that system but our TEG expert on tomato trellising, @Ridgerunner , may have a different idea and more appropriate for your trellis.

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

Steve, I don't trellis, I cage. Two rows of cattle panels 24" apart with tomatoes planted every 24" centered between those panels. I try to prune back to three stems for the bottom foot or two to let it air out but after that they just grow. I only grow indeterminants and they sometimes become a mess.

Mary, I don't think there is a perfect spacing for every tomato variety. I think it depends on whether they are determinant or indeterminant, how vigorously they grow, and how much, if any, you prune them. I would not prune determinants.

 

[Mauldintiger]

I'm doing the exact same thing as @Ridgerunner except I'm using 3 rows with 6 panels giving me two 32' rows following the suggestion to plant smaller things like lettuce and onions at the base of the plant. Saves space and gives shade to the lettuce. Panels are initially expensive, about $200 for 6 panels and 15 tpost from tractor supply, but will last the rest of your life. My only regret was I should have used 7' posts instead of 6'.