How are your tomatoes growing??

Is there anything to do about the Tomato Wilt Virus?

My Dad always added lime to his soil never had a problem , me I keep messing up , cause didn't watch and see how much.
Carolyn

since i plant in containes i very rarely have any kind of trouble

Has anybody tried that topsy-turvy planter for growing tomatoes? I am the only one in my family who likes tomatoes so I only want one plant (do I need two for cross-pollination?) and I thought I would like to try that topsy-turvy planter. I would appreciate input if any of you have tried it before.
Thanks.

I have used the topsy turvy planter with Tumbler tomatoes and it worked quite well.
I do have a problem with it as it is very heavy when fully loaded with moist soil.
I hang it on a post near my driveway and then must use a ladder to add soil etc. as I can not lift the thing once it is all together and filled with soil. I use a wand to water it.

Vesey's in Canada have another form of tomatoe hanging planter which has a water reservoir built in. That is going to be heavy also. Ideally I would like to hang it from a post on a deck which is built above ground. So it could be filled and watered from the deck , but still hang above ground.

You can do the same thing with a 5 gallon bucket... though personally, if you have the room, you're going to get more production if it's in the ground. You do not need 2 plants for cross pollination, they are self pollinating.

Thanks for that info, Caroline and Melissa. I plan to hang mine on a shepherd's hook. It shouldn't be too high for me to water easily. Since I am the only one in my immediate family who likes tomatoes, I won't need a large amount so the topsy-turvy planter should do just fine for my purposes. Thanks again.

you might have to secure the hook since the container can get heavy when first watered.

I tried that upside down tomato growing and the only problem I had was it got so heavy esp when the tomato was full of fruit that it started pulling out of the planter. I had to take string and wrap it around the planter from the bottom up over the top to keep the plant from falling out the bottom.

For now, I will just grow my tomatoes in my tire planters. The cherry tomatoes I put in hanging baskets and let them hang over the edges.

My tomato sprouts are just loving the morning sun in the kitchen window.

Marti

on the topsy turvy topic, they are supposed to be rated up to 30lbs max for the first year until the UV rays start deteriorating the plastic. Just my observation

Marti, your sprouts are looking good! How soon can you put them outside in the ground?

Ted, that is interesting about the UV rays--I hadn't thought about that but since I've already bought the thing, I am going to give it a try. It's too soon for me to put the tomato plant in the container, though. I will probably get it planted about the middle of April--depending on the weather. This week we are having beautiful weather but that could change.

Here is a photo I took today at one of the parks here. It has nothing to do with tomatoes but it will give you an idea of where we are, weatherwise, as far as Spring is concerned.

Blue skies with puffy clouds and trees in full bloom....looks like spring!

Melissa, I was going to cmail you about this, but figured I would come to your cubit and ask instead!

I am about an hour northeast of Columbus. A friend near me wants to start a lot of heirloom tomato seeds. Sunny also does daylilies, you might know her... anyway, she has offered to give me some of the plants.

Two questions...
Sunny is not sure when to start them (indoors under lights) to set out here. Last year, she started them but they must have been a little late, cause they were pretty small when they were put out. I actually grew mine in pots for a couple weeks till they got a bit bigger before I set them out. When do you start yours? We thought you live close enough that we would start them at the same time you do, and it would work out well.

Second, I copied the list of what she is planting below. I am unfamiliar with most of them, although I did grow one of the Ananas Noir last year. It was pretty good, but didn't produce much. We had a terrible tomato year last year. I know I want a Black Cherry. I will also get a couple Aunt Rubies German Green. I have room to get 8 plants from her in addition to the two I mentioned. Any others on her list that have done well for you, or that you like?

Thanks - Jules
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The tomatoes : Black Cherry, Speckled Roman,Neves Azorean Red,Amana Orange,Dr. Wyches Yellow,Crnkovic Yugoslavian,Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red,Blondkopfchen,Black Sea Man, Black Ethiopian,Big Rainbow,Beam's Yellow Pear, Aunt Ruby's German Green, and Ananas Noir, which was my favorite last year. Not sure what I have gotten myself into ! They came from Gary Ibson's Tomato Fest, if you want to look any of them up.

Juli, I won't answer here since I already did, but others might have advice for you!

So, Jules,
Which tomatoes did you end up getting? And how are they coming along?

Aunt Ruby's, Cherokee Purple - would always grow these as long as I can have tomatoes.
From my friend I got Black Cherry, Speckled Roman,Neves Azorean Red, Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red, Black Sea Man.
From a local nursery I got Violet Jasper, Sungold, Green Grape, Black from Tula, Hawaiian Pineapple, Old German

It took me forever to get them planted. We have had so much rain, the garden was just mud soup. Finally got them in a few days ago. So far, they look good!

Can't wait to hear your opinion on them; look like you have a nice selection going there.