Pics of my tomatoes. Advise needed

gsxr1

Pot 1
Pot 2


I have never grown Cherry tomatoes before

Pot 1.. (the first pic) Plants where taken to the bigger 10" wide pot 1 month ago. They are 10" high. (4 plants in pot).

Pot 2 .. Plants where taken to this bigger pot 2 weeks ago. They are 6" high.
(about 9 plants in pot)

No fertiizer has been used and both have been potted in muti-purpose compost. B&Q brand.

they are Outdoor and grown from seed

I have not idea how to proceed with them.

what should I do?

yellowlabrador

Plant them out in hanging baskets or large pots, 4 to each basket. Start feeding tomato food and put in a sunny sheltered spot.

gsxr1

Are you sure I should be feeding them?

there is no sign of fruit yet.

bmaxi

Tomatoes are very hungry plants and because they are in containers and need such frequent watering any nutrients are quickly washed out.

Dizzyblonde

I grow them successfully every year and put one plant to each pot of the size you have them in. Water them at least once a day and never let them dry out, and feed once they begin to flower.
Put them in whatever part of your garden gets the most sun.

gsxr1

I followed the advise (thank:)) and got all I could into pots of there own. One there is sharing a big tub with strawberries . Hunted the place looking for pots..

And the rest went into the soil in a semi shaded spot. Its all the space I have left. Last years pea bed.

I did this before I read your advise about fertilizer. Unfortunately and gave them a half dose of food:(. But i will refrain from any more food till fruit appears.
these are the seeds.http://www.suttons.co.uk/Shop/Vegetable+Seeds/Tomato+F1+Sweet+Million+Seeds+181392.htm?sku=181392
i think Sweet Million are an indeterminate .

Dizzyblonde

gxsr1 your plants look really healthy. You'll get kilos of tomatoes off that lot

Thanos

gsxr1 wrote: »

Are you sure I should be feeding them?

there is no sign of fruit yet.

My father is big into growing tomatoes, both normal and cherry and he always waits to feed them until the fruit starts to set, then he will but some food in every second feed (watering) after that.

Dr Galen

i can't see anything crazy wrong with your plants there OP. The advice to move them to individual pots is sound though. They can get pretty big by end of summer, but remember to pinch out the side shoots etc as they come along and top them off at a decent height, so that the energy goes into growing fruit and not onwards and upwards.

As for fertilizer, wait til they start to flower and give them a little bit. Once you start seeing fruit though, I'd go along with the every 2nd or 3rd watering method. Thats what I do, and had heaps. You'll need to be diligent on watering in general though, they dry out at all, and you'll have cracked skins on the fruits. If they dry up on you, don't automatially lash a load of water on them, water gradually, so that the uptake of the water by the plant is a bit more uniform, preventing the fruits from cracking

gsxr1

Dr Galen wrote: »

i can't see anything crazy wrong with your plants there OP. The advice to move them to individual pots is sound though. They can get pretty big by end of summer, but remember to pinch out the side shoots etc as they come along and top them off at a decent height, so that the energy goes into growing fruit and not onwards and upwards.

As for fertilizer, wait til they start to flower and give them a little bit. Once you start seeing fruit though, I'd go along with the every 2nd or 3rd watering method. Thats what I do, and had heaps. You'll need to be diligent on watering in general though, they dry out at all, and you'll have cracked skins on the fruits. If they dry up on you, don't automatially lash a load of water on them, water gradually, so that the uptake of the water by the plant is a bit more uniform, preventing the fruits from cracking

cheers. I do water everything each day anyway. Probably to much. But the garden in general and all my veg are flying this year. I have already nipped off some bottom shoots already .

I am a little worried over transplanting them so soon after the last re_pot. Some got done 2 weeks ago and where just starting to grow again.

cant wait to see a crop. Thats 20 tomato plants I have on the go. More than my family will eat..

Im in a leg cast at home for the next month so my garden gets all the attention ..

coxy123

Am trying to grow tomatoes myself this year also - first time doing so...on watering is it recommended to submerge in container with water or should this be placed on earth in pot. I read also that tomato plant food fertiliser should not be poured onto leaves - any thoughts on this. tks.

mags16

coxy123 wrote: »

Am trying to grow tomatoes myself this year also - first time doing so...on watering is it recommended to submerge in container with water or should this be placed on earth in pot. I read also that tomato plant food fertiliser should not be poured onto leaves - any thoughts on this. tks.

Don't water the leaves. Direct your watering to the earth at the base of the plant. The same goes goes for the fertilizer. As someone else said on this thread, start to feed when flowers appear.

muckety

What does 'pinch off the side shoots' mean? I have plants grown from seed that are now about 2ft6" tall? Thanks for advice,

Qualitymark

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xlhDPiLfFPg&hl=en_GB&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xlhDPiLfFPg&hl=en_GB&fs=1&rel=0&quot; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Hmm, that's meant to be an embedded YouTube link to an American pinching off side shoots in his tomaters. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlhDPiLfFPg) Where did I go wrong?

gsxr1

Qualitymark wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlhDPiLfFPg

Qualitymark

Thanks, gsxr1 - how did you do that, please?

gsxr1

Qualitymark wrote: »

Thanks, gsxr1 - how did you do that, please?

[ YOUTUBE]***************[/YOUTUBE] click the youtube icon above in the reply box to get this code.

then from the you tube URL address http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlhDPiLfFPg take the code xlhDPiLfFPg from the end and insert it where the stars are above.

Qualitymark

Thanks!

MidlandsM

+1 for tomato feed

coxy123

thanks for that.

okedoke

I'm growing a couple of tomatoes in the back garden (bought plants about 8-10'' tall last week) and wondering about this "pinch off the side shoots" as well. Video doesn't quite clarify it for me - from what the guy on youtube is saying you pinch off only new shoots growing in between the main stem and main branches - is this correct?

okedoke

Qualitymark

okedoke wrote: »

I'm growing a couple of tomatoes in the back garden (bought plants about 8-10'' tall last week) and wondering about this "pinch off the side shoots" as well. Video doesn't quite clarify it for me - from what the guy on youtube is saying you pinch off only new shoots growing in between the main stem and main branches - is this correct?

okedoke

Yeah, shave the armpit hair. But there's a certain amount of controversy about whether it actually makes any difference to the fruiting.

okedoke

Thanks Quailty mark - I'll go ahead and do it anyway.

gsxr1

a few weeks later . They are growing quite well. Some have been damaged by a rodent digging at the ground planted ones .
They where over watered last week as I was away and wanted to make sure they did not die from drying. While I was away it rained a few times .The Soil is a little green from algee. Have not been near them with water since.



I am wondering . the below pic shows some sort of new growth. Is this the flower forming? Is it an indication to fertilize now? Does this growth turn into the tomato fruit?



Im also need to make sure that this is a sucker . And is the part I should be pinching off. Im a little worried I may cut off flower heads forming. (below)

mags16

Yes that is a sucker and needs to be pinched out. You have flower buds at the moment and after the flower has withered, a tomato will form. I am told that you need to start feeding once the plant is flowering. My toms are at the same stage as yours. I will start to feed with tomato food once the flowers come out. I also feed with sulphate of potash every 3 or 4 weeks.

Dizzyblonde

gsxr1, they're looking great

okedoke

My plants are at almost exactly the same level as yours gsrx1 so I'll be following this thread with interest.

okedoke

inigo

same here! fed mine last night for the first time... finger crossed!

gsxr1

inigo wrote: »

same here! fed mine last night for the first time... finger crossed!

this weather and heat are bringing the little flowers into bloom today.

So proud of them. (yes I know. Being proud of a plant is a bit sad LOL).

inigo

gsxr1 wrote: »

this weather and heat are bringing the little flowers into bloom today.

So proud of them. (yes I know. Being proud of a plant is a bit sad LOL).

No, it is not sad at all (I hope!). I can't wait to go home tonight now!! And you should have seen me jumping around the garden last night, my wife giving me a strange look and all just because I saw the first leaves of the courgette seeds I sowed about 10 days ago (first time ever I sowed something). I thought it would never happen after that long...

okedoke

I was reading that after the fourth/fifth set of flowers appear to pinch out the main growing tip - can anyone explain what this means.
Also people talk about feeding once fruit has "set" - does this mean that you wait until the flowers have dropped off and you can see fruit?

Thanks

okedoke

muckety

Can tomatoes grow OK in growbags? I have a few plants in growbags, seem to be growing ok (no flowers yet but I only planted them late March so a bit late?) - my neighbour tells me they need depth for roots, so the growbags won't work - should I try to pot them up?
or give up!? Appreciate the great advice here.

mags16

okedoke wrote: »

I was reading that after the fourth/fifth set of flowers appear to pinch out the main growing tip - can anyone explain what this means.
Also people talk about feeding once fruit has "set" - does this mean that you wait until the flowers have dropped off and you can see fruit?

Thanks

okedoke

When you have 5 or 6 sets of flowers, it is recommended that you pinch out the growing tip. That is because you want the plant's energy to go into forming and ripening fruit rather than growing more leaves and flowers.

I always assume that the term "fruit set" refers to when you see the teeny tomato forming.

Regarding growbags, tomatoes do need a deep pot for it's roots. Many people cut off the bottom of a couple of 8 or 10 inch pots and set them into the growbag. They then fill the pots with compost and plant the tomatoes in the pots. That way the plant roots get to grow into the growbag.

My tomato leaves have curled today. I believe it is because of today's heat. I hope it doesn't do them any harm.

okedoke

Thanks Mags
what does the "growing tip" mean - is this the main stem above the highest set of flowers?

okedoke

mags16 wrote: »

When you have 5 or 6 sets of flowers, it is recommended that you pinch out the growing tip. That is because you want the plant's energy to go into forming and ripening fruit rather than growing more leaves and flowers.

I always assume that the term "fruit set" refers to when you see the teeny tomato forming.

Regarding growbags, tomatoes do need a deep pot for it's roots. Many people cut off the bottom of a couple of 8 or 10 inch pots and set them into the growbag. They then fill the pots with compost and plant the tomatoes in the pots. That way the plant roots get to grow into the growbag.

My tomato leaves have curled today. I believe it is because of today's heat. I hope it doesn't do them any harm.

Qualitymark

I've grown lovely tomatoes in growbags - if you gently lay down the stem and cover a few inches extra with soil - planting it at a slant helps - it will grow extra roots along the stem.

The Tumbler kind also grow beautifully, and look decorative, in hanging baskets.

mags16

okedoke wrote: »

Thanks Mags
what does the "growing tip" mean - is this the main stem above the highest set of flowers?

okedoke

The growing tip is the very top of the plant where the tiny little new leaves are forming.

BTW I'm not an expert. I've been growing toms for a few years but I am worried about this year's crop. I think I was over zealous with the manure.

When I was planting them I was reading about square foot gardening and they talk about 1 part manure, 1 part compost and 1 part vermiculite. I unfortunately did not have a lot of vermiculite so I have a good portion of manure in the pots - perhaps 40%.

I have since heard that too much nitrogen can prevent fruit from forming. My plants look great but my fingers and toes are crossed.

MidlandsM

You'll be grand Mags.

My plants are doing well, I never bother with the shaving the armpits stuff, just plant, water and feed and I get fruit, no bother.

okedoke

Thanks Mags

okedoke

mags16 wrote: »

The growing tip is the very top of the plant where the tiny little new leaves are forming.

BTW I'm not an expert. I've been growing toms for a few years but I am worried about this year's crop. I think I was over zealous with the manure.

When I was planting them I was reading about square foot gardening and they talk about 1 part manure, 1 part compost and 1 part vermiculite. I unfortunately did not have a lot of vermiculite so I have a good portion of manure in the pots - perhaps 40%.

I have since heard that too much nitrogen can prevent fruit from forming. My plants look great but my fingers and toes are crossed.

mags16

MidlandsM wrote: »

You'll be grand Mags.

My plants are doing well, I never bother with the shaving the armpits stuff, just plant, water and feed and I get fruit, no bother.

gsxr1

couple more weeks on. I thought I would have had a crop by now. But the plants have developed a very think stem and seem to be in perfect health. lots of flowers everywhere.
I have feed them now . hoping the next update will be tomatoes





The upside down planter I have. strange thing. I put a 24" plant into it 2 weeks ago. I should have only used a seedling. But I have 20 plants so I went ahead as an experiment . Look how the main stem has done a U turn to face the sun.

okedoke

I've three plants and I'm getting the first few tomatoes visible as flowers drop off. My plants have either three or four sets of flowers on them each but some of the sets of flowers are just beginning to develop (no petals visible yet).

Should I start using tomato feed yet or should I wait until I've 4/5 sets of flowers on each and pinch off the growing tip and then start feeding?

Thanks

okedoke

gsxr1

the wind did a fare bit of damage to mine last night. 4 pots fell over breaking the plants.

okedoke

My plants are flying now I've started feeding them and the weather has been wetter. I have two or more trusses set on each plant (I've pinched out the growing tips on all - each plant has 5 trusses - some still flowering).

i've read conflicting reports on the web about removing leaves to divert more energy into fruit production. Some websites don't mention it at all. Some say remove all leaves below the lowest truss and other suggest removing most leaves on the plant.

Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

okedoke

gsxr1

okedoke wrote: »

My plants are flying now I've started feeding them and the weather has been wetter. I have two or more trusses set on each plant (I've pinched out the growing tips on all - each plant has 5 trusses - some still flowering).

i've read conflicting reports on the web about removing leaves to divert more energy into fruit production. Some websites don't mention it at all. Some say remove all leaves below the lowest truss and other suggest removing most leaves on the plant.

Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

okedoke

I have been removing the suckers, and the very bottom leaves that are starting to turn yellow. They are very healthy. I have loads of tomatoes growing now. Thick stems .

Look how the plant in the bigger pot has done compared to the small pot.

It really is worth getting them all into big containers. Some of my plants are really root bound now. And I thinks its to late to transplant. small pots are causing the leaves to yellow at the bottom.

I have been feeding twice a week and been watering every dry day.

The strong winds have damaged 20% of all my plants.Pots blowing over.
Good job I planted 20

okedoke

I'm at a similar stage, mine are in pots about the size of your larger one. Any idea how long the bigger ones in youur pictures will take to ripen?

I have 3 plants, at a rough count there are about 30-35 fruit on each plant so that should keep us going for a while once they ripen, and they seem to be ripening at different stages.

okedoke

gsxr1

AHHHHHH.. will they ever ripen !!!???

It seems like forever. (sown in April)






the plants that where planted in a flower bed have exploded and are 6' tall now.

I have hundred of green cherry tomatoes . But not one ready to eat.

MidlandsM

It was late Aug last year I got ripe ones to enjoy...............gonna have to wait man, but you have a nice crop there on their way!

Corsendonk

Some very healthy Tom photos there. Some might want to consider extra support to hold up there tom plants. The better support the more chance of a heavy crop. The commercial growers always remove the side shoots as they train the plant as there is more energy then to go into fruit production.