got some new plants...?!?!

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aviva50981
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got some new plants...?!?!

#1

Post: # 21152Unread post aviva50981
Mon Jun 01, 2020 1:05 am

hi everyone!
0. i am new to tomatoes. and quite rusty at growing things, in general (retired since summer camp '98). since then, been living in the concrete jungle of NYC.
1. so, please forgive my total lack of knowledge. i have been reading this site & about 6 others for a couple weeks, and feel so overwhelmed! this is my current, uneducated plan for cultivating my new tomato children --- can you please critique it and offer suggestions as to what a savvy tomato-grower (on a brooklyn roof) ought to do [!?!], i will be forever grateful!
2. background/summary:::::: i recently acquired 5 tomato plants from a local community garden sale, and i want to give them the BEST and most FRUITFUL life possible, but have no idea what to do.
3. i would be much obliged if anyone reading this could tell me if the below outline sounds okay.
4. THE CHILDREN (see below photos)
- i have 2 blush (cherry), 2 mikado, 1 ananas noir
5. THE PLAN
- i have 5 round galvanized steel containers about 26" across and 11" high
- the steel containers have a bunch of soil in them (that other stuff used to grow in), so i will use it (?!?!)
- before moving the tomaters to their new home, i will mix the soil with some *COMPOST* (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Miracle-Gro ... /205563819 since i haven't started making my own yet!!) and some *TOMATO FOOD* (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Jobe-s-Orga ... /303412370) and maybe some of *THIS* (https://www.homedepot.com/p/DR-EARTH-4- ... /306108812)??? and perhaps put some lime in the bottom of the containers (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Espoma-6-75 ... /203192761) (?!?!)... i will read the labels so i know appropriate measurements.
- then i will stick one of these 2 options in the container (CAGE: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardener-s- ... /202295648 ORRRRR DIY CAGE with this mesh (https://www.homedepot.com/p/42-in-x-7-f ... /306524803). v unsure how deep these are supposed to go.
- then i will dig a deep hole in the containers for my tomato plants and plant them (ANY GUIDES HERE FOR HOW MANY LIL LEAVES AND STEMS TO PLUCK OFF THE MAIN STEM WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED!!!)
Bonus Questions:
6. how can i be sure something is a sucker??
7. what are some good tomato youtube vids for Ultra Beginners!?

sorry for all the caps and !! marks, again, any guidance is very appreciated. i recognize i may have made a couple wrong turns, just wanna enjoy some delish tomatoes in august!! thank you, thank you, thank you all in advance!
Image
blush twins.jpeg
happy mikado.jpeg
sad mikado.jpeg
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Sue_CT
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#2

Post: # 21154Unread post Sue_CT
Mon Jun 01, 2020 1:24 am

Honestly not sure how they will do in metal containers. I am afraid they will get too hot, but i am not really sure about that. 11 inches doesn't give you much room to plant them deeply so I would just plant the taller ones as deep as you can. I dont' know what the soil in the containers is like but hopefully it is potting soil that was originally used and not dirt, which can get compacted in containers and might need things added to loosen it up. Can you post pictures of the containers also so we can advise you better? Do you know what was last in those planters? Are you able to maybe put the cherry tomatoes in those and get deeper pots for the Anas Noir and Mikado? By the way Makado #2 looks it is going to need a little help. Some good soil and food, and sun might help it out. Get those guys out in the sun! Not in a window, but outside in sun, as soon as you can. Hopefully they were already hardened off. They are going to get leggier and leggier and not do well until they get outside or under some really plant lighting.

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bower
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#3

Post: # 21157Unread post bower
Mon Jun 01, 2020 7:46 am

Hi Aviva. :)
I grow in containers and most of mine are no more than 11 inches deep, so I think it will be okay, but as Sue said, you can't really plant deeply so you are better off to plant as soon as you can so they don't get too long in the tooth. (I have the same problem this year, because I had to delay planting and they have gotten looong stems in my living room window. Not ideal, but it's not the end of the world. They will still produce tomatoes.)
I also think at 26" around it may be big enough for the Mikado and Ananas, but you will find out by trying. They might not produce much in 11X15 for example, unless you feed weekly with liquid ferts, but they should produce something in 11X26. Any big tomato will produce more if it has a bigger and deeper container, but you don't have to start with "perfect" on your first try either. So give it a go.
Your soil plan sounds good except for, I would mix the lime into the mix along with other ferts. And I would make sure that there's perlite in the mix, because that will help it to retain moisture. If there's no perlite in the existing soil mix, you should pick up a bag of that and generously add it. Mix everything well, so the tomatoes will use the whole volume of soil.
As regards the heating issue, if you find the metal getting hot or plants looking heat stressed, you can always drape it with something white - white plastic or cloth would do it - to reflect the sun away from the metal.
Also if it's hot on that roof, you may find it helpful to mulch, to keep the soil cooler and retain moisture.
Re: the cage setup, I plant my seedlings first, then put the cage over them. It's easier that way.
Re: removing little leaves, anything that's going to be underground should be removed. Otherwise I'd leave them until the seedlings are established. Once they get growing, you can remove any or all leaves up to the first cluster of flowers, as people often do to avoid splashback diseases from the soil. If the leaves are healthy you can keep them, there's no rule about that. One (possibly) helpful rule is to never remove the leaf that is just above a flower cluster, as this leaf is said to directly feed the fruit below it. (I've still seen fruit grow and ripen when their 'personal leaf' was removed, maybe not as quick.)
Re: what's a sucker. A sucker is a new branch that starts where the leaf joins the stem. You'll see little leaves starting to form there, and if you don't pinch them early they will soon be a branch. It's up to you if you want to keep or remove them. Most folks will remove suckers on the big fruited plants but keep at least some of them on a small fruited or cherry type.
My advice about suckers: Don't allow any suckers below the first leaf under the first cluster of flowers. Low suckers will often grow out after you removed those low leaves, but they often are more trouble than they're worth. Being low to the ground, the stem may get diseases. Also not getting enough light, they tend to be less fruitful. I like to keep some suckers from the middle of the plant, that is between the first cluster and about 4 ft height or less. Why because I am not seven feet tall. I don't want to be on a ladder to pick tomatoes or groom and prune. If I'm going to keep suckers, I look for one just below a fruit cluster, and in the right position to give that fruit some natural support. These are often the strongest suckers anyway.
The practice of removing all suckers is also fine if you need to keep branch density down - this is typical for single stem greenhouse production, but not necessary where you have more space between plants. They will fill all your space if you let them... tomatoes are monsters.
There are no hard and fast rules about pruning, but if a plant is producing too much vegetation not enough flowers and fruit, a hard pruning can help.
Pardon me for rambling on like a tomato vine! :D
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Growing Coastal
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#4

Post: # 21160Unread post Growing Coastal
Mon Jun 01, 2020 9:21 am

Hi Aviva. Welcome to the fun of growing tomatoes!
Great advice above.
I have used brown paper shopping bags tied around my pots to shield them from the sun in a hot summer. Tape just wouldn't stick.
Re: Suckers. In a pot that is not huge I would remove most suckers. Leaving them on will mean more watering and more risk of wilting because there is more plant to little soil whick is ok if you can check and water them 2 x/day.
Many people find that leaving suckers on means more but smaller fruit. In a 5 gal pot I usually leave one sucker only and get good fruit size. Fewer leaves can lead to sunscald but fruit can be shaded in other ways.
Keep checking for new suckers in the axils. Taking them off once is not enough.
Good for you making use of your roof top! Looking forward to some pictures sometime.

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Nan6b
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#5

Post: # 21163Unread post Nan6b
Mon Jun 01, 2020 9:33 am

Hi Aviva,
Welcome to the Junction, and welcome to tomato gardening! Plan to water those outdoor plants every day, once they start growing and filling the container. Sign of stress = drooping leaves.

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Sue_CT
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#6

Post: # 21168Unread post Sue_CT
Mon Jun 01, 2020 10:25 am

I grew up being taught to remove suckers. Growing my own I have become a firm believer in leaving them alone. They feed the plant, produce more fruit and shade the fruit. If/when you start to get diesase on the plant you can easily remove diseased leaves without the plant suffering. I get more tomatoes and healthier plants when I don't remove them. I also don't get small fruit. But you have to decide what works for you. This is a hotly debated issue and you will not get consensus on it. My best advise would be to try pruning one Mikado and not pruning the second, and the same with the cherries. You can do either one with Anas Noir. See what you works for you and develop your own way of gardening as you get some experience. The smaller the container the more often you will need to water and feed. Don't be surprised if you need to water twice a day in summer once the plants get larger and fill the pots. One last bit of advise. Pots with uneven watering, getting very dry and then generously watered and repeatedly drying out again can cause several problems like Blossom End Rot (BER) and splitting of the tomatoes when they get a lot of water at once. To me, keeping them evenly watered is the biggest challange to growing in pots. I tried growing Anas Noir in a fabric pot and had problems with BER, which I never get in my regular garden. I was not able to water regularly enough and it showed.

EdieJ
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#7

Post: # 21177Unread post EdieJ
Mon Jun 01, 2020 1:18 pm

Are there drainage holes in the containers?
Last edited by EdieJ on Mon Jun 01, 2020 1:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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EdieJ
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#8

Post: # 21178Unread post EdieJ
Mon Jun 01, 2020 1:19 pm

Are there drainage holes in the containers?
Last edited by EdieJ on Mon Jun 01, 2020 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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AKgardener
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#9

Post: # 21179Unread post AKgardener
Mon Jun 01, 2020 1:25 pm

Im new here and and for me its alot to take in as well so many question so much to read haha. congrats on your new adventure Im only 3 years into gardening and I seem to grow everything but tomatoes and cucumbers every year I try.. I just picked up 4 new plants the other day it brings me to 55 tomato plants.. I think need to recount. Im doing all mine in pots this year instead of the ground and believe it or not there only 5 gallon pots and thriving...I do agree with everyone one water more often in pots I learned that last year..as things go along you will learn what works for you.. good luck cant wait to see the progress..

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MissS
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#10

Post: # 21203Unread post MissS
Mon Jun 01, 2020 6:18 pm

You have gotten some excellent advise so I will not address all of your questions, as I think you have received some good answers. At this point my biggest concern would be using that soil in those containers. A garden is only as good as it's soil. You build a garden from the ground up. If you have no idea what was growing in those pots or if it is garden soil and not potting mix, I would start over from scratch. Even if you are keeping the soil I would still replace 1/2 of it with fresh mix. Do plan on watering once if not twice a day and do be sure that there a drain holes in the bottoms. Most likely you will need to supplement your plants with a liquid food as well as what you are adding to your containers. You will most likely need to shield the pots from the heat.
~ Patti ~

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bower
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#11

Post: # 21213Unread post bower
Mon Jun 01, 2020 8:24 pm

On the subject of watering, in the greenhouse I water first thing every morning. I never had to water twice in the day for at least 5 gallon pots, although it gets really hot in there. OTOH, put a plant i n a 5 gallon pot outdoors and the dynamic changes. I have watered in the morning and by solar noon they need more. The 5 gal drys out too quickly here because we have a lot of wind as well.
Also, I have tried big fruited varieties in 5 gallon pots and they don't always do well. Some just won't be happy in those digs.

Regarding your containers, much depends on the shape and total volume. 26 inches around is a lot of soil if the depth is 11 inches throughout. But if the pot is curving upwards ie more shallow at the edge than the middle, you may have trouble.
Either way, if you have one tomato plant in the middle, I would recommend to plant basil and/or lettuce around the edge, to keep the soil moist shaded and active. If they are 11 deep for the full 26 inches, you could plant two cherry tomatoes, determinates or moderately demanding varieties in one pot, and still have rounded area in front for basil and in back (shaded) for lettuce. Or you could grow dill or cilantro or parsley as companions, deeper rooted stuff.

The best containers I have for big fruited tomatoes are old fish tubs, I just measured they are 11 deep by 18 across and 32 long. I can plant two big fruited tomatoes in those and they will thrive. They are rectangles and the depth is the same throughout though. You may have challenges if the pot is only 11 deep in the middle.
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#12

Post: # 21470Unread post arnorrian
Thu Jun 04, 2020 7:42 am

Hi Aviva,

You should consider getting some shading net, as the rooftop will get really hot. Plus it gives protection from mild and medium strong hail.

A way to keep the pots cold is to wrap them in aluminium foil, and cover the surface with mulch (straw or shredded leaves) if you are not planting companion plants. And as Bower said, get some perlite to add to the soil.
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#13

Post: # 21475Unread post edweather
Thu Jun 04, 2020 8:46 am

Yes, you have gotten some excellent suggestions. A good draining potting mix is a must. Your plants look basically healthy, so your off to a good start. Tar beach can get hot, so controlling the temp of the pots is important. I sometimes wrap a white plastic garbage bag, or paint dark pots white, that I need to keep cooler. There are some great threads about container mixes, and growing in containers. I grow mostly in containers.
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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#14

Post: # 21551Unread post Gardadore
Thu Jun 04, 2020 9:07 pm

Since they are quite tall you might want to try planting them at an angle from the edge of the tub. Make a trench from the edge to the middle. Lay the plant in the trench, cover the root part with mix and gently angle the tomato as you cover the stem until you get to the middle and by then the top should be more or less upright. You don't want to break the stem but it will be pliable at the top. I place a stick (bamboo skewers work well) next to the top and use velcro to attach the stem to the stick. The plant will try to straighten itself so don't be upset if the top is not totally upright. I always tell my friends to whom I give plants to plant them up to their chins if possible. Tomatoes will send out roots from the stem and get very strong. Lime is good but I recommend using the dolomitic lime since it also has magnesium. I also add almost a cup of organic granular fertilizer such as Espoma Tomato Tone to my 10 gallon container. Suggestions to shield them from the intense sun on the roof is a good idea also. You have some interesting varieties to try. Enjoy and good luck!

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Re: got some new plants...?!?!

#15

Post: # 22957Unread post Setec Astronomy
Sat Jun 20, 2020 7:30 am

Hey, whatever happened with this?

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