THE TOMATO GROWING THREAD 2018

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by ARMANDII, Jan 1, 2018.

  1. CanadianLori

    CanadianLori Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2015
    Messages:
    9,687
    Occupation:
    Battle Axe
    Location:
    Oakville, Ontario, Canada Zone 5A
    Ratings:
    +30,476
    @pete this sounds like Frankentoms! @Mike Allen I have read about this being done with trees but they didn't sever the root systems, they just created really interesting tree sculptures. Hmmm, can't remember where the place is but for some reason I believe it is in the southern states where there is a park with several of these interesting tree clusters.
     
    • Like Like x 3
    • Scrungee

      Scrungee Well known for it

      Joined:
      Dec 5, 2010
      Messages:
      16,524
      Location:
      Central England on heavy clay soil
      Ratings:
      +28,996
      I bury long lengths of stem to produce large root systems. Next year I might try grafting one to the side in addition to that, then severing one stem to create double the extended root systems. I wonder if it would help if the sacrificial plant was a hybrid grafting rootstock variety?


      One a bit like that is in the news here

      2018’s Tree of the Year winners revealed

      [​IMG]
       
      • Like Like x 3
      • sandymac

        sandymac Super Gardener

        Joined:
        Jan 16, 2017
        Messages:
        375
        Gender:
        Male
        Occupation:
        engineer
        Location:
        durham
        Ratings:
        +910
        Just use good mycorrhizal fungi it will give you the biggest root system you could hope for ( as long as it has somewhere to grow) and great crops, I have used it for years and had tomato plant roots running the length of the greenhouse. I have never seen a grafted plant with anywhere near that amount of root. I grew six grafted plants last year, three bumble bee plants and three crimson crush and I was disappointed with all of them. The bumble bee plants were disappointing for any type of tomato.
        I compared six crimson crush plants, three were bought in grafted plants, three were my own seed sown plants treated with mycorrhizal fungi, the grafted and seed sown plants were grown in identical conditions
        One of each were in pots with loads of holes in bottom allowing roots to forage into the border
        The grafted plant roots had extended six to eight inches out of the pots into the border.
        The mycorrhizal treated roots had extended four feet from the pots to greenhouse wall
        .
        One of each were planted directly into the border
        The grafted plant roots had extended about sixteen inches
        The mycorrhizal treated roots had extended four feet to greenhouse wall one way and two feet to the greenhouse wall the other

        One of each were planted in quad grows
        The grafted plant roots had extended down into the water tank around the base of the pots above
        The mycorrhizal treated roots had extended down into the water tank completely filling the tank with roots
        In all cases the plants with the mycorrhizal treated roots produced more fruit and were much better tasting.
        The three bumble bee plants were planted directly into the border and did very little, the fruits were poor and tasteless, I dumped these three plants.
        The border soil in these tests had previously been used for tomato growing
        I will not be growing grafted plants anytime soon
        Regards Sandy
         
        • Informative Informative x 3
        • Like Like x 1
        • Scrungee

          Scrungee Well known for it

          Joined:
          Dec 5, 2010
          Messages:
          16,524
          Location:
          Central England on heavy clay soil
          Ratings:
          +28,996
          I also use that.
           
          • Like Like x 2
          • Agree Agree x 1
          • Scrungee

            Scrungee Well known for it

            Joined:
            Dec 5, 2010
            Messages:
            16,524
            Location:
            Central England on heavy clay soil
            Ratings:
            +28,996
            I put all my green toms picked pre-frost in an unheated spare room - I don't want to accelerate ripening. This from a picking of the ripe ones a couple of days ago. I'm getting that many about twice a week and reckon the remainder will keep us in tomatoes throughout November.

            toms nov.jpg
             
            • Like Like x 6
            • Agree Agree x 1
            • misterQ

              misterQ Super Gardener

              Joined:
              Aug 25, 2015
              Messages:
              749
              Gender:
              Male
              Location:
              Stamford Hill, London N16 6RU
              Ratings:
              +1,770

              Grafting multiple root stocks onto one stem is a variation of inarching and it works really well for woody plants like trees, especially fruit trees.

              I tried the grafting method on a tumbling tom in the Tomato Grafting thread and it seemed to produce bigger fruit which ripened earlier than its standard counterpart.
               
              • Like Like x 2
              • Scrungee

                Scrungee Well known for it

                Joined:
                Dec 5, 2010
                Messages:
                16,524
                Location:
                Central England on heavy clay soil
                Ratings:
                +28,996
                And a week later, another 2lbs

                toms 17.11.2018.jpg

                And another week later, another 1lbs 8ozs (and I still have 3lbs left to ripen)

                toms 24.11.2018.jpg
                 
                • Like Like x 5
                • WeeTam

                  WeeTam Total Gardener

                  Joined:
                  Mar 9, 2015
                  Messages:
                  2,362
                  Gender:
                  Male
                  Ratings:
                  +5,078
                  Getting itchyfingers already for next years endeavors. Planning on starting some toms and Marconi peppers under lights.

                  Plan is using the airing cupboard, under 4x2ft led tubes. Just noticed the cool white are only 4000k and not the ideal 6500k.
                  Will have to do. Thinking early January.

                  Anyone else starting early ?
                   
                  • Like Like x 2
                  • ARMANDII

                    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

                    Joined:
                    Jan 12, 2019
                    Messages:
                    48,096
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Ratings:
                    +100,834
                    [​IMG]
                     
                    • Funny Funny x 2
                    • john558

                      john558 Total Gardener

                      Joined:
                      Feb 14, 2015
                      Messages:
                      2,359
                      Gender:
                      Male
                      Occupation:
                      Retired
                      Location:
                      Ramsgate, Kent
                      Ratings:
                      +8,189
                      Hi Wee Tam, I have a Garland Grow Light

                      Details from their website
                      Features 2 high efficiency Sunblaster 24 Watt high output lights consuming 20% less power than a standard domestic light bulb and giving 10,000 hours of use. NanoTech Reflectors reduce heat build up and maximise performance by reflecting 100% of the light towards the plants.

                      I start my Toms/Cucumber the 3rd week in Feb, I find this is probably right for me.
                       
                      • Like Like x 2
                      • Informative Informative x 1
                      • WeeTam

                        WeeTam Total Gardener

                        Joined:
                        Mar 9, 2015
                        Messages:
                        2,362
                        Gender:
                        Male
                        Ratings:
                        +5,078
                      • sandymac

                        sandymac Super Gardener

                        Joined:
                        Jan 16, 2017
                        Messages:
                        375
                        Gender:
                        Male
                        Occupation:
                        engineer
                        Location:
                        durham
                        Ratings:
                        +910
                        I always start my first batch second week in January under LED's
                         
                        • Like Like x 4
                        • WeeTam

                          WeeTam Total Gardener

                          Joined:
                          Mar 9, 2015
                          Messages:
                          2,362
                          Gender:
                          Male
                          Ratings:
                          +5,078
                          Cheers Sandymac and john558. Now thinking peppers january and toms mid feb .......:dbgrtmb:
                          Looked at the sunblaster,tempting. Went for a 36w 6500k led, got a good price. Will combine with the led tubes. If it all goes wrong it wont be because of a lack of light..:fingers crossed:
                           
                          • Like Like x 2
                          • sandymac

                            sandymac Super Gardener

                            Joined:
                            Jan 16, 2017
                            Messages:
                            375
                            Gender:
                            Male
                            Occupation:
                            engineer
                            Location:
                            durham
                            Ratings:
                            +910
                            I use a Vipar spectra v450 dual function with both grow and bloom settings
                             
                            • Like Like x 3
                            • Scrungee

                              Scrungee Well known for it

                              Joined:
                              Dec 5, 2010
                              Messages:
                              16,524
                              Location:
                              Central England on heavy clay soil
                              Ratings:
                              +28,996
                              Another 1lbs 7ozs picked yesterday from my dwindling stock of slowly ripening green tomatoes. The best I've managed in the past is home grown tomatoes on New Year's Day.
                               
                              • Like Like x 4
                              Loading...

                              Share This Page

                              1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                                By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                                Dismiss Notice