Growing Tomatoes

TCLynx

Ok, I know there are plenty of tomato threads out there. I'm starting this as there was mention of making sticky plant threads.

Here are some pics of tomatoes I have growing.

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I have been growing cherry and grape tomatoes since I started the AP system and some of those plants are still going. They just keep carrying on even through the worst heat, will see if they will survive our winter under plastic.

I haven't yet had very much luck with larger tomatoes but currently there are some rutgers starting to set fruit now that the hot weather has gone. Perhaps we can at least get enough to make salsa with the peppers we have growing.

Who has advice on growing other types of tomatoes?

thistledown

Tomatoes respond well to fertilizer , especially phosphorus. Excess nitrogen fertilizer can result in plants with excessive vine growth but little fruit production.

From my experience in hydroponics that is definitely an issue here, easy to remedy in a plants only system, not sure of the implications of dumping a lot of phosphorus into an aquaphonics situation, Great healthy plants, and if you want them mainly for the removal on N2 then all is well, could get a _lot_ more tomatoes with a different nutrient balance.

TCLynx

In Aquaponics, Phosphorus does not seem to be the limiting factor. Actually potassium is often required to get fruiting and root crops to produce in Aquaponics.

Outbackozzie

I have not done well with big tomatos yet, cherry ones do great though.

+ 1 for potassium (seasol)

Dicko

Started AP Primarily for Tomatoes!
Would Love to see this Sticky :cheers:

TCLynx

Well, one benefit I know of in my location for growing tomatoes in AP. Nematodes tend to be a real problem in our hot sandy climate/location. I haven't even had great luck growing tomatoes in containers that are sitting on soil. We have gotten some tomatoes from those in soil but it has not been great. The ones in AP have done much better so far.

Tomatoes are great in an AP system that is heavily stocked since they are greedy plants and will suck up lots of nutrients. Just make sure you have a way to supplement potassium and in my situation, Iron. Keep the clippers handy to train and prune or your ap system might be taken over by an impenetrable tomato plant jungle.

Outbackozzie

Heh, yeah, the 5 min per day of maintenance goes out the window once you have a few climbing tomatos to deal with :roll:

You can easily spend an hour training and tying them up.

earthbound

Tomato production is no problems in AP, I produced over 30kg from the one plant without any addition of seasol or other nutrient, just feedin the fish..

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faye

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][/quote]
Hey Joel, looks like that one didn't need training cause it new exactly what it was doing!

Outbackozzie

Joel

"The potassium and phosphorus comes from the fish feed, and possibly a little from the seasol that I add a little of now and then...."

jazzplayermark

TCL just give it some time. The cherry tomotoe plant that you gave me now covers two barrels, grows 5 feet tall and I could easily hide in the jungle if I could climb that high

My others in the big GB are now about 7 feet in height and are finally starting to produce. There are about 2 dozen tomatoes growing now and I see new babies almost every day. It seems the heat really was the problem. You should start seeming the fruit soon. If you need starters, I have quite a few plants that are about 10 inches high.

ryangus

How do you guys prune your tomatoes? Mine are starting to go berserk, with plenty of flowers and fruit. Some of the fruit takes ages to ripen though, and I suspect it may be due to lack of pruning.

Any tips?

Dufflight

Take off all the leaves and branches under the first set of fruit and the plant will produce more.

Has anyone thought to graft a large tomato branch onto a cherry tomato plant. :cyclopsani:

mal5000

i agree with dufflight remove the lower branches up to the last set of fruit and remove the side shoots as they appear or let them get to about 15cm long and then remove a put in growbed for a new tomato plant in about 3 to 4 weeks put in a soil bed or leave in your growbed if you have the nitrates to keep up with it

if you have and inderterminate tomamto it should grow to about 6 to 8 ft without to many problems in a season
and will produce a lot of fruit ( about 5 to 8 kg in a reasonable spot ( guide only ))

my 2 cents

RupertofOZ

Prune them like this Ryan..

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