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redforever · 06-01-2009, 08:54 AM

I will tell you how I grow my tomatoes. I got this hint years ago from the "Let's Get Gardening" talk show with Barry Erskine and Wade Hartwell. It is the only way I have found to consistently grow tomatoes that will ripen on the vine where I live, that is in the Priddis area.

Barry and Wade said to grow the tomatoes in individual pots, large pots, mine are probably 18" in diameter and 18" in heighth. The pots are placed on a flat bed wagon that my husband built for me, and the wagon is on wheels. The wagon is low to the ground, basically just enough clearance for the wheels etc. The wagon is large enough for me to put on 8 to 10 pots, depending on how I jiggle them around and arrange the pots. And the wagon has a rope handle on each end, so I can pull the wagon around.

Now I put that wagon and the tomatoes planted in the pots on my garage pad, which has the ideal exposure for tomato plants. It faces south so gets the early morning sun from the east and then lots of hot sun from the south and the west. And the cement garage pad retains head during the night. Tomatoes like warm feet so just the fact that they are growing in raised pots helps to keep their feet warm and then the extra heat that is retained from the cement garage pad at night helps too. And the wall of the garage is bricks so that retains heat as well.

I also stained the pots a dark brown adding to the warmth of the pots. The pots have a large drainage hole and I put the pots on trays to retain any water that might pass through when watering.

Now the best part of this whole process......early spring or fall, when we might get frost over night. I just pull my tomatoes in the garage and pull them out when safe.

And once it is October when there is frost every night or when days remain cool, I just keep my tomatoes, in their pots, in the garage. I water very sparingly, just enough to keep the main branch a bit supple, the leaves will eventually dry. But whatever tomatoes have not already ripened.....well, they continue to ripen on the vine in the garage.

Growing my tomatoes this way, lots ripen through out the season for fresh eating and the balance ripen in the garage and I make salsa or various tomato sauces from them.

By the way, there is a very nice cherry tomato that can be grown in hanging baskets, or just in a pot, the plant itself does not need to be staked. It hangs down, the name is Tumbler.

06-01-2009, 08:54 AM	#24
redforever Franchise Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Exp:	I will tell you how I grow my tomatoes. I got this hint years ago from the "Let's Get Gardening" talk show with Barry Erskine and Wade Hartwell. It is the only way I have found to consistently grow tomatoes that will ripen on the vine where I live, that is in the Priddis area. Barry and Wade said to grow the tomatoes in individual pots, large pots, mine are probably 18" in diameter and 18" in heighth. The pots are placed on a flat bed wagon that my husband built for me, and the wagon is on wheels. The wagon is low to the ground, basically just enough clearance for the wheels etc. The wagon is large enough for me to put on 8 to 10 pots, depending on how I jiggle them around and arrange the pots. And the wagon has a rope handle on each end, so I can pull the wagon around. Now I put that wagon and the tomatoes planted in the pots on my garage pad, which has the ideal exposure for tomato plants. It faces south so gets the early morning sun from the east and then lots of hot sun from the south and the west. And the cement garage pad retains head during the night. Tomatoes like warm feet so just the fact that they are growing in raised pots helps to keep their feet warm and then the extra heat that is retained from the cement garage pad at night helps too. And the wall of the garage is bricks so that retains heat as well. I also stained the pots a dark brown adding to the warmth of the pots. The pots have a large drainage hole and I put the pots on trays to retain any water that might pass through when watering. Now the best part of this whole process......early spring or fall, when we might get frost over night. I just pull my tomatoes in the garage and pull them out when safe. And once it is October when there is frost every night or when days remain cool, I just keep my tomatoes, in their pots, in the garage. I water very sparingly, just enough to keep the main branch a bit supple, the leaves will eventually dry. But whatever tomatoes have not already ripened.....well, they continue to ripen on the vine in the garage. Growing my tomatoes this way, lots ripen through out the season for fresh eating and the balance ripen in the garage and I make salsa or various tomato sauces from them. By the way, there is a very nice cherry tomato that can be grown in hanging baskets, or just in a pot, the plant itself does not need to be staked. It hangs down, the name is Tumbler.