Tomatoville® Gardening Forums - View Single Post - Planning a large farm: How long to desucker each indeterminate tom?

Wi-sunflower · November 28, 2008

From Grunts pics, it looks like he subscribes to my theory that bailing twine and duct tape can "fix" most anything.

I usually buy 1 or 2 packs of 2 rolls of the orange poly bailing twine / year. Stronger than the natural twine and doesn't rot. Lots cheaper than small rolls of "cord". Roughly $20 / pack for like 7,000 ft of twine ( per roll I think, but not sure right now).

I'm not even sure that you can get bailing "wire" here in the USA any more.

I'm somewhat aware of the Mitleider method and have several of his books. Good info, especially for beginners. Some of his methods would be particularly useful for extending the seasons for market growers.

Personally I don't like the really close growth of Mitleider or even what Grub is showing, for tomatoes anyway. With plants that close you are asking for disease problems as air can't get between and around the plants very well.

In my area we have at least 1 or more period every summer when it's wet for about a week. Rainy, foggy, humid, never dries up. That's about the time disease runs from 1 end of the field to the other, no matter how resistant the variety.

At least that's been my experiences.

November 28, 2008	#11
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	From Grunts pics, it looks like he subscribes to my theory that bailing twine and duct tape can "fix" most anything. I usually buy 1 or 2 packs of 2 rolls of the orange poly bailing twine / year. Stronger than the natural twine and doesn't rot. Lots cheaper than small rolls of "cord". Roughly $20 / pack for like 7,000 ft of twine ( per roll I think, but not sure right now). I'm not even sure that you can get bailing "wire" here in the USA any more. I'm somewhat aware of the Mitleider method and have several of his books. Good info, especially for beginners. Some of his methods would be particularly useful for extending the seasons for market growers. Personally I don't like the really close growth of Mitleider or even what Grub is showing, for tomatoes anyway. With plants that close you are asking for disease problems as air can't get between and around the plants very well. In my area we have at least 1 or more period every summer when it's wet for about a week. Rainy, foggy, humid, never dries up. That's about the time disease runs from 1 end of the field to the other, no matter how resistant the variety. At least that's been my experiences.