128 tomato plants and one currant bush in 20 by 20 foot area

[Mlm1]

EZero, I don't know why the pictures won't open for you. Maybe someone else will know. I haven't ever had that problem. Good luck.

Janezee, yes cute but a pain to decorate (I mean bag). When Steve (heritage) saw my picture he thought it was time to pick the cotton.

Marla

[lakelady]

Looks great Marla! Wow that sure is a lot of plants in a small space, I need to do that for next year myself! Small sunny spaces in my yard due to massive giant oak trees all around me. What are you bagging blossoms with? I was thinking of just using some ripped row cover cut into squares and tied off with string. My first year doing that, so I hope they will pollinate and not fall off.

Naysen, lol, you remind me of myself. We just love trying new ideas!

[Mlm1]

Thanks Antoniette. I use remay. Probably the same thing as your row cover. I sew long tubes of remay that are about 6 to 8 inches wide then while I am working I cut off as much as I think I need for the truss and use twisty ties to hold it around the stem and to close the other open end. I also made great big tubes that go over a whole caged tomato so it bags the whole plant. I'm still searching for a perfect bagging technique.
Marla

[lakelady]

Hi Marla, this morning I was looking at a ripped length of remay . I cut some into circles, as I thought maybe it is easier to just scrunch the circle around and tie it once rather than have to sew the tubes (although it is a great idea!)? Making the bags to cover the whole plant is a great idea too, I never thought of that. Probably a whole lot easier than bagging blossoms lol...

I love how you've been able to fit so many plants to trial in a small space as I don't have a lot of space myself.

[Mlm1]

So far I have lost 5 plants. No new losses in the last month and no simmering problems as of 5 minutes ago. I had a thrip infestation but the plants seem to be out growing and out producing the little buggers. Every variety has set tomatoes with most varieties having very nice first and second trusses. I'll show pictures of the garden and of two varieties, RAF and Gru Vee.
Antoniette, my father has a 6 by 6 foot goal post in his little yard and grows 6 tomato plants on it. A friend built a 36 plant goal post this year. I will try to get pictures of both since both are more appropriate for smaller yards.

Marla

[lakelady]

Oh I'd love to see pics of those Marla!

By the way, I should tell you that your method is better than my circles for bagging blossoms. It's too hard to get the whole piece around the blossoms without crushing. This past weekend I made some sleeves, and it worked MUCH better, so thanks for the idea!

Those two varieties look fabulous!

Question for you, do you have worries about fungal problems where you are? My area gets quite humid so I worry about plants being so close together here, but would love to try something like you have next year!

[Mlm1]

Antoinette, we don't have a lot of fungal problems here. Today is 95 degrees and 18% humidity. The only plants that get fungal infection are my in ground plants that are not pruned to one stem and that is in the late fall. I think a single row (unlike my 6 rows) gets more air than a normal unpruned plant. I have asked both my father and my friend (Tim) to send me pictures of their goal posts. My father's plants are in the ground. Tim's are in a raised bed. I have another 50 foot goal post with a plant every 8 inches in the ground (mostly Steve's f1's and f2's from his crosses). Those get lots of good air. I'll get a picture of that one and post it with the other goal post pictures. Also, I think they do better in the ground than in pots. I had planted tomatoes in this one 20 x 20 foot area for 15 years and wanted to give the ground a rest. I didn't really have another place to plant so I put them in pots the last 3 years. Someday I'll put a cover crop in this area till it under and put the plants back in the ground - but still 1 foot apart with single stem.

Marla

[Mlm1]

Just thought I would post a follow up on the garden. I lost a few blossoms to thrip but there are new tomatoes setting and plenty to keep me busy. Antoinette, I still plan to post pictures of the other goal post gardens in a separate thread but haven't gotten Tim's pictures yet. Probably will get those next week.
Marla

[z_willus_d]

Marla, thanks for sharing an update. It looks like you have some dwarfs at the front of that first picture. The size on some of the tomatoes in the 2nd pic is impressive, considering your small container sizes. I'm sorry to hear about the thrip damage, but it sounds like you have it under control.

Good luck!
-naysen

[SCgardener]

That's an AWESOME set-up!!!!I might have to borrow that idea next season with my homemade earthboxes

[lakelady]

I have so much trouble keeping plants trimmed to one or two stalks lol...my raised beds are beginning to look like a jungle. I'd love to do a florida weave or something similar but wonder if I can keep on top of things!

[Mlm1]

Naysen, I must have missed your comment. The shorter plants were started later. I keep the dwarfs on my deck, unpruned in a wire cage.
SCGardener, thanks.
Antoniette, I think it is less work than a person might think. Once the plants are pruned well and clipped to strings it doesn't take long to stay on top of it.
I hope everyone's gardens are doing well.
Marla

[Mlm1]

OK, So Steve (Heritage) has been pestering me to get some 2013 pictures and now Naysen wants pictures of "the English trained tomato matrix" so I have finally pulled out the camera.
Changes since last year: I didn't want to sterilize the pots this year so I switched to bags. They seem to be working out fine. I have some of the dwarfs under this structure but unlike all of the others they are not kept to one vine. I am still working on a system to tie up the dwarf plants. And, the current bush died.
To catch up on last year: I had a very productive year. Lots of tomatoes from every variety except one. The high temperatures in mid August heated up the black pots and since I had a lot of all tomatoes I didn't shade the pots, just let them start their downward slide. I did have tomatoes into October.
This year looks like another good year. I am 100% organic and have never sprayed with anything. I lose a few blossoms to thrip but not so much that it matters. The white bags will help keep the soil cooler. I am thinking of topping the plants (like Craig's 2 gal pot thread) once they have a few good clusters of fruit.
Odds and ends: a friend of mine painted his structure brown and it sagged (too hot?) so I'm leaving mine white.
I tried to get pictures from all sides.
Marla

[Delerium]

Awesome Pictures Marla! Now I am curious about those Big tomatoes all over the place.. I want to grow those!!! What's the variety?

[Mlm1]

Originally Posted by Delerium

Awesome Pictures Marla! Now I am curious about those Big tomatoes all over the place.. I want to grow those!!! What's the variety?

I have about 65 heirloom varieties in the structure. I try to grow 2 or 3 of each variety. Since they are kept to one stem the tomatoes get larger than my unpruned plants. Some of the large varieties that may be showing up in the picture are Mullen's Mortgage Lifter, Shirley's, Tycoon, Sandburg, Jerry's German Pink and Colchice. Mullen's has been my favorite tomato 2 out of the last 3 years. The others are new to me this year.
Marla