Tomato question

tqn626 · March 17, 2013

I planted some tomatoes in the ground and some in a container. I dug a big ditch and dump my soil mix in. The tomato in the container is growing faster then the ones in the ground.

edweather · March 17, 2013

In my experience they do grow faster in containers than in the ground.

DavidP · March 17, 2013

I bet the soil in the container is warmer than the soil in ground especially after the warm weather recently and at this point in the season.

Farmette · March 18, 2013

My tomatoes seem to grow faster in containers, but grow larger .
when planted in the ground

tqn626 · March 21, 2013

Not too thrilled with the tomatoes i stuck into the ground. Growing really slow atm, wish the weather would get hotter. The ones in the containers are growing super fast.

Ms. Jitomate · March 21, 2013

Tnq626, what's your soil temperature in the ground? Do you have a probe thermometer you can stick in the ground? I'm curious because we are in the same area. Today my soil is at 61 degrees F. How is the soil in the ground different than the containers? The temperature in my small container (they will be put in the ground, eventually.) is at 74 degrees F and they are growing faster than the ones in the ground. I know you like Empire Builder's for your container tomatoes, so that has lots of additional ingredients perhaps than the tomatoes in the ground. I bet it's the difference of the temperature that is speeding the container tomatoes. How large are your containers and are they black? Color of your pots can also affect the soil in your containers. Also my soil is near my tan garage wall so it reflects light onto my tomato plants. Tomatoes love warm soil!

ginger2778 · March 21, 2013

My in the ground tomatoes last year never even came close to the same varieties in the earthboxes, not for the entire growing season. This year it was earthboxes all the way, and they took off and kept on , still are to a slightly lesser degree, and they were planted out on Nov. 18th. I won't be going back to the ground ever!
Marsha

tqn626 · March 22, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ms. Jitomate

Tnq626, what's your soil temperature in the ground? Do you have a probe thermometer you can stick in the ground? I'm curious because we are in the same area. Today my soil is at 61 degrees F. How is the soil in the ground different than the containers? The temperature in my small container (they will be put in the ground, eventually.) is at 74 degrees F and they are growing faster than the ones in the ground. I know you like Empire Builder's for your container tomatoes, so that has lots of additional ingredients perhaps than the tomatoes in the ground. I bet it's the difference of the temperature that is speeding the container tomatoes. How large are your containers and are they black? Color of your pots can also affect the soil in your containers. Also my soil is near my tan garage wall so it reflects light onto my tomato plants. Tomatoes love warm soil!

I use black containers about 5 gallon size. Experimenting with different soils. The ones in the ground have the exact same soil as the ones in the pots. I'm sure the ones in the ground will pick up once the weather gets warmer. Also, I think the ones in the ground are more focused on their root structure.

I had a cherry tomato plant last year that was planted in my front yard against the wall getting only half-day sun. It grew massive, probably 8 feet wide and 6 feet tall.

Empire builder is great for SWC if you don't make your own mix. Works perfectly right out of the bag. I do make my own mix also, it's working just as well.

Ms. Jitomate · March 22, 2013

Tnq626, I also heard from Steve Goto, the Tomato Man in our area, that small tomatoes don't need as much sun but beefsteak tomatoes or large tomato producers need warmer soil to get them going so he suggested planting those after April 1st.

Steve Goto will be at Lincoln Nursery in Pasadena this Saturday at 1:30 pm. He provides two hours of Tomato growing information.

I am still building trellises, but 5 of my small tomato producers are in the ground! I need 12 more plantings.

tqn626 · March 24, 2013

I'm still debating on what kind of trelis to build. Thinking go going the pvc route or maybe just get some bamboo sticks.

I just went over my grandparents home where i planted 5 tomatoes in the ground at the same time i did mines. Theirs is double the size of mines. They were planted inbetween 3 trees.

March 17, 2013	#1
tqn626 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Gabriel, CA Posts: 145	Tomato question I planted some tomatoes in the ground and some in a container. I dug a big ditch and dump my soil mix in. The tomato in the container is growing faster then the ones in the ground.

March 17, 2013	#2
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 393	In my experience they do grow faster in containers than in the ground. __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

March 17, 2013	#3
DavidP Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Riverside, Southern California, USDA 9b, Sunset 19 Posts: 63	I bet the soil in the container is warmer than the soil in ground especially after the warm weather recently and at this point in the season.

March 18, 2013	#4
Farmette Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 985	My tomatoes seem to grow faster in containers, but grow larger . when planted in the ground

March 21, 2013	#5
tqn626 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Gabriel, CA Posts: 145	Not too thrilled with the tomatoes i stuck into the ground. Growing really slow atm, wish the weather would get hotter. The ones in the containers are growing super fast.

March 21, 2013	#6
Ms. Jitomate Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: San Gabriel Valley, CA Posts: 99	Tnq626, what's your soil temperature in the ground? Do you have a probe thermometer you can stick in the ground? I'm curious because we are in the same area. Today my soil is at 61 degrees F. How is the soil in the ground different than the containers? The temperature in my small container (they will be put in the ground, eventually.) is at 74 degrees F and they are growing faster than the ones in the ground. I know you like Empire Builder's for your container tomatoes, so that has lots of additional ingredients perhaps than the tomatoes in the ground. I bet it's the difference of the temperature that is speeding the container tomatoes. How large are your containers and are they black? Color of your pots can also affect the soil in your containers. Also my soil is near my tan garage wall so it reflects light onto my tomato plants. Tomatoes love warm soil!

March 21, 2013	#7
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	My in the ground tomatoes last year never even came close to the same varieties in the earthboxes, not for the entire growing season. This year it was earthboxes all the way, and they took off and kept on , still are to a slightly lesser degree, and they were planted out on Nov. 18th. I won't be going back to the ground ever! Marsha

March 22, 2013	#9
Ms. Jitomate Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: San Gabriel Valley, CA Posts: 99	Tnq626, I also heard from Steve Goto, the Tomato Man in our area, that small tomatoes don't need as much sun but beefsteak tomatoes or large tomato producers need warmer soil to get them going so he suggested planting those after April 1st. Steve Goto will be at Lincoln Nursery in Pasadena this Saturday at 1:30 pm. He provides two hours of Tomato growing information. I am still building trellises, but 5 of my small tomato producers are in the ground! I need 12 more plantings.

March 24, 2013	#10
tqn626 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Gabriel, CA Posts: 145	I'm still debating on what kind of trelis to build. Thinking go going the pvc route or maybe just get some bamboo sticks. I just went over my grandparents home where i planted 5 tomatoes in the ground at the same time i did mines. Theirs is double the size of mines. They were planted inbetween 3 trees.