I'm new to gardening. I bought some tomato plants and they're doing
well. Each was marked at a certain number of days such as 'Early Girl 80
Days'. What is 80 days? Does it mean the number of days from seed to
edible fruits or something else?

I saw no explanation of 'days' anywhere in the garden center where I
bought the plants. As a comment, I bought these plants which were about
as tall as my thumb in early June. Today they are up to my chin - or
about 165 cm. They are intermingled because I only planted them maybe 30
cm apart. I figure they are ok that close. Should I trim off the
branches which intrude on their neighbors?

I'm new to gardening. I bought some tomato plants and they're doing
well. Each was marked at a certain number of days such as 'Early Girl 80
Days'. What is 80 days? Does it mean the number of days from seed to
edible fruits or something else?

Well, sorta. Best use for this sort of information is "which of these
cultivars will ripen soonest?" in a relative sort of way, rather than
counting on the "days" thing to mean much. And yes, it's supposed to be
days from planting to harvest (first harvest in the case of things that
will keep producing for awhile) However, in the real world, the actual
number of days to harvest will be strongly dependent on air and soil
temperatures and amount of sunlight.

I saw no explanation of 'days' anywhere in the garden center where I
bought the plants. As a comment, I bought these plants which were about
as tall as my thumb in early June. Today they are up to my chin - or
about 165 cm. They are intermingled because I only planted them maybe 30
cm apart. I figure they are ok that close. Should I trim off the
branches which intrude on their neighbors?

I usually plant tomatoes about 30" on center, or about 75 cm apart,
with about a meter or 1.25 meters between rows. The closest I'd consider
planting the tomato cultivars you list is about 18", about 45 cm. apart
in the row, and that if the plants are trellised. They're really competing
pretty hard for sunlight and nutrients and water at such a close
spacing. No, I probably wouldn't trim, but try a wider spacing next
year. Bet you'll get more yield per plant.

Kay

Kay Lancaster wrote:
I'm new to gardening. I bought some tomato plants and they're doing
well. Each was marked at a certain number of days such as 'Early Girl 80
Days'. What is 80 days? Does it mean the number of days from seed to
edible fruits or something else?

Well, sorta. Best use for this sort of information is "which of these
cultivars will ripen soonest?" in a relative sort of way, rather than
counting on the "days" thing to mean much. And yes, it's supposed to be
days from planting to harvest (first harvest in the case of things that
will keep producing for awhile) However, in the real world, the actual
number of days to harvest will be strongly dependent on air and soil
temperatures and amount of sunlight.

I saw no explanation of 'days' anywhere in the garden center where I
bought the plants. As a comment, I bought these plants which were about
as tall as my thumb in early June. Today they are up to my chin - or
about 165 cm. They are intermingled because I only planted them maybe 30
cm apart. I figure they are ok that close. Should I trim off the
branches which intrude on their neighbors?

I usually plant tomatoes about 30" on center, or about 75 cm apart,
with about a meter or 1.25 meters between rows. The closest I'd consider
planting the tomato cultivars you list is about 18", about 45 cm. apart
in the row, and that if the plants are trellised. They're really competing
pretty hard for sunlight and nutrients and water at such a close
spacing. No, I probably wouldn't trim, but try a wider spacing next
year. Bet you'll get more yield per plant.

Thanks, Kay. Impossible for me to hope for more tomatoes if the ones
which are now green turn red. Yet clearly, they are competing for space
and sun which can't be good.

Next year I'll greatly enlarge the garden. My wife understands these
things. I took a day when she was at a seminar to purchase the materials
and do the plantings as a surprise.

Not surprised I did it a bit wrong.

-paul

In article ,
Kay Lancaster wrote:

I'm new to gardening. I bought some tomato plants and they're doing
well. Each was marked at a certain number of days such as 'Early Girl 80
Days'. What is 80 days? Does it mean the number of days from seed to
edible fruits or something else?

Well, sorta. Best use for this sort of information is "which of these
cultivars will ripen soonest?" in a relative sort of way, rather than
counting on the "days" thing to mean much. And yes, it's supposed to be
days from planting to harvest (first harvest in the case of things that
will keep producing for awhile) However, in the real world, the actual
number of days to harvest will be strongly dependent on air and soil
temperatures and amount of sunlight.

I saw no explanation of 'days' anywhere in the garden center where I
bought the plants. As a comment, I bought these plants which were about
as tall as my thumb in early June. Today they are up to my chin - or
about 165 cm. They are intermingled because I only planted them maybe 30
cm apart. I figure they are ok that close. Should I trim off the
branches which intrude on their neighbors?

I usually plant tomatoes about 30" on center, or about 75 cm apart,
with about a meter or 1.25 meters between rows. The closest I'd consider
planting the tomato cultivars you list is about 18", about 45 cm. apart
in the row, and that if the plants are trellised. They're really competing
pretty hard for sunlight and nutrients and water at such a close
spacing. No, I probably wouldn't trim, but try a wider spacing next
year. Bet you'll get more yield per plant.

Kay

What are your thoughts on topping tomatoes in arbors? I start pinching
off the meristems once the vine reaches the top of the arbor (cage). My
reasoning is that the vines would otherwise eventually flop back on
themselves blocking sun light to the lower part of the plant. Making it
a waste of energy that could have gone into the production of fruit.

Controlled growth vs uncontrolled growth.
--
Billy
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/

On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 09:56:45 -0700, Billy Rose wrote:

What are your thoughts on topping tomatoes in arbors? I start pinching
off the meristems once the vine reaches the top of the arbor (cage). My
reasoning is that the vines would otherwise eventually flop back on
themselves blocking sun light to the lower part of the plant. Making it
a waste of energy that could have gone into the production of fruit.

Trellised tends to protect the fruit from sunburn; I personally prefer to
grow mine sprawled on clean mulch (better yield per plant). I wouldn't top
tomatoes; the plants know what they're doing pretty well. ;-)
Remember the part you're trimming off also is photosynthetic, and loaded
with minerals the plant has had to absorb, translocate and turn into various
compounds -- might as well let them keep it, is my motto. Also, removing
apical meristems tends to cause more branching further down the plant...
I really don't want the plant pushing for more vegetative growth while it's
fruiting.

But methods of growing tomatoes get a bit into almost-theological debates
at time... so if you've got a method that works well for you, use it, is my
motto. If you've got a method you want to experiment with, then try it.
I've known gardeners who have practically espaliered tomatoes, and gotten
nice fruit. I'm in the "least effort" camp, and have gotten good fruit.
Tomatoes are pretty cooperative about growing no matter what, in my experience.

To the OP: if your plants are flexible enough and you've got enough room,
you could try to encourage every other plant to lean forward onto grass
or mulch, which would give more exposed leaf area for interception of
light. Or you can just say, "next year"! :-) Most of us are not subsistence
farming... we're gardening for the pleasure of it. So celebrate the
tomatoes you get this year, and do a little reading for next year....

Kay

In article ,
Kay Lancaster wrote:

Most of us are not subsistence
farming... we're gardening for the pleasure of it.

That could change, it seems as if the wind has shifted, and thanks for
the feed back. My gardening keeps me centered. The rest of the world may
go to hell but as long as I'm here, my garden will be healthy. Starting
with the rhizosphere.
--
Billy
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/

Kay Lancaster wrote:


To the OP: if your plants are flexible enough and you've got enough room,
you could try to encourage every other plant to lean forward onto grass
or mulch, which would give more exposed leaf area for interception of
light. Or you can just say, "next year"! :-) Most of us are not subsistence
farming... we're gardening for the pleasure of it. So celebrate the
tomatoes you get this year, and do a little reading for next year....


Hmm, well, although the plants are clearly intertwined, I can't train
them to go anywhere. Again, my embarrassment in being ignorant.

Last fall I gathered some datura seeds figuring they had a nice look to
that plant. I put the seeds in the tomato garden and also some other
wild seeds from buffalo squash plants I found (while riding my bicycle).
Also a bunch of flowers I can't ID.

The upshot is my garden is a riot of plant activity. I can't see even a
square mm of dirt if viewed from above. There is no room for anything at
all. I had no idea the size these plants would grow if I put them in a
garden I made with Miracle Grow dirt and the same brand chemical
fertilizer. I have buffalo squash plant tendrils intertwined within my
tomato plants, peppers in the squash, datura in everything and gosh
knows what else is in there such as flowers, a watermelon plant and some
morning glories.

I've harvested maybe 10 tomatoes. They tasted great and didn't have any
insect damage. I can't spray for insects because my wife forbids this.
She's an organic person.

I'm anticipating a good tomato crop as I have maybe 50 green tomatoes on
the 6 plants and another 30 on the 'cherry' tomato plant. Next year I
plan on drastically expanding the garden to accommodate the plants in
their real sizes. I had no idea a plant the size of my thumb (tomato)
would grow to be 170 cm tall in two months.

As to the reaction of datura to Miracle Grow, well the less said the
better. I'm feeling a bit embarrassed but also tickled that my first
garden is so green.

-paul