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Sweet million tomatoes, gardeners delight tomato tips

BlenkironBlenkiron Posts: 44
in Fruit & veg
im going to be making a raised herb bed and thinking of adding sweet million and gardeners delight tomatos at the back... 

what sort of root depth do they have, also how much space will they need and are they a particularly bushy variety? 
Im a complete beginner in tomato’s so any advice is massively appreciated. 

The raised bed bed would be bottom less and be about 1ft high x 1ft wide x 4ft long

thankyou 

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I have always grown sweet million and gardeners delight as cordons. Pinch out all side shoots. Strap the main shoot to a stout cane.   A bed that size would be ample for two plants or your herbs but not both.  I grow tomatoes in large pots. Herbs require well drained conditions. Tomatoes like more water.
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    The tom plants would need to be central, back to front, to allow growth all round. Are they going to be in a sunny spot too as they need to bake somewhat. I think if you have room put the toms in garden tubs , the kind you use for bedding plants instead,  and grow salad or spring onions or even carrots in the raised bed as toms are greedy feeders and water hogs so wouldn't share well. Hope this helps.
  • chickychicky Posts: 10,410
    Like fidget, I grow GD as cordons in pots - roots don’t take up that much room and they get about 8ft tall before I stop them.  Prolific and very tasty 😋 
  • BlenkironBlenkiron Posts: 44
    fidgetbones said:
    I have always grown sweet million and gardeners delight as cordons. Pinch out all side shoots. Strap the main shoot to a stout cane.   A bed that size would be ample for two plants or your herbs but not both.  I grow tomatoes in large pots. Herbs require well drained conditions. Tomatoes like more water.

    Thanks for the advice, thinking of a planter like this (along with making it look abit better), 4ftx1.5x1. Length, depth then height.

    The only herbs I’m planning on putting in here are basil, chives, sage and thyme... think I’ll have enough space for tomato’s? Or even carrots?

    the spot it will be in gets sun almost all day long.
    thanks 
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Two tom plants or herbs or carrots not room to mix.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I agree too - 2 cordon tom's max
    You could get away with some basil at the front - and a few French Marigolds  - they both deter whitefly and are good companions for tomatoes. Sage and thyme like dry conditions, so not suitable - chives will end up everywhere and they'll all take up root space that your toms desperately need - grow the other herbs in pots.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • hayden729hayden729 Posts: 3
    I agree, it's best just to keep your herbs separate from the veg.


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    bit.ly/2CRV0a7
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