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support for tomatoes

chriscavell0683chriscavell0683 Posts: 48
in Problem solving
Hi all
Rookie error (I know what I should have done now) but while trying to keep my little one entertained in the early days of lockdown, I decided we should plant some things, look after them and watch them grow. One of the experiments was tomatoes which I took from the seeds inside a shop bought tomato.. Didn't think it would grow but it has and it's huge!
I started off using bamboo sticks and now I'm having to forage planks of wood to build a sort of fence to stop them falling over. Obviously this makes it a little difficult to keep on top of pruning and picking so I was wondering if any of you had an ingenious idea for keeping them upright?

Thanks

Posts

  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Planks!😱 How big is it.🤯 As its outside it won't be long before its finished for the season ( from now in the North to end September in the south of england) so maybe remove some leaves to take the weight off the plant for now will suffice. Also I do hope you have removed the growing tips from all the ends of the plant, to aid the ripening of any fruit it has already.😁
  • chriscavell0683chriscavell0683 Posts: 48
    It's (from the top of the soil) about 5ft 6 but weighty.. I've been pruning every 2 weeks (taking off the side shoots and removing some of the bottom ones). They're really fruit heavy and have just started to turn red now. Loads of green still left. 
    I take off some of the "branches" etc to help thin it out a bit but it's just leaning unless I have a fence around it  :D 
    I didn't expect anything to grow that well tbh so was utterly unprepared lol
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Brilliant @chriscavell0683 - but you do realise that if do them next year, and do all the right procedure, they'll not grow at all!  ;)
    Have you got them indoors or out? I'm assuming out....
    Canes are usually the easiest and simplest supports, but it would depend on where you have them and what you could make use of.
    If they're near a fence or wall, you can always get some vine eyes in and attach soft string to those, encircling it a bit. 
    Whatever supports you already have there - some soft string tied round them would suffice. If you tie securely to a support, then wind round and tied to the next one and so on, if that makes sense.
    The important thing is to make sure the supports are sturdy, so that they can withstand any rough weather.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    If they are free standing maybe a tee pee of bamboo might keep them up 
  • chriscavell0683chriscavell0683 Posts: 48
    @Fairygirl
     lol you're probably right. They're outside in a raised bed. I started with bamboo canes but they've pushed them out and are sprawling everywhere so I built them a "little" fenced enclosure. Will they last the winter or will I have to plant more again? 

    @purplerallim
    I started off with a Bamboo teepee but they've run wild lol
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They're really annuals, although in hot countries they can be kept overwinter.
    Easy from seed - and if you get the bug, you can buy seed and grow several plants next year.  :)
    You'll get plenty of help and advice here if you choose to do that. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Growing from seed is so easy, plus you get fresh healthy new plants, so start again in March/April ready to plant out end of May, that way you should get earlier ripe toms. Also would suggest sungold cherry toms as they ripen early outside, and can be grown in a bush style too.😁 
    For this years green ones there is always green tomato chutney.😁
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