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bush tomatoes

PatsyFaganPatsyFagan Posts: 51
in Fruit & veg

Good morning ..

I have tried several times unsuccessfully to grow tomatoes in my garden, but they always succumb to blight. :( Then I heard (on GQT ?) that bush/trailing tomatoes in a hanging basket may be successful. As I have 3 large baskets never used, I thought I would try this method. However yesterday my friend thought he would surprise me with a gift of a hanging basked pre planted .. with 3 plants. The basket is quite small (in fact smaller than the ones I was planning to use) and I think that it will at least require copious watering. Will they survive, or should I re-plant them (or even buy 3 plants from my local nursery as they are very reasonably priced ? ;) and compare the crop ? 

No-one knows if you have done your house-work, but everyone knows is you haven't done your gardening 

Posts

  • pokhimpokhim Posts: 210

    Your friend put 3 tomato plants in the same basket? do you know what variety they are?.. 

    I would have though 1 tomato plant will do for each basket as they can get quite big and heavy! Perhaps do 1 basket with toms and add a couple of begonias and basil plants too. 3 toms for 1 basket is too much IMO.

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340

    I grow 1 bush tom in each 18" hanging basket and they more than fill the entire basket.
    They'll need a very sunny spot and in hot weather may need watering twice a day. Don;t feed until you see the first tiny toms forming on the truss.
    My favourite is Maskotka but I also grow a tumbling tom out of habit


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • PatsyFaganPatsyFagan Posts: 51

    Thanks .... my friend bought this planter from Wyevale - already planted up with the 3 plants .. it is only 25cm in diameter !   I intend to use baskets 36cm in diameter. Bless him, he thought I would be pleased.

    All the plants are Tumbling Tom Red ... - the only ones I saw in my local nursery too. I am hopeless at growing stuff from seed ,

    thanks for the idea of growing basil alongside them .

    No-one knows if you have done your house-work, but everyone knows is you haven't done your gardening 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340

    ~If you have space, a marigold or 2 will help keep aphids at bay


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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