Tomatoes & Peppers: Black Tomatoes in GA, 4 by Gymgirl

Gymgirl wrote:
Black Krim is a LONG-season variety, so give it at LEAST 90-120 to mature. The very first one I grew from seed went into my mouth, off the vine, at 150 days from seeding...Best tomato I ever ate...watched it like a hawk, so the two- and four-legged creatures did not get it first...

Also, I found it to be a heavy feeder, so make sure you've either beefed up you soil with lots of organics, or you give it regular (weekly) feedings, but not too much Nitrogen, or you'll end up with a huge, lush, vine, and very little fruits! Finally, be prepared with a sturdy trellis, cause it will be HEAVY, and will pull down most of those little cheapie cages....

I've started using a frame over my tomato beds, and guiding the plants up a leader line thrown over the horizontal bar of the frame. Jute or other sturdy line won't cut into the stem, or snap. Very neat, inexpensive system, although you have to be judicious in training the plant to no more than one, or two (a "vee") main stems.

I repurposed my old, galvanized steel fence posts, sunk 2' on either side. I extended the frame back up to 7', using couplers, 18" PVC pipe, and elbows across the top. Then, I painted the whole thing to match my fence.

This season, I will install another frame on the opposite end of the bed you see, and probably make a box over the bed, with additional PVC horizontals. Then I'll run lines on which to hoist up the 10-15 tomato plants I will put in the bed. I may need a couple of guy? wires to keep the frame from bowing inward under the weight of the loaded plants.

Linda

#1 - Tomato Frame
#2 - Tomato Frame
#3 - 4' of Tomato Growth on Frame
#4 - 7' of Tomato Growth on Frame


This message was edited Feb 1, 2013 11:21 AM