I am trying a couple of tomatoes in big pots again this year (about my 3rd try) and so far am not impressed. I may get a tomato before it snows. I live at 8300 feet in Colorado and move the pots in at night if I doubt the overnight lows. A neighbor has a lovely greenhouse (looks like a kit) and I'm wondering if I should install one of those instead of using containers. Does anyone know if a greenhouse would help veggies grow better, considering my elevation? I can't think of any other reason why things won't grow in pots here. We are hot and sunny all day long.
Containers vs Greenhouses
Hi Swatson, welcome to DG.
I bet you'd have better luck w/a greenhouse, as long as you can ventilate it well during the hot parts of the day. A lot of times a small greenhouse will heat up too fast and too hot and then also won't retain the heat very long during the nite. So if you get one get good fans/louvers as well as a heat system.
I wonder how cold your nites get this time of year. Very cold? Am curious also what kind of tomatoes you've tried. Perhaps those with a short maturation date may come thru for you if you haven't tried them.
I guess there could be lots of factors as to why you're not getting fruit...watering well? feeding them well?
Maybe a bit more info from you will help us to better help out, okay? (Will be watching this post.)
I agree with Horseshoe. The night temperature is important. Good gardening!
I agree.....we need more info. on day/night temps., the soil you are using, and fertilizer in your containers....variety of tomato you are trying to grow, etc. etc.
Is your neighbor raising tomatoes in his greenhouse??
Owen
Here are some of the details you folks asked for. Day temps are in the upper 70 to low 80 range. Overnight temperatures are in the mid-40 range. I take the plants in some nights but not all. They seem fine either way, and I have a potted Mandevilla (tropical) I leave out at night that is okay as well. Keep in mind that our sun is quite intense up here and we get a lot of it. Our 80 degrees feels pretty hot. There are no cloudy days. I fertilize with plain old Miracle Gro for tomatoes about once a week. I can't remember the soil I bought but I know I did not skimp. I bought it at a garden center and bought specifically for these plants. One is a Lemon Boy and one is a Park's Whopper. I think both were to mature at about the same time, but the Lemon Boy is definitely happier than the Whopper. It had 2 golf ball-sized tomatoes on it until yesterday when my 3-yr-old picked one to feed to the birds. That one has a lot of flowers and the Whopper has some flowers. The Whopper's first flowers dried up and the tiny fruits just turned brown and fell off. The plants are not as robust as I know they should be. Main stalks are pencil-thin and plants are 2-ft tall. Most people here only grow peas, lettuces, etc. in cold frames. So am I doomed, or do I need a greenhouse?
Those low night time temperatures are certainly not too conducive to tomato growing. Maybe try a tomato variety that is better for cold regions of the country next summer.
If I was you.....I would try sprinkling a small handfull of granular fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 5-10-10 on top of the soil in the containers, and then cover it with just a bit of soil or mulch. Would also add a couple tablespoonfuls of lime at the same time. Tomatoes don't like soil that is too acidic. I always mix granular fertilizer in the container potting soil prior to setting out the plants, and then add more about this time of summer to the top. I have found they also like diluted (about 1/8th strength) Miracle Grow at least once a day. Try not to let the vines wilt from dryness. Hope you are using at least 2 gallon size containers.....5 gallon is better, but really not by that much, from my experience raising lots of tomatoes in various sized containers last summer. I am using mostly newly constructed raised beds this year, as well as three cherry tomatoes planted upside down from the bottom of hanging baskets.....all are doing wonderfully:)
I assume you have rocks in the bottoms of the containers, and "saucers" under them; same as most containers for raising veggies and flowers.
Hope this helps, and that the other guys can add some even more useful help for you:)
Owen in WV
This message was edited Saturday, Jul 13th 9:40 AM
Yes to all of the above questions about my pots. And the plants are brought into the house most nights, so I don't know about the temperatures being the problem. In fact, I started occasionally leaving them out at night because they looked so bad when I consistently brought them in. I'm wondering if it's something about the angle of the sun in the sky at our elevation. Are there any other high altitude people who know if this could be an issue?
I have been rechecking our overnight lows to see if they're as low as I thought, and they're not. We're so bloody hot and dry, and our lows are in the 54-58 degree range. Not bad at all. Any new observations on my problem? I have more tiny tomatoes coming on, but the plants look so sickly and puny. I'd love to learn how (or if) I can do this successfully. I surely do hate to hand someone $3 for 3 tomatoes at the farmers' market.
Well, I'm wondering about the "pencil thin stalks". Sounds like if they are that thin and as tall as you say then either there is not enuff light (and they are doing their best to seek some) or too much nitrogen. Miracle Grow has been touted as having entirely TOO much N for tomatoes (being organic I've never used it so can't say from personal experience). I can definitely say tho that maters get by on very little nitrogen and, as you well know, too much N just makes for all plant and no fruit. Feeding the plants once a wk sounds like a bit much also. If it were me I'd go with some fish emulsion/kelp and use it as a foliar spray (especially use the kelp...it's been proven to really help plants deal much more efficiently with cooler temps than plants that do not receive kelp).
I'm like you swatson, I'd like to hear more input from other high altitude growers.
A new friend of mine works at Colorado Research and grows tomatoes (and many many peppers)...if you like, email me. I'll forward it on!
Thanks Horshoe, I may do that in a day or two if I don't hear from anyone here. It's funny you should mention the Miracle Gro. Since my problems haven't gone away, I've ditched the Miracle Gro. I'm trying everything, including a break from plant food. It's not helped, though. The plants are still producing lots of flowers and I've got lots of tiny tomatoes and one decent sized one, but the plants are puny and there are more yellow leaves than I'd like to see. They're in good sunlight for about 10 or 11 hours a day. I move the pots around if I need to. Can you tell me more about the fish emulsion/kelp concoction? What exactly are your proportions and is this just powdered kelp like in the health food store? Will I need to take my plants in at night since they'll smell like fish? We have bears here.
Horseshoe... Did you ever answer swatson's question "about the fish emulsion/kelp concoction? What exactly are your proportions and is this just powdered kelp like in the health food store?"
I'm re-reading some old threads about kelp and came across this one.
Back of Beyond, lol. Housing may be cheap there Darius, compared to Asheville and Brevard.
There are several varieties that I use here because our temperatures rarely get over 80 deg even though I am at 3,000 feet, not 8,000. There are some varities named Mountain this and Mountain that. I like Mountain Pride.
Betty, it really IS the Back of Beyond. The town of Hayesville has under 300 residents, and the county, just over 8,000.... least populated county in NC. All but the city people must live on the lake. Nearest grocery is 15 miles, hardware store is 20 miles...
Housing is definitely not cheap here! Lake Chatuge, being only 2 hours from Atlanta, draws the big bucks/no sense people. Crummy narrow waterfront lots, nearly unbuildable, go for $250,000 and up. Right now, the lake is a big mudpile, thanks to TVA. They will fill it for summer, though.
(Not that I want waterfront... I DO NOT! I want a GARDEN!)
Wow! So you are officially moved now, darius? Great! (if so.)
I wonder if I answered Swatson in an email. As for the question he/she asked...I use store-bought fish emulsion (usually Alaska brand) mixed 1-3 tblspoons per gallon, depending on what I'm doing with it.
Also, the kelp I've used for the last 4 years has been put out by Garden's Alive. Called "maxi crop" it is water soluble and really doesn't smell much. I tend to use it in the greenhouse during the plant growth periods and in the veggie garden during the summer months. Haven't used it in the house on the houseplants. (Would definitely NOT use the fish emulsion in the house...too stinky, even the "deodorized" stuff smells to me!)
Thanks, 'Shoe... I just got some powdered kelp from Garden's Alive. Haven't even opened the box yet, but FINALLY I'm able to start to plan, and start seeds now!
Yes, I'm "officially" moved to my temp. home, and I'm all in complete disarray. Can only find clean underwear and a toothbrush so the jeans are taking a beating in the wash, LOL. It will be 2-3 weeks to remember which storage unit has which stuff in it, much less find it.
HAH!....you po thang you! And them po dizzy jeans, getting washed like that!
I'm hoping your temp is super temp so you can find place to own and do what you want to it. Think you'll be there long enuff to do a garden this year?
'Shoe.. I hope not (no real sun or space for 'maters, etc.) , but I DO need to do some plantings here for my aunt before I leave. It's a very steep hillside, and I think it gets a lot of shade. The most available space is on the north side, facing the water. I have NO experience with that kind of terrain.
I planted about a dozen azaleas last fall arouind the edge of the driveway from (taken up from a job I did) and most have signs of new growth. The dirt here is incredibly easy to dig into!
Oh my...
So, little sun, and cold winds off the lake...wish I was more up on shade-lovers that like cold/winds. Sorry.
Congrats on the azaleas tho! I'd say that's success!
Hopefully you'll be using your new abode as headquarters so you can go scout about for your very own place to live. Sure am sending vibes to help make it happen!
Thanks, Horseshoe!
Well, where are you going after you finish at your aunt's house? I thought you were near Fontana, not Lake Chatuge until later. I'm getting out my map..
Betty, I was never going to be near Fontana, although my stuff is in storage in Andrews where my best friend lives.
The most liklely (affordable) place I may end up is Murphy if I stay in NC. I'm beginning to be worried about cost of living and how far I can stretch my SS check.
Murphy is a pretty place - - nice and quiet, but definately off the beaten path.
ah, Andrews is what gave me the idea about Fontana. I'm still working because John and I couldn't live off his social security either. I can't wait to reitre but don't want to be old enough to retire, ya know what I mean?
I hope I can hang in there for another year and a half....
If I hear about any great housing deals, I'll let you know. There's usually some good bargains in Rosman, where the thrift shop is..........
Swatson, have you considered growing them hydroponicallY? They grow 3 times faster than with soil.
http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/
Cindy