Florida tomatos

In Florida it is time to plant tomatos. I need some help in growing them in containers. If anyone has done this I would appreciate some pointers. Also, some advice on the best variety to grow.
Thanks,
Patricia

Howdy Patischell. Welcome to DG!!

We've got several members here that live in Florida, I'm sure they be along to post!

I noticed one of our newest Fla member grows in home-made containers. Let me find his post for ya.

Okay, found it. http://davesgarden.com/t/396975/#new

Any other Fla members out there wanna speak up?


This message was edited Monday, Sep 8th 1:26 PM

Thanks so much, Horseshoe. I'm still fumbling around on these forums, don't always know how I got there! I found one interesting site that was about planting tomatos upside-down. If they come out anything like the pictures, I'm sure going to try it. You're NEVER too old to learn (at least that's what I tell myself
Patricia

I keep telling myself that also!

Yep, I remember that upside down mater forum! YOu might wanna try it! (Use big containers tho, like a five gallon bucket, not a flower basket.)


My parents still live in Fla, by the way. (Bradenton/Sarasota area) It is very hot down there in the summer for growing maters. Now that ya'll mater season is starting tho...you might want to try "Heat Wave" or "Hawaiian"...both set very well in the heat. There are tons of others tho...stay tuned, move around DG (Tomatoes Forum, Heirlooms, General Discussion)...folks are pleased as punch when it comes to helping others here!

See ya 'round!

Hi Horseshoe. Being born and raised in the mountains of NC, I sure miss the taste of those tomatos I grew up with. Never found anything to compare, but I'm sure going to try!
Patricia

"Born and raised in the mtns of NC", eh? (Which area?) And now you're in sunny Fla. I'm sure you'll find a compatible mater that will make it. Have you posted in the Tomatoes Forum yet? Might get some more hits over there. Also, the Plants Database has a section devoted to Tomatoes...might wanna check that out.

pati, you've come at the right time to put in your winter FL garden! I've had the best luck (especially in summer) here in Central FL with Sunmaster, Celebrity, and Florida somthing (I'll find it...) varieties of tomatoes. These varieties will handle the FL heat, and I have had some success with them in pots (they really do better in the ground as they don't dry out as fast). Cherry tomatoes, like the variety Sweet 100, do fantastic for me in pots. I plant my 'maters in the 3 gal. plastic nursery pots with stakes and/or cages for support.

Most of my tomatoes are in the ground, though. I built a raised bed for my veggie garden(OK OK, I fess up...I bribed my dad to do it for me with a Dixie Crossroads shrimp dinner). I loaded it mostly with compost (the kind you buy in bags at the Home Depot and Lowe's) and some humus and topsoil. I've added sand from the yard over the years and it's helped to "lighten" the soil quite a bit--it was staying too wet in the summer.

Hope this helps a little.

Thanks Butterfly.This is a grand new adventure for me. Most of my gardening experience was with office plants that had to be changed frequently because of no natural light. You can imagine what kind of tan I had . At home (in Miami) I lived in a kind of jungle of ferns, Bougainvilla and Impatience plants that grew so big they were scary! Now, having moved up the coast to Ft Pierce, all my old NC farmer genes are waking up. I may even end up with a cow and some chickens
Patricia

The one I was trying to remember is Floramerica. I know that Floramerica, and I think also Sunmaster, were developed here in FL at the University of FL, Gainesville.

Here's a great pub from the University Cooperative Extension center on varieties of various kinds of veggies that do well in FL: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VH021

You might want to also ask your local Coop. Extension agents what varieties they recommend there. Happy gardening :)

Butterfly, thanks so much for your reply, and the link was GREAT.
Pati

Glad to be of assistance! I have struggled with this problem myself...still struggling with it, for that matter. Some of the varieties they list just aren't available around here.

Patricia,

Greetings! Next Horseshoe thank you for refering her to the thread.

Now I would be more than glad to help you out Patricia. Tell me a little about your gardening background. What type of containers you are going to be growing in. What type of fertilizer? (chem or organic)How many tomatoes plants are you wanting to grow?

Have you consider Growth Containers or an Earthbox? Seeing how you new to containers I believe the first year out is most important. I've talked to folks who have said ...oh I tried that. The plants did not grow big, or the fruit was tasteless....as such container growing is only good for flowers.

Statements like this are why I say the first time out is the most important. The first year can make or break you as a vegtable growing container gardener.

I going to book-mark this thread and check back tomarrow and look for your answers. From there we can move forward. I can't promise you will win a Blue ribbon the first time out. I can promise ya if you take my advice you will be a container gardener next year.

BTW Butterfly excellent link!

I'm also into fruits...one of them is Pineapples. I have 30 at the minute. Once you get container gardening down some I will be glad to send to you some pineapple pups!
Olds

This message was edited Sep 13, 2003 3:41 AM

This message was edited Sep 13, 2003 3:46 AM

Patricia,
Follow up. Below are two Hyperlinks. Click on them. Now don't let the pictures in the first one worry ya. This was a posting I did due to a request as to how I make my Eight Foot Growth containers. What I would like you to see are the last couple of pictures. In those you will see some of the thing I grow in a container.

A standard Earthbox (the smallest one shown in my pictures) is just fine and so fool proof for the new person. The second Hyperlink is to the Earthbox site.
Olds
The Pictureshttp://www.dow-mgc.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/turret/dow/iB3/ikonboard.cgi?s=cddea783974538d8a0e4ccf93a9cf91a;act=ST;f=1;t=1156
Earthboxhttp://earthbox.com (No you don't have to have an earthbox to grow in. But it is fool proof!)

Hi Olds,
THANK YOU for all the information. First, let me say you have a magnificent dog! My Pit, Dolly, was a brindle and white, pink nose and smiley mouth. Such a sweetheart, I still miss her.

Now, as to what I know about gardening, containers, fertilizers, etc., zilch, zero, nada! Considering the space I have and my ancient age (grin), I plan to be puttering around with just a few tomatos, HARDY sun loving flowers and as many flowering vines I can get to grow on my trellis and 18' fence. Top of my wish list is an old fashioned bushy, fast climbing Rose. I have received so many replies to my inquiries from dedicated, passionate gardeners that I am embarassed by my tiny, front of the apartment, wanna-be garden! I have carefully printed off all the info and plan to take it with me on a round of the local nurseries tomorrow. So far my only claim to fame are my two 36" window boxes. I planted Purple Pentas and Golden Fleece Dahlberg Daisys - and they lived!

I love reading the posts and following the links. It's like being on an old fashioned party line telephone. By the way, you sure do keep some late hours!
Patricia

Patricia

Tell what I'm going to do! I removing the 5 earthboxes I purchased to make room for larger Growth Containers. 3 are already spoken for. That leaves 2 earthboxes for the taking. They are yours if you want them. Postage on me. If you want them--rather than post your address here--E-mail me your address. (minor@tampabay.rr.com) I should be able to send them out no later than Tuesday.

Next about my hours. This is going to sound funny to ya, and anyone else who reads this. I split shift sleep. This is because I have crews working at night. Plus I market our business in the daytime. On a good night when the crews get in I go to bed by 1am. On a not so good night I go to bed by 6 am. I always get up my 8-9 am. Work until 3-5 pm and then sleep til 9-10 pm. Last night I over slept til midnight! Got to bed this morning 5:30 am and got up at 10! It is Saturday so I allowed myself to sleep in one extra hour! Ta Da--so now you know the rest of the story!

I'm sorry about your lost of Dolly. I know that while we will always have dogs...Skyway is my last one. Last night he slipped half way off of his couch. He was fighting trying to get back up when I noticed. As he turn to give up I grapped his back end and helped lift him back on the couch. You just can't imagine the heart pain I felt. Then he looks up and gives me a big wet kiss. Yepper I can understand your feelings towards Dolly.

Anyway enough of this *tear* stuff. Please let me know if you would like the earthboxes. Again postage on me.
Olds

You are the MOST generous person I have ever known! Yes, I would LOVE to have the boxes, and will contact you right now.
You have touched my heart with Skyway's problem. As we grow older with our dogs, we come to realize that the most sincere and purest form of love are expressed in those big wet kisses.
Patricia

Got your E-mail and replied.
Olds