[Errol]

here is a lasagna bed that I grew summer squash in this year. I am adding materials to build it back up to 18 inches high. Here is my plan for 2013 tomatoes...the lasagna bed is 4ftx50ft, I have just set the 2x2's (treated) and drilled holes at the top for the electrical conduit at a height of 6ft., I will have 2 rows of indeterminate tomatoes transplanted 8 inches apart (yep, 8 inches) and between the 2 rows will be 36 inches. They will grow up on twine like in a greenhouse, and will be pruned to one growing stem. I experimented with this this summer with 6 plants, 3were Cherokee purple and 3 were German Pink, and they did really well beyond my expectations. The way I have it figured I can probably get 126 tomato plants in these 2 rows. My experimental tomatoes this yr which were transplanted on july 3 had an average of 6 tomatoes (and large) on each plant. I had topped them at 6 ft high. So I figure if I can average 5 tomatoes per plant and get extra large that will be quiet alot of tomatoes. I believe that by pruning the tomatoes this way, I know I won't have as many maters but will have larger, and I found that by pruning this way, I had tomatoes Ripen in 73 days where as this variety usually takes from 85 - 95 days. Please let me hear what you think on this and any ideas?

thanks and happy gardening

 

[veggiewhisperer]

Errol,

I did an experiment this season with my 'Big Boys.' I planted all 6 in the same location so that the conditions were the same. I pruned only 3, because I wanted to see if pruning was necessary...though I have been pruning my plants since I started growing tomatoes. Anyway, I found that the 3 I did not prune produced more tomatoes about average size. The other 3 produced less, but larger tomatoes. I do not know if my conclusion is true for all tomato types...wish I had room to do multiple varieties at a time.

I hope my findings help.

 

[Errol]

veggiewhisperer, that is also what I found out this year after experimenting with 6 plants set 8 inches apart and pruned. I had larger tomatoes just as your findings, and they seem to ripen faster and I liked this so much I'm going to do this with my tomato crop for 2013. Sooo if it don't work out so well I will be begging maters from you all!! lol
thank you veggiewhisperer
oh by the way, in my plant swap club they nicknamed me the "tomato whisperer"! lol
happy gardening