Tumblers!
 

I've been looking for an early, really good tumbling tomato for hanging baskets. These are my first tomatoes of the year, and I like to start them in mid-February here in 5b using lights until about mid-April. Then into the cold frame. The problem is that most of these don't "tumble" well under these growing conditions. Instead they develop a main stem and get really tall for the space I have available. I thought I'd found a solution with "Tumbling Junior Yellow." They did have a nice growth habit, but did not taste very good at all to me. This year I started some Tumbling Tom Red, and although the advertised maturity is 63-75 days (say as opposed to Tumbler's supposed 49-days), the growth habit is terrific. Most of these plants are short and very well branched -- looking like miniature pine trees! I'm also trying "Tumbling Tiger" which is supposedly compact and earlier and from the same breeder, Vegetalis. So far, Tiger looks great. You can tell a lot of the growth habit within the first week after sprouting -- this one is staying nice an compact. High hopes for T.Tiger.

Has anyone found any other candidates that grow compactly and taste good? I'd love to hear if you have.

-GG

Hi, Greatgardens. I've never tried tomatoes in hanging baskets, but I wondered if something like Terenzo might work? They always show them in baskets in catalogs. You could also check out the yougrowgirl.com website. She grows a lot of things in almost every container imaginable.

I've had terrenzo in a hanging basket, and I love that variety, but the vines don't tumble that well. I liked Tumbling Tom Yellow a lot better than the red, but I never tried the "junior" one.

The trick to getting Tumbler to actually tumble and make a nice basket is to pinch it.

When the plant has 4-6 leaves, pinch out the growing tip. You will then get a branch growing from each leaf axial. Train them to fall in various directions around the basket as evenly as possible.

Carol

gartenperle is a pretty pink OP tumbler. an old fashioned one and very good.

for a hybrid, the F1 simply called "tumbler" is a classic and always reliable.

Also, Tatiana stabilized two, Anmore treasures and Anmore dewdrop, a pink and a red. I have seeds for the 3 op ones, PM me if you want some .both of tania's are larger plants but good at "tumbling" with that lax stem habit that makes them good for baskets.

KO

A perfect tumbler is Whippersnapper, another one Pendulina Orange (there are also a yellow and a red version).

Thanks for the replies! That pinching advice seems like it is a terrific idea. Never thought of that! I've grown Whippersnapper, and to be honest, I had forgotten all about it. Yes, I bet it would do well. All great ideas -- thanks!

-GG

Just saw this thread, GG, and wanted to share that I started some tomatoes in hanging baskets for the first time this year on Feb. 14th. Aiaparl, Ditmarsher, Jagodka and Pearly Pink Orange all have that hanging growth habit without any pinching and we've been eating ripe tomatoes from them for about a week now.

Not sure if you start your plants from seed but if you'd like to try any of these, I'd be happy to share some seeds with you.

kath

Thanks for the kind offer, kath. At the end of the season, please let us know how the varieties did. Might take you up on one of them.

I am almost ready to plant the "Tumbling Tiger" in an EarthBox, just as soon as the spinach is gone. TT has formed a nice little mound -- definitely restrained growth habit. Now if it will just taste good! I also pinched out a Tumbling Tom Red, and it is branching very nicely. Of course, it is not an early variety, but the pinching alternative really seems to work very well.

-GG

Maglia Rosa

My F3 selections of the hybrid tumbler Terrenzo. Seed sown March 23, beginning to ripen a few fruit outdoors by July 1. Seems to like to bloom in “ waves” with mature fruit, smaller fruit, fruit just set and still blooming quite vigorously all at the same time which is interesting. A determinate that keeps blooming is perfect for a basket. Hoping for good flavour but it’s early and it’s red... so...
I may cross it if the flavour isn’t there because I really like the plants

KarenO

THAT! is awesome. I ordered Cherry Falls a couple years ago and it was [U]SUCH![/U] a disappointment. this is beautiful! I hope it has flavor also. I admire those of you who grow like this trying to find new varieties and create stable stable seeds.

From a flavour point of view, my favourite tumblers are Bajaja, Maskotka and Red Profusion. I'm not sure if they produce tall main stems, as that wasn't something I was trying to avoid.

I grew Tumbling Tom Junior Yellow and was disappointed by the flavour - until I fried one! It is one of the nicest frying tomatoes I've ever tasted.

This is three plants in one 8 gallon pot on a stand so it looks very full. It has two small wire cages under all that helping to hold it up or it would look more “ tumblerish” with the weight of the fruit pulling the branches downward so it has some help looming attractive.
But it’s on the patio and I want it to look nice, ornamental, and I think it does
KarenO

[QUOTE=KarenO;706908]This is three plants in one 8 gallon pot on a stand so it looks very full. It has two small wire cages under all that helping to hold it up or it would look more “ tumblerish” with the weight of the fruit pulling the branches downward so it has some help looming attractive.
But it’s on the patio and I want it to look nice, ornamental, and I think it does
KarenO[/QUOTE]

Good idea using the small ring supports. Mine is becoming a bit ratty and unruly. I have Terenzo and
Lizzano together started in January when I seeded some other micros. I like the fruit! Been harvesting since
June 15th was the first ripe.
I had some muscari bulbs and dwarf sunflowers in with them early on...I'll do that again but may
put in a couple micros like Fuzzy for leaf contrast. My 15gallon wide pot on a pedestal could handle that
now I see how messy they can get. I like your 'mounding' shape better. Not great at cascading.