Tomatoes for a greenhouse
 

I'm building a greenhouse. My significant other has informed me that I'll be restricted to 3 tomato plants. I'd love at least some kind of cherry type and a paste or plum type. I'd be open to most anything for the 3rd one. What I really need are recomendations for types suitable to a greenhouse environment. Any suggestions?

Bubba

A new greenhouse only for 3 tomato plants? Is it a joke? :D Consider to put at least 4 plants located in 4 corners ;)

In my experience you can grow almost any tomato variety indoor but ultra-early types which like moderate temperatures and give you only several clusters even in greenhouse conditions. They are just not worth to be grown in greenhouse and with so limited total amount of plants. Choose any indeterminate productive varieties with a good taste... I can recommend hundreds of such tomato varieties from my part of the world, but let American gardeners from the South suggest you some... :)
And I know that Michael will be very happy if you choose any dwarfs like he does ;)

Is it that neccessary to have a greenhouse in zone 9?

dcarch

bigbubba.... I don't grow in a greenhouse but down in OK where I came from I once saw a greenhouse filled with tomato plants--- all were ONE variety-- BUFFALO. They were trained up strings to the ceiling and limited to one or two growing stems by pruning. They also removed all bottom leaves, progressing up the stems as tomatoes ripened along the way. Was a beautiful sight. I did not try any of the friuit so I can't attest to the flavor, skin thickness,juiciness, etc... so you might want to check out Buffalo as a greenhouse variety for which it was bred.

GOOD luck.... maybe you can strike a bargain with your significant other for a few more tomato plants in that GH.
LarryD

BBcain, one seed vendor I know of that has varieties especially for greenhouse growing is Johnny's. Here's a link.
[url]http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/subcategory.aspx?category=1&subcategory=497[/url]

BB-What are the dimensions going to be of your greenhouse? That makes a big difference on what you might want to grow. My greenhouse is about 8 feet tall, about 8 feet wide and 17 feet long-its a hobby greenhouse from Texas Greenhouse Company. Here is a recent photo. A big sprawling indeterminate plant may not be the choice you want to make. And yes, dwarves are my choice in my greenhouse during the fall and winter.

Thanks for the input guys!
 

Thanks Tomatodor! We actually agreed on 3 or 4 plants because we need the room for our orchids.

DCArch: A greenhouse in our zone IS necessary for alot of the orchids and sub-tropicals that we grow. It may be zone 9 here, but we do get the occasional cold snap.

Cottonpicker: thanks for the tip on Buffalo. I'll need to look for that one.

Amiedutch: Thanks for reminding me about Johnny's seeds.

Michael: the dimensions will be 8 wide, 8 high and 12 long. So I think I'll want to consider det. or dwarf types. Any dwarf types you like that stand out for flavor or taste? Tell me about those bags your plants are growing in. That looks like an ideal set-up, and I'm already a big fan of drip irrigation.

Hanging baskets can be interesting possibilities.

dcarch

BB-those are 5 gallon grow bags from groworganic.com They also have other sizes.

Off the top of my head, I would suggest:

Citron Compact
Mano Rugose
Mini-Red Cherry
Kimberly-this gets bigger than the 3 above
Quarter Century-ditto

I am growing a bunch of new dwarves this fall-the info is in the undercover forum here and is entitled something like "Fall Dwarf Grow-out in the greenhouse." You might want to take a look at that thread as it progresses to see if there is something you like.

Thanks Michael!
 

Where exactly can I get seeds for dwarf varieties? Johnny's sells mainly determinate and indeterminate full-size plants. Who do you like to buy from?


Bubba

You should jump into the dwarf project. ;)

It is an effort by Tomatoville members to increase the number of good-tasting dwarf tomato varieties (currently just a few -- New Big Dwarf, etc.) to dozens. Specifically, adding different colors, flavors, etc. There's a huge subforum here at Tomatoville about it.

Bubba-Andrey has some listed in SSE Annual if you are a member. But lets make it easy-figure out what you want, and if I have the seed for the varieties you want, pm me and I will send you seed. For 3-4 varities, you dont need but a few seed of each variety. I have about 75 dwarf varieties.

Let me know.

I bought my seeds for Kimberly, Golden Dwarf Champion,
Orange Tree and New Big Dwarf at

[URL]http://www.victoryseeds.com/catalog/main_vegies.html[/URL]

I'm in Zone 9, too. Try Sungold cherry tomatoes. You will not be disappointed.

Sungold is a great tomato, but I would never grow it in the greenhouse-especially one 8 feet tall like mine is-it would take it over.