I don't know where I belong??

Elginrunner · September 22, 2019

So I have a tendency to jump into things with both feet. I wanted to grow veggies for the wife and myself, as we have made a commitment to eating healthier. So I put up a greenhouse with a dutch bucket system for our various plants, and we are using masterblend nutrients for all. We have lots of tomatoes, and I've never grown a thing in my life, so I may have more than a few silly questions.

There are many sub forums that cover how i'm growing, where do I belong?? LOL

Worth1 · September 22, 2019

Where ever you want to be.
But here are two places that fit what yu are doing.
By the way the setup looks nice.
Undercover gardening.
http://tomatoville.com/forumdisplay.php?f=85
Growing in containers.
http://tomatoville.com/forumdisplay.php?f=72

mikemansker · September 22, 2019

How will you heat the greenhouse?

Elginrunner · September 22, 2019

The top has blown air so it's insulated, and the north wall has 2' foam insulation. Im going to use a propane 30,000 btu heater to heat with.

Elginrunner · September 22, 2019

The above picture is a early pic, but it shows how everything is set up. I started building the greenhouse in early july, and got far enough along to start germinated seeds, and suckers about the 10th of August. Here is a more recent picture.

here is the first of many questions.... which is the main stalk on this plant? the left or right? should I prune one?

Labradors2 · September 22, 2019

Wow! That looks like a fabulous setup!

Linda

mikemansker · September 22, 2019

Please keep us posted during the process. I'm anxious to follow your progress.

Worth1 · September 22, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikemansker

Please keep us posted during the process. I'm anxious to follow your progress.

Me too.

imp · September 22, 2019

Lovely set up as far as I can tell, LOL!! Plan to do a lot of reading, asking questions and LOOK at your plants - problems caught early are more easily solved and good things are to be enjoyed longer!

I'd also suggest you ask lots of questions, especially to Geraldo and AkMark, in particular.

Most of all, have some fun with growing and enjoying the literal fruits of labor.

Oh, your question, which is the leader and should you prune? I myself grow outside and only normally prune to clear the bottom of a tomato plant or problem areas. So me, no, I would not prune either, but that could be a wrong answer.

GrowingCoastal · September 22, 2019

If you want to keep it to a single stem keep the one that has the 1st flower truss on it. Looks like the one on the right, to me. They sometimes come up identical but that is not often.

clkeiper · September 23, 2019

MHP gardener on Youtube has a great video on this method of growing. have you watched him by any chance? don't get discouraged if you get overwhelmed with the number of plants you are working with and it gets out of hand. it is a lot of work to keep up with that many plants.

Do you have indeterminates or determinates? or do you know what variety (ies) you have in the buckets? the look like indeterminates just looking at the picture but never assume... they will out grow those strings in a short time. and be very aware that you have no crossties in your house and tomatoes are extremely heavy and you are making the house bear weight in a way its not intended to. it may not support that much weight. you might want to put a couple support posts in the center ridge line to avoid any disasters if there are none there.

Nan_PA_6b · September 23, 2019

Keeping them pruned to 1 stem helps keep things orderly and keeps everything from growing together; you're less likely to feel overwhelmed, especially indoors in buckets.

If you want to talk about growing tomatoes you can post in General Discussion, if you wish. Some folks only check the general discussion forum. (it's better to check New Posts at the top of the page, to keep up on everything that's being talked about).

Looking forward to reading more from you.

Elginrunner · September 23, 2019

Thanks for the advice on pruning. Yes I have watched a lot of mph and Istillworking! Also we have made friends with the gentleman that sold us our kit, he is a wealth of information.

All of our varieties are indeterminate. We have bumble bee, rebelski, San Marzano, big Dena, calabash, margold, kakoa, caurolina, Cherokee purple. I think that it. Lol

September 22, 2019	#1
Elginrunner Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Missouri Posts: 10	I don't know where I belong?? So I have a tendency to jump into things with both feet. I wanted to grow veggies for the wife and myself, as we have made a commitment to eating healthier. So I put up a greenhouse with a dutch bucket system for our various plants, and we are using masterblend nutrients for all. We have lots of tomatoes, and I've never grown a thing in my life, so I may have more than a few silly questions. There are many sub forums that cover how i'm growing, where do I belong?? LOL

September 22, 2019	#9
imp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 4,832	Lovely set up as far as I can tell, LOL!! Plan to do a lot of reading, asking questions and LOOK at your plants - problems caught early are more easily solved and good things are to be enjoyed longer! I'd also suggest you ask lots of questions, especially to Geraldo and AkMark, in particular. Most of all, have some fun with growing and enjoying the literal fruits of labor. Oh, your question, which is the leader and should you prune? I myself grow outside and only normally prune to clear the bottom of a tomato plant or problem areas. So me, no, I would not prune either, but that could be a wrong answer. __________________ I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing.

September 23, 2019	#11
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	MHP gardener on Youtube has a great video on this method of growing. have you watched him by any chance? don't get discouraged if you get overwhelmed with the number of plants you are working with and it gets out of hand. it is a lot of work to keep up with that many plants. Do you have indeterminates or determinates? or do you know what variety (ies) you have in the buckets? the look like indeterminates just looking at the picture but never assume... they will out grow those strings in a short time. and be very aware that you have no crossties in your house and tomatoes are extremely heavy and you are making the house bear weight in a way its not intended to. it may not support that much weight. you might want to put a couple support posts in the center ridge line to avoid any disasters if there are none there. __________________ carolyn k

September 22, 2019	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Where ever you want to be. But here are two places that fit what yu are doing. By the way the setup looks nice. Undercover gardening. http://tomatoville.com/forumdisplay.php?f=85 Growing in containers. http://tomatoville.com/forumdisplay.php?f=72

September 22, 2019	#3
mikemansker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Branson MO Posts: 441	How will you heat the greenhouse?

September 22, 2019	#6
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,889	Wow! That looks like a fabulous setup! Linda

September 22, 2019	#10
GrowingCoastal Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Vancouver Island Canada BC Posts: 1,253	If you want to keep it to a single stem keep the one that has the 1st flower truss on it. Looks like the one on the right, to me. They sometimes come up identical but that is not often.

September 23, 2019	#12
Nan_PA_6b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 3,194	Keeping them pruned to 1 stem helps keep things orderly and keeps everything from growing together; you're less likely to feel overwhelmed, especially indoors in buckets. If you want to talk about growing tomatoes you can post in General Discussion, if you wish. Some folks only check the general discussion forum. (it's better to check New Posts at the top of the page, to keep up on everything that's being talked about). Looking forward to reading more from you.