More Tomato Care

Hiyah Gardenmama--
The cups are buried directly over the root ball. They are for giving the plant so that it doesn't run away.
As you probably know a tom plant "feeds" with the shallower roots and "drinks" water with the lower ones.
I plant my toms almost horizontally with the root ball slightly lower than where the plant curls up to grow up the stick.
One time I water only in the cup to let it drink...another time on the soil between the cup and trunk of the tom(because I know that's where the more superficial stem roots are) to "feed" it food.
Have a look here--just scroll down to the tomato section:
http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page22.html

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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html

Well, petunia, it should do... the first year is usually a "lost" year in terms of harvesting; however, the roots are busy doing their job.
Be sure to post some pics and comments when things get going.
I am glad that you found those pages helpful, Petunia. Smile

I feel all proud.

You are welcome Gardenmama. I often forget to make a comment about those cups. Just pure oversight--of course folks can't know what they are for unless they happen to do things the way I do.
Of course you understand that the cups have small holes in their bottoms to let the water out, right? Wink

I hve used opther things over the years... things like plastic quart or half gallon bottles, plastuc tubes...all sorts of things. I even bought a couplew of perforated, pointy things one can screw onto the top of a drink bottle...then stab it into the ground and add water. They work well too.
I have not yet tried the water collection-drip system yet. I may do one day, but things are going ok now.

My problem is that I read alot about gardening techniques and I wind up with all these things in my memory and I often as not want to try things I have no experience with.

DROOPY: Seriously though, All the tom techniques are not difficult to grasp once you understand the plant and it needs...and how it does what it does.
Like you understand your flowering plants and thus know what to do to take care of and get the best out of them.
Of course, you know that a person can just grow toms. Period. No special or fancy techniques and most of the time, things will turn out ok.
My partner is always telling me that I go OTT with plant care. heh heh heh.
I tell her that of course we could just grow things, but if we understand the plant our chances of success are much better.

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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html