shade vs sun for tomato plants

Discussion in 'Fruit and Vegetable Gardening' started by Janice56, May 29, 2009.

  1. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Hollyberry - peppers, melons, corn, peas, and pretty much anything other than tomatoes, egglplants, and roses, are grown out in the full sun here. Since melons and corn tend to be grown together, the corn (which absolutely thrives in the heat) provides shade for the more tender melon plants in the undergrowth.
     
  2. Acoma

    Acoma Active Member

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    Reno, Nevada Zone 6A
    True.
     
  3. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    London, Ontario, Canada (Zone 5b)
    Yes, I have used corn in the past for shading of other plants. It is a great way too, to make things look attractive at the base of the corn as well - such as impatiens.

    : )
     
  4. hironomous

    hironomous Member

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    H.L. Is there any chance you would part with some of your "table" seeds? I would very much like to try indoor tomatoes and these sound perfect, but I cannot find them anywhere.
     
  5. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    Although I sure wish I could, my supplies are low for that particular variety.

    : (

    However, if you can wait until the end of summer, I will have some more then. I hate to disappoint you, but I can and will help you out later, if you remind me...

    : )
     
  6. Vera eastern wa

    Vera eastern wa Active Member

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    Location:
    Eastern Washington, USA
    You're very welcome :)

    About those Hab's again.... (Capsicum chinensis).....
    Unless you have plans to winter over indoors one or two of each type you start you may only get a small (very small) amt. of peppers this year from your plants.
    Here in my zone 5b-6a garden a seasoned Hab grower over on the chili forum at Gardenweb recommended that I start mine in January/February.....most species wouldn't be started until 6-8 weeks before wanting to set them out. He was so very right!
    By the end of the growing season I had about 5 peppers and only 2 that matured before cutting them back in mid September to about 8" (cutting the root ball back by as much) and potting them down from 5 gal. to 6" pots (with new potting soil) for the sake of space for the winter. Within 2-3 weeks the plants had leafed out again and were treated like houseplants and grew at a slow to moderate rate. They were showered when it was time for watering to prevent spider mites. When Feb. rolled around they took off growing like crazy!! Still yet with our first frost by Sept. 15th I didn't have too many peppers again on my Habs. This time I brought them indoors as is and got a decent harvest in November and didn't cut them back until December but only to about 15". They got a pruned back much more in March after they got way too huge and much to awkward to carry and get through the bathroom door for showers. Habanero have a growth habit that is more horizontal than vertical... so they get wide.
    Am going to start a variety of Rocoto (C. pubescens) this January (a slow grower as well) but will be so worth it!!

    Anyways to give you an idea of the rate of growth following germination, I started them on January 15th and here are some at 10 weeks on March 26th
     

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  7. hironomous

    hironomous Member

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    Thanks H.L. I will try to remind you.
     
  8. Marty1

    Marty1 Member

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    You have made the correct preperation by planting them in full sun. Morning sun is always better than the late afternoon scorch. Don't add to much fertilizer at the beginning because this will create too much leaf growth. Once the plants start to flower add Blood and Bone or fish emulsion. I like to us liquid fertilizer as it is uptaken quickly and it doesnt attract animals, as they can dig up the real stuff.

    Good luck and remember to stake and train them too.

    Happy Gardening, Marty
     
  9. soccerdad

    soccerdad Active Member 10 Years

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    For 25 years I have grown my tomatos - new varieties every year, but always cherries - in a spot that gets full sun from 10 am to 4 pm, and they have all always thrived. Not that it gets warm here in the land of the Polar Bear ... And if it is relevant, I never fertilize anything.
     
  10. Liz

    Liz Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    I agree full sun is the best place with cool mulched feet. Tied or supported against wind. I only use blood and bone and a well dug manured soil. Nothing wrong with the taste or quality. We do have hot summer weather.

    Liz
     
  11. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    Location:
    London, Ontario, Canada (Zone 5b)
    Love tomatoes in pots - especially cherry types. Athough a blurry picture, here's a potted 'sweet million' cherry tomato plant I grew from seed a few years back. I had it on the patio beside the sliding door, and would just reach out and pick some everyday.

    I find them to be very ornamental, as well as delicious. The vine above the tomatoes, is scarlet runner pole bean. What a wonderful summer that was, eating pole beans and cherry tomatoes, from right outside my patio door!

    : )
     

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