RE: tomato plants

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Hi Mary, 

Thanks very much for writing, and for the information....its very helpful. I will try adding some compost next time, as you mentioned, and see if that helps produce more tomatoes...will also check out some sites on the internet..also will try pinching the first & second flowers as you suggested..and less water.

With the suckers I've pinched, I've been able to grow some new plants and just lately got a couple cherry tomatoes from them.. hopefully there will be more coming along soon.

I live in the San Fernando Valley ... this is my first vegetable garden with tomato plants, so this is kind of a new experience. I did have a few cherry tomato plants a couple years ago, but thats about all...This summer was really hot here especially in August..its just lately that the days have cooled down a bit. Hows the weather in Costa Mesa lately? my tomato plants, like yours, seemed to like the heat except when it got up over 100 degrees....then I noticed mine declined a bit.They are all located  in the patio area that gets quite alot of sun in the afternoon hours. I have been watering them every morning and sometimes in the evenings as well if the soil looks kind of dry on the surface...next time I'm going  to try mulching also to help with that (if) I use containers again (especially) etc.....so you found that less watering works the best? I know thats very true with house plants also....I wonder if I've been giving ! my tomato plants too much?

The types of tomato plants I grew are: Celebrity, Early Girl, Roma, Sweet 100, Patio, Cherry, Better Boy, Champion, and a couple others (which names escape me at the moment)...overall I did get quite a few tomatoes total thru July & August..(they made some great salsa)..but it sure seemed like I should have gotten alot more...maybe its because of the containers and the root systems not having quite enough room to expand? .I also grew burpless variety cucumbers...got quite alot of them.. (they are still doing well ....odd shapes tho...got a few straight ones, but the others seem to grow in kind of a 1/2 moon shape....(or a U) ..not sure why?.. also have yellow, green, and red bell  peppers which seem to be the most productive.  I found  that corn does not grow in containers (at least mine didn't LOL) after months of pampering they just didn't make it...they are perfect for halloween tho....they now look like the dried! out kind you see hanging on front doors as ornaments LOL .I had them in very large nursery pots....oh well, next time maybe I'll try planting them in raised beds in the backyard. I've been thinking about doing everything in raised beds next spring.

 I've been curious about growing heirloom tomatoes and have read a little about them. I was thinking maybe next spring I would  try planting some from seed and see how they do. Did you grow your heirloom variety in containers this year? Are you growing any other things as well? Was also wondering where you get your tomato seed and if you've ever used fish emulsion? I've read that it really works well especially w/tomatoes....I may try that next time.

Look  forward to hearing from you again Mary,

& thanks again,

hope your plants are doing really well,

Johnny