Can you plant two different types of tomatoes in the same EB

I should address this TPlant, as I know he is the tomato expert here; but, I was just curious, could you plant two different varieties of tomatoes in the same EB? Like for instance, a Big Mama on one end and the Big Boy on the other end? Or possibly a sweet Tangerine on one end and a Fourth of July on the other end?
joy112854

I've always planted two different tomatoes in my EBs, because I don't repeat varieties in my garden. Tomatoes are happy with each other!

Yep, but be careful to plant ones that grow at roughly the same rate together, or else one will overshadow and bully out the sun, and the other one will suffer....

Thanks Ya'll.
joy112854

Make certain to plant two determinates or two indetrminates togeather. Never one of each in the same EB as the indeterminate will cover the determinate. Have fun.

TPlant: Ok, whats the difference between a determinate and an indeterminate tomato? I think all mine are indeterminate also is that good?
joy112854

Determinates are smaller plants and bear one crop. Indeterminates taste better are larger plants and grow till frost.

And, Determinates all ripen at approximately the same time (which is why you'd wanna plant this kind to make that special batch of tomato sauce!). Indeterminates keep ripening throughout the life of the plant or until the grower rips it outta the ground!

when shopping for tomato seeds, how do you know if a species is determinate or indeterminate? I have never heard this term before, but I don't know anything about tomatoes except for what we grow down here ( which is Determinates thanks to Gymgirl's explanation, LOL!)

I know I'm gonna check now before planting them. LOL Of course, I'm planning on putting all my maters in topsy's, revolutionary's, square footers and 5 gallon buckets, same as I plan on doing that with eggplants and artichokes, leaving my EBs for watermelon, cantaloupes, cucumbers, okra and corn and peppers.
joy112854

darkmoon, tomato packs and descriptions will usually state which kind they are. Oftentimes it may just be the letter 'D' (Determinate) or 'IND' (Indeterminate).

To clarify things a bit further it is not that determinates come on all at once but rather they tend to produce over a shorter period of time, usually a week or two, then either peter out or only produce very sporadically and a very minimal crop after the first flush. Determinates also grow much shorter plants, too, usually seldom needing staking or caging

Indeterminates most often big plants, requiring staking/caging, etc and, like GG says will produce all Summer until frost zaps them.

As for taste, it'll depend on the individual varieties; I've tasted some mighty fine determinates that had much better flavor than some indeterminates (and vice-versa). And, of course, remember that "taste" is an individual thing where each of us may like something that others think are terrible! But, those are our taste buds coming into play, not so much the type of plant.

For those of you who want to grow one of each type in an EB I bet you could do so if you angle the EB at a North-South position, placing the lower growing determinate towards the South, higher growing indeterminate on the North. That way the smaller one will not be shaded out by the larger one, very similar to in-ground planting where you place lower growing plants in "front" of the taller growing ones.

Shoe

This message was edited Jan 14, 2009 11:29 PM

I'll have to look all mine up, as here is what I'm growing in the tomato department:
Choclate cherry tomatoes
Maskotka tomatoes
Tomato Vilma
Triple L Crop
Tomato Glory Hybrid
Tomato Super Bush Hybrid
Tomato Park's Whopper Improved Hybrid
Jung's Tomato Delicious Indeterminate Red - 77 Day Very Large
Jung's Tomato Window Box Roma Hybrid - Determinate
So, I will have quite the variety this year I hope. LOL
Now you know why I need all the 5 gallon HEBs right? LOL
joy112854

Thank you so much for that terrific explanation Shoe, I appreciate you!

Thank You for the Thank You, Darkmoon!

Joy, you sure do have a nice variety! Methinks you're gonna have the time of your life w/your garden this coming year!

"I'll have to look all mine up, as here is what I'm growing in the tomato department:
Choclate cherry tomatoes..most cherry tomatoes are indeterminate so I can only assume this one is, too.

Maskotka tomatoes...sorry, not familiar with this one.

Tomato Vilma...very small growing determinate.

Triple L Crop...very large growing indeterminate, sometimes sold as "climbing triple crop"

Tomato Glory Hybrid..indeterminate that tops out around 5 or 6 ft.

Tomato Super Bush Hybrid..."Bush" is sometimes used to describe a determinate but I'm not familiar w/this one. (It may be one of the few "short node indeterminates. Maybe you could check your source and see what their catalog says for us, eh?)

Tomato Park's Whopper Improved Hybrid...Indeterminate

Jung's Tomato Delicious Indeterminate Red - 77 Day Very Large
Jung's Tomato Window Box Roma Hybrid - Determinate

Those last two have their description already given.

And now, nearly midnight here so time for me to go veg out on the couch, read the paper, watch a bit of TV and slip into slumber land!

Shoe

I know I'm a little late checking in, and your basic question has already been answered, but I'll also provide a tip I learned this summer:

If you're going to plant 2 different kinds, and you have any sort of choices about what to plant together, it helps a lot if you can plant two that have some different characteristic. Say, a yellow with a red, a round with a plum, or any two that don't look too much alike. It's nice to know what it is you're picking, and the indeterminates especially tend to get kind of wound around each other.

Otherwise, works like a charm!

Good advice, Shoe, on orienting the EB or other self-contained box on the N-S axis and planting the lower-growing type to the south. I shall do this. And Tuscon, I never thought of WHY it is important to plant 'maters with different characteristics next to each other to avoid confusion at harvesting. . . you're so right; those indeterminates twine around each other even though I trellis them and I do mix them up sometimes.
Great topic and great advice!

Everyone: Thanks, I have such a large variety of tomatoes and don't want all tomatoes and nothing else of course. LOL
joy112854

joy, you can can them! i am looking forward to canning my harvest this year. wishful thinking.

Moonglow: I haven't even gotten my Ball canning kit yet; (frown), got almost everything else I need though, so that will be forthcoming I'm sure. LOL I have a friend now who knows how to can and pickle; problem is she works and lives a good 22 miles from me.
joy112854

When ya'll start canning, PLEASE let me know. I bought an All American Pressure Canner last year and it's still in the box. It is a beauty, and can can 17 pints or 8 quarts? at a time. I don't wanna blow the roof off my house cause I've never used a pressure cooker/canner in my life.

I bought it anticipating canning all the veggies I had never grown in my life! So far, the growth is happening. Now I can start canning!

Gymgirl, I went to the All American Pressure Canner site and they look terrific! I haven't used a pressure cooker for canning per se, but I HAVE used mine for cooking all manner of foods and I can tell you that they are SO safe nowadays. The exploding pressure cooker is definitely a thing of the past.
And being able to can 'maters would be a big help come September around here!

ya'll just keep me in the loop when you start canning, PLEASE!

ALSO, there's a fantastic recipe in the Recipes Forum for roasted tomato sauce. I know I'll do that and then can the sauce. It's using the canner I'm gonna need help with. Thanks!

Linda

Gymgirl: I"m with you there dear one, I have the beginner Ball kit coming as you know me, gotta go slow and simple to start with. LOL I'm wanting Lime Pickles and marinated artichokes.
joy112854

Girls I am an AVID canner and bought the big All-American Canner last year. I know all about how to use it, and will be glad to chat with any of you that want to talk about canning and recipes! Just Dmail me and maybe we can get a chat started about it somehow....☺ I can meatloaf, ready made meals, all kinds of stuff.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Start the "All American Pressure Canner" thread so we can find you there!

This message was edited Jan 22, 2009 12:21 PM

I'm a canner, too! Love it! Hope ya'll are aware there is also a great Canning Forum on DG, too. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/puttinup/all/

For those of ya'll that bought the pressure canners you might as well go ahead and buy a water bath setup, too. Many pickles and tomato products can be done in a water path and not require pressure canning.

Shoe

Horseshoe: So, what can I make in the Ball basic canning kit? Pickles I hope? Probably not tomatoes though right, how about marinated artichokes?
joy112854

Shoe, although I have a seperate water bath canner, there is really no need for it if you already have a big All-American canner. I just use the bottom of the canner without the lid on for water bath. You do however need the jar tongs and funnel, but you can buy those cheaply and individually at Walmart.

Joy, I don't know what is included in the Ball Basic canning kit. Is it a pressure canner? Or a water bath? (And yes, you can do tomatoes in either.)

Shoe

Edited cus me and darkmoon were posting at the same time.

Karen, All-American sounds like a nice-sized pressure canner, and very versatile. No doubt about it you're gonna go canning crazy this coming year!

This message was edited Jan 22, 2009 5:08 PM

Shoe when I got it I nearly fainted dead away....It looked like a big steel robot! hahaha! It is made to last a lifetime, with no rubber gasket ever to replace if we ever need to be self sustainable, and is the best you can buy, but they do cost a pretty penny. You can buy the ball canning tool kit (jar tongs, lid lifter, and funnel) at Walmart without the pot.

I gotta go buy that kit, Darkmoondreamer! thanks!

we can't have a canning thread in here :( I did that on another forum once and admin moved it to the canning forum, where it was lost among the shuffle....We'll help each other somehow though ☺

How about using it in General Discussion or Recipe threads? It certainly would be a big money saver for a lot of us especially with our up
coming economy! I'll bet a lot of people will pick up on it?

LOL, I was wondering why this became sort of a canning discussion - - - blame me.

Anyhow, we're all very optimistic: bountiful harvest. We're be canning and sun-drying our fruits and veggies!

Seriously, I think it is a great idea to save our excess food and enjoy in winter months or anytime?

Before this thread gets moved (smile), I thought the water bath could be used for everything except meat. I dunno.

I have used it for beans, tomatoes, and pickles.

Jerry

Texas: I think because of the acidity in tomatoes you need the one darkmoondreamer got for that, I think the basic one is good for jellies, jams and pickles is all. You can pickle meat too I hear; but, it would have to be in one like darkmoondreamers', I just wanted the beginner one as it has been about 45 years since I watched my mom do all that. LOL
joy112854