"Goggles Pizzano" (gogglespizzano)
06/07/2020 at 19:39 • Filed to: stumpy, tomatoes are hard
2
0|
"Goggles Pizzano" (gogglespizzano)
06/07/2020 at 19:39 • Filed to: stumpy, tomatoes are hard | 2
| 0 |
Five years ago I put in my first tomato plant. Having room for only one plant and a spot that gets exactly the required 6 hours of sunshine per day I splurged on a $20 !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . I gave it no thought or effort beyond watering lots. Knowing nothing of growing I got lucky with the variety because it ended up being a determinant plant (no trimming required). 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide, I was more than happy with 5lbs of fruit.
Every year since a Mighty ‘Mato has been a disaster. Too much water, not enough water, bad drainage, too much fertilizer, not enough fertilizer, put it in too late, bad plant to start with, or just a bad year weather-wise. Last year I ended up chopping it down before the season really got started due to wind storm damage. Ugh. It’s been a learning experience to say the least.
This year I bought a run-of-the-mill Little Sicily Slicing variety. I know what you’re thinking, “Why didn’t you go with an F1 Hybrid?”. Well, I only just learned of them (maybe next year). My thinking was boredom. I didn’t want to wait until June 1 when the Mighties arrive at the garden center all the way across town. I chose to ignore a friend’s advise to plant the May long weekend and put it in on Mother’s Day. Besides, it couldn’t do any worse than a Mighty ‘Mato.
I’ve named it Stumpy. It’s now 18 inches tall a nd 34 inches wide. I was a bit concerned with this and thought it might be a soil issue but just Googled and learned a mature Sicily is 2 ft tall and 3-4 ft wide. I just upped the water from just under 1/2 gal. every 4 days, to 3/4 of a gal. every three.
The only problem I’ve had was roots coming up through the surface of the soil. I put a layer of black earth on top and it now seems okay.
I’ve taken all I learned from my mistakes and am very happy so far. Next year I may try starting one from seed and putting it outdoors as soon as the Igloo melts.