Sunday 20 April 2014

Tomato Hanging Baskets

This is the second year of trying to grow tomatoes in hanging baskets.  Last year it was so cold and wet in the spring the plants never thrived and then got blight.  Come July we had a heat wave and that was it for the tomatoes, they just couldn't cope with the extremes.  Surely it can't be that bad again!



Tomato plants, sown in small coir blocks, sitting in a recycled fish tray.  The variety for the baskets is Pendulina Orange, an heirloom cherry variety, I believe.


Basket propped up on a flower pot as, despite the flat bottom they still wobble at vital moments!



The liner is just an old compost sack, black to the outside.  Functional rather than pretty.  I did hide the outside with dried grass one time, but the local bird population decided that it would make better nesting material!



The compost is a mix of tip compost, well rotted horse manure and some home-made compost with the addition of some pelleted organic tomato food.
One plant per basket, planted to the depth of the seedling leaves.


The pegs are to hold the plastic in place just while the basket settles.


Hanging from the end beam of the pergola - they'll have to come in at night for the next week or so.


Both baskets on the beam.
The deck is packed with plants waiting for their chance in the ground.  April and May are busy but rewarding times.

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