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Minnesota

Has anybody grown a tomato on the grown? Gordon Grahm grew his giant tomato that was grown on a plant that was blown over, Grahm then gave up on the plant, the plant grew like a vine for 53 feet on the ground and grew a 7lb12oz tomato! The idea of letting it grow on the ground, like a giant pumpkin, must work!

6/4/2013 10:37:01 PM

Mnt.pleasant ,tennessee

They root out if the stem touches dirt.got sum buried a foot deep on its side 3' of plant in ground.long process reburing& starting back with just a few inches out the ground

6/5/2013 7:02:25 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Good Luck with that...In my experience a tomato on the ground is one the succumbs to blight quickly...The whole Gordon Graham tomato sounds a little flaky, it you investigate it a little further. Almost like a PR stunt for Miracle Grow

You need to prevent the soil from splashing back up on to the plant with a mulch...

6/5/2013 7:37:45 AM

Allentown, PA

I start my seedlings just like Yardman does.

I layed my plants horizontally in a trench approx 1.5 feet in length then I carefully curled the plant upwards to where the top is above the soil line.

This enables a notably stronger root system to build which promotes faster uptake of water, ferts, etc into the plant.

This method is the preferred route used by giant growers that adhere to Dr. Meisner's book which has become the bible on giant tomato growing.

Adhere to such and reap the benefits, ignore and fall by the wayside.

6/5/2013 4:01:00 PM

Minnesota

Might be worth a try some day, let the plant fall over and grow on the ground, and try and keep it from getting blight.

6/5/2013 7:30:44 PM

Lexington, Ky

Why not build a structure (wooden box?) around the stem and fill with soil. As the plant grows, add another box, fill with soil. Stacked and supported properly, you could have 4 to 5 feet of stem "underground" later in the season all the while your plant is growing upwards like it's supposed too.....just a thought.

6/6/2013 9:52:54 AM

Mnt.pleasant ,tennessee

1320 it stunts it a week or depending how much u bury.growing season& time so need to be started early.plus i wudnt be happy unless box was 2'sq or more that was stacking.i do know a few folks that stack& fill tires on potatoes plant as the vine grows& knock tires over& there your taters

6/6/2013 12:00:21 PM

Minnesota

I say let it grow on the ground, trim off all the branchs that keep the main vine from being on the ground, grow it like a giant pumpkin!!

6/6/2013 3:54:10 PM

Mnt.pleasant ,tennessee

I am with linus tho dirt splashin up on leaves mess sum stuff up does need sum mulch straw or even grass grown up

6/6/2013 6:24:31 PM

NE Kansas

Peter Glazebrook started his in the bottom of a barrel, filling it as it grows. Considering the caliber of his growing skill.... I believe that his technique will be worthwhile observing.

6/6/2013 11:31:27 PM

Lexington, Ky

My "box" I was thinking about would be 2 or 3 feet square...kinda like growing in a barrel....lol. Never thought of it but a barrel would be much easier than stacked boxes, even a big tire would work better....good feedback.

6/7/2013 8:12:47 AM

Netherlands

The problem with the barrel method is lighting. You would want a light source directly above it otherwise it will get an awful lot of shading.

6/8/2013 4:09:13 AM

East Carbon, Utah

Some people apparently conflate Gordon Grahams two world records and assume they involved the same plant.

His WR tallest plant, at 53-1/2', was the cherry variety Sweet 100. This plant did NOT produce his 7 lb. 12 oz. tomato!

A sprawling growth habit is natural to tomatoes; growing them vertically is less so. I am burying all of my tomato vines this year (for my giant tomato project, anyhow). At this point, my "tallest" plant is more than 5' long. All are rooting well along the stems. I add mycorrhizal spores while burying stems, just as I do with pumpkin vines.

Where I live the summers are very dry and humidity is low. Fungal diseases on tomato plants are usually a minor issue. Nevertheless, I have a 3-4" layer of wood chips down to prevent splash-up while still allowing air to penetrate. I just brush the wood chips aside, dig a shallow trench, add some good stuff, bury the vine, then move the wood chips back.

Seems to me that burying tomato vines deeply would not help much. The most helpful soil microorganisms which break down organic matter and release nutrients to plant roots are aerobic. The deeper the roots, the less oxygen would be available to them. Keep the roots on, or near the surface in my opinion.

We'll see if this strategy works...

6/29/2013 1:07:12 PM