western tomato gardening

[golf1here]

Has anyone had any luck growing western tomatoes ? If so do you have any tips or techniques to share? Thank you in advance.

[ThailandRyan]

Growing them in pots on my Balcony here in Bangkok.  Both Cherry Tomato's from seeds I brought over with me in packets as well as beef steak Tomato's.  I have to water both morning an evening to make sure they stay healthy and do not start to droop.  I use a fertilizer found in Home-Pro which is in a blue and green bag.  I am also growing Green onions, as well as Basil.  The Cherry tomatoes are very sweet and my plants are full of them.  But since TIT your success may very.  My soil is regular soil obtained from Home Pro in the large bags.  Used small pots to start the seeds before moving them into the big 5 gallon pots.  I used to grow them in the US inside of a plastic bag with holes punched into it and placed inside old tires.

[golf1here]

Thanks! I have some land to grow them on so I am giving it a try with some seeds I brought over. I have tried in the past with little success. They grow great until the flower. Then the flowers either fall off or the leaves get grey and they die shortly after. I will try this year growing them under shade netting to see if that helps.

[ThailandRyan]

7 minutes ago, golf1here said:

Thanks! I have some land to grow them on so I am giving it a try with some seeds I brought over. I have tried in the past with little success. They grow great until the flower. Then the flowers either fall off or the leaves get grey and they die shortly after. I will try this year growing them under shade netting to see if that helps.

It is important that they are not always in the sun.  Mine are in the direct sun only from about 9am to 3 pm.  Obviously they are in the light, but the big sun here will fry the poor flowers.  The other thing is that having insects to assist in the pollination is helpful, but with being 45 floors up and in a penthouse , I keep my plants pretty close together in the pots for cross pollination on my main balcony at the rail, and then move them under the eve when it gets to hot in the direct light.  The cherry tomato plants are once again full of flowers and have been giving me tomato's for the past month.  The beef steak tomato's just started to fruit and are the size of golf balls right now.  

[UncleMhee]

 

What can cause blossom drop in tomatoes?

Blossoms drop when the plant is stressed and can be caused by any of the following.

Not enough water

Missing nutrients, especially nitrogen

Too cold or too hot

Poor genetics

High winds

Humidity outside the range 40-70% 

Heavy fruit set – fewer fruits later in season

Insects and disease

There is some evidence that shading can keep plants cool enough to set fruits in hot climates.

https://www.gardenmyths.com/causes-blossom-drop-tomatoes/

 

Powdery Mildew may be the disease your leaves are suffering from.

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by UncleMhee

[djayz]

9 minutes ago, golf1here said:

Thanks! I have some land to grow them on so I am giving it a try with some seeds I brought over. I have tried in the past with little success. They grow great until the flower. Then the flowers either fall off or the leaves get grey and they die shortly after. I will try this year growing them under shade netting to see if that helps.

Have grown them in Korat for years with great success. However, timing and watering seem to be the two most important factors.

I plant the seeds in August/September, that way they blossom in the cool season. They need the night time chill and the fruit bursts if it doesn't ripen until the hot season. 

I give them a really good watering (around the base ONLY, never the leaves!) every 3 OR 4 days. 

[djayz]

26 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

The cherry tomato plants are once again full of flowers and have been giving me tomato's for the past month.  The beef steak tomato's just started to fruit and are the size of golf balls right now.  

Interesting. I stop growing mine in Jan./Feb. because of the heat. I'm definitely going to try growing them under netting. 

[kickstart]

I have had some susses with the verity Black Russian, seed from the UK, but I planted them in the cool season  .

With bit more TLC on my behalf they would have done better 

The wife is growing some Thai cherry tomatoes ,they do not look that heathy ,but the do have some fruit on them 

[Maybole]

Tomatoes did not germinate with me (Chiang mai province) if planted directly into the garden. They did germinate well if panted in a small pot in soil from a garden shop.Tthe transplanted seedlings have thrived and I agree that some shading is helpful.

[Slugs11]

Planting at the right time of the year here in Thailand is the recipe for success. The plants need to be flowering at the start of the cool nights in early Dec.  My father was a commercial tomato grower in the uk, he would keep the plants on the dry side until the first truss had set. As been mention, always water around the base of the plant. Water the plant itself will cause leaf scorching. Have grown Shirley variety here with success, this is a old variety of tomato, but has a great taste. This variety was what my father grew commercially. I bought the seed with me from the uk. 

[MikeN]

Last year I had no success with beefsteak tomatoes but this year I tried some San Marzano and Ace 55 varieties,  seeds bought on Lazada,  and a unnamed local variety of cherry tomato, East West brand. All started in recycled yoghurt tubs and then transplanted into 7 and 10 gallon containers. More fruit than I can eat !

 The larger varieties are starting to fade away but the cherry tomatoes are still producing well.

 The wife threw some tomato scraps onto an empty pot which have self seeded, so 4 more plants just starting to blossom now. Two look like cherry tomatoes, will have to wait and see with the others.

[ThailandRyan]

2 hours ago, MikeN said:

Last year I had no success with beefsteak tomatoes but this year I tried some San Marzano and Ace 55 varieties,  seeds bought on Lazada,  and a unnamed local variety of cherry tomato, East West brand. All started in recycled yoghurt tubs and then transplanted into 7 and 10 gallon containers. More fruit than I can eat !

 The larger varieties are starting to fade away but the cherry tomatoes are still producing well.

 The wife threw some tomato scraps onto an empty pot which have self seeded, so 4 more plants just starting to blossom now. Two look like cherry tomatoes, will have to wait and see with the others.

Time to make salsa if you have some jalapeños or you can use red Thai chilis....lol

[Tingtong69]

Growing a few varieties atm as an experiment for now, mainly heirlooms. Chose possibly the worst time to sow, back in January. Nearly all seeds germinated (held half back for September) and 95% are healthy plants varying in size and height, 32 in total in largest black plastic pots. Soil is an experimental mix. 

Mainly costoluto fiorentino, marmande, Yellow Pear and White Beauty, all organic seed. Hardened all plants early in direct morning sun. 3 months on now mainly in shade with approx  3 hrs direct sun per day (for april and may). I've used a triangulated bamboo frame with a climbing string, 5 foot in height but this isn't tall enough for some.

Most are flowering w some very small fruit appearing but it's too hot. Anything above 90 and the plants will just stop. I'm using the toothbrush vibration method for pollinating.  Watering is now once every 3-4 days or so. It's best to let the soil almost dry out and then water vigorously

Edited April 10, 2021 by Tingtong69

[faraday]

@Tingtong69

 

Where did you buy the seeds?

 

My wife has had great success with some Cherry Tom seeds I got sent from blighty. She used an organic fertilizer called จุลินทรีย์ สังเคราะห์แสง - sounds like 'juliansea' & is made from pla ra & other things. 

 

They taste, awesome! Sadly, they're all but finished now

[Tingtong69]

Brought seeds over from UK, all organic. 

 

I forgot I did lose a bunch of seedlings due to shock. Planted some too close together, transplanting them too early. 

In future will use the grow pot trays. Never use fertilizer with seed soil, can damage new roots. Wait til repotting. 

[stupidfarang]

When is the best month to plant? August September? 

[ThailandRyan]

12 hours ago, faraday said:

@Tingtong69

 

Where did you buy the seeds?

 

My wife has had great success with some Cherry Tom seeds I got sent from blighty. She used an organic fertilizer called จุลินทรีย์ สังเคราะห์แสง - sounds like 'juliansea' & is made from pla ra & other things. 

 

They taste, awesome! Sadly, they're all but finished now

JUst plucked off the second growth of Cherry Tomatoes from my plants, and noticed that they have started to flower again for a third time.  The second group of tomatoes were smaller, but much sweeter.  Hoping these that will come next don't look the size of a pea...lol.  My Basil I have been growing and using for the past 4 months is nearing the end of its cycle and my green onions in the pots are almost ready for harvest.  The beef steak tomatoes just keep on growing as well.  Planted some Jalapenos in the balcony garden and they are just now starting to spring up.  Enjoy.

[Tingtong69]

7 hours ago, stupidfarang said:

When is the best month to plant? August September? 

If you have a way of covering plants outside during rainy months, wd think to start off indoors around July. That shd give plants a headstart and chance to set fruit come the cooler months from late October.