Tomato Q&A

We answer your most frequently asked questions about growing and pruning tomatoes, including...
Will my tomato stems break under the weight of the tomatoes if I sucker heavily?
Will I ruin my plant if I accidentally sucker the wrong spot or wrong type?
Should I top my tomato plants?
Why are my leaves curled and shriveled looking?
Why aren't my tomatoes setting fruit very well?
For more, check out our other videos:
How to String & Sucker Tomato Plants: • How to String & Sucker...
Indeterminate, Determinate & Semi-Determinate: • Tomatoes: Indeterminat...
Doubling Your Yield with Two Main Stems: • Tomatoes - Doubling Yo...
Suckering Tomatoes (a review of the basics): • How to Prune or "Sucke...
©Copyright 2012 Front Porch Farm, All Rights Reserved.

[@BIGALTX]

Great video ! That is a wonderful stand of tomatoes. Keep the videos coming...!

[@synthyarose]

I learned something this morning. Thank you. Great video.

[@FrontPorchFarm]

We add a lot of soil amendments each year and haven't had any troubles with plant disease, even after 8 years in the same greenhouse, but we also live in a colder area where that's not as much of an issue. Browsing tomato catalogs should provide the details on determinate or indeterminate varieties. The WSU extension office is a great source of local information, as are the Master Gardeners.

[@Warndog9]

Thanks, I was concerned about my heirlooms leaves drying and curling on the ends. Glad to know it's not a big issue.

[@mblankenship15]

I really enjoyed this video. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with others!!!

[@FrontPorchFarm]

I sympathize with you! Last year we lost all our tomatoes later in the season due to spider mites, a first in 10 yrs. We tried spraying them with water, but by the time we found them, it was too late. We found out that dust allows the spider mites to really take over because it keeps their natural predators away. Last year was very dry, so this year we've been careful about causing dust as we drive by on the dirt paths. We found & purchased organic SuffOil-X but haven't needed it this year.

[@FrontPorchFarm]

The plants are grown directly in the ground which has had compost and composted manure added. This has always been enough nutrients to grow them the whole season. Since they are planted in ground cloth with drip irrigation underneath, there is no way to add further nutrients unless you use an organic liquid in the drip system, or a foliar spray. A note about greenhouse soil, since the nutrients are not leached out by rain as in the garden, not as much fertilizer is needed.

[@lucasgrowsbestyt]

Awesome plants! I am also curious what fertilizer you use.

[@FrontPorchFarm]

We use composted chicken manure and feathermeal as needed.

[@FrontPorchFarm]

@TheButtonholequilt Don't remove curled leaves, just remove dead leaves. Curled leaves still function and help the plant.

[@jamaicasky]

thank you!!

[@BalconyGrow]

Great info. Thanks for sharing. :0)

[@martyrayward]

With the large volume of plants in the greenhouse, how do you prevent tomato worm infestations? I have only a few and one day missed at checking on them can make the difference of success or failure.

[@pigeonhold3659]

What is the names of your fertilizers. Nice tall vines. I found out that when I water heavily I get huge vines like the ones I see in this video.

[@FrontPorchFarm]

We use mostly composted chicken manure and feathermeal.

[@sonastainbrook]

I have a serious problem with spider mites that I just had to give up. I tried using neem oil and murphy's oil soap but they just laughed. They also moved onto my potatoes and now the few tomatoes I got left haft have curly new distorted leaves How do you get rid of spider mites? Beautiful green house that I am indeed in envy of. Thank you.

[@nottaliottaacesurbenfarm574]

How do you grow indeterminate varieties out in the field not in greenhouses? I am having trouble figuring out how to trellis them without costing a fortune.

[@FrontPorchFarm]

We do all our tomatoes inside because of our growing season. I have seen stakes and string used outside but yes, its a lot of time and expense.

[@noneyobusiness_6217]

What kind of indeterminate tomato varieties do you plant in your greenhouses?

[@FrontPorchFarm]

We have grown with the most success: Park's Whopper, Goliath, and heirlooms: Caspian pink, Persimmon orange, Delicious and Beefsteak. Early Girl do ok as well, but the Goliath ripen just as early and you get a much larger tomato, so we no longer grow them.

[@fjoa123]

my tomatoes have flowers, but they don't seem to be setting fruit. Ive done everything i've read about to help them get poliniced, but it still does not work. what might i be doing wrong?

[@FrontPorchFarm]

We are fortunate to live in an area that doesn't have tomato worms. It is best to check your garden every day! We did have pill bugs eat at our young tomato seedlings and if I hadn't caught it right away, we would have lost all our tomatoes in a day or two. By the way, I cut straws length wise and then in short pieces and put them around the stems and down into the dirt a little and thankfully saved them! I know hand-picking worms is a chore, but it works. Look up other remedies on line.

[@1980tman]

how do i tell if its derterminate or not

[@sh3llbac]

whats the names of the string where can i get it...

[@FrontPorchFarm]

Check our channel for our video "Tomatoes: Indeterminate, Determinate & Semi-Determinate".