By anonymous
The AG Mega Cherry Tomato kit
Submitted on Tue, 2009/01/13 - 9:12am
Last updated on Tue, 2009/04/21 - 3:03pm
Posted in
Because they were out of master gardener kits for the 6-pod AGs when I bought my Elite+, I figured I'd go ahead and try to mega cherry tomatoes that came with it, instead of waiting for the MG kits to come in stock.
Also, I decided to keep it at work instead of bring it home. As a result, I planted the kit on December 19th and then promptly went on vacation for two weeks over the holidays... so the first update is at 3 weeks of growth 
It also didn't help that I was on vacation when it was nutrient time. They were supposed to be fed Jan 2, but I didn't get in until Jan 5 so they're a little off schedule. And I won't be in the office on Jan 19, so they're going to lose another day!
Weekly progress shots:
Tue, 2009/01/13 - 1:42pm
#2
Yep! Those were tomatoes growing in my deluxe last summer.
I expect I will have to give up some tomatoes, haha! But I think I've also sold several aerogardens to people oohing and aahing over mine. Once it's actually growing tomatoes I think I'll definitely have some more takers 
Ok... so I couldn't figure it out... how do you guys do the clickable thumbnail pictures that open up to the scrolly window of history with captions? I'm usually pretty savvy, but I couldn't get beyond just inserting a picture 
Tue, 2009/01/13 - 1:49pm
#3
Heh, spread the addiction! 
There's a page explaining how-to-Lightboxes.
Wed, 2009/01/14 - 1:09pm
#4
Very cool! I need to update my webshots album with my latest AG pix, then I should be able to use the lightbox!
Fri, 2009/01/16 - 12:11pm
#5
They've grown quite a lot since last week!
Fri, 2009/01/16 - 12:29pm
#6
They do shoot up quite quickly, I'm a big convert to the AG tom kits. I cannot wait to see the size of your mega tomatoes once they are fully established, the picture on the box looks impressive.
Fri, 2009/01/16 - 1:09pm
#7
Same! I am very curious to see how big they really are. I hope they ripen as fast as your cherry tomatoes did! I'll be eating tomatoes in no time
Fri, 2009/01/16 - 2:07pm
#8
They do look great, Polar! Exciting! 
Though I do wish AG's kits were cheaper, I do appreciate the R&D that goes into finding varieties that work well in the hardware, and nutrient/care regimes that produce well. Especially on these long-growing species. It's really sad to spend months growing a custom garden and have it not work out well. 
Wonder how long it'll be before AG comes out with the rest of the "County Fair" series.
Fri, 2009/01/16 - 3:17pm
#9
No kidding... I'm really interested to see this Zucchini plant they have in the works. I'd love to grow Zucchinis, but I haven't been able to find a small variety.
Fri, 2009/01/16 - 3:27pm
#10
Really! Like you say, hard to picture a small zucchini plant. 
They do grow in containers outside, though. Fairly big containers, with lots of space around them... I'm hemming and hawing over whether to try a "nutty" flavored Lebanese variety of zukes this summer instead of the tried-and-true. It's advertised to yield 50-70% more than a standard zuke. The mind boggles. I love the description - "bush type plants take little room ... plant 3-4' apart". I believe the second statement.
Fri, 2009/01/23 - 9:26am
#11
5 weeks old! These plants are really growing like crazy! I topped them on Tuesday and they seem to be taking it well.
When I left them on Friday they looked just like the second picture, when I came back to work on Tuesday they were growing in to the lights! I couldn't believe it. I am not sure whether or not to raise the lights before I leave today... it's only two days this time, but they're sort of close to them now.
Fri, 2009/01/23 - 11:18am
#12
They are growing really well, the stems look pretty sturdy - they seem much thicker than mine were at 5 weeks. At this rate you will be eating them before the ones I grew. 
Fri, 2009/01/23 - 12:56pm
#13
Ditto - these look terrific!
Fri, 2009/03/27 - 9:54am
#14
Ok... slight 9-week gap in the progress 
This kit is really amazing... the best AG kit I've grown by far! The plants are amazingly small and also amazingly productive! It's week 14 and they're ready to be eaten (and I already snuck one off and ate it yesterday, hee hee). They're delicious (possibly because I haven't had a fresh tomato in months). There are at least 35 tomatoes on the two plants right now and it is still flowering. I definitely recommend this kit! I can't wait to try their full-size tomatoes if these are any indication!
Here are some close-ups
Fri, 2009/03/27 - 10:24am
#15
Tut, tut, 9 week gap! 
That AG is pretty full with those toms, you have a decent crop as well; it looks much better than the standard cherry tom kit. 
Fri, 2009/03/27 - 10:27am
#16
Wow! I so wanna bite that tomato in th picture!
I'm so jealous! I had no luck with the AG cherry tomato kit and I havent an AG bigger than the 3. Hopefully the ones I'm growing in pots will be as good as yours!
Fri, 2009/03/27 - 12:53pm
#17
Makin' my mouth water!
Fri, 2009/03/27 - 11:44pm
#18
Polar!!! Good to see you again!
Ditto - Those mega cherry toms look awesome! 
How are your kibits working out? Mine had to be put down, I screwed up. 
I may try again for outdoors with my last couple seeds.
Sat, 2009/03/28 - 2:25pm
#19
Wow! We started ours in a Deluxe on Dec. 27th (so 8 days after yours), and they have roughly 50 various sized fruits, but all of them completely green. I'll have to see how ours look in 8 more days, but I have a feeling that they are not going to be ripening by then. Looks like your Elite+ just proved to be better than our Deluxe!
Sun, 2009/03/29 - 9:56am
#20
Interesting! Yes, I harvested 10 of them on Friday and there are plenty more "almost" ripe ones for this week! They get lots of extra sun in through my big office windows, plus they crank the heat in my office, so we're all thinking the warmth really helped them too (its like 75-80 in my office during the week).
My Kibits unfortunately were a failure too :( Lots of flowers but all the branches kept dying and I didn't have a trellis set up on my deluxe, so they were really unstable and hard to support. I gave up on them, although they probably could have been saved. I just cleaned out my classic this morning for seed starting, but I haven't decided what to do with the deluxe yet :)
Sun, 2009/03/29 - 11:46am
#21
Polar - this may sound sick, but I am so relieved your kibits failed too!
I felt like a total idiot. 
Maybe this is why we keep seeing promising pictures of kibits tomatoes growing, but none showing them at harvest. 
P.S. Love the avatar!
Sun, 2009/03/29 - 11:54am
#22
Hmmm....we don't get any extra sun here. I wonder how much of a factor that was. Hubster did put in an air stone (an aquarium kind) just about a week or two ago, but obviously yours would have had the benefit of that from the start. At any rate, hubster and I are way jealous.
Mon, 2009/04/06 - 10:36am
#23
So, since last week I've harvested 30 tomatoes! There are 4 more ripe ones ready to go, and 4 more green/turning toms from the original batch. Now there are lots of flowers again. Without the weight of all those tomatoes, plus the new growth, I've had to raise the lights the last two notches. I hope I'll be able to get another batch before they get too tall. We shall see! I also just did a major pruning of all the dead lower branches.
So, great harvest and they are delicious! We've been eating them sliced on sandwiches. They're just big enough for slicing.
Mon, 2009/04/06 - 11:41am
#24
Wow, Polar, thanks for sharing - those look great!
Mon, 2009/04/06 - 12:14pm
#25
I hope I'll be able to get another batch before they get too tall.
Don't forget that we're supposed to be able to prune and keep them going for a very long time.
I spotted my first buds this morning! I'm really getting excited.
Enjoy!
Mon, 2009/04/06 - 12:29pm
#26
Polar,
Great tomatoes! Did you prune at all, or just let them grow?
Thanks,
Beth
Mon, 2009/04/06 - 3:37pm
#27
Thanks! I did prune them as recommended in the manual after 5 sets of leaves, and they stayed really compact for a long time. I'm uncertain whether or not the prune them now, because all the new flowers are right at the top. If they do get too tall, maybe I'll just lop off the tops again and see what happens!
Mon, 2009/04/06 - 4:22pm
#28
Wow! Great looking plants! I wonder if I should prune mine. They are determinate Tiny Tims but one is growing really fast and almost reaching the top of my growing unit.
What do you guys think?
Mon, 2009/04/06 - 6:38pm
#29
Jessi - one advantage of growing tomatoes in soil is that you can lower the bottom as well as the top. Might want to try lopping off the bottom couple branches, then burying the stem lower into the soil, for height management.
Did the package say how tall the plant is supposed to get? Although that's only a guideline, not a promise. Tomatoes stretch for light.
Mon, 2009/04/06 - 7:44pm
#30
I had done that b4 when I transplanted them but they just shot up again. Everyday, I am raising the light so that they dont burn on the top. I had just a little space left in the top of the pot that I am saving for the vermiculite (whenever the heck it arrives). I need it to help me maintain the moisture in the pots. The soil is drying out waaaay to quickly and its not even summer yet.
The seed pack says they can grow from 1 to 2 feet. I'd hate to cut the top off but I may not really have a choice. I think I will, sometime this week, be brave and cut the biggest one off at the top and lower the lamp again. Hopefully it will get the idea to grow out (with more branches on the sides) not up.
In good news, it seems like putting a fan on them for 10 - 15 mins a day really does strenghten their stems!
They look great, PolarVrtx! Are those tomatoes on your avatar?
Nice, having some friendly plants at work. You may have to share tomatoes that way, though.