Tomato – Bush Goliath, Hybrid Tomato Determinite

 

This is the story of my first Bush Goliath Hybrid Tomato

Plant Specs

• Plant Size: 36″ – 42″
• Fruit size: 3″ – 4″, 6-8 oz
• Matures: 68 days after planting
• Spacing: 24 to 36 inches
• Light: Full sun
• Plant type: Determinate

Special Characteristics:

This hybrid tomato is supposed to have all of the characteristics I was looking for: compact size is great for containers, large delicious fruit, long harvest season.

I planted my Bush Goliath in an Earthbox along with 2 Bell Peppers in mid-February. I live in East Texas in Zone 8. We had an unusually mild winter. Despite the knowledge that we sometimes have a late frost in April I couldn’t resist planting early!

2 months later I have a couple of small fruits and my plant is a little over 2 ft high and very bushy. I have had to prune it back a couple of times because it is taking over one of my peppers.

Update: October 13, 2017

Production has slowed down a LOT following a case of blossom end rot in my tomatoes and peppers. The store was out of lime when it started and by the time I thought to get some from my grandmother, my plant was in pretty bad trouble.

It is still putting on a few tomatoes, growing a little bigger than golfball size before they start to turn. I currently have 1 red tomato in my kitchen and about 4 green ones of various sizes growing on the vine.

As for the actual vine size – This plant has been growing since February. I am sure it would be at least twice the above-mentioned plant size if it weren’t for pruning and the plant drooping and snapping under its own weight.

I do think I want to plant these again some year, but I will have to set up a better support system and possibly let it have a whole container to itself.