Kudos on using the large containers but would I change anything? Yes. For starters, I would leave all this out: "and a mix of bat guano, sheep manure, kelp meal, fish meal, bone meal, blood meal, green sand and a mixture of trace minerals".

Why such a complicated mixture and why so much nitrogen? Tomatoes aren't nitrogen hogs in fact excess N is one of the most common underlying causes of problems with BER, blossom drop, low fruit production, pest infestations, foliage problems, etc. Sorry, but you did ask. ;)

Make your own mix if you wish rather than just starting with a quality soil-less potting mix (as most here recommend), but why not browse through many of the prior discussions here on recommended container growing mixes and fertilizer supplement use.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Best containers mixes and growing tomatoes in containers discussions...

"Does all of this sound good for the tomatoes? Would you change anything?"
Like Dave says, way too good.
My containers did great with common old Ace Hardware potting mix. A little liquid tomato fertilizer added about the time they bloomed. Not sure they even needed that.
Kenny

Ditto what Kenny and Dave said. Cheap potting or planting MIX. Not potting "soil." You'll have an easier and happier time of it, and your rewards should be great.

I do like Tomato Tone fertilizer because it's higher in the potassium area. I'm learning that this can help tomato plants better tolerate hostile climates and resist disease.

You might also have low pH issues with that coir fiber and peat, but definitely too much N for anything but turf grass or maybe corn.

But you do have the right idea when it comes to letting rock powders have time to break down before planting. I swear by greensand for most fruiting plants.

Is there any advice you can give me on how to grow these tomatoes? Should I start from seed or get transplants? are these varieties self fruitful? Are there any good companion plants? Any special needs beyond the normal needs of plants? Anything is helpful.
The potting mix recipe is my general prupose mix that I make by the barrel, I can easily change it if needed. As far as the mix of everything at the end, I buy it already made, minus the greensand, and the bag says its a 3-12-6.

-Colby

The potting mix recipe is my general prupose mix that I make by the barrel, I can easily change it if needed. As far as the mix of everything at the end, I buy it already made, minus the greensand, and the bag says its a 3-12-6.

This is confusing. So do you make your own or buy it in bags? The recipe you listed in your first post is an excessively high nitrogen mix as we all said, so if you are mixing your own using all those ingredients, one has to ask why? For what use?

If you are buying it then there is nothing wrong with a 3-12-6 mix but there are many pre-mix soil-less mixes sold - ProMix is a commonly recommended one on this forum - some with added nutrients and some with none added like Metro Mix 360 (a great basic mix).

Is there any advice you can give me on how to grow these tomatoes?

Yes, pick some better varieties. ;) Seriously, there are far better tomatoes available than those 2 but it is your choice of course.

As to how to grow any variety of tomatoes, this forum is full of advice on how to do it. Start with reading the many FAQ's here (link at top of the page) and then browse through the many pages of discussions. The principles are the same regardless of the variety used.

Any special needs beyond the normal needs of plants?

All plants have unique needs and tomatoes are no exception. One "need" we already mentioned is a lot less nitrogen than you are apparently using for other things. More phosphorus than some plants, cages or stakes are needed, different diseases and pests to watch for, consistent soil moisture levels are needed (avoid over-watering but don't let the containers dry out completely either.

The FAQs here will also help with this part of your question and the link below is to an article on the basics of How to Grow Tomatoes in Containers.

As to growing from seed or using transplants I would suggest transplants. Growing tomatoes from seed is a whole other ballgame with it's own set of equipment needed and problems to be learned to solve. It is best learned how to do once you have first learned using transplants. ;)

Hope this helps.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Grow Tomatoes

Thanks Dave, I will check the FAQ. Just curious, which varieties of cherry and paste would you recomend?

I should clarify on the soil. I make the base (compost, coco coir, peat, vermiculite) but purchase the other things in a premade mix, called MicroLife, from Rabbit Hill Farm. The bag for the mix says it is a 3-12-6. I should have said that before.

Thanks for your help so far.
-Colby

Colby,

If your mix is 3-12-6, well, I'd use it myself. Regarding varieties, there are SO many good ones, both heirloom and hybrid. There's a seed exchange on Gardenweb, and you can get a sampling of free heirloom (OP = open pollinated) seeds from wintersown.org.

If you want seedlings, a source I recommend is Laurel's Heirloom Tomatoes. Her website is a treasure trove full of information about the 160 varieties she sells, and I highly recommend it: www.heirloomtomatoplants.com. When you add in shipping/handling, her plants aren't exactly dirt cheap, but I guarantee you that she has more variety than you'll ever find locally, anywhere. Her service is very good, and plants arrive in amazingly good shape.

The link below will take you to Trudi's wintersown.org seed sampler. All you have to do is send your request with a self addressed stamped envelope.

Russ

Here is a link that might be useful: Wintersown.org SASE Tomato Seeds

Just curious, which varieties of cherry and paste would you recomend?

My personal favorite cherry would be Sungold but we aren't all that big on cherry tomatoes at our house. This recent discussion is all about favorite cherry tomatoes.

For a paste I'd recommend San Marzano, Opalka, or Amish Paste. This discussion is all about forum member's favorite paste tomatoes.

MicroLife, from Rabbit Hill Farm. The bag for the mix says it is a 3-12-6. I should have said that before

Yeah, that makes a BIG difference. ;)

Dave

Here's some information on Roots and their development. This will provide your plant with a the necessary tools to deal the heat of summer and deal with drought conditions. Follow Earl's hole method along with compost, compost and fertile soil enjoy growing in 2009.

George

link

Here is a link that might be useful: Roots

Colby, if you decide to go with plants, which is much more expensive than growing from seed, as you know, another excellent source is selectedplants.com owned by Fusion who also posts here.

His plants are very reasonably priced and packing/shipping is superb and the variety selection is the best I've seen anywhere re shipped plants.

George, I started linking to that Root site maybe 10 years ago and have linked to it here at GW many times in the past several years and I'm glad that you linked to it as well.

Many folks don't realize that there are two root conformations, fibrous and tap root, and why it's so important to transplant young seedlings to get the fibrous root structure.

Colby, for pastes I would suggest:

Heidi
Opalka
Mama Leone
Martino's Roma

.......or any larger fruited varieties that have dense flesh b'c as a rule, most paste varieties simply don't have the taste that larger fruited varieties have.

For cherrie's here's a few:

Sungold F1
Black Cherry
Green Doctors
Camp Joy, aka Chadwick's Cherry
Dr. Carolyn or Snowhite ( different varieties)
Pink Ping Pong ( larger type cherry)
Riesentraube

..... to name just a few.

Carolyn