What was the question again on the Mortgage Lifters? I’ve only grown them once as a trial.
Was it the height of the plant? I would imagine it needs to be BIG as it’s supporting those HUGE tomatoes.
Average Height of Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes
On average, Mortgage Lifter tomato plants can grow to a height of 6 to 8 feet. However, their actual size can vary depending on several factors, including:
Growing Conditions
Sunlight: Mortgage Lifter tomatoes thrive in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil rich in organic matter is essential for optimal growth.
Water: Consistent watering is crucial, especially during hot and dry periods.
Temperature: They prefer warm temperatures between 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
https://gardenerbible.com/how-tall-do-mortgage-lifter-tomatoes-grow/
The above article appears to be written by AI. It’s like listening to Kamala Harris talk, LOL! Made my head hurt!
Hahaha! Thanks for the reply.
What I was looking for, I guess, was actual experience with the Mortgage Lifters, as those AI returns, while usually fairly accurate, sometimes miss important details. I am particularly intrigued that my Mortgage Lifters don’t seem to outgrow their environment the way many varieties try to. But the corollary would seem to be that they could, with adequate nutrition, water, and time (as they seem rather slow growing, in the 1st couple months, even when pampered), end up being really big plants. Now that a couple of the ML’s are taking off (I’ll bet this run of 80’s degree weather will really help), I added height to their support “trees”, a couple hours ago.
(One support actually broke in some wind a couple days ago when the cold front came through. The break was due to both the plant and the wood being old and having a knot. That break folded over the main stem badly (the stem partially broke, actually) and the top of the plant wilted fast... I ended up replanting the bottom half and burying about 3 ft. of the stem in a “slanting trench”, with a little branch still intact sticking up from the ground. That’s recovering and I think it will “make it” - a little behind schedule, tho’, as the other ML’s its age have about 5-6 ft. on it, above the ground, anyway.
I guess I’ll add support to more of the ML’s if they outgrow the current trellis’s or “trees”. I may have to do that with a couple of the Cherry Falls tomato plants too, as they too seem to want to reach the sky. A couple of the overwintered Romas are also really taking off now too. When the ML’s stop growing, I’ll report how big they got (and how big the fruits are.) :-)