Local man grows tomato plants around 20 feet — 21 feet, 4 3/4 inches and 18 feet, 7 inches
Neal Hatten of Brinkhaven has grown two tomato plants this past growing season that both were around 20 feet tall.
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One grew to 21 feet, 4 3/4 inches on a tower, while another was 18 feet, 7 inches.
They are sweet cherry 100 hybrid plants. Hatten grew one three years ago that grew to 18 feet, 6 inches, so he said he got the idea to see how high he could grow them.
But after they only grew to 16 feet last year, Hatten said he made a big, hollow depression in the ground that holds about 12 gallons of water, which he filled twice a day every day with water.
He also fertilized the plants once every two weeks. In the summer months, they grew 2 to 3 inches every day, Hatten said.
With the taller one, Hatten said he stripped all the suckers off and most of the blooms to try to put most of the energy into the plant so it could reach its maximum height.
Guinness World Record tomato plant grew to 65 feet
According to the Gardening Know How website, cherry tomato plants typically grow to be 4-8 feet tall, but can sometimes reach 20 feet. And according to Guinness World Records, a tomato plant grown hydroponically by a company in the United Kingdom reached a height of 65 feet in 2000.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Brinkhaven man grows two big cherry tomato plants
