Growing some early tomatoes - 2019

[The Pepper Man]

We've been sowing tomato seeds in January for so many years that it seems perfectly normal to many of us.

I've been looking back at your "Showcase" thread and you don't seem to be
sideshooting your tomatoes in the GH so its inevitable that they will become overcrowded. Here's one of your photos https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ml#post1659616

I'd like to see some photos of your outdoor plants please. Perhaps you could update your thread?

Well, I'm going to take a leaf out of your book and sow some early tomato plants next year, in Jan/Feb.

I didn't mean for my previous comment(s) to sound offensive in any way, but I was just somewhat surprised how early some people were sowing their tomato seed. I get that this is the purpose of the thread, but it just seemed abnormally early to me.

But then again, I am relatively inexperienced, and at 26 years of age, I have only been growing tomatoes for 3 years. So what do I know. I am here to learn, and I am all ears. And I'm not phrasing that sarcastically. I genuinely want to learn from others, which is why I am here.

I will update my "showcase" thread in the next 24 hours. I have been meaning to update it but have been so busy and inundated with work, travel, family, personal matters etc. This season has just not gone as planned for me, due to things I could, and couldn't, have helped.

But the fact of the matter is that I need to do a number of things differently next year. My peppers are doing fantastic for me, but the tomatoes have been an issue. I must adapt, learn from mistakes and do things correctly next year.

Regards

[veggiechicken]

I'm sorry to hear your sad news. My condolences.

As for the early sowing date, we trial lots of things here - some work, some don't - but we've been sowing Early Tomatoes for many years that its stopped being experimental. The trick is to grow bush cherry toms that are meant to be grown on windowsills and in small pots - not the big, cordons that will be difficult to move around before its warm enough to leave them in the GH overnight.

You'll have a better idea next year about side-shooting and spacing - the best way to learn is by making mistakes.