Tomato side shoots??

[Alison]

I only tend to overwinter more valuable crops or ones where it's very important to get a head start for next season - basically I'm too lazy and tight to mollycoddle things over the cold / dark months. Toms are easy to grow from seed and by a spring sowing I can guarantee disease free plants which will fruit well in the same season (and of course next year will have normal weather again, whatever that is!!!!)

[momol]

Hydroponics = grown in water tastes like water, which pretty well covers all the Dutch produce in supermarkets.

valmarg

Hmmm.. Valmarg is quite right I am afraid but there are some exception, the Tastytom and the Sweetvine are nice and tasty ( but don't know if they are hydroponically grown or not ).

Momol

[Biscombe]

When the side shoots come I just stick em in the ground or in pots to get a later crop,I find the shoots are never as productive as the parent plants, nevertheless good with F1 plants like sungold with the seeds being more expensive

[Paulottie]

I have often taken side shoots to extend the season into November even December. but not into winter. Easy to root in June/july time from your best stock- just stick em in a glass of water for a week or so they root easily. the next batch will be less diseased and last well into the Autumn. when they stop swelling cut leaves and top off and hang the plant in the garage with a couple of banana skins. They will keep ripening for some time. You still need space for this though.

The great enemies are disease and fungus. You can keep them well ventilated with a fan. Then there is heating and light....and of course you will probably overwinter any pests with them....not at all worth time and expense for amateurs

Most winter supermarket toms are infact grown in southern Spain and picked green. This accounts for the lack of flavour and crunchy texture.

When grown hydroponically Toms can be laid down in the troughs as the trusses are used/ develop and they will go on and on this way until they are many meters long. Not my style, but an very efficient low disease meathod.

Chillies on the other hand will often overwinter very well in a frost free conservatory.

[shirlthegirl43]

Just to update you all. I was really lazy and left the tomato 'cuttings' in a pot of water on the kitchen windowsill, topping up with more water as required. Today I threw away the one that had died and potted the one that was still happy. It hasn't grown very much but has a superb root system. I will now wait and see how it does. Also sowed some tomato seed today so I will have a direct comparison to see which method gives earliest fruits.

[Cutecumber]

oooh goody! I love an experiment

Keep us informed, Shirley.