Growing some early tomatoes 2020

[annie8]

So the tomatoes I sowed last tuesday are starting to come through. Have moved the sungokd and shirley from the propogator and into wee pots on the windowsill. Looks like the black icicle is just coming through too. Resisting the temptation to sow any more.

[Jungle Jane]

I just sowed my early tomato seeds Balconi Red,Tiny Tim & Halm Gelbe,only a few of each,the main lot of tomatoes will wait till March. Cordon varieties grow too tall if you start them now,these are miniature varieties.

[muckdiva]

Before Christmas VC started a seedy advent calendar which inspired me to sow some ancient (at least 10yo) tomato seeds I found whilst having a clear out. Only one single seed germinated initially but I sowed the remainder of the seeds in the packs and yay, quite a few have now popped up.
Welcome to the world survivors (interestihg that most of them are European varieties :
Ozarowski
Malinowy Warzawski
Balcony Red
Tropical Ruby
Burstyn
Purple Russian
Krakus
Chemomour Black
and thanks for the idea VC
Now how do I stop them getting too leggy?

[Scarlet]

Cool growing conditions with as much light as you can give them.....so ideally not in a room heated with lots of radiators. If they get leggy just take the armpits for starting off new plants and bin the original.
Though I generally do my main batch off at the beginning of March so you aren't too far in front.
The issue is lots of tall cordons get super leggy by April if you can't put them all out in the day.

[Scarlet]

A little update - here's mine today. Mine are growing slowly but look reasonably healthy.

[OakR]

Not sure if I'm still in the early category, but it's early for me! Just taken on a second plot which came with a Greenhouse which I've never had before, and got a Geopod propagator with lights as my house is too dark to grow anything no windowsills, so am hopeful but time will tell. Will sow again in a month or so a second batch.

Have sown, with the kids, the following:

From last year's saved seed (first time doing that so will be interesting to see if any of these are viable)
Green Zebra
Black Russian
'Medium pink Tom'
'Yellow pear \ bell'

and then also

The Amateur (first time trying this)
Sungold

And 3 varieties from my wife's Uncle in Spain, which may or may not be properly labelled

Rosa
Tumaco
Picon

Fingers crossed better germination this year which was 2% for me - I'm sure if was me but not sure what I did wrong!

[Urban]

Tomato seedlings coming on faster than I expected under growlights, I'm going to have to get them potted on soon, these sown on 10/2



100% Germination on the seeds I saved myself

[Scarlet]

Once they get their true leaves they really start to go.
My Gardeners' Delight (agonized over placement of apostrophe - is is the delight of one gardener, or many?) are growing fast now. About 35ish days after sowing.

What do yours look like now? I'm interested to see the difference.

[londonvegpatch]

Tomato seedlings coming on faster than I expected under growlights, I'm going to have to get them potted on soon, these sown on 10/2



100% Germination on the seeds I saved myself

Wow, growlights make all the difference, I sowed some on 10/02 and mine are at least 1/5 of the size of yours!

[veggiechicken]

Here are some of mine - sown 14/1. In a heated prop until there were signs of life, then out on the windowsill in the bedroom.



The tall ones at the back are Rambling Red - they always look straggly.
I made a mistake with some - as I potted them on into some pots that I'd sown for Advent and seemed to be doing nothing. The pot, bottom right, has a tom and several seedlings of Geranium Albiflorum have appeared to keep it company.

A few late developers........







One of Scarlet's Hahm Gelbe on the right. A new one for me to grow.

[Jungle Jane]

Mine are very tiny sowed 17th Feb - 4 tiny tim,3 hahm gelbe & 3 balconi red at the back next to edelweiss sowed in Decembers Advent. I was only going to have 2 hahm gelbe & 2 tiny tim I might have too many plants this early,although we’re nearly in March now,they’ll be alright on the windowsill soon,if they get leggy plant them deep as you can when you pot on into the three inch pot.

[Scarlet]

The H. Gelbe are very small...even if they get leggy they won't get more that a foot and half. Little micro plants

[Urban]

Wow, growlights make all the difference, I sowed some on 10/02 and mine are at least 1/5 of the size of yours!

yep 2 weeks from sowing to that stage is great, I'm pretty chuffed so far, they all came up really fast, caught me by surprise to be honest, I turned off the heat pad, and got the grow lights on em asap, so a couple are a little leggy but I will plant them deeper anyway, the gardeners delight (second from right) came up a bit slower than the others, so they have turned out nice stocky little plants, I think next time I'll get the grow lights going soon as I sow them

I'm going to get some compost and pot them up this weekend I think

[quanglewangle]

What do yours look like now? I'm interested to see the difference.

Sorry - just seen the post.

Sown about 6 Jan. On heated sand tray in greenhouse. Covered with fleece at night. (Cucumbers in foreground)

Would be interested in views on pros and cons of planting them in beds now. (In same greenhouse and beds are warmed about the same temp as sand tray)


Tomato Mandarin

[Scarlet]

Your photo link doesn't work?

They look very yellow?
Where's your gardeners delight?