tomaotes

[helly]

Hello all, can I ask if I should start to grow my tomatoes or is it too early. I will be using an electric propagator to start them off.
I am hoping to try 4 to different types and on all of the packs they say to start off sowing them in Feb. But I dont want them to get too stringy.
Any advice welcome
cheers Helen

[Cutecumber]

Is you propagator in the greenhouse and does it have a thermostat? Where will your tomatoes be grown in the end?

Your propagator will be fine for the early stage - germination and seedlings.

The trick is how to keep tomatoes warm enough once they outgrow the propagator if it is still too cold in the greenhouse or outside. Can you keep the growing plants at temps over 10/15 degrees or so? They won't be happy if it is constantly as cold as 10 degrees.

If in doubt, wait.

[zazen999]

Hi
I have started mine off; but have chosen the varieties to suit.

So, my russian early ones [from Real Seeds] that were sown in Jan are now 3 inches high and on the kitchen windowsill and doing very nicely. I sowed a few more at the weekend and in a few weeks will start the non-earlies. I sow a few every few weeks so that if any do die off, i have others coming up nicely behind it.

I know I sow too soon, but with the weather being all weird my argument is that I would probably lose the same amount through thinning anyway so why not? As long as you can keep them warm as Cute said, they should be ok.

I do tend to have rather a full kitchen windowsill for half of the spring though - but we have a courtyard here that doesn't get frosty and I will be putting mine out a few weeks earlier than I would outside because of that - and possibly under cloches as well.

Anything to get them off to an early start!!! But one cold snap can wipe the lot out if they go out too soon.

[veg4681]

I've sown tomatoes in two batches, 1st batch of 5 different toms just over 2 weeks ago and 2nd batch of another 5 toms just over 1 week ago but only 4 have germinated. At the rate I'm going, I'm so glad I started mine early. If you expect your germination to be erratic (not predictable 1 week), worthwhile covering your back with early sowings.

In the daytime, my seedlings are left in the unheated greenhouse for the fullest light possible but I bring them indoors just before dark. Even then, I can't shift the tomatoes fast enough from the heated propagator with limited space for more sowings that are waiting in queue. It's really up to you what you're prepared to put up with.

[smallblueplanet]

....I'm so glad I started mine early. If you expect your germination to be erratic (not predictable 1 week), worthwhile covering your back with early sowings....

I think your arguement is backwards - perhaps its because you're sowing so early that germination rates are low.

[pigletwillie]

I have just sown mine, three weeks later than last year when they had to go in the tunnel in mid April as they were desperate to be planted. This year they will hopefully go in the tunnel at the begining of May.

In addition I also have the benefit of a heated greenhouse which is kept at between 10 - 12 degrees, any warmer and they grow too fast and need planting out much too early.

If you dont have a heated greenhouse, I would hang back until March before sowing unless you have a light, warm place to keep them. If they go leggy, they will only be fit for the compost bin.

[hawthorns]

i sowed 5 gartenpearle toms in jan. i started them off in heated propagator. i transplanted them into 2 4" pots and thay are growing nicely on kitchen window sill. its the 1st time if done toms from seed so really only experimenting. will sow some more when supposed to as directed on seeds packets

[kirsty b]

I am going to start my beefsteak toms at the end of this month indoors so they have a longer growing season, but I don't plan on starting my cherry or salad toms until at least late March, Did them too early last year and they didn't crop any earlier so this year I'm making myself wait a bit!