Early Tomato Sowing and Growing thread - poll added please vote

[zazen999]

Yeah, the bigger ones are toms by the looks of it.

No idea what the other ones are though.

[Cosmo and Dibs]

Could they be weeds already in the cheapo compost?

[zazen999]

I imagine that's exactly what they are.

Pick them out [the weeds] and leave the toms a few more weeks, until they are big enough to dig out with a decent size root structure, then you can put them into their own pots.

But hold off on the spraying, and let the compost dry out a bit before you keep watering. The compost needs air in it some of the time.

[PAULW]

Any thing for the crack me, I thought this thread looks interesting I'd been to Wyevale and bought an armfull of tom seeds at 50p a packet what can I lose, I have now got 45 tomato plants in 3 ltr pots 13 differant types not counting the dozen basket dangling toms (gardenperle&tumbling tom) and the 9 I gave to the next door neighbour now I just have to fit them in my 10x6 greenhouse.

[zazen999]

LOL...I gave some away at the weekend. I'm only keeping a few selected ones indoors, the rest are in the coldframe.

[Seahorse]

I planted my Outdoor Girl toms into the garden over the weekend. Now to remember to check the forecast for frosts and fleece them if necessary!

[Sylvan]

Have you found that fleece gives enough protection? I'm already desperate for space and our last frost date isn't for another 8 weeks.

I sowed 14 Tamina and 10 Gardeners' Delight, 2 per 3" pot, on 6th Feb. Most of them germinated within a couple of weeks but the 13th Tamina suddenly popped up on 16th March. Then this evening, when I was potting on the 9 Gardeners' Delight seedlings I found the 10th, which had only just germinated, after almost 9 weeks!

[BarleySugar]

First Tomato Set

I've my first tomato set, on Tigerella, sown 27th Dec. I wasn't sure it would stay, so I've held off saying, but it's the size of a pea now, so I reckon I'm safe . I've just got back from the camping trip, so I add a pic later. Checking it was almost the first thing I did once I got home

[Seahorse]

Have you found that fleece gives enough protection? I'm already desperate for space and our last frost date isn't for another 8 weeks.

In all honesty, I don't know! I'm very much approaching this as an experiment. I have a sheltered garden and a south facing wall to plant my toms against, plus more seedlings bringing up the rear. I'll be thrilled if the ones I've planted out do well but I certainly wouldn't say I'm doing the 'right' thing

[Alice]

Well done BarleySugar.
My Red Alert planted 27/12 has flower buds on.

[Irie Jan]

Sowed a variety of toms at the beginning of this trial. Lost my Orange Banana and Pigletwillie Black toms a while back. Looks like I'm losing my Grushovka, leaves are wilting from the bottom up. No fungal disease (28/03/09).

Was the top of the plant healthy...if so then it is just the plant ditching old leaves.

I have similar problems as Frostyfreckel but with my cream sausage tomatoes. All 4 of them germinated well and grew well in 100% peat free compost I moved them from a tray to small 3 inch pots, I did not have any biger at the time but the tom's were still fine for a while.

Then before I repoted them on againe bigger pots, they were about 3-4 inches tall and had about 3 or 4 sets of true leaves. The seed leaves gone as to be expected but the lower leaves were wilting a bit They were very unhapy when I repoted them into different compost which was more heave than the last. I thought that perhaps I had overwatered them a bit, this was a few weeks ago now.

They are still hanging on in there, the bottom leaves are still on the pllants and still looking wilty like they are slowly dying but top leaves look fine and plants still growing. Any thoughts as their chances

All my 1st lot of toms that includes the cream sausage and my chilli's have been in the greenhouse full time for about 2-3 weeks now, no heating but all the others are growing fine and appear to be ok.!

Thanks peeps

[RowanStar]

First Timer

Hey all, I have just planted some tomatoe seed in some containers, and placed them on a tray on my kithen windowsill, and this is my first time at trying to grow some tomatoes, when is the best time to transfere them to the garden please?

[Storming Norman]

A reply to Cupcake:

Sorry it's been a while -I hope you see this reply.

Nope there's no frost in the greenhouse, and on past experience I don't expect any now. I have even taken off the night time fleece from all my baby's in the greenhouse. It really helps that is is sheltered here.

I was in Bradford recently - yes its is a bit colder in Yorkshire than in my southern garden.

When I was there I was looking at the cost of living in Yorkshire and making comparisons [and grumbling]. Now I have something to make me smile as well - it's all swings and roundabouts isn't it?

Do you know exactly the same items in Wilkinsons is more expensive here?

Grumble over!

Ann

[BarleySugar]

First Tomato picture

Here is the picture I promised earlier, I wonder how long it will take to grow and ripen. I am still covering with fleece every night. I do think the plants are a bit taller than I would like, but we did say an experiment

[tamsin]

Aww, your pea sized tomato is so cute! I can't wait for some baby tomatoes of my own lol.

The bush (tumbling) tomatoes seem to be growing much better than the cordon variety I have. Most less leggy and more developed. Anyone else noticed a difference between types?

The first flower on my tumbling tom, sown 15/1, opened today