What if I plant tomato seeds now?

[Crosbie]

I've looked at the Early tomato growing thread - which starts in Dec/Jan -

But what if I plant tomato seeds now? What would happen?

Regards
Crosbie

[shirlthegirl43]

You might get lucky - we might have a great autumn and you would get crops.

More likely though is that you would struggle to find somewhere to keep the plants in enough light and heat for them to survive the winter.

I overwinter a dwarf variety of tomato and that ends up quite tall on the kitchen windowsill. I take cuttings late in the year to keep overwinter then take cuttings again in spring for my fruiting plants.

Tomato seeds are plentiful and relatively cheap so give it a try and see what happens

[rustylady]

Too late to get a useful crop this time of year, unless you want to spend a fortune on artificial heat and light.

[mcsee]

I've only had my seeds sown for a week as it's mid winter here, but they will grow between now and the start of our Spring. Your season is the reverse of mine and I agree with Rustylady that there's no likelihood you could get them through to fruit stage so close to the weather turning cold there.
You could however start a bit earlier next season and sow cold tolerant tomatoes, eg Polar Star or Siberian etc.

Some seedlings 6 days from sowing.

[Two_Sheds]

absolute, total waste of time... the days are shortening now, and it will get considerably cooler in a few weeks.

[Alice]

If you can keep the tomatoes indoors Crosbie you might get lucky.
You can try it and see - nothing to loose really.
The variety Sub Arctic Plenty was bred to deal with low light levels so it might be in with a chance.
Give it a go and let us know.

[Crosbie]

Thanks for your advice everyone -

I'm probably talking out of my tree here but I was thinking about growing those Russian tomatoes - like if a Siberian tomato can grow in...er...Siberia then surely it would stand an equally good chance over here - under cover?

If a Siberian tomato can set fruit at such low temperatures then is it just a light issue? I read somewhere that cold climate tomatoes need at least 8 hours of sunlight. This doesn't seem too much of a tall order...

I'll give it a shot - just to prove that you're all right of course!

BTW, thanks Shirlthegirl and Alice for your tips

Crosbie

[tomatolover]

Hoping it was so !

I was thinking exactly the same thing - about wanting to sow some more tomato seed. But counted on my fingers and faced facts, it really wouldn't work.
Do you think it's the growers equivalent of plants bolting and throwing out seed !
In that we can't bear the thought that when the current crop is over it's a long wait till we can next sow in anticipation of home grown toms, so we just want to get them in now regardless !

[Newbie]

i'm growing a miniture variety called Red Robin that is about 30cm tall, really bushy & a prolific fruiter for its size - says on the packet that you can grow it all year round (indoors) as doesn't mind low light levels. Not tried it through the autumn / winter yet though.

[Sheepish]

I have no idea whether they're really from Siberia, but even so, Siberia is a big place and a quick Google for climate figures shows that summer temperatures in Novosibirsk are similar to London's.

[weekendwellies]

I dont have the space indoors or a greenhouse to keep toms overwinter. Is there any variety that can be left in the ground outside and continue to grow and produce for more than one season.

[Crosbie]

I have no idea whether they're really from Siberia, but even so, Siberia is a big place and a quick Google for climate figures shows that summer temperatures in Novosibirsk are similar to London's.

I'm not entirely sure what summer temperatures in this country are any more..

If we can be fooled by the British weather, can a tomato?

Crosbie

[bramble]

Weekendweelies, afraid not but it sounds great

[tomatolover]

Red Robin

Hello Newbie - I'm growing this as well. You are right about Red Robin being prolific - lots of fruit on them. Only trouble, unlike all my other small fruit ( Tumbler, Sungold, Garden Pearl, Gardeners Delight) it doesn't want to turn red ! Which given it's name doesn't seem right !

However it's a tidy and compact enough plant to be given house room.
I've just checked in my seed cache in the fridge and I have 7 seeds so I might give it a go at growing indoors through the autumn and winter and see what happens.

And if it turns out to be as cold as last winter it can keep me company in looking throughly miserable - I might even lend it one of my many layered fleeces !

[Two_Sheds]

And if it turns out to be as cold as last winter it can keep me company in looking throughly miserable - I might even lend it one of my many layered fleeces !

How will you give it enough light?