What if I plant tomato seeds now?

[Two_Sheds]

The variety Sub Arctic Plenty was bred to deal with low light levels.

from T&M website:
Sub Arctic Plenty was first developed in the 1940's to provide the US Air Force stationed in Greenland with fresh tomatoes, (it) has a unique ability to set fruit under cool conditions,... Do not plant out, however, until all danger of frost has passed.

It says "developed to provide" it doesn't say it was successful at doing so! I grew it last year and it was awful, actually ripening later than my normal tomatoes

[Two_Sheds]

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?

"A cold climate tomato is a variety which is ideally suited for climates with a short growing season, which are always colder climates than the majority. Though many cold climate varieties can withstand cooler weather than others, their real value is in the fact that they mature much earlier."

Tomatoes still need a goodly amount of light and heat to grow and ripen

Have a look at this link for more info on Cool Climate Tomatoes

[Crosbie]

***Have a look at this link for more info on Cool Climate Tomatoes

Thanks Two_Sheds:

Lol; it was this link that prompted me to put the question to the forum in the first place.

There's a lot of research - early-cropping cold varieties etc...most of it concurs with your advice of course.

But I guess my question hinges on the assumption that because recent weather events here in the UK have been - and continue to be - so precarious, I figured that it might be worth a try with a cold-climate tomato - early cropping or not.

Heat and environ aside, is it the quality of light that is the issue or the availability of light?

e.g. March gets 11 hours of daylight; October gets 11 hours of daylight.
April gets 13 hours; September gets 14 hours.

Crosbie

[zazen999]

Heat and environ aside, is it the quality of light that is the issue or the availability of light?

e.g. March gets 11 hours of daylight; October gets 11 hours of daylight.
April gets 13 hours; September gets 14 hours.

Crosbie

I believe it is the availability.....even toms sown in jan/feb are subject to straining to get more light during feb and march.....but if you do try it, don't forget to blog it for people.

[Two_Sheds]

e.g. March gets 11 hours of daylight; October gets 11 hours of daylight.
April gets 13 hours; September gets 14 hours.

Yes, but in spring the daylight hours are increasing, and in autumn they are decreasing

[tomatolover]

Thank you 'shedding' light !

Good point re the light ! Yesterday's heavy rain followed by power cut and resulting late afternoon gloom was a taste of those short days which my brain has deleted from memory !
It's looking like the only sure thing you could say in favour of growing tomatoes indoors & out of season is that you might not get tomatoes but fingers crossed no blight either !!