Has anyone started their toms yet?

[lyndap]

I thought I was abit early starting toms off nearly 2 weeks ago!!!How long ago did you start yours Biscombe?I'm well impressed.

[Biscombe]

HI serenity, The toms will be planted out before the roots show, but it´s a good point!
lyndap started my toms in January
bramble, great tip about the newspaper

[wellie]

Great news Biscombe - put me down for some seeds late this year/early next would you pretty please? and in the meantime, when they're growing away nicely, can we have some photos and info notes on how they're 'behaving' and cropping? Ooh, dead 'citing stuff!

[Biscombe]

Will do.....

[smallblueplanet]

biscombe, wonder if you could tell me if you have used those types of containers before? I have been collecting cups from work over the winter, the brown ones from the vending machines and also the clear ones used for water. I have since read somewhere that the clear ones are no good as light can get to the roots I wasn't sure how badly this would effect the plant so am looking for alternative ways to use 200 cups?

When looking for info on rootrainers I read this:

Air pruning - The first roots race down the special grooves and quickly emerge through the drainage hole. The tips die off naturally causing masses of side roots to develop higher in the cell. This results in a super root system all set to feed a perfect plant.



Wouldn't ridged drinking cups have a similar effect?

rootrainers

[SimonCole]

Started mine of Friday

[Flummery]

I start mine in March - well on in March. No heating in the greenhouse so I don't like them on too early. Does anyone else grow Green Zebra? It's a big tom, a bit later ripening than most but wow! what a flavour.

[*Feather*]

I only just planted mine last Sunday, as all I have are the window sills and they tend to go very leggy. Fingers crossed they won't this year!

[Biscombe]

Great post smallblueplanet!! just the same shape and size as my pop bottles! Its 6.30am in the morning here and glowing a gale outside, I hope my babies are ok!

[poshfan]

tomatoes

I started off some Rose di Berne and Tigerella off a few days ago - but I have a heated mini greenhouse against a housewall and facing south.....

[beefy]

I have see here-http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ead.php?t=5352

[smallblueplanet]

I only just planted mine last Sunday, as all I have are the window sills and they tend to go very leggy....

If they do though you can remedy the situation by repotting them up to their lower leaves and the stem will grow roots.

[knollgardener]

Hi all,
I had started my toms already 3 weeks ago and they are cluttering my window sill, to the annoyance of my cat who likes to sit there to watch the birds feeding at my bird feeding station in the front garden.
I shall have the toms growing on in my cold frames outside later before they get too tall for the window sill.
My varieties this year are mostly organic;
Matina
Carotina
Ailsa Craig
Moneymaker
and a yellow bush tomato without a name, as seeds were saved last year from a plant I bought in the garden centre, and it had no spacifications mentioned.
All of these are going to be growing outside eventually.
I have enough plants going to have a garden sale at the end of April, too.
Happy growing to you all.

Sarina.