The Early Tomato Sowing Thread

[Jelliebabe]

Tee Hee - I think I started all that off with my enquiry about spindly and legginess! I think He is off to report us IRRESPONSIBLE enough to grow tomato's at this time of year to the RSPCV (royal society for the prevention of cruelty to veg!)




(yes I know they're strictly a fruit... I'm not that dense)

[Sylvan]

Note to self: Remember to read the rest of the thread before rehashing comments other people have made.

Did you do the deed Seahorse
I was about to point out that I had a fantastic crop of alicante's last year, ready from May onwards from plants that accidently self seeded in October. Which makes January sowing seem rather late really

Wow! Where had they seeded themselves? Surely not outside?

*sigh* I hate it when my really good arguments get ignored...

In other news...
I'm thinking of starting a handful of early plants for the heated greenhouse, but can't decide which varieties to go for. I think Sungolds are definitely in the short-list because they crop quickly, and can stand a lower temp than some. But what would be a good standard sized variety to try? My 'Shirley' all got used up last year, and don't really want any more F1s. Has anyone tried Bloody Butcher as an early?

I had a potato-leaved variety that survived some very low temperatures from April onwards (we tend to forget to bring them in... ), as well as those late June frosts. It was called "Tamina".
(I ought to have some left but I can't find the packet anywhere. )

I've just heard of a tomato called "Glacier" which is supposed to be hardy almost down to frost. Might that be worth investigating?

[SarzWix]

I grew Tamina for a few years Sylvan, as they were cheap from T&M and looked similar to Shirley. I used the last of them last year though, and have sooooo many tomato seeds I can't bring myself to buy any more

[Sylvan]

I know the feeling!

Though when I was trying to decide which seeds I wanted from T&M's catalogue, to use Grumpy's £5 voucher, I ended up putting two more tomato varieties in the basket.

(In the end it wouldn't accept the voucher code anyway. )

I'm being very good and not opening the packets of Sungold, Tumbling Tom and the free Gardener's Delight that turned up today, because they say "use by 2013"...

[Two_Sheds]

Well, I gather that that particular incarnation of Allotment Joe is no longer with us

he'll be back honey, soon as he's thought up another user name - might take a few weeks

My baby toms are now on the south windowsill, where I will remember to bring them inside the room after dark

[Sylvan]

woohoo! We have liftoff...

6/9 Il san marzano lungo and 12/14 principe borghese.

They're out of the airing cupboard and shivering on a south facing kitchen worktop.

I was searching for the Tamina remnants that I don't remember finishing and I found a packet of Minibel (use by 2012) and some organic Gardeners Delight with no date.

Looks as though it won't be long before the airing cupboard sees some more use.

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

Today I've sown 2 each of PW's French Black, Black Sea Man, and Bloody Butcher.

[hailtryfan]

Can I join the early tomato gang too? Going to plant 4 of each of these plants in the morning and whack em in the airing cupboards in 3inch pots with plastic bags over em (i hate transplanting fidley little seedlings)

Floridity
Golden Gem
Black Krim
Alicante

Only managed to plant my seeds today along with some hotscotch peppers. Decided to put them in a propagator in the living room rather than the airing cupboard. Missus has given me permission to put them all on the living room windowsill till I can plant them out.

When do you experts think I will be able to put them in an unheated greenhouse?

[Sylvan]

I'm certainly no expert but I normally put mine out whenever the temperature rises above 10C and bring them in again when it drops below.
That does tend to be very labour intensive though.

You wouldn't want to plant them outside till after your last frost date, but a greenhouse would probably be enough protection against those last few frosts, so you might be able to get them out into that a bit sooner.

I'm sure an expert will be along soon to put us right.

All 14 of my Principe Borghese have now germinated, along with 8 of the 9 San Marzano and 1 of the 4 Moneymaker.

[bramble]

Came back yesterday from a weekend away to find my tomato seeds had germinated. 3 Bloody Butcher, 3 Stupice, 3 Kimberley and just 1 out of 3 Kumato. I just caught them in tine as they were starting to reach for the light and were on the point of going leggy.

[Strawberry delight]

Just managed to get round to sowing 2 of each moneymaker, gardeners delight, 100's and 1000's and a basket one.

[Sylvan]

A 2nd Moneymaker seed has germinated.

That's 2 out of 4. I keep staring at them, hoping I'll make summat happen.

[binley100]

I now have
3xRoma
3xFrench Black
3xTigerella
5xAmish Paste
That's the GH full
Also have
5xHarbinger
and there are more just starting to show.......then today I sowed some Tumbling ones for my baskets and some Ferline

[northepaul]

I planted my toms (or some of them) today - 6 ea of shirley, sungold and amish paste in heated prop, south facing window. To your standards thats quite late isnt it?

[Sylvan]

To you standards thats quite late isnt it?

It's almost February!

My 9th (and last) san marzano is up.