The Early Tomato Sowing Thread

[Shadylane]

Ah right I thought it was the overwintering armpit thingy some of you were doing. I guess it makes sense to take the top off as you generally remove armpits when they're small unless you miss one. You'd also have to time it right, ie let one grow late enough for it not to get too big but not too late, which might be tricky. I'm deffo trying this - cheers for the fab idea Flummery.

[Flummery]

You could use side shoots but I'd been removing them to grow the plant as a cordon - so it didn't have any!

[Hillwalker]

I was thinking along the lines of, to leave some new side shoots to grow near the end of the season. Besides, I always nip the top of the parent plant anyway, to allow the trusses to develop, well before the season's end. So I guess I've answered my own question.

[Flummery]

Yep! You can certainly leave some on. I only nip the top off if it's massive or has got some small trusses that won't ripen. Or if I remember!

[Two_Sheds]

Here we go, first ripe one today ... Sungold, sown 6th Feb I think

[Sylvan]

Well done Two_Sheds
Very impressed with your nurturing.
My Sungold was sown on 3rd Feb and only has tiny baby toms so far.

[Two_Sheds]

I don't know which is which, but this is Auntie Madge, Bloody Butcher and another Sungold

[chris]

Bah! I've got a tiny pea sized tomato on my sungold (23rd March). Def going for Jan/Feb next year.

[CaroltheCarrot]

sweet and neat overwintered

[Chef_uk]

Gardeners Delight sown 27th Feb:

[binley100]

I have a red one ....not on my earlier sown toms but on a gardenpearl that I grew just to see why they caused a difference of opinion. Its only small but its red

[Flummery]

We have had Eleanor and Ice & Fire (Own Brands) Bloody Butcher and PW's French Black ripe this last week. Worth a go sowing early if you can give the right conditions in between!

[Davyburns]

I have had Red Zebra, shirley, sweet millions, Maskotska, Black heart, Latah, Black truffle, and centiflor tomatoes ripened and eaten so far. well worth the extra work and cost involved in sowing early

Just noticed some Thai Pink eggs ready for harvesting!

[zazen999]

I have had Red Zebra, shirley, sweet millions, Maskotska, Black heart, Latah, Black truffle, and centiflor tomatoes ripened and eaten so far. well worth the extra work and cost involved in sowing early

Just noticed some Thai Pink eggs ready for harvesting!

Davy - when you say cost, could you expand on how you have been growing yours please. TIA.

[Davyburns]

Davy - when you say cost, could you expand on how you have been growing yours please. TIA.

from sowing in an electric propagator to repotting in a heated conservatory, then into a bubblewrap insulated greenhouse heated with 3 electric tubular heaters wired into a thermostatat, gradually disconnecting them until there was none, and taking down the insulation until only the north facing side was insulated