The Bush Tomato Thread 2012 and beyond

[Sylvan]

Woohoo. First tomato seedling of the year
Roma germinated this afternoon.

[Sylvan]

Visions of Binley's maja languishing on a chaise longue...

[chris]

Pretty much all mine have germinated

[horticultural_hobbit]

I have one seedling. Just the one. Sun gold. Nine varieties of toms grown, with a couple of each seed. Trying not too feel demoralise at such an early stage.

[Thelma Sanders]

Red Alerts are just showing

[Sylvan]

Have any of you grown Minibel before?
I tried it last year but the stems were stiff enough for the sparrows to sit on and they systematically snipped off every single flower
I'm wondering whether it's worth the faff of rigging up some sort of protection or whether to just give up on them.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Minibel was the first Tom I ever grew ^_^ last year they died a death having got leggy. Sown again this year. I used to stick short canes in, whilst growing in a pot; and tie stems to the canes with wool. I had beautiful green leafy things til they got smacked with blight.

[Sylvan]

So did you get to taste them hobbit? Are they nice?

[veggiechicken]

Sylvan & HH, Are you trying to upset me? I've just sown Minibell for the first time and you're telling me they're rubbish! Waaaaahh!

[horticultural_hobbit]

Oh, no, they aren't rubbish! Prolific cropper of little marble sized toms. My own gripe was that they didn't ripen on the plant. Took them off, stuck them in a pyrex bowl and sat them on window sill. Went ruby red. Put them in everything. School dinners and Bollywood dinners. Mine only got leggy as they were very early sowings. I love this little tomato.

[zazen999]

I have one seedling. Just the one. Sun gold. Nine varieties of toms grown, with a couple of each seed. Trying not too feel demoralise at such an early stage.

Remember - they take 7-10 days in good weather with alot more sun than at the moment; give them time.

[veggiechicken]

Thanks HH for your reassurance! I'll give them a life they'll send postcards home about - if they decide to germinate of course!

[Sylvan]

Thanks. I'll try them again then.

ETA: I've just had a thought. Would a bottomless water-cooler bottle (without a lid) placed on top of a Morrisons bucket create too humid an environment?

[horticultural_hobbit]

Have just checked the magic seed growing box-I've had it two days-and there are more babies in there. With their heads still stuck in the dirt. So I can't confirm of deny what's there.

There are, I think eight pots in there. The rest are still on grandad mikes window sill that will go into the box if they've still done nothing. I've been converted to these magic seed growing boxes.

[binley100]

ok Principe borghese from the second round of sowing are up and out of the airing cupboard ...the Maja is past redemption but there will be more ...plenty of time