Tumbling Tom

[Lottie Babe]

I bought a tumbling tom red about 3 weeks ago and was told to keep it my greenhouse until about the middle of June then it would be okay to go out. I'm not feeding it just giving it a daily drink of water, but it has got a lot of flowers on now and I'm wondering if it is okay to leave until June.

[rustylady]

OK, you bought it about 3 weeks ago. What size pot is it in? Have you re-potted it?

[Lottie Babe]

6 inch pot. It's final resting place will be in a very large hanging basket outside!

[tamsin]

They seem to flower quite quickly, I've planted them out with baby toms growing. You could pot it up, or put it n the basket and have the basket in the greenhouse at night - if that's practical.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I don't grow Tumbling Tom, just plain old Tumbler. All are now in flower and one has a couple of baby toms. All are still under cover but being readied to go out at the end of May. From your location I would say you will be a week or so behind me. However if the weather takes a turn for the better then we could all act earlier. Pick the pot up as you pass to admire the plant this will disturb the pollen and help with pollenation.

Colin

[Lottie Babe]

Thanks all. I think I will put it in the hanging basket ready. Hang on to it for as long as I can, end of May beginning of June then put it outside. Here's hoping!

[Florence Fennel]

Welcome to the Vine LB. There's a cold snap forecast, so do keep it under cover if you can

[Two_Sheds]

Hang on to it for as long as I can, end of May beginning of June then put it outside.

Don't forget to harden it off for 1-2 weeks before it goes out permanently, whenever that is

[smc999]

^
I've never bothered hardening off anything I've grown and I've never had a problem. It always struck me as a bit of a strange (and time consuming) thing to do. Feel free to point me in the direction of why it should be done but like I said, I've never had a problem.

[Potstubsdustbins]

SMC

Have a look round the site you will find plenty that have had a problem. My own take on it is that palnting out a little early without hardening off is one of the main problems.

Colin

[Gemmalaveen]

My Tumbling Tom's have also started flowering and I plan to plant them and most of my other tomatoes out this coming Friday... crazy perhaps but I have been hardening them off for over a week now and I plan to cover them in a double layer of fleece every night. I have simply run out of space (sans greenhouse).

I am hoping that the warmer temperatures of Southern England (Hampshire) will be on my side.

[Sarico]

I've been put my tomatoes outside in my blowaway for 1 month with the zip open. Does it considered as Harding off? Or should I put them outside on the patio with the risk of my puppy ruin everything?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Sarico,

I would leave them where they are for as long as possible if you can its much safer in there.

Colin

[Sarico]

Sarico,

I would leave them where they are for as long as possible if you can its much safer in there.

Colin

i will colin... anyway my holiday are coming soon ( a nice trip down in london) then when i will come back i will have another week off before go back to work so i will set up my garden in the final position...for now i just been pottin up in bigger pots...thanks for the advice

[smc999]

I agree with the planting out early will cause problems but there is no need to harden anything off if you are moving the plant from say a greenhouse to outside from mid/late May onwards IMHO.