The 2013 Early Tomato Sowing Thread

[StaryD]

Right, just got my heated propagator out, ran down the allotment and managed to find some more money maker to sow (also did my scotch bonnet chillies and bell peppers at the same time). Lets try take 2 on my toms.

[rustylady]

Some of mine are very floppy. Could it be that they've had too much warmth in relation to the light levels? They have been on the sitting room window ledge which is south east facing. It gets quite warm in there first thing in the morning when the radiator is on just below the window, and again in the afternoon and evening once we've lit the woodburner. I've moved them into an unheated room this morning (about the same light levels) and I'm going to repot them this afternoon, burying them deeper and staking them. They're not too dry or too wet, although we were away for a week and by the time a friend came in to water them they were pretty thirsty. They perked up once she watered them though and seemed alright when we got back on Saturday.

Any thoughts? The tallest are 40cms tall - here's a pic...

[ATTACH=CONFIG]34473[/ATTACH]

Yes, too warm and not enough light.

[sally fran]

Yes, too warm and not enough light.

Thanks for that. I thought I'd read somewhere that that could be a problem. The rest of them were in a cooler room and are fine. I've potted the floppy ones deeper into bigger pots today and moved them all into a cooler room now.

[spanish_gardener]

Do you mean 11/03/2013?

No, the date is fine, I sow them on the 11th of February. They are on the windowsill and the weather has been awful for the last couple of months.

[redser]

No, the date is fine, I sow them on the 11th of February. They are on the windowsill and the weather has been awful for the last couple of months.

Ok, sorry

[SarzWix]

I moved all 15 of mine to the lottie greenhouse, with the gas heater set up, and a double layer of fleece in case I'd not quite got the thermostat/heat-setting quite right. They'd been under lights and were on the brink of flowering. Gas bottle ran out in the middle of the night and the temp dropped to -5c... I now have one plant on the brink of flowering...

Luckily the second sowing is not too far behind, and the 40+ seedlings are happily (and more safely) growing away in the repaired back garden greenhouse with an electric heater

[Tripmeup]

I lost most of my very early sown toms but have loads more working away..
Pic attached is of some early Roma and Tamina that are progressing on the window sill..

[spanish_gardener]

Ok, sorry

No need to say sorry. They are so so so tiny... Hopefully the weather will get better soon!

[Bigmallly]

Thanks for that. I thought I'd read somewhere that that could be a problem. The rest of them were in a cooler room and are fine. I've potted the floppy ones deeper into bigger pots today and moved them all into a cooler room now.

If they start leaning again SF, stake them.

[sally fran]

If they start leaning again SF, stake them.

Will do. They definitely seem happier in the cooler room.

I'm a bit alarmed at how big some of them are getting - many of them have buds and one has a couple of open flowers already. I've never done an early sowing before. Hope they'll be okay in the house until May.

[redser]

No need to say sorry. They are so so so tiny... Hopefully the weather will get better soon!

I'd say it's a blessing that they are at that stage now. The weather is so cold that if they were much bigger you could be in trouble soon trying to find somewhere for them to stop them getting too leggy!

[Bigmallly]

Will do. They definitely seem happier in the cooler room.

I'm a bit alarmed at how big some of them are getting - many of them have buds and one has a couple of open flowers already. I've never done an early sowing before. Hope they'll be okay in the house until May.

It's great if you have the room, you'll be picking toms before I get mine in the greenhouse........

[Noosner]

3 lots of toms on the kitchen windowsill - Latah (not up yet), Tumbling Tom (5 tiddlers showing) and Moneymaker (strong seedlings with true leaves just starting to show), who are gazing out smugly at the snow-covered plants in the back garden.

[Dotty Sarah]

My early toms, planted end of Jan, have all started to die They're still inside but maybe a little too cold and damp in the kitchen. Time to start again ......

[Elmo]

snow again really....

I can't believe its snowing again I can't put it off any longer I'm going to have to pot on the toms again the San Marzanos are pushing 26cm. I really like snow but the novelty is really wearing off.