Tomato Plants.

[tdm86]

My tomato plants are only 10cm big, they have been growning since march.

Mum said they wont make it to fruit this year & to abandon project...

I dont wana give up. Is she right?

[GrimChili]

Nah, no point in abandoning the whole thing, you could keep them going and see how they get on and grab a couple plants from the garden center as a safety net!



GrimChili

[zazen999]

Some of mine were only sown a few weeks back and I'm not giving up!

I was still picking toms in November and December in greenhouses for the last 2 years...and everyone is behind schedule.

[rustylady]

Where are they, and are they in individual pots? If so how big are the pots?

[Chef_uk]

With our indian summer (when it should be Autumn) extending our cropping season means you should be ok although are they outside or will they be in a greenhouse?

[Tripmeup]

Also, is their growth being restricted by something? They are not pot bound are they?

[tdm86]

So on gardeners world apparently they used buckets for tomatos & fed & watered them everyday any theories?

[spanish_gardener]

I sow tomatoes from February, repoted them a couple of times and they are in my windowsills until they have reached a considerable size (30<) and any risk of frost has passed. This year, they are about 50-65 cm. and I just started harden them off. Nights are cold here, so they are out during the day and in at night. Last year I had tomatoes from the end of August, September, and chillies from December. :-) I am not an expert, but check if the pot isn't too small, the compost is good for tomatoes, has plenty of sunlight and the right water amount.

Also, I have a little of space in a share polytunnel from May. I sow some, but most of them have been eating or they were walkies tomatoes! and I plan to sow more this week.

[Chippy Minton]

The ones at our local garden centre aren't much bigger than that, and if they can sell them I'd say persevere.....

[rustylady]

So on gardeners world apparently they used buckets for tomatos & fed & watered them everyday any theories?

You still haven't told us what size pots your tomatoes are in at the moment. It's no good putting them straight into a huge bucket while they are still small, they need to be potted on gradually.

[tdm86]

They're in 10cm pots.

[Paulieb]

So on gardeners world apparently they used buckets for tomatos & fed & watered them everyday any theories?

Generally most advice is to feed weekly. However Monty was referring to an organic gardener that he saw last year who fed his toms daily with one of comfrey tea, nettle tea or wood ash tea (for general, nitrogen or fruit ripening respectively). This guy only half filled his buckets but I guess thats all they need when being fed daily.

I'd say best to pot yours on now to 6inch pots then in about 4 weeks in to buckets. Or perhaps straight into grow bags depending on what you've got.

[Dotty Sarah]

A lot will depend on what variety they are, I have some minibells that were sown in March and are only 10-15cm tall but perfectly healthy, they're just a small type.

[leonmc0708]

I have often picked up straggelrs from local DIY and Garden centres - the ones that are pot bound and bent over and they sell for 50p and the like in June/July.

Had results off all of them before - just some cutting compost and some gradual potting on and they do fine

[AkionTotocha]

Last year I sewed 12 tomato plants, four with just water (they didn't do so great) four with the recommended feed level, and four with slightly 'hand heavy' feed levels. All liquid feed (Wilkinson's liquid tomato feed, actually. Comes in a big red bottle) and feed in the water. So whenever they needed watering, they'd be watered with the feed solution.

The third group had much taller growth than the second or first, but produced only two tomatoes on (Though lots of flowers). So maybe you can feed the tomato to that regime, then switch to a different feed or reduce feed or something.

If height is your priority, then that would be your method.