Slow Growing Tomatoes

[batwings]

Our outside tomato plants are very slow to develop this year - assume its down to the weather, but is anyone else experiencing this problem? Any suggestions?

They are still only between 4-6 inches and have been in for about 3 weeks now - already producing flowers, but soooo small!

I planted a couple in our greenhouse (its a very new greenhouse, hence why the others are outside) and they are bigger then the outdoors ones already!

Cabbages and runner beans are slow too....

[TEB]

Hi Batwings welcome to the vine.
I think you hit the nail on the head with the weather, the cold snap we had a few weeks ago did put a check on the existing planted out veg but veg sowed since are okay

[Cutecumber]

Batwings - where are you located?

When did you sow these crops?

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi and welcome to the vine Batwings. Sorry, can't shed any light on your tomato problem, my outdoor ones are doing fine - mind you they spent some time in the greenhouse before being hardened off and going outdoors. They have also been kept in the same buckets they were in in the greenhouse so maybe that has helped them.

[batwings]

Hi there

I'm in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire - (pooring with rain here at the moment) - they were sown beggining of April (moneymakers and Cherrys) - always done really well in the past hence why I'm blaming the weather! Hopefully they'll have a growth spurt soon esp with this rain!

[blackcatlois]

All my cucumbers are the same! One of my tomato plants is too - but the rest are alright - I've also been wondering whether it's been the cold. Let's hope they catch up soon!

[Cutecumber]

I think there's plenty of time yet, so don't fret.

I have good fruit on tumblers and sungold tomatoes, but I sowed in March, have only recently put them out, and it's been warm. Some of my other varieties are only just showing their first truss of flowers but are way too tall - you're lucky with the compact size, I reckon!

[queen of the cobs]

mine are the same - the ones I planted out are looking a bit sad and haven't really grown much, yet have a couple of tiny flowers. My greenhouse ones are looking a bit better, but since I have run out of big pots they are horribly potbound till I can get to the shops tomorrow.

[Stacey]

i dont have any flowers on mine,theyre about a foot high.is that good or bad??

[Cutecumber]

It's quite normal in my experience. Try and avoid potting them up or planting them until you have the first truss - the stress of being kept in a small pot usually helps bring on the flowering. Keep them well fed and watered, though, obviously. If you put them in a lot of soil too early, they will produce a lot of foliage, but can be slower to flower.

[zanussi101]

Got a slightly different problem (or maybe it's normal?...)...
I'm growing cherry tomatoes and they are all quite bushy and have been covered in flowers for a couple of weeks yet only one single fruit has set. Is there anything i can do to help them on their way?

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine Zanussi. I think your tomatoes are normal. My outdoor bush tomatoes held their flowers for weeks last year before they set fruit. Be patient. They will do it. And it is still only June.

[andrewo]

The weather has been a problem, do try growing them against a south wall. I do this and they are now roughly 14" compared to others around the garden that are struggling. Also, try and plant out only when the first truss flowers have set.

[momol]

It's quite normal in my experience. Try and avoid potting them up or planting them until you have the first truss - the stress of being kept in a small pot usually helps bring on the flowering. Keep them well fed and watered, though, obviously. If you put them in a lot of soil too early, they will produce a lot of foliage, but can be slower to flower.

I think Cutecumber has her point, I did the same too( they are pink brandy wine tomatoes ) ,has set them too early in the final spot where there are plenty of nutrient, they end up in producing gigantisch leaves, but they do produce a lot of flowers and side shoots too, I end up in thinning out their leaves to improve the air circulations (if not it will be prone to sickness ) and apart from removing it's side shoot I also thin out it's fruit to get quality tomatoes. I have some 4 fruit per tree ( they are around 80 cm to almost 1 meter high ). Don't forget to lime them if they grow very rapidly ( otherwise it might suffer from crown end rot due to calcium deficiency ).

Momol

Oh how could I forget , silly me , Welcome to the vine Zanussi.

Momol

[Stacey]

they were put outside when they were about 3inches high. ooops. They do look rather "bushy". I'm abit worried aboutremoving bits of them,wont it introduce disease possibly?