Started growing tomatoes ?

[JackK0 10]

Hello I started growing tomatoes 16 days ago and still cannot see any seedlings they have been sown in a propagator

[ALAN 58 10]

Neil Grant on radio sheffield gave out a good tip for growing tomatoes on is sunday morning show which was, If it,s to cold to go out in a short sleeved shirt to get them , then it,s to cold to start growing them.

[JackK0 10]

well they are in my greenhouse which honestly stays at a nice temperature even on a cold damp day

[Chez2 10]

Neil Grant on radio sheffield gave out a good tip for growing tomatoes on is sunday morning show which was, If it,s to cold to go out in a short sleeved shirt to get them , then it,s to cold to start growing them.

 

That's rubbish! You can sow long before that. In fact, you can start planting them (not sowing them) long before that too!

 

I have just looked at my phone to see my tomatoes last year. Ours were planted in large pots, bigger than buckets and were about four foot high 14th May last year.

 

The OP is talking about sowing them in a heated prop in the greenhouse. You sow them February, March and April so they are being sown at the right time.

 

The temperature can vary significantly in the greenhouse at this time of year. I would have sown in pots in the propagator and removed the lid during the day or it could get too hot. Its needs to go back on at night. It would have been better to put the prop in a shed or the house at this time of year if you can't be there to monitor the temperature in the greenhouse.

 

You could always buy a seedling or better still, buy a grafted tomato plant. You usually get two tops grafted on one root. They are much heavier cropping.

[MoorviewRoad 10]

I find that it makes very little difference if you sow them really early or at the normal time. The plants all catch up when the sun is warm enough and shines for a long enough period every day.

 

Patience, my friend!

[Chez2 10]

My in laws always say plants catch up but ours are always bigger and crop earlier. If not started early enough tomatoes are pointless.

 

As I said, ours were about four got high mid May last year. They were ripening in June.

 

It's not early to be sowing in the UK. The guide is sow eight weeks before planting them out in final position in greenhouse.

[dangerousedd 10]

well aldi have some small tomato plants in store 6 for 1.99, saw Alicante and gardeners delight.

[Starlc 11]

Every year me and my daughter plant in small pots on the windowsill now and wait until it warms up slightly before placing outside and have no problems whatsoever with a good quality crop !

[Chez2 10]

Every year me and my daughter plant in small pots on the windowsill now and wait until it warms up slightly before placing outside and have no problems whatsoever with a good quality crop !

 

Most tomatoes don't do as well outside as they would under glass. How many kilogrammes do you get off each plant?

[joat36 10]

Hi Chez2 how many fruiting trusses do you usually get on you plants?

[Chez2 10]

Hi Chez2 how many fruiting trusses do you usually get on you plants?

 

I will have to see if I have any photos of them further on than May. With the grafted ones its too many trusses to count so we weighed the weekly amount instead. They are all very long too, much more impressive than the ones you see in the supermarket. We have grown standard and cherry, not the beef tomato size. Two plants filled half of my 6 x 8 greenhouse.

 

We went looking for some almost two weeks ago but didn't see them at the place we usually get them from. We will be looking to buy some for our dads as well as yourself. The plants are well worth the extra money.

 

The first time we grew them we grew them outside......big mistake. The fruit was so heavy it ripped the plant apart. The grafted ones are expensive but you get much more fruit. We got a few kg off them each week until they stopped ripening. Because they ripen early you don't end up with many green ones left on at the end of September / October.

 

You need to put a strong cane up each side of the plant and tie it up to something across the roof of the greenhouse otherwise they are too heavy. They need to be in a bigger pot than ordinary tomatoes. The trusses are usually about six to eight inches long and most end up ripening. We nip the plant off at the top when they reach the roof but you can unclip them, lay them down and start them up the next cane. We would probably end up breaking the plant so don't bother doing this.

 

I would suggest one plant is sufficient for one household and we love tomatoes, we eat loads of them.

 

Here is a link.

 

http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Vegetable+Plants/Popular+Vegetable+Plants/Tomato+Plants/list.htm

 

They really do grow like this too. Even though we missed taking off quite a few of the side shoots you are supposed to nip out. With two plants it did get quite difficult to see through the foliage and spot the side shoots you should nip out. We still got a fabulous crops from them anyway.

Edited April 1, 2016 by Chez2

[JackK0 10]

Hello sorry I have not been on here to reply.. Im here now

 

I think its a month ago since I planted them and they have just started coming through in the last few days...

 

My greenhouse is not heated they were just plastic propagators