Talkback: Growing tomatoes - Talkback

02/05/2007 at 10:56

Is it too early to plant out my tomato plants out in grow bags in sunny position? They are in a cold frame at the moment getting used to the colder conditions (they were taking up too much space on the windowsill!!) they're looking strong but I don't want to let them get too leggy.

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01/01/2008 at 00:00

Having heard and read so much from professionals about the virtues and joys of growing your own, I decided to grow tomatoes this year - 4 pots of them in fact. I have no greenhouse so they stayed outside all summer. I live in the south east. I watered, fed and generally nurtured them like they were my kids. They did well. Then I went on holiday for a week in early Sept and came back to find ALL of them had been affected by blight from so much wet. I have had to destroy all but six tomatoes, and even they are suspect. I am SO upset and disillusioned with home growing after all the work I put in. Can anyone out there give some words of encouragement at this sad time of loss?

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10/02/2008 at 09:38

Is it too soon to sow tomato seeds on the kitchen windowsill? Have tried in the past & they became leggy before it was warm enough to plant them out.

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12/02/2008 at 04:29

Have sown my tomato seeds on a kitchen window and moved the seedlings into a heated greenhouse, they appear to be growing ok and are coping with the lower temperatures of the greenhouse at night.

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13/02/2008 at 19:50

Seem bit late to starting tomatoes from seed. Don't you want get an early start under protection. Such as walls of water in hoop houses. I have 5 plants outside already. But I forget most people did not bother to spray for blight last season and had no tomatoes to speak of. But what can expect from a site that has someone claiming Gardener's Delight is great tasting tomato and beefsteak varieties are not worth the trouble.

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14/02/2008 at 01:38

Grannyanne the reason your plants got leggy is that they do not have a bright enough light source. My tomatoes get planted sundya outside in the soil with specal protection.

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16/02/2008 at 06:46

Hi all. I have germinated some roma tomato seeds in a heated propogater they are very healthy and strong and are now ready to be pricked out and potted on but as yet my green house is not heated. Do I need to heat my greenhouse, and if so to what temperature? I'm not sure just how hardy they are once germinated.

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16/02/2008 at 19:08

I've sown my tomatoes for both the greenhouse and allotment. They have just started to germinate today in a propagator. I have sown them in toilet rolls cut in half and will transfer them to pots (toilet roll and all) and keep in the greenhouse during the day and bring them in at night. My peppers are really doing well by doing this.

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18/02/2008 at 13:24

which is the best sweetest cherry tomatoes grown in bush form please.

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19/02/2008 at 15:42

I sowed some tomato seeds and pepper seeds in a heated propagator to this weekend. Some of the tomato seeds have started to grow. I am new to this gardening thing, we have a greenhouse but not yet bought a heater. Have i sown the seeds too early and what type of heater would anyone recommend for an 8x6 greenhouse, when is the best time to put the plants in the greenhouse. With thanks.

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26/02/2008 at 16:18

I sowed some tomato seeds by a windowsill this week! My dad thinks I'm mental for starting so early, but clearly not! :D

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28/02/2008 at 20:37

I have a new greenhouse which I am itching to get started in - I love the small tomatoes but also I am going to try some different and new ones to me. I am going to try san marzano and green sausage as well plus a yellow one i think but don't know which one.

Gridgardner - are you based in the UK then as you seem to start really early?

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08/03/2008 at 11:44

HANGING BASKET TOMATOES- Surely this is the way forward for someone with limited space?!? I started mine mid Feb from seed in the conservatory. They have now germinated and been transplanted to individual pots. They are now developing their first set of tom leaves and are a couple of centimeters tall!

As this is the first time that I have tried hanging basket tomatoes does anyone have any top tips to follow? I am so glad that I am not the only person that feels like an obsessive gardener...

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16/03/2008 at 10:10

I planted my tomato seeds 4 weeks ago. I now have plants that are 8-10 inches tall and doing really well on my window sill. they may have to into large pots soon as it is still too cold to go outside. Oh well they look really strong so I should get a good crop

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20/03/2008 at 16:03

This is the first time I have grown both greenhouse and hanging basket tomatoes in an electric prop. At what height do I transplant and put them in a cold greenhouse or in the conservatory

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30/03/2008 at 09:50

Marvin I tried sowing some mid feb little early I know but I paid the price. most of them were leggy with only the cotyledons (seed leaves) so after that i invested in a heated propagator and a circular fluorescent and started again so now they have 3/4 true leaves but I'm also not taking any chances the answer to your question is when the first flowers on the first truss has developed for your greenhouse but you should be ok in your conservatory if it's heated just remember to put the prop lid on at night this your semi hardening them off through the day. if you want to post me back and I'll show you photo's of some of mine at the mo.

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15/04/2008 at 15:43

I grow Marmande (large Spanish natural shape, not Supermarket perfectly round & tasteless toms) these are real tomatoes, I grow them in a 14inch hanging basket sitting high in the greenhouse on a bucket of water. Side shoot in the normal way & cut some leaves off for best results. Feed... stewed horse muck. Fill a barrel with horse muck add water drain it off to mix with the watering. Result, HUGE Toms. Growembig.

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23/04/2008 at 11:40

Aged 75. Just retired. Gardening again after 30 yrars. Trying to grow tomatoes with two healthy looking plants. Unsure what to remove. Leaves or shoots from stem. Can you advise. Regards.

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27/04/2008 at 09:09

Please can you tell me why my tomatoes split last year when I was growing them in my greenhouse many thanks jan

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27/04/2008 at 09:37

Can you tell me why my husbands tomatoes that he grows in the greenhouse why the skins are tough is it lack of water many thanks janet williams kington