BBC Gardeners' World

Comments

• Baby Dragon

  07 February 2008, 11.07PM

  Do you really think it's safe to start sowing?? I'm itching to get started - going to try jiffy's this year to see if they disturb the roots less. I've also just has some capillary matting arrive - never tried it before - I'm hoping it should help with a more even watering? May I ask what you start your tom seeds in please?

• Grannyanne

  10 February 2008, 09.38AM

  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.

• Starlight

  12 February 2008, 04.29AM

  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.

• gridgardener

  13 February 2008, 07.50PM

  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.

• jonny fortus

  14 February 2008, 01.38AM

  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.

• Baggy Trousers

  16 February 2008, 06.46AM

  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.

• John from Potters Bar

  16 February 2008, 07.08PM

  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.

• nik bint

  18 February 2008, 01.24PM

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

• Lisa Derbyshire

  19 February 2008, 03.42PM

  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.

• Alex

  26 February 2008, 04.18PM

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

• Ria - Dorset

  28 February 2008, 08.37PM

  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?

• Marky Mark

  08 March 2008, 11.44AM

  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...

• Nicthedeacon

  16 March 2008, 10.10AM

  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

• Marvin

  20 March 2008, 04.03PM

  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

• brett.landers - reply to Marvin

  30 March 2008, 09.50AM

  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.

• Growembig

  15 April 2008, 03.43PM

  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.

• Tom

  23 April 2008, 11.40AM

  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.

• jan williams

  27 April 2008, 09.09AM

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

• janet williams

  27 April 2008, 09.37AM

  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

• Katie_B - reply to Tom

  29 April 2008, 02.36PM

  If you're growing cordon toms then remove the little sideshoots which grown out from between the main stem and the trusses until you get around 8 trusses high than nip out the top to encourage more bushy growth.

  Hanging basket- bush type toms are also great to grow and dont require any pinching out. Good Luck

• katie

  29 April 2008, 06.24PM

  This is my first time. when do I start feeding them? I have been told it is too early but they have just sprouted yellow blooms??? help

• val brown

  29 April 2008, 11.28AM

  Is it true that tomatoes and cucumbers cannot be grown together in the same greenhouse

• Sue Pickering

  30 April 2008, 05.23PM

  Can anyone tell me what the little dark rust coloured marks can be on my "Tumbling Tom" tomatoes. They are outdoors in a hanging basket and have small flowers on but do not seem to have grown for a couple of weeks. I have only recently become a keen if ignorant gardener and would be most upset if my efforts do not literally bear fruit!

• swsteve

  02 May 2007, 10.56AM

  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.

• Katie_B - reply to swsteve

  09 May 2008, 11.33AM

  It's still a bit early to put toms outside. Mine too are quiet large but I put mine out this time last year and they suffered badly when we had a late cold snap.

  I would say on balance it's not worth putting them outside for at least a couple more weeks- unless you live in the south of the country where you might get away with it.

• Brian

  12 May 2008, 07.58AM

  First time grower, after planting in grow bags inside a greenhouse small wispy flies are congregating around base of plants. They fly up when watering. Should I be concerned?

• Kate, gardenersworld.com - reply to Brian

  13 June 2008, 11.05AM

  Hi Brian, your problems sounds like whitefly. They shouldn't cause a big problem to your tomato plants, as long as you keep them under control. Follow the advice on the linked page above and you should be fine. Kate

• pam Cornwall

  15 May 2008, 04.08PM

  To val Cucumbers and Toms will work Cucumbers on a frame in the hottest part of greenhouse mine is the end of 12x10 ft Toms need air circulating so windows and door open if necessary their end always have yellow sticky wax strips in greenhouse for whitefly especially cucumber end These do not catch Bees Ihave grown these together for 20 yrs Water Toms from the Ground not over the plant as when they are hot the tomatoes will mark and split i take off all the lower leaves of the plants to expose the trusses when they are set to keep air circulating and stop disease as the commercial growers do Tomatoes are marsh plants and need a lot of water Iwas told a gallon a day per plant also keep a regular temp not too hot The tomatoe i like best for salad and slicing is Alicante large and firm Enjoy your Gardening