[Goosegirl]

I have not been too successful with toms because my OH says they don't have much flavour, so have stopped growing them. My best ones were Roma plum toms and I made a ketchup with them with added tarragon. I called it Tiger's Tail as it was unexpectedly tasty!

[Growster...]

Roma toms are gorgeous, GG, but why you need to anoint them with petrol, I really don''t know...

(Esso - Tiger in your tank - you're too young to remember that..;0)

[sunshineband]

Roma toms are gorgeous, GG, but why you need to anoint them with petrol, I really don''t know...

(Esso - Tiger in your tank - you're too young to remember that..;0)

    But I am not 

Managed to procure a fairly cheap 'large enough to fit three grow bag size' plastic greenhouse today, which gives me space for extra tomatoes 

And the new top soil for the greenhouse border at home has arrived, so the first lot of toms can go into their final homes during the week 

[cadalot]

I had a tigers tail on my push bike as a kid 

[sunshineband]

I had a tigers tail on my push bike as a kid 

I coveted those, cadalot, but as my Dad only had a small motorbike then, he did not every buy enough petrol to qualify for getting one free 

[DD.]

Motorbike? Luxury! I had one on my duffle bag as I walked to school.

[ConfusedGardener]

Well after over a month none of the first lot that I sowed has come up    Perhaps they were sown a bit too early, so it may be just as well.

So today I sowed another lot, using freshly bought compost that I sieved extra well this time, and those went in my heated propagator that gets quite a bit warmer (80-90F) that the other propagator that I used for the first batch.

30 seeds sown in all: Sweet Olive, Big Zac, blooming Butcher, Crnkovic Yugoslavian, Japanese Black Trifele, Napoli, and Tamina. I have no idea how well any of these will perform here, so it should be an interesting year... if the germination gods are smiling on me!

[Growster...]

At 4/7 a gallon back then (23p), you could afford to have a whole flippin zoofull of tigers in your garage!

Almost as bad as Davy Crocket hats..;0)

But this is off-topic!

[DD.]

So today I sowed another lot, using freshly bought compost that I sieved extra well this time, and those went in my heated propagator that gets quite a bit warmer (80-90F) that the other propagator that I used for the first batch.

That is quite a high temperature. about 70F is recommended for tomatoes. See this chart for the effect of temperature on germination:

http://tomclothier.hort.net/page11.html

As people on here may well know, I'm into "no faff" growing. In nearly a half century of growing, I've never used a commercial propagator. These tomatoes, picture taken a few minutes ago, were grown in a greenhouse with an overnight temperature of 10C - 50F, with just a Tesco carrier bag thrown on top of them until they emerged. It's near enough 100% germination from seed up to 4 years old.

                 

[Growster...]

Fine tom crop there, DD!

Did you see that we still have some of your Black Krim on the go? Great tom, with huge flavour!

[Steveharford]

Very nice precision sowing DD. you obviously have a steady hand. If I tried that I would get them all mixed up!

[DD.]

Six in a row, 11 rows all standing to attention sir! There's another similar tray with 12 rows - one of which, of course,  is Black Krim, Growster!

[Ma Lowe]

I have more growing space now with the newly acquired greenhouse and as you lot have set the bar at growing more than an avarage 10 tomatoes you have given me the green light to sow loads more yipeeeeeeee.

[ConfusedGardener]

Very nice DD!

Yes, I was aware that the temps were a bit on the warm side, but it was either that or on the cold side which I've tried already. I'm guessing your house is heated/kept warm? We can't really afford to heat the whole house, but I may be able to get a slightly more appropriate temperature by experimenting with which room and which propagator is used in that room. Thanks for the tips anyway!

[cadalot]

DD Now I've seen that - I know what I'm going to do next year - cat Litter trays and rows of 6 seeds