[Jackypam]

Hi, johns tip re transplanting seedlings within 6 days of germination was interesting so I pricked out the moneymaker but now don't know where to put them.  Back on the bottom heat do you reckon?  Or just on the windowsill?

[jambop]

You have tomatoes on the go already !! I won't start my ones off until near the end of March for planting out mid to late May.

[Jackypam]

mine will go into the unheated greenhouse so I start them a bit earlier. 

[Jackypam]

hang on - you are in south west france!  you won't need a greenhouse there!

[Mum2mj]

Hi, johns tip re transplanting seedlings within 6 days of germination was interesting so I pricked out the moneymaker but now don't know where to put them.  Back on the bottom heat do you reckon?  Or just on the windowsill?

I would have thought on the windowsill but don't close curtains if tomatoes are between them and a window.

[mumofstig]

My peppers and a few early-sown tomatoes are just on a table in front of the window (no windowsill here!) and I close the curtains at night so the seedlings don't get chilled. I just make sure to open them asap in the morning, making sure the tinfoil stays upright 

[jambop]

hang on - you are in south west france!  you won't need a greenhouse there!

Yes that is true but I still need to get them germinated while it is still relatively cold so I do that is a small cold frame. It warms up the instant the sun hits it so for most of the day the temp is great and I cover it over at night to keep the heat in. I just thought that you would normally start the seeds off about 6 weeks or so before the last frost time for your area? Even in a greenhouse a frost of the sort you can get around April/ May in the UK would do for tomato plants ? I don't put my plants out until mid to late May down here depends on the soil conditions.

[Growster...]

I start our toms quite late to avoid them getting too leggy. They grow in square modules and always seem to get too tall, so they then get buried even more...

Mind you, that's not a bad idea, but somehow, the 'gardener' in me says "Growster, don't allow your toms to get too long before planting out, the stems are not strong enough"...

[jambop]

I start our toms quite late to avoid them getting too leggy. They grow in square modules and always seem to get too tall, so they then get buried even more...

Mind you, that's not a bad idea, but somehow, the 'gardener' in me says "Growster, don't allow your toms to get too long before planting out, the stems are not strong enough"...

I tend to agree with that growster I really do not like my toms to be too leggy. I usually plant my toms about six inches sub soil and then ridge the row with the soil drawn up another three or four inches to promote root growth. Seems to work I usually get great tomatoes and the very seldom get watered.