Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: mumofstig on January 15, 2019, 22:03

Title: Early tomatoes 2019?
Post by: mumofstig on January 15, 2019, 22:03
Anyone else sowing a few early ones this year? I always do..
but when I went to the greenhouse to get pots and compost, I found that the pot I didn't empty last year (lazy me  :blush:) already had seedlings of Gartenperle growing in it! So they've now been potted up and brought indoors, because of the coming cold spell :)
It makes me wonder why we make such a fuss of them, when they (or this variety at least) are obviously more hardy than I realised.
Title: Re: Early tomatoes 2019?
Post by: DHM on January 16, 2019, 05:47
MUM, true. I often wonder why weeds grow so well without any care or intervention yet we make such a big fuss looking after our plants. You never hear anyone say "the bindweed is having a bad year isn't it?"
Title: Re: Early tomatoes 2019?
Post by: Enfield Glen on January 16, 2019, 10:47
I manage to get quite and early crop with a basket variety. I find if you plant the usual varieties they just grow very tall and don't produce any flowers until the same time as those planted later. The basket varieties can be kept in doors that bit longer so are stimulated to flower earlier.
Title: Re: Early tomatoes 2019?
Post by: Mr Dog on January 16, 2019, 11:17
Will be joining in again so I'd better warm up some compost!
Title: Re: Early tomatoes 2019?
Post by: Goosegirl on January 16, 2019, 13:14
Please don't follow Lardman's example by testing with a bare bum to see if it's warm enough to sit on!  :lol:
Title: Re: Early tomatoes 2019?
Post by: Growster... on January 16, 2019, 18:36
DD mentioned some time ago, that just chucking a few seeds around on any ground will provide a plant worth nurturing (well, that's the gist, he's much more skilled than that...)!

I'm in the habit of lobbing any dud toms out of the greenhouse door, where they can live in the garden. We usually get a couple of plants away with no effort at all, and they often grow up with the beans, or the peas, or whatever!

For several years now, we've managed to get Sungold to produce by early July, but that won't happen this year, because we're not growing any - yet...
Title: Re: Early tomatoes 2019?
Post by: Mr Dog on January 19, 2019, 12:14
2 seeds of Tiny Tim sown. Hopefully the plants will stay a bit smaller while they need to stay inside than last year's Tumbling Toms!
Title: Re: Early tomatoes 2019?
Post by: DD. on February 02, 2019, 08:08
Sowed these on January 25th, first ones emerged yesterday. Two each of Jersey Sunrise and Scotland Yellow.

What's not too apparent from the photo is that the SY's both have three cotyledons!

Heated propagator - naw. Tesco polythene bag - which I shall re-use over and over!
Title: Re: Early tomatoes 2019?
Post by: mumofstig on February 02, 2019, 08:28
Quote from: DD. on February 02, 2019, 08:08
What's not too apparent from the photo is that the SY's both have three cotyledons
That's weird - I wonder if they will grow on as normal, or have different growth pattern  :wacko:
Title: Re: Early tomatoes 2019?
Post by: DD. on February 02, 2019, 08:38
Stay tuned!

Here's a closer view.
Title: Re: Early tomatoes 2019?
Post by: DD. on February 02, 2019, 08:40
Apologies, that got turned around 90o in the posting process.