Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: shokkyy on March 10, 2012, 18:46

Title: Self propagating tomatoes
Post by: shokkyy on March 10, 2012, 18:46

I always feel that I should sow more seeds than I want for things like tomatoes and peppers, because they surely won't all germinate and even if they do I still could lose some. But a couple of weeks ago I sowed 6 seeds each of 6 varieties of tomato, and today I pricked out 9 seedlings each for 2 varieties, 8 seedlings for 1 variety and 7 seedlings for the other 3 varieties. And tomato seeds are pretty big and easy to see and handle, yet this happens every year. I don't understand how it happens. Is it just me or does anyone else have this problem with tomatoes?

Title: Re: Self propagating tomatoes
Post by: azubah on March 10, 2012, 18:49

Perhaps you should go to specsavers??

Or does the compost contain tomato seeds if it is from recycled material.

Title: Re: Self propagating tomatoes
Post by: LilacSandy on March 10, 2012, 19:38

I get this with my home saved Shokkyy, If I have not cleaned them properly they stick together and a small one can go undetected under a larger one.

Title: Re: Self propagating tomatoes
Post by: JayG on March 10, 2012, 20:11

Even 7 out of 6 is a whole lot better than 0 out of 6 (and much cheaper than going to Specsavers!)  8)  :lol:

Title: Re: Self propagating tomatoes
Post by: solway cropper on March 10, 2012, 20:49

As LS says, the seeds often stick together. I sowed some the other day and I'd say about twenty percent of them were 'doubles'. Had I not been wearing my specs I wouldn't have noticed.