[sazzy123]

My tomatoes have suddenly put on a growth spurt (they have grown an inch in under 2 days! ) and are rapidly otgrowing  their pots, can i plant them out yet as space in limited.  They are currently on my kitchen windowsill...

also when do the bush type start looking like a bush these are smaller but still very straight..

[paintedlady]

I would definitely recommend you pot them on into something bigger, and start hardening them off, but to plant outside yet (?) ... don't risk it.  The first bit of frost will be their last.  My tomato plants have also shot up recently, and it will be the increase sun strength and warmth so is perfectly normal.

Bush type ... do you know, I can't remember.  One day its a weedy looking thing, next a tangle of stems - I'd estimate 4-6 weeks time.

[DIGGER]

I just grow bush tomatos,because i'm lazy and i eat them like sweets.

It depends which type you have,Tumbling Toms and Red Alert take a while to look like a bush,infact i stake them in there containers.
This year i have added Maskotka and i have to say they looked like a bush straight away and are now lying quite flat.

[Plottered]

how many tumbling toms to a 12" hanging basket please

[violet61]

I should think 1 plant, having said that I'm going to try 2, 1 in top & 1 hanging out of bottom, saw it on an american website!

[Plottered]

Sounds good to me that, thanks.

[BobandJack]

Can I hijack the thread please?  I have some toms that are doing ok (cheap as chips from Wilko) they are Gardener's Delight & Moneymaker.  Can they go outside when the weather warms up or they totally indoor toms?

[sclarke624]

I do them outside and as far as I know they are outdoor toms.

[violet61]

I've got some gardeners from Wilkos also, I'll be putting mine out as soon as weather warms.

[gobs]

My tomatoes have suddenly put on a growth spurt (they have grown an inch in under 2 days! ) and are rapidly otgrowing  their pots, can i plant them out yet as space in limited.  They are currently on my kitchen windowsill...

Plants always do that in lack of light it's not real growth, it's running after light, so they are not as big and aged as it seems just leggy. Turn them at least once every day or else use tin foil in the back to reflect light in windowsills. Otherwise, do not worry.

Wait with planting them out, however big they seem.

[HelenaK]

Unfortunately my tomatoes are more leggy than leggy!
Two of them have already opened their flowers. Can I plant them out and cover them up? They are almost about a meter high
We have just got a new scaffolding outside our windows so light indoors is more and more limited.

[Kristen]

Personally I would try to avoid planting them out. They get severe shock from the cold (i.e. not frost, but temperatures below 10C) and just stand still.

Can you stand them outside during the day, and bring them in at night?

At 1M tall I would have them in 9" 10 11" pots

[Ivor Backache]

I agree with Kristen. You must avoid the sudden change in temperature. Bear in mind though that their cousins the potatoes are all up and growing everywhere.

My central heating is now off and the dining room (converted garage) is the coolest room. I put plants in there for two weeks to harden off. When you do move them outside make sure the place is sheltered from wind. Mine will be outside by June, but I will keep a couple in the conservatory for the earliest crop.

[HelenaK]

The "garden" is so dark that only a very tall bamboo and ferns survive. If I put them outside they will go walking as it is next to a flower market and I normally put unwanted plants outside and they disappear even though they are pot less and worse for wear...

I am working on setting up a cold frame in the neighbors roof garden but can't yet as we got builders in up there...

Heating is off but it is a very warm house. I either have to put them somewhere cool and dark or warm and sunny