[A Reyt Tayty]

How do we do it then? I've tried allsorts of different ways. I sieve vitax Q compost so it is very fine and plant my seed in that. I only do one seed per pot. I use those half pint plastic pots with some drain holes put in the bottom. I only fill to just above halfway with pre-damped compost, then bob in  a seed and cover lightly with more of said compost. Usually bring on in a dark little cubby hole with the boiler for company. Almost steady 26 degress. Up in about 5 to 7 days then straight out onto sw facing window sill with nice shiny tinfoil behind them. As they grow, I keep topping up the compost around the seedling, which is the same as repotting deeper, but with less strain on the seedling. So, why, with this uniformity, do I get varying results? Could it be the watering? I've tried all ways. Little and often from the top..........definitely not drying out anywhere down the pot. Soaking up from the bottom.........this seems to waterlog the pots. Could it be the fineness of the compost which makes it retain water too much? I still get good plants, indifferent plants, and some non runners. Any tips?

[mumofstig]

germinated seedlings vary in size and vigour, some inevitably don't make it. You are more likely to get even seedlings from F1 varieties exhibiting hybrid vigour .

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=710

Most that germinate eventually make fruiting plants though

[DD.]

Right. My plants are fairly consistent, here's what I do.

Get the cheapest multi-purpose compost going, (usually a ripped open grow bag).

Throw some in a seed tray, sow seed and sling it in a plastic bag. Leave it somewhere in the bedroom.

At first sign of growth whip out of bag and place in window with foil. Water when you remember.

When plants have first true leaves, rip them out of the compost and stuff them into 3" pots of the same cheap compost, burying them to these leaves.

Back into window with foil, grow on until about 6" high, keep fingers crossed that by now it's warm enough to put them in the greenhouse as Mrs Digger's moaning about the space they're taking up.

Plant to suit your requirements.

I do not believe in a lot of faffing!

[gavinjconway]

DD that is the "Perfekt" way to do it.. great answer.

[Totty]

I usually get very good germination, and good uniform(ish) plants. Vitax q4 compost is good stuff, passed through a riddle (not superfine) and mixed with some fine vermiculite it is near spot on for sowing tom seeds.
Toms don't mind being transplanted one bit, and each time I pot them up, I know thy have fresh compost surrounding the rootball, by growing in quite a tall pot, and filling up as it grows the bottom will become full of roots and the only way to get any fresh nutrients is for them to grow up. The plant will send out secondary roots from the stem as you earth the plants up but they will take time to grow and are not as efficient as established roots.
 When the plants get bigger I pot them up with a different mix which has grit rather than vermiculite added, this means I can thoroughly soak the roots by watering from below and still know they will drain properly.
I would say that by potting plants up as they grow, as opposed to filling up a deep pot as It grows, gives the plants easier access to nutes, and space therefore may grow easier and more uniformly. That's not fact, just my thoughts on it.

Totty

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

DD that's genius! Love it

It's nice to know that other people do that sort of thing too (and it works)

[DD.]

It does, doesn't it?

It's worked for me for 40 years and for my grandfather before that.  He could never do with messing about. He was a professional gardener in "Gentleman's Service".

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

I have a young son, so I don't get time to muck about with different composts etc....

There's alway about 20 different types in the garden centres and I always choose multi.

I'm sure they all have their benefits and do work well for their chosen role but I can't be dealing with all that.

[Armleywhite]

I'm really chuffed   Only had my allotment since autumn last years and now getting ready to go full speed with planting.  In the past I have moderate success buying a few tomato plants and keeping them in the cheap plastic tomato house.  This year however, I now have a new greenhouse and planted 20 seeds.  10 moneymaker and 10 cherry type.  Both came free with a magazine.  Must endeavour to be a tad more adventurous next year.  Used B&Q GPC and added a dusting of Fish Blood and bone to it.  Planted the seeds, stuck on a prop top and left on windowsill, behind foil.  Just potted the seedlings yesterday into 3" pots ready to go in the greenhouse later this week.  Out of the 20 plants only 1 failed to come up.

well chuffed, so looking forrad to what the coming crop will offer

 

[A Reyt Tayty]

That's teld me then!
Thankyou chaps. No more faffing pour moi!

[3759allen]

i'm just starting this gardening malarkey but i done mine straight into small pots with normal cheap multi purpose compost (mainly coz i don't really understand all the fancy different expensive composts. lol).

i put 3 seeds in each pot then waited for them to germinate and whip out the weaker ones that have come up. the price of the seeds are peanuts to be honest so i can put up with wasting a dozen seeds or so.

i have had varying size and quality of seedlings come up, i would say that only half the seeds have germinated healthy and strong seedlings. the rest have been small or week and slightly deformed looking. my theory is that if i put one seed per pot i would only have half the amount of healthy plants, this may explain your inconsistent results. 

[DD.]

Well I'm tight.

A decent F1 seed is not cheap. Shirley for instance is 40p a throw if you go to T & M, (about 10p if you go to Moles) and at that rate, I'm not inclined to throw them away. I also grow quite rare heritage tomatoes - also not to be thrown away.

My initial sowing to get just sufficient for the heated greenhouse was 15 seeds in a seed tray. All 15 germinated and I have 15 healthy plants. Using your method, I'd have sown 45 and thrown 30 away - and that to me is a non-starter.

I try not to waste anything, in fact the first side shoots to come off the tomatoes will get rooted to produce more plants, which in effect will give me 4 or 5 from one seed!

[A Reyt Tayty]

I try not to waste anything, in fact the first side shoots to come off the tomatoes will get rooted to produce more plants, which in effect will give me 4 or 5 from one seed!

I did some side shoots off a golden sunrise last year and they were better than the parent plant!

[mumofstig]

I'm really chuffed   , stuck on a prop top and left on windowsill, behind foil.  Just potted the seedlings yesterday into 3" pots ready to go in the greenhouse later this week. 

That will be too soon to put them in the greenhouse, unless you have a heater  :blink:
It's still very cold at night, and they're not safe until end of April/beg May without heat - and even then if a frost is forecast you'll need to fleece them or cover with polysheeting/bubblewrap.

Mine will soon start their daily commute - off to the greenhouse every morning - but then back home at night 

[DD.]

Mine's bubblewrapped, got a heater, but won't be putting mine in yet.