[sharky]

Evening,

Having mostly had green tomatoes this year (started in March), would it do  harm starting them off around January to give them more time to mature?

Also can anyone recommend online seed sites for various variety of tomato.

Rgds.

[Trillium]

The starting time isn't so much the point, it's mostly due to the type of weather you get. The less sun there is (with frequent rain), the slower the crop will mature, or even set flowers for fruit. Unless you can provide space and warm conditions with loads of light, there's little point starting toms too early.

Can't help you with UK seed sources, sorry.

[woodentop]

www.seedsofitaly.com do loads of different toms and are good value.

[gobs]

www.seedsofitaly.com do loads of different toms and are good value.

Also a lot of late varieties suited to the Italian summer, do tread carefully...

[agapanthus]

I always start mine in January....I get so bored after Christmas......and although we were late planting out this year, we still managed a good crop!

[Brambles]

I grew my tomatoes in greenhouse for the first time.  I know that I am in the South, but I found that my tomatoes tasted much more like Mediterranean toms this year, though they are taking much longer to ripen the past two weeks, must be getting less light I guess.  After a really bad start, my cucumbers did ok too in the greenhouse.

[Bernard]

Having mostly had green tomatoes this year (started in March),Rgds.

What variety were they?
I normally grow Gardeners' Delight, which ripen in succession.The only time I still had nothing but had green tomatoes late in the season was when I tried either Moneymaker or Ailsa Craig ( can't remember which but those sorts are all of a kind)

I sow 3 batches , early, mid and late March. The last is just insurance against frost striking the others. I think ealier than MArch is too early unless you can heat the greenhouse. They will need planting when it is still very cold.

[noshed]

99p shops are good if you want a lot of tom seeds cheap

[iwantanallotment]

I always start mine in January

Is that in a heated greenhouse/indoors, Aggy? I'd like to try, also. The winter months are so dull.

Mine are just ripening now. Don't know if mouldy ol banana on the floor is anything to do with that, but had to put sticky traps in cos of the flies he was attracting. Moneymaker is the most prolific by far of mine, and ripening well now. The beef varieties are taking longer. HUGE, but green still.

Moles seeds are also good for lots of varieties - I tried Sun Belle this year, and they are the sweetest tomatoes I've ever tasted. Good croppers, too. And yellow, so they look lovely on a salad next to the red ones

[garddwr]

Evening,

Having mostly had green tomatoes this year (started in March), would it do  harm starting them off around January to give them more time to mature?

Also can anyone recommend online seed sites for various variety of tomato.

Rgds.

I thinK I will do the same start them in an unheated greenhouse in january/february and try my luck

[Sadgit]

my toms are in a greenhouse and outside as well... this year I have had very little difference in the crop..... basically 90% green in and out

[sclarke624]

Mine were put out late because of the weather but the gardeners delight are doing really well and the moneymaker and sub artic are reddening up.  I know I am on south coast, but last year was very poor when I had them on a bench in an exposed part of the garden.  This year the weather was worse but the difference is I have them in a sheltered spot round the side of the garden about 7ft  by 15 ft with high fence of about 7ft.  Gets the sun all day there.

Gotta rush this so can't check what I have said as OH is hasseling me to go out.

[robbodaveuk]

http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/

Not tried them myself yet, but will be getting next years seeds from them.

  Robbo.

[gobs]

I sowed in March, and had the early outdoor ones ripening in mid July, the late varieties - which also might have been sown a few weeks earlier - starting to ripen end July in the poly and not all of them.

So as Trill said, don't have high hopes, just because of earlier sowing.

[agapanthus]

I always start mine in January

Is that in a heated greenhouse/indoors, Aggy? I'd like to try, also. The winter months are so dull.

 

I usually  start them off on the windowsills.....then put them in a heated greenhouse. Mind you with the price of fuel rocketing I'm not sure I'll be doing that next year. Although  Munty's got an idea about putting a wood-burner in the greenhouse, so we'll have to see!!