[matt80]

Hi all,

Has anyone got their outdoor tomatoes outside yet? Mine are starting to outgrow the mini-plastic greenhouse, but I'm worried it might still be a bit cold for them.

Also... when I pot on to their final large pots, what mix of compost is best? Multi-purpose, John Innes or some mixture of the two?

[compostqueen]

Not got mine out yet as it's too cold, windy and the risk of frost has not passed. End of May, first week in June should be ok. 

I pot mine up in a mixture of growbag compost and something more substantial like John Innes No1 or 2, depending on what I have     The growbag compo is a bit soft and they need good support of the J. Innes and a stake to stop them blowing about     

[goose]

i risked planting mine out yesterday, although in a sheltered sunny spot, as i was running out of space in the greenhouse.  fingers crossed they will be ok, although i still have back up plants under cover if they fail.

[Gardeningguru]

Hi all,

Has anyone got their outdoor tomatoes outside yet? Mine are starting to outgrow the mini-plastic greenhouse, but I'm worried it might still be a bit cold for them.

Also... when I pot on to their final large pots, what mix of compost is best? Multi-purpose, John Innes or some mixture of the two?

I put mine out early last year, with the vain hope of getting a good head-start, early crops, and a longer productive period. In reality the oppostive happened because the cooler weather caused the growth rate to slow, and the plants looked ill for a while etc....

The ones I had held back and put out in June, compartively, and despite of the rubbish summer, prospered and were altogether healthier for it.

No prizes for guessing when mine are going out this year.  

[barney rubble]

I've raised all my seedlings out doors tomatoes and the lot (as I've no greenhouse or space inside either). They all seem to be doing OK and the second set of leaves are appearing on many of the tomatoes. I hope they'll survive, but I'm not expecting bumper crops, as I know greenhoused give a much better return

[Ivor Backache]

The minimum temperature recorded last night was 2.7 degrees. Much too cold for tomatoes.

[DD.]

Yep - way too cold.

They go blue, (yes really!), sit there, do not a lot if they don't die and never really recover.

[LittleRedHen]

Mine have been out for three weeks now.    I have them in a protected corner behind the garage, facing south.  Knock on wood, they are doing great.  I have more on our back patio, up against the brick wall, south facing again, and they have been holding their own too.  I took a real chance, but I just ran out of room!

[sclarke624]

Mine have been out for three weeks as well, in a sunny sheltered spot, couldn't do anything else with them.  I have back ups though.  I won't start them off so early next year.

[mashbintater]

I've got the same problem. Mine have shot up the last week or so, as i had to bring them indoors to the coolest room in the house from my mini greenhouse, when the weather went cold & blowy. 
I've got the canes in the ground ready as some-one suggested, and they've got wooden skewers in their pots for support, but they've outgrown those! and are back in the mini greenhouse, just!
I sooooooooo wish I could plant them out but we're heading for another cool, wet & windy phase 
Yes they do go blue, 1 or 2 of mine did that last year with the rotten summer we had 

[Parsnip]

I've got the same problem. Mine have shot up the last week or so, as i had to bring them indoors to the coolest room in the house from my mini greenhouse, when the weather went cold & blowy. 
I've got the canes in the ground ready as some-one suggested, and they've got wooden skewers in their pots for support, but they've outgrown those! and are back in the mini greenhouse, just!
I sooooooooo wish I could plant them out but we're heading for another cool, wet & windy phase 
Yes they do go blue, 1 or 2 of mine did that last year with the rotten summer we had 

I didn't even get a yield last year...