Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: A. Fallowfield on January 05, 2011, 21:01

Title: Early tomatoes!
Post by: A. Fallowfield on January 05, 2011, 21:01
Well I've heard of a few people doing this, including a chap on our lotties, who does it sucessfully! Will they survive?
Planted in the airing cupboard 31st December 2010, five days to germinate!
(http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp141/Flatters_photos/4toms.jpg)
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: PennyS on January 05, 2011, 21:14
Surely there won't be enough light this time of year (even in a heated greenhouse) for them to keep growing without getting all leggy????  ???





Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: DD. on January 05, 2011, 21:20
The one front left looks awfully leggy.

Another 4 weeks before I even start to think about it.

An airing cupboard is way too warm in my opinion.
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: A. Fallowfield on January 05, 2011, 21:22
Surely there won't be enough light this time of year (even in a heated greenhouse) for them to keep growing without getting all leggy????  ???

You're probably right, but they're in a window now being warmed by central heating!
Two chances, but I wanted to try it! ;)
They've been in the airing cupboard DD.
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: DD. on January 05, 2011, 21:22
Don't forget the aluminium foil!
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: A. Fallowfield on January 05, 2011, 21:23
Don't forget the aluminium foil!

Err.... A?
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: kari on January 05, 2011, 21:32
Good luck with them, it will be interesting to watch them grow & see how they turn out.

I have a heated conservatory which is being changed into a kind of greenhouse, but i'm leaving my toms till Feb as I thought there wouldnt be enough daylight yet.

I would have loved to get a head start with a Jan sowing, so will watch to see how they progress with interest
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: mumofstig on January 05, 2011, 21:35
Don't forget the aluminium foil!

Err.... A?

Bend a piece of foil around the room sides of the seeds, so that it stands up and reflects the incoming light back onto the seedlings........It really does make a difference :)
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: DD. on January 05, 2011, 21:43
Don't forget that unless you can afford to properly heat a greenhouse, you'll be stuck with trying to keep plants indoors for 4 months or so. That's asking for problems.
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: A. Fallowfield on January 05, 2011, 22:13
Don't forget the aluminium foil!

Err.... A?

Bend a piece of foil around the room sides of the seeds, so that it stands up and reflects the incoming light back onto the seedlings........It really does make a difference :)

Great thanks! :)
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: stompy on January 06, 2011, 12:07
1. Get a box around 10"/12" tall big enough fit on your windowsill and to hold a few pots , cut one of the longest sides out leaving a 1"lip.
2. Line the inside of the box with tin foil, shiny side up.
3. put newly germinated seedlings in the box on a windowsill with the cut out side facing the window.

The light comming in through the window is reflected back at the plant from all directions increasing the light value, this stops the seedlings bending towards the window and as it's lighter they don't become as leggy.
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: DD. on January 06, 2011, 12:18
As first advocated by DD on 25th February 2007

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=2749.msg29171#msg29171
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: stompy on January 06, 2011, 12:20
Ha Ha. not trying to steal your thunder D.D.  ;)
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: DD. on January 06, 2011, 12:22
That's OK, I don't mind people covering for me on the rare occasions I'm not logged on! ;)
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: Kristen on January 06, 2011, 13:25
Picture to help with the thousand-words :(
(http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=51788.0;attach=8717;image)
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: stompy on January 06, 2011, 13:33
There is no way my OH ould let me do that, she'd go nuts.
I bet it's dark in that room though  :D
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: Kristen on January 06, 2011, 14:36
The Photo exaggerates it - honest.

She's got two choices:  Veg throughout the year, or not ... does that help? My DW is happy with veg for the rest of the year :)

Have you got a room that is warm enough, does not face North, but is not much used?  I use the windowsill in my study
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: DD. on January 06, 2011, 14:40
We live in a semi and the south facing wall is next door's house!

I use an east facing windows - the spare room and the kitchen window with no problems.Mrs Digger puts up with it in return for the produce.
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: stompy on January 06, 2011, 14:41
We have a loft conversion that we use as our hobbie room and it's got a large roof window.
We have one of the tables underneith it and i start everything off up there.
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: Kristen on January 06, 2011, 14:48
That's sounding to me like the roof window is quite a long way above the seedlings? (which I think will "draw" them quite a bit anyway, but I haven't seen your set up of course).

I suppose a growing-lamp is out of the question? That would solve the problem at a stroke - although there is still the problem of housing early-sown-veg until its warm enough to plant out.
Title: Re: Early tomatoes!
Post by: A. Fallowfield on January 06, 2011, 18:32
Mine, now with a foil backing, are in the front room window with my aloe vera! I'm a widower, but I can still imagine what would have been said! ???