Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: Caretaker on March 18, 2013, 17:53
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Looking at the weather in the south (cold) has anyone sown tomato seeds yet, I have a small unheated greenhouse with a electric propergater.
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I was just debating whether to start mine soon, I usually do about this time :happy:
They end up going out in the greenhouse at the end of April under a polythene cover if the nights are cold.
I think I'll leave it for another week or so, as the long range is for a cool April, as well, here :(
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Mine are in the kitchen at the cold end of the conservatory. Will have to pot on next weekend, but not putting them into greenhouse for ages. They'll just be moved around the house to available spaces for a bit!
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If you have a heated prop you could just make a small sowing, and wait a couple of weeks to be on safe side for the rest.
Totty
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If you have a heated prop you could just make a small sowing, and wait a couple of weeks to be on safe side for the rest.
Totty
That is what I have done .... only sowed 2 of my 6 varieties, will sow the rest when we start seeing a break in the weather ..... had a terrible year for toms last year if I they didnt get dampened off they got blight! ended up with only a few tomatoes in the GH!
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I've only sown enough for the heated greenhouse.
I would normally be sowing the rest now, but in view of the weather and the fact we're going away next weekend, I'm holding off until the start of April.
Last thing I want is them germinating in the plastic bag if no one's going to whip them out!
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Mine have been out in the unheated greenhouse since early feb and doing fine.
I am very far south though and the greenhouse is in a sheltered corner of the garden.
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I have just planted my tom seeds, just a, opps packet, they just all popped out.
Fingers crossed the weather will get better.
Reg
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I have 6 plants in paper tubes sat in a cut down beer crate sat on the table in my motor-home as we travel through Spain on the way home, no doubt they will have to stay in the house until the green house is warmer. ::)
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I sowed my toms on the 21st and 22nd March in a bubblewrapped frame within a bubblewrapped polytunnel. I put plastic milk bottles full of hot water under the frame at night to try and avoid the worst of the cold.
With the sun over the last few days, the temperature has got up to 28C under the cover and today I had a load of seedlings showing themselves - dead chuffed :D
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Could you not have grown a few indoors to save lot of hassle, they only take 4-5 days. Or would you have have domestic hassle if you tried? :lol:
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My plan is to grow 70+ different varieties of tomato this year, a couple or three of each variety. Last year I grew 60, in a range of colours, shapes and sizes and the problem with doing them inside is preventing them getting too leggy, I think by doing them in the polytunnel, they are stronger.
I'm also going to try grafting some this year, anybody had any experience. I've seen a video on the web and it doesn't look too difficult :tongue2:
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I have no problems whatsoever growing them inside. I've over 100 on the go now. Do you not use the aluminium foil trick? Saves messing about with hot water bottles!
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I only had to "mess about with hot water bottles" for a couple of nights. Now that there is more sun, the bottles warm up in the day and the night time temperature has stayed above 5C unaided for the last week.
Last year I grew them inside (much earlier than this year) and took them outside to the greenhouse for sun but taking 300 seedlings in and out was a pain (especially when I dropped a tray and lost 50) so I was trying a method that took less handling this year.
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Tomatoes really need 10C. 5C could set them back and turn them blue - literally!
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Sowed 20 cells worth and popped them in the heated propagator this week. Another 20 to go in soon and that's me done (hopefully). :)
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Looks like I need to put some additional heat in overnight then. Thanks DD
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Have 120 plants growing nicely. Can make that 130+ as the heritage seeds DD sent have started germinating. Minimum nighttime temp of 7 degrees but have had bottom heat set at 10 so all is good.
Included a pic of one of the early sowing with the rest in the background and the second sowing on the heated mat.
Totty
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Put 20 Tom seeds in last night and some sweet peppers
All in unheated greenhouse (but have got bubble wrap up)
Just have to see how they go :(
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Seed will need far higher temperatures than we're getting at the moment. Established plants need 10C. Bubblewrap will only keep the heat in for so long. The temperature will eventually drop to near the outside temperature.
Why not bring the seeds into the house to germinate and hope that it warms up outside in the interim?
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Thanks DD i think I'll take your advice
I've always bought plants before thought I'd give seeding a go this year :)