[sunshineband]

It's Ok I am not hinting, I have a surplus myself 

Hmmm -- there is a market for tomato plants then is there?

[Dora5]

Just noticed flower buds today on my tomato plants sown on 9th February .

[LilacSandy]

Have flower on 4 of my January sown, but this one I left in the house too long and it is rather leggy, it is flowing well but I think I will have to put it in the cold greenhouse to try and slow it down

[Totty]

All of my very early sown toms are now planted out in the heated greenhouse and are looking good. The ones sown a month later are nowhere near as big, but im hoping to prolong the peak cropping season. Ill be sowing early again for sure, but maybe only half of my plants, not 90 per cent!

Totty

[gilhespy]

My Dad always said to me that planting (down south) Toms in Jan and Feb didn't make sense economically, because of the heat needed in the greenhouse, or for yield, as the Toms planted in April will catch up as they will have stronger growth due to the daylight and warmth.

Besides there are early ripening toms - some of mine last year were planted in April and harvested in July in the garden, albeit in London and in a sheltered spot. 

[Totty]

My main reason for sowing early is that i want lots of trusses. I think alot of people pinch them out after the 5th truss, but i see no reason why they need pinching out if you have extra height and sufficient time for ripening, eight trusses should be possible i hope. An extra 3 trusses on about 18 plants is a few hundred extra toms come the end of the season. Although there is the cost of heating the greenhouse early on, it is my hobbie so i dont mind too much, if it costs an extra pound for electric a day, what else can you do with a quid?

[mumofstig]

The Gartenperle that I sowed on 12th Jan have their first flowers on 

[sunshineband]

The Gartenperle that I sowed on 12th Jan have their first flowers on 

 

[Ivor Backache]

Phase 1 were sown on the 15th January 2012. They are 2' to 2'6" tall.
1. Tigerella: 2 sets of flowers.
2. Sub Artic Plenty: 3 sets of flowers.
3. Harbinger: 3 sets of flowers, first in flower and setting.
These 3 will remain in the conservatory in huge pots.
4. Tamina: 3 sets of flowers
5. Stupice: 3 sets of flowers first in flower and setting.
These are in the conservatory and will be potted up to huge pots stopped at 3 trusses,and put in cold greenhouse in mid May.

Phase 2 are similar and are 9" tall and will be planted in pots for the ouside.
Phase 3  above plus Valencia, Suburst, Gardener's Delight and Tumbler are 2" tall and will be planted direct into allotment.
I will let these grow but will probably stop them at 5 trusses.
Allotment grown toms always produce bigger crop than pot ones.

[Totty]

Ivor Backache is there a reason why you stop the greenhouse toms at 3 trusses and leave the outdoor ones to develop 5? If you sowed the ones destined for the greenhouse earlier, surely you can have a longer season and better conditions in the greenhouse enabling the plants to produce more fruit.
 Im not very experienced with outdoor toms, but would have thought that stopping them at 3-4 trusses would give a better chance of ripening all of them seeing as though they are not protected from our changeable weather?

[DD.]

I do mine that way around, Totty.

I let the greenhouse ones run up as far as they want, but stop the outside ones at 3, maybe 4 trusses, depending how they look.

[Ivor Backache]

Ivor Backache is there a reason why you stop the greenhouse toms at 3 trusses and leave the outdoor ones to develop 5?

Short answer is space.
The 3 in the conservatory should produce tomatoes in June.
The green house is not like the glass and aluminium type, more homemade wood and plastic, Tomato in a pot and 3 trusses will be touching the roof. Production from these 3 plants should continue on from the conservatory ones.
The outside ones  in pots at home or in the ground on the alottment will get to 5 trusses and then it will the end of the season. That way i should have continuity.
This year I am using huge pots, because the plants grown in the ground always produce a much bigger crop.
This year I am trying several varieties. I have already noticed that 'Tigerella' grows much taller before the first truss,  whereas 'Harbinger' 'Stupice' and 'Sub artic Plenty'  already have 3 trusses in that same height. Harbinger and stupice have set their first tomato.
I will let the growing tip get past the 3rd truss and then stop them them, so that there is at least two leaves above the truss.

[snails2go]

I've only just discovered this thread and I am soooo excited that one of the gardener's delights I sowed on 16th Jan has a tomato on it

[Dora5]

I've only just discovered this thread and I am soooo excited that one of the gardener's delights I sowed on 16th Jan has a tomato on it

It looks great! So exciting... I cannot wait for mine

[azubah]

I've only just discovered this thread and I am soooo excited that one of the gardener's delights I sowed on 16th Jan has a tomato on it

That's brilliant. Mine sown a month later have lots of flowers, but none setting yet.