Tomato Growing Thread 2021

I bought 2 tomato plants today. I read I had to water them well before I transplant them to bigger pots, so I did that this afternoon and plan to plant tomorrow.

However, I'm confused as to when I need to start feeding them with tomato feed. One website said once when planting then weekly once the flowers start to show, is this correct?

 

Feeding is usually held off until the first truss has set, but I've planted plants that have been in the small pots too long, so the first truss has already set.

So to me, feeding starts once the plants root system has extended to the whole pot.

I think people put too much emphasis on feeding plants in general, but I only feed plants that are well established.

 

So many wows

 

Winner of the first flower buds out of my varieties were the San Marzano... however the Costoluto Fiorentino are not far behind at all and are definitely my lushest looking plants. I was a little concerned about growing Italian varieties thinking it might not be hot enough for them. But they seem to be doing very well!

 

All in their final pots now. Had to bin some, just too many. Peppers tomorrow once ive paid way too much for a few bags of compost.

 

Do I need to pinch off any of the longer lower branches of this tomato plant to ensure upwards growth??

 

It'll grow upwards regardless. I'd leave them on until the plant is more established. Just make sure to remove suckers. I usually prune the lowers once it's about a metre tall.

 

What you have ringed are leaf stalks, you do get shoots emerge from where that joins the main stem.
They are the ones you pinch out, should they arise.

 

I planted 10 Tomarillo seeds and now have six strong seedlings about 10cm tall. Not sure I want them now, may keep one and give the others to our friend who lives on a farm so he can have a copse of fast-growing, fruiting shade trees.

 

I think one will be enough.

 

I agree but I can't bear to throw them away ... so he can if he wants! We are giving him the Pink Pepper Tree on Monday.

 

My first escapee sucker. I've been very diligent about pulling off suckers every time they pop up, when tiny. One seemed to have escaped me (it was starting to look like a split leader). Cut the big ol' branch off (which included flower buds. Oh well) Not making the same mistake as last year when I realised what I thought was a separate tomato plant was actually just a massive second leader!