Tomato Growing Thread 2022

Re bedding material for heating cables. The one in clay pebbles went for15 years and present one 5 years. Always keep them wet when on. I HAD another in another propagator made of wood AND bedded in sand. You've guessed it, it burnt out and still not replaced! It had the same make of thermostat! Still thinking of replacing it with something else. Any advice?

 

My cable is over 30 years old,but I replaced the thermostat after about 4 or 5 yrs.
The first thermostat was the type with a probe on the end of a cable bought from Two Wests and Elliott,after that I bought the type with the probe on the back of the thermostat body which pushes through the wooden casing in the base and comes out under the sand.
Made by Parasene.

 

@eatenbyweasels 15 years seems like an awful long time to keep seeds - of any kind, let alone tomatoes!

 

I was looking at my tomato seedling on the balcony earlier today & thinking I might not need to move them up into bigger pots after all. With the much cooler temps of late they seem to have stopped growing! I just hope May bucks up with a bit more warmth.

 

There's some chap on youtube who claims to have germinated 87 year old tomato seeds.

 

.

Today has been the first day in weeks that I haven't placed most of my tomatoes out in the garden for a few hours. It's all gone distinctly "meh".

 

Planted tomatoes out in the greenhouse. Some plants flowering or already with flowerbuds. Most likely not to set first trusses. It gets down to 5C during the night.

 

Tealight heaters are a cheap and easy way to keep up the temperature at night. Stand the tealight in one terracotta pot, light it, then place a second pot on top.

 

Regarding Thermostats: mine are the rod sort with the rod projecting through into the bedding material. Must be said I've not checked the one in the 'wooden' propagator so it might not be the cable (most likely) but the thermostat (might also be from Parasene?) Will wait til mid Summer before checking, but have not for 2 years! Idle!!

 

That tealight idea might work in a greenhouse but it's very unlikely to work outside on the balcony! Still, I think it's an interesting idea!

 

Fair point, Balc. Here's my emergency plan for chilly nights after planting outdoors. Five litre water bottle with bottom and lid removed. Bit of bubble wrap over the top.

 

Repotted 22 toms, 2 of each type. These are to fit into 2 8x6 greenhouses. So I might have to cull some more

 

On a related point, full watering cans absorb heat during the day and help keep up the greenhouse temperature at night.

 

Wow! What great ideas based on real science and in particularly the physics of heat! Wish I was still teaching! Too old now! Very important these days in terms of effects of global warming!

 

In a similar vein, 2lt bottles of water do the same! I keep a lot on the balcony during the summer for watering! I never water with cold water.