Tomato Growing 2024

I cannot grow tomatoes outdoors down here because potato blight is endemic, no matter what you do the crop is lost so a waste of time, money and effort.

 

Are you using a coir specific fertilizer . Because of its high cation exchange rate, coco coir stores and releases nutrients as needed, but it tends to hold calcium, magnesium and iron. This means you’ll need use specific coco coir nutrients to boost Ca, Mg and Fe levels for healthy crops.

 

I'm being economical this year and am only growing four plants in the greenhouse. Every year I seem to experiment with new varieties and am invariably disappointed so I've only sown cherry tomatoes that have done well here previously - 1 Maskotka (a prolifically fruiting bush variety) and 3 Sweet Olive. I've waited til quite late to sow them as well, but they're all up now and being mollycoddled in the house. The plan is to get them upto the young plant stage by the time we go on holiday and then they'll have to take their chances in the greenhouse on capillary matting.

 

Try Primabella, I grew it last year in Cornwall and it didn't get blight. Bit of a tough skin but perfectly good for cooking. I also grew Koralik in the past and that survived some hideous weather.

 

Interesting. Thank you. I am really picky re flavour so it will be interesting to see what I think of the new ones I am growing this year, your suggestion will be worth thinking about next year.

 

Do you not have a greenhouse @Goldenlily26 ? It's the best way in wet areas. We don't really get bloght because no one really grows toms outdoors, but we need them because night time temps can be too low for too long, as well as the rain being problematic.
Even one of the little plastic ones [well secured!] helps enormously.

 

Yes, I do have a greenhouse. A freebie found on Freecycle.
Before I had it I tried growing tomatoes outside in the Thames Valley area and then down here with disastrous results.

 

More tomato seedlings up this morning - another GD and one each of Rosella and Blue Bayou. No matter how many times I sow seeds, it's always exciting when they pop up.

 

Senj,
haven't soaked any tomato seed usually sow them straight out the pkt,do you soak other seed too ?

 

Apologies @Goldenlily26 - I see that you have a gr'house from looking at your previous posts.
We don't really get blight here if toms are undercover. What a pain. Would they be better in your conservatory, or is that not an option?

 

Only sweet peas I sowed a few varieties of tomatoes rest germinated no problems without soaking,just the brandy wine .

 

I've sown Beefsteak, Costoluto Genovese, Golden Sunrise, Harbinger, La Carotina, Moonglow, Orange Banana, Poire Rouge, Red Brandy Wine, Rose de Berne and San Marzano Gigante 2, all on the 4th of April and all without soaking. None of them were new seeds this year.

I used coir pots and seed compost with perlite in it and 4 seeds to each pot. I watered them with a solution of aloe vera blitezd in water with baking soda - an experiment to see if it helps with gerination and damping off. They were then given bottom heat and clear plastic covers.

They started germinating on the 6th with more the next 2 days. Still waiting for Harbinger and Golden Sunrise along with 4 of the 5 chillies I sowed so the'll carry on with bottom heat and covers for a while longer tho the covers are off the ones that have seedlings so they don't get too stretched. Long way off being pricked out..

 

Thanks for that info @sandymac; i’ll certainly investigate. The toms are still in 9cm pots at mo, before I put them into large pots on top of tomato planters. Think I might revert to my usual home made compost, well rotted horse compost and MPC which has been successful before

 

Sorry if I gave the idea I have a problem growing tomatoes. not at all. I was just commenting on current postings from my previous experiences.
I usually have enough plants to share with my family as well as a local community group and have enough tomatoes to eat fresh, share with neighbours and freeze and puree to last me through the winter. I had to grow the plants in the conservatory until I found the glass 6X8 glasshouse on Freecycle. Now life is much easier.