Tomato Growing 2024

I have heard Bob Flowerdew in the past say it was a good idea because the plants grown from sideshoots will have the same maturity as the original plant. I have done it in the past. A good way of getting more plants but I don't think they overwinter very well.

 

I've never tried to overwinter tomato plants. I doubt it would be feasible here, even in the house, but perhaps I'll take off a few shoots and see what happens. It's more a problem of finding somewhere with enough light and warmth to keep them going, so that will be very difficult.
I don't think my house is as warm as other people have theirs. The lounge must have been below 13 degrees this morning as I didn't set the heating to come on automatically, and as the manual setting was at 13, it had come on when I got up at half 6. The kitchen is regularly that kind of temp, and then it can get very high if there's a bit of sun from about March onwards.
Always like a small challenge though

 

That's a thought @JWK. I overwintered a little Rudbeckia seedling that was in compost with something else. It's been very happy and I've just been putting it outside on decent days. I repotted it yesterday and it was in the gr'house last night as I had nowhere to leave it in the house. I just looked at it a few minutes ago and it's absolutely fine.

If I remember, I'll try a couple of toms this year. If being the important word there....

 

My experiment re two slices of cherry tomato in a pot of MPC (bit ropey), inside a blue freezer bag has worked. There's a bit of grey mould where the slices are, but it looks like it's not causing any problem. Think maybe the slices took a couple of days longer to germinate, but that's neither here or there.

 

First fruit on Bloody Butcher.

 

Tumbling Tom Yellow sown February 18th:

 

Anyone using the two-leader system on their tomatoes? Does it work and is it worth it?

 

I do. Two stems to a standard indeterminate. Dwarfs need three or four. Works for me!

 

Lovely. the fat frog i sowed at christmas is just opening its flowers bow. i think the 2 L pot is just a bit too small, perhaps 4 L. Keeps drying out.
How do you pollinate them, just aggressive shaking?

 

@Adam l We use a soft paint brush and go into the flower and then into another and so on.
From all the photos here we are way behind. Just planted out some plants no signs of flowers and wont be for some weeks.

 

Is wild rocket a good option to stay in the greenhouse as underplanting on tomatoes beds? Ha-ha for me. I love yellow flowers and bees love pollinating wild rocket. I composted mature plants last year, and I have now wild rocket packed greenhouse. Self-seeded was quicker than sowed by me.
I sowed marigolds to underplant, now thinking if I can leave the most of rocket or not.

 

Just a wee brush of the flower truss, in passing. All my micro plants are now with their new owners, except for Sweet'n' Neat Scarlet, which now has its first fruit.

Two litres does sound a bit diddy.

 

Toms are self fertile so just a tap of the flower truss when the atmosphere is dry should sort out pollination.