when are Tomato plants available?

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by L plate gardener, Mar 29, 2011.

  1. L plate gardener

    L plate gardener Gardener

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    I went to a few garden centres last weekend, got all my veg for my little veggie garden, carrots, cucumber,cabbage, kale, cauliflowers and strawbs.... but no sign of any tomato plants as yet?? is it still too early for these??

    thanks
     
  2. Loofah

    Loofah Admin Staff Member

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    Any time from now onwards but there's no set time. I hate to say it as I hate them, but check out the big stores like homebase or b&q
     
  3. Daytona650

    Daytona650 Gardener

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    My seeds are about 5 inches tall now and doing well so they should be on sale in most garden centres from now onwards. They're really easy to grow from seed so you shouldn't have a problem tracking some down at all. You may even find somebody local to you on here who has sown too many and will let you have a few spares.
     
  4. axe70

    axe70 Apprentice Gardener

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    mid april is when the catalogs say the start delivering so next month seems about the right time
     
  5. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Well it's too early to put tomato plants in an unheated greenhouse so unless you want to store them in your house it's best to delay till you actually need to plant them out - late April/mid May depending on your location (and last frost date).

    Having said that I've left my tomato plants in my unheated greenhouse for the first time tonight - predicted minimum temps are for 10 deg C for the next few days here. But there is a very good chance we will get a few more frosts in April so I'm prepared to bring mine back indoors if needs be.
     
  6. oakdaledave

    oakdaledave Gardener

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    Got some 'moneymakers' in B&Q today. Very healthy looking plants too. I have to say,my local B&Q here in Poole DO look after their plants. They were £2.98 for 6 plants. As has been said already, it's too early to plant them out yet though.
     
  7. greencuisinequeen

    greencuisinequeen Gardener

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    I bought my Fiancé a little kit of tomato seeds, pots,compost and instructions for his Birthday as he like myself has never done any gardening before so would it be a good idea to plant them now? Do you always need these big grow bags I see for tomatoes or will pots suffice?
     
  8. Honey Bee

    Honey Bee Gardener

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    Perhaps they had sold out as they had everything else???
    All our garden centres & supermarkets have them in down here. I suppose it depends on where you live.
    I put my seeds in the boiler cupboard to germimate, then on a windowsill for a couple of weeks and are now in individual small pots in the unheated greenhouse.
    You could always take a wander down to your local allotments at the weekend & try to blag some spare plants off people........
     
  9. bi9johnny

    bi9johnny Gardener

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    everyone got them now i even got beans,peas,melon,aub's,china cabb....allsorts yesterday....good luck
     
  10. Makka-Bakka

    Makka-Bakka Gardener

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    Patience!

    .

    Don't be in any hurry planting tomato plants in a cold GH, as according to my information, the tomato plants don't like temps below 50F and will not set the bottom trusses if exposed to low temps!

    Ps. tomato plants have not yet heard of centigrade!

    PPs. garden centres only want to sell plants, so they do not really worry if you succeed or not, so leave them on the shelf if you do not have the facilities to take care of them at the moment.

    Buy later they soon romp away when the weather warms up and the sun shines (most important).

    PPPs. plant your plants when you get them deeply in the soil, up almost to the bottom leaves as tomato plants are stem rooters and will have more roots to sustain the plants if planted deeply!
     
  11. Alice

    Alice Gardener

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    Hello. No you don't need to use Growbags. I find them difficult to water. You can grow tomatoes perfectly well in big pots. You can plant your seeds now in small pots.
     
  12. L plate gardener

    L plate gardener Gardener

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  13. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    I think this is A Good Thing. Sounds like your GC cares about their customers :thumb:

    My local Garden Centre has had tender vegetable plants on sale for at least a month. I doubt very much that any of the ones they sold are still alive today ..
     
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