2014 Tomato Growing

Never

 

Hello chums

Well, from a June 1st sowing, mine are now around 1ft tall with flowers forming. I cleared the greenhouse of all the rubble and dug out the borders - the previous owner used grow-bags. In the next few days I'll be planting into the borders, 10 plants in all. Apart from the late start, my only concern is that the greenhouse is quite shaded so the plants might become drawn.

 

Hi there Freddy,
so, this latest spell of sun and warmth was just what your Toms needed. You know what I'm going to ask for next don't you....




piccie please...
Jenny

 

No worries, I'll sort it in the next couple of days

 

Oh yes, and I planted a couple into 5l pots for growing outside. I don't expect they'll come to much, but worth a try

 

It's really not going well for me on the tomato front this year, not only a minimal crop but I discovered today my Shirley's have blossom end rot, a shame as it's the first time I've grown them.

 

Hi Sheal
I always get blossom end rot on Shirley even with cal/mag foliar sprays, no other varieties were affected in my greenhouse except Shirley which had it up to the fourth truss,
I grew it for years but have given up on it now I don't grow Shirley anymore. I switched to vanessa for a heavy cropper this year and no BER, regds Alex

 

I've been growing Shirley for years and not had a problem with Blossom end rot.

Watering issues perhaps? Mine are in the greenhouse border, not containers / grow bags. What about yours by way of comparison?

 

Hi Kristen
Mine are in a mixture of 12" bottomless pots and pots that are almost bottomless ie. more 1" holes than pot in and around bottom sunk into border, the greenhouse border is six inches of equal parts home made compost, well rotted horse manure, perlite and coco coir (which I know can lock up calcium but it is a well known buffered brand which I have used for years without problems)
In the pots there is a mix of peat, horse manure, coco coir and perlite with 20% worm compost . 100gm seaweed meal, 100gm calcified seaweed, mycorrhizal fungi. I feed with biobizz grow and bloom supplemented with liquid seaweed extract and worm compost tea. Foliar spray weekly with cal mag until first fruits are set then reduce to once a month. I have not had blossom end rot on any other varieties. In the past few years I have grown
Shirley, Amish paste, Amish gold, Matina. Sungold, Vanessa, Alsa craig, Orange Paruche, Caro Rich, Belle cree, Alaska, brown berry, Black cherry, Gardeners delight, sunold. As well as several bell peppers.
I had blossom end rot on the shirley for the previous three years losing two or three toms per truss so have not grown it this year, it used to be my banker In previous years, I tried a new seed supplier last year for Shirley but same results. Regds Alex PS. rainwater ph'd to 5.8

 

My first year growing tommies as my sister bought me a mini plastic greenhouse. Decided to go for 3 varieties.

All grown in pots. Watered once a day since potting. On warm days keep the greenhouse flaps fully open. Marigolds to keep away greenfly (early on used to sprayer to get rid of them when I saw them) All seem to be doing great (everything crossed & touching wood!) chopped any leaves that we're hanging over fruit for maximum light & pinched side shoots. God bless the internet & YouTube.

Gardeners Delight



Moneymaker



Alicante


Had a bit of a worry as I found some brown leaves ... Tomato blight!?! Anyway chopped of the naughty foliage & haven't seen any return ... That was 3-4 weeks back ... Fingers crossed!!

Been feeding since first fruit appeared.

As an addition to this, the plastic greenhouses tend to get quite a bit of stick (from what I've seen on the tinternet) but although they take more care/time in some respects than a regular greenhouse (opening up on hot days, keeping pinned down, keeping a careful eye on watering) I've used mine for seeds, as a cold frame and now tommies this year ... Mostly with success. As a cheap small alternative they're spot on for me.



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Forgot to add, read on an internet site that some people put crushed egg shells in their pots/soil when growing toms as the calcium is good for them? Something I might try next year ....

I'm a tomato virgin (until my first truss ripens) so I'm sure an experienced tommy grower will back this up or dismiss it ...


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I wonder if that's what was/is the problem with
Mine that I thought was blight ...?


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