2016 Tomato Growing

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by JWK, Jan 2, 2016.

Tags:
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 4 of 40
  1. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2008
    Messages:
    32,284
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Surrey
    Ratings:
    +49,480
    I've tried getting really early tomatoes in the past by sowing on 1st Feb, this is before I had growlamps so had to make do with juggling plants between window sills and my greenhouse, bringing them back indoors when cold nights threatened.The plants are getting pretty large in April when the fruit start forming so moving them around is a pain and got in our way indoors. I got a few early tomatoes in early June but for the extra effort I didn't feel it was worthwhile for me.

    Now I have growlamps/heater it's a lot easier BUT I've found these earlier forced plants produce tasteless watery fruit to begin with, it's only when they start getting natural light that mine seem to improve with flavour.

    I like alexmac's method but I don't have the indoors space to copy that, I'd welcome other's thoughts on this too for getting early tomatoes with a decent taste.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
      JWK, Jan 13, 2016
      #46 Quote in Conversation
    • Phil A

      Phil A Guest

      Ratings:
      +0
      Mine survived the frost this morning :)

      DSCN2492.JPG
       
      • Like Like x 6
        Phil A, Jan 13, 2016
        #47 Quote in Conversation
      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

        Joined:
        Dec 5, 2010
        Messages:
        16,524
        Location:
        Central England on heavy clay soil
        Ratings:
        +28,997
        Vanmeuwen's Gigantomo competition is back for 2016.

        http://www.vanmeuwen.com/new-tomato-gigantomo

        Good job I got a 'few' Gigantomo seeds during the free seeds bonanza last year, it would be great to win £1,000 with those free seeds.

        [​IMG]
         
        • Like Like x 4
          Last edited: Jan 15, 2016
          Scrungee, Jan 15, 2016
          #48 Quote in Conversation
        • JWK

          JWK Gardener Staff Member

          Joined:
          Jun 3, 2008
          Messages:
          32,284
          Gender:
          Male
          Location:
          Surrey
          Ratings:
          +49,480
          I've got one packet of Gigantomo :) Wouldn't mind winning £5k thanks very much!
           
          • Agree Agree x 1
            JWK, Jan 15, 2016
            #49 Quote in Conversation
          • Cannyfullpots

            Cannyfullpots Gardener

            Joined:
            Jun 8, 2015
            Messages:
            310
            Gender:
            Female
            Location:
            Suffolk
            Ratings:
            +516
            I've got some of those seeds knocking about somewhere:)

            In for a penny in for a pound hey:rolleyespink:
             
            • Like Like x 2
              Cannyfullpots, Jan 15, 2016
              #50 Quote in Conversation
            • Carllennon

              Carllennon Gardener

              Joined:
              May 23, 2014
              Messages:
              144
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Techie
              Location:
              Milton Keynes
              Ratings:
              +246
              My tumbling Toms are coming up now, Bit disappointed with germination rate, 45% failed as I had 2 per pod.
              Still plenty of plants though.
               

              Attached Files:

              • Like Like x 3
                Carllennon, Jan 24, 2016
                #51 Quote in Conversation
              • MrsTea

                MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

                Joined:
                Jan 25, 2016
                Messages:
                281
                Gender:
                Female
                Location:
                Ryton
                Ratings:
                +428
                Hello all,

                I am considering planting tomatoes this year using hanging planters. Has anyone experience with those hanging planters?

                Last year I planted them "standard" in my ex-greenhouse and learned how tomato plants behave. Never in the world did I think how much picking of those shoots is actually required :hate-shocked:.

                One of the problems that I see with those hanging planters is the weight of the soil and the actual plant.

                What's your thoughts on those planters? Do you think it's worth investing, or just stick with the traditional way?
                 
                • Like Like x 1
                  MrsTea, Jan 27, 2016
                  #52 Quote in Conversation
                • JWK

                  JWK Gardener Staff Member

                  Joined:
                  Jun 3, 2008
                  Messages:
                  32,284
                  Gender:
                  Male
                  Location:
                  Surrey
                  Ratings:
                  +49,480
                  I've grown Tumbling Tom in pots in the past, it gives an astonishing yield of small tasty fruit. It will grow in fairly shallow containers but you will need to water and feed it constantly. I've see people grow it in hanging baskets and it will do very well.
                   
                  • Informative Informative x 1
                    JWK, Jan 27, 2016
                    #53 Quote in Conversation
                  • Fat Controller

                    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

                    Joined:
                    May 5, 2012
                    Messages:
                    27,688
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Occupation:
                    Public Transport
                    Location:
                    At me 'puter, GCHQ Ashford Office, Middlesex
                    Ratings:
                    +52,027
                    @MrsTea - that will depend on the type of tomatoes you want to grow. If you want to have them in hanging planters, I would say you are best with a determinate (bush) type, which also negates the chore of whipping off the robbers.
                     
                    • Informative Informative x 2
                      Fat Controller, Jan 27, 2016
                      #54 Quote in Conversation
                    • MrsTea

                      MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

                      Joined:
                      Jan 25, 2016
                      Messages:
                      281
                      Gender:
                      Female
                      Location:
                      Ryton
                      Ratings:
                      +428
                      Thank you both for your advice. I will keep an eye out for bush-like tomatoes (if that makes sense :rolleyespink:) and then decided whether I go for planter bags or pots.

                      One more question, if you don't mind: if you have them in baskets, how would you protect them from rain? Or is it an urban myth, that tomatoes have to be protected from rain at all times?
                       
                      MrsTea, Jan 28, 2016
                      #55 Quote in Conversation
                    • JWK

                      JWK Gardener Staff Member

                      Joined:
                      Jun 3, 2008
                      Messages:
                      32,284
                      Gender:
                      Male
                      Location:
                      Surrey
                      Ratings:
                      +49,480
                      I would still recommend Tumbling Tom - which s a bush (aka determinate) type.

                      Never heard that one before - they can be grown outside and rain isn't the problem, lack of sunshine and warmth are the real bugbears and is the main reason most folk grow them under glass.
                       
                      • Agree Agree x 2
                      • Informative Informative x 1
                        JWK, Jan 28, 2016
                        #56 Quote in Conversation
                      • MrsTea

                        MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

                        Joined:
                        Jan 25, 2016
                        Messages:
                        281
                        Gender:
                        Female
                        Location:
                        Ryton
                        Ratings:
                        +428
                        Hi John,

                        I have just made a note of the Tumbling Tom and will keep an eye out for them, thank you! :)

                        So the rain issue is an urban myth.. you know last year I grew them in my ex-greenhouse which had quite a few panes missing even then. So they go rained on quite frequently but it didn't cause any problems. That's when I started to doubt what I had been told in the past about the rain causing all sorts of problems such as blight etc.

                        Thanks again John!
                         
                        MrsTea, Jan 28, 2016
                        #57 Quote in Conversation
                      • Scrungee

                        Scrungee Well known for it

                        Joined:
                        Dec 5, 2010
                        Messages:
                        16,524
                        Location:
                        Central England on heavy clay soil
                        Ratings:
                        +28,997
                        Rain droplets on outdoor tomatoes followed by bright sunshine can cause sunscald spots on the fruit making them unsuitable for showing in 'outdoor' tomato classes.

                        And, unless kept watered during dry periods, heavy rain can cause cracking and splitting of the fruits.
                         
                        • Informative Informative x 1
                          Scrungee, Jan 28, 2016
                          #58 Quote in Conversation
                        • MrsTea

                          MrsTea Khazâd Ai-Mênu

                          Joined:
                          Jan 25, 2016
                          Messages:
                          281
                          Gender:
                          Female
                          Location:
                          Ryton
                          Ratings:
                          +428
                          Hi Scrungee, so basically, if I am not showing off my tomatoes and keep them watered, I should be okay? :)
                           
                          • Agree Agree x 2
                            MrsTea, Jan 28, 2016
                            #59 Quote in Conversation
                          • Tracy_x

                            Tracy_x Gardener

                            Joined:
                            Jan 27, 2016
                            Messages:
                            225
                            Gender:
                            Female
                            Ratings:
                            +405
                            Hi, I am new, just sow my tomato seeds yesterday
                             
                            • Like Like x 2
                              Tracy_x, Jan 28, 2016
                              #60 Quote in Conversation
                            Page 4 of 40
                            Loading...
                            Similar Threads - 2016 Tomato Growing
                            1. JWK

                              Tomato Test Experiences 2016

                              JWK, Sep 23, 2016, in forum: Edible Gardening
                              Replies:
                              3
                              Views:
                              1,251
                              Baymule
                              Nov 8, 2016
                            2. liliana

                              Tomato seed swap 2016

                              liliana, Feb 11, 2016, in forum: Edible Gardening
                              Replies:
                              1
                              Views:
                              1,395
                              liliana
                              Feb 16, 2016
                            3. Scrungee

                              Freebies Free (Heinz) Tomato Seeds 2015 & 2016

                              Scrungee, Mar 4, 2015, in forum: Freebies, Offers & Bargains
                              Replies:
                              15
                              Views:
                              2,932
                              john558
                              Apr 21, 2016
                            4. Lee Herrington

                              My Giant Marrow ( September 2016 )

                              Lee Herrington, Mar 1, 2017, in forum: Allotments Discussion
                              Replies:
                              11
                              Views:
                              1,686
                              Lee Herrington
                              Mar 2, 2017
                            5. "M"

                              Gardeners Corner New Years Eve Party 2016/17

                              "M", Dec 31, 2016, in forum: Off-Topic Discussion
                              Replies:
                              105
                              Views:
                              5,588
                              "M"
                              Jan 2, 2017
                            Thread Status:
                            Not open for further replies.

                            Share This Page

                            1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                              By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                              Accept Learn More...
                              Dismiss Notice