2014 Tomato Growing

I don't take any chances. I go round with a soft brush, giving 'em a tickle

 

An option might be to take armpit-cuttings from parent plants. They should carry the first trust lower down the resulting plant. Probably a month's delay involved though, so might need to start a month earlier. Also I doubt that a young plant will have any side shoots, so it would probably be a "the whole top" cutting ... and I may be wandering off into the realms of madness at this point?!!

Tomatoes are self fertile so don't need a pollinating insect. Movement of the plant will do (e.g. in the wind) but indoors tapping, or brushing past, the plant will do - you'll smell the pollen and misting them will help the fruit to then set.

 

Thank you kristen i did notice today that i do have two tomatoes forming so im happy lol

 

That's a lovely phrase, 'armpit cutting'. I've taken several from my big indigo rose tomato. The one I kept is setting fruit.....little more than 10cm off the ground!

 

I agree - sums it up nicely @Kristen
Jenny

 

I like the idea of growing them in the window box - looks great!

 

it seems like a good idea initially GA but it's getting virtually impossible to get a roseless watering can or a hose in there already and there's a long way to go before harvest. And I laid them horizontally in the 2 trays when I planted out so they must be SO thick with roots by now. I water first thing in the morning and by mid afternoon they are starting to go limp with lack of enough moisture - too many in each of the two troughs. = a Maskotka at either end and a Tumbling Tom in the centre! The thought of leaving them waterless for a day doesn't bear thinking about (my OH thinks I'm going senile) and a holiday's 0ut of the question...
Hey ho, mental note for next year ...
Jenny

 

I don't use strings but canes Kristen and growth rate has slowed down. I really don't know what's happened this year, the only thing I can think of is bad mpc (I grow in buckets) and will change next year.

 

The stems are quite robust, once mature, so I expect you'll be able to lower them just the same. 'Tis easier, in a greenhouse, using strings though (but you have to leave "excess" at the top so that you can lower, and re-tie further up the string).

 

Morning Woo,
is your outside IR in full sun all day?
Jenny

 

I'm knitting chips ATM Woo to sit in an old fashioned triangle of newspaper ( needs to be The Sun I reckon - "the Paper that tells the truth" ) as part of the Follow the Herring project. They will be given to children free to trade with on other events ,
Jenny