THE TOMATO GROWING THREAD 2018

Always a good feeling!! A mix of black krim, Black Russian and urbikany bush. Outdoor Crimson Crush hardening off in the el cheapo Lidl plastic greenhouse ready to go out in a few weeks

 

Planted up one of my Quadgrows this morning, along with some Marigolds to try and help deter Whitefly, I have read on here that they don't like the smell.

It's now fingers crossed we don't get a frost, otherwise I'll be bringing them into the house.

 

My 171 tomatoes will all be in 3.5"/90mm dia. pots by the end of today and 6 early sown roms in deep 2L rose pots. I also have another 52 late sown 2005/2007/2012 seed Gardeners Delight in smaller pots. 4 weeks to 1st June planting out date.

Started moving tomato plants into polytunnels today, not because I think its quite warm enough in them overnight, but I'm running out of space at home and need to pot up Chillies and finsh sowing beans, sweetcorn, squashes, flowers, salad stuff, etc.

I've got enough plants to lose everything in tunnels and still have plenty left. Carried out an audit of all my plants this morning so I know how many of each variety I can take to tunnels and still have sufficient for backups at home.

I'm struggling in this heat to erect my third 6 x 3m polytunnel that's essential to ensure I can accommodate all of my vast amount of tomato plants and Mrs Scrungee is hassling me to get on with erecting our new gazebo at home [1] but tomorrow she's going to help me get on faster with the tunnel by staying at home.


[1] Don't tell Mrs Scrungee, but I'm thinking of ways that could be used to grow stuff underneath

Some years I've planted 100's amongst polytunnel tomatoes, and the smell is fantastic in there, but they seem to attract mice when they set seeds as the mice gather the seed heads to line their nests.

 

I would not have used two quad grow pots for Marigolds a lot of cash laid out just for Marigolds, much better to have edible crops in them tomatoe's or peppers.
Marigolds can sit in much smaller pots and in my experience do not do much to deter anything, the onion family planted in the greenhouse border has always worked better for me, I have ten onions in 12" pots in greenhouse which I have done for years and never had a problem with pests. That's me put the kybosh on that then probably be over run with the blighters this year. Regds Sandy

 

Thanks for the advice, it's been noted, Sandymac and Scrungee

Last year I only grew 2 Tomato plants ( Shirley F1 ) and those gave me more tomatoes that I knew what to do with, but this year I have 9 plants ( Tumb Tom x2, Sungold x2, Moneymaker x2 and Gardeners Delight x3 ) so I think I might look into some Peppers, though I don't eat that many, but at least I can have the enjoyment of growing them.

Just before planting up I found some Aphids on some of the Tomato plants in the greenhouse, the ones that will be going outside, so I guess the Marigolds were a reaction to finding them as I didn't want to be fighting both Greenfly and Whitefly.

The Toms with Aphids are currently outside waiting to be sprayed with a Neem Oil / Horti Soap mixture to try and get rid of the little blighters.

 

Sowed my tomato seeds yesterday.
Don't do them too early because they get leggy before i can plant them out.

 

Here is a picture of mine; clockwise from left: Sungold, Black Russian, Sweet Aparatif, Okado, Tumbling Tom Yellow, Tumbling Tom Red. Only have space for 6 in my small greenhouse but both Tumbling Toms and the Sungold have pea sized tomatoes so far. Looking good!

 

Temperatures at my plot are going to be about about 3 deg C lower overnight than where you are, so not suitable until Monday at the earliest, but I'm off to the SW for a few days on Monday, leaving Mrs Scrungee in charge of watering, frost protection, looking after Dog, etc., so my outdoor plants wont be going in until next weekend.

 

These are from my naughty Russian gardening friend

 

Thanks John. I haven’t grown tomatoes for 6 years because I moved and didn’t have a greenhouse. I’m very excited about growing them again. In my 6 year absence varieties have changed. There are so many more available so am trying some new ones.