Tomato Growing 2025

I've found tomatoes of all varieties seem prone to "helmet head". I wonder whether sometimes it's due to sowing too early in a heated propagator and they germinate too quickly to naturally get rid of the seed head on their way up. Just a guess tho.
If it looks as if it is causing a problem, I dab the seed head with warm water several times over an hour or so and then use a cocktail stick to ease the seed heads off. If done carefully, no damage to the leaves results. A very finicky task tho

 

I've ways put it down to not sowing deep enough they should first appear as a crook shape with the head still in damp soil,that way they can pull the seed leaves out of the case and leave it in the ground.

 

Repotted my seedlings, 33 in total. Got a bunch of spares to give to people

 

I've sown my tomatoes today only 4 varieties
Sungold
Suncherry Premium - favourite
Honey moon - new not tried before
Sparta - new not tried

 

My friend grew Sparta a few years ago and I tasted one which had a nice flavour. A standard medium sized red tom.

 

I am impressed!
I knocked over some of my seedlings so some are pot luck this year!

 

Pleasant sunny day forecast so they are outside for the day

 

Looks like 100% germination on the tommies and the chillies/peppers in the heated prop.

 

Hi Folks, I would like to come back to the forums and hope that is ok. I have enjoyed reading some of your updates and seeing whats happening! I didnt get much gardening done last year but should be able to get back to it this year.

I would like to ask if i am too late to have sown tomato seeds? I am in Scotland, just south of Glasgow. I sowed my seeds yesterday in my heated propagator. A visitor to my house this morning has politely informed me I am too late to do this and it should have been done in late Jan/ February I dont really know any other gardeners in real life, so take most of my info from Google, but am mindful that Scotland is cooler than England. Is there any hope for them? I will need to grow them outside after the frosts, as I dont have a greenhouse. It will be a sunny windowsill until then! I planted them now so they wouldnt get too straggly before planting out. I thought I was doing the right thing? Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

@SuzFlowers, I'm not an expert but I think you are correct - it is definitely not too late. I have not sown mine yet.
I think Jan/Feb is much too early, especially in colder areas.
Welcome to the forum.

 

It' the right time to sow now. I noticed plants are ready for planting out at 45 days age.
Days are long enough now for seedlings to be on sunny windowsill.

 

Thank you Katecat58 and Ailsa!!
That's put my mind at ease. I was thinking I had set myself up to fail from the word go. There is still hope that this is the year I might produce an edible tomato

 

I sow mine around about now in a cold GH. Haven’t the room or sunny enough window sills to start anything off indoors. I always get a crop but just have to be patient whilst I watch everyone else harvesting. I usually start to get a harvest from mid July and then carries in until end October

 

I will be sowing mine this week. I have a heated propagator but the issue with sowing early is there to move them onto when they get bigger. I don't heat the rest of the greenhouse so it needs to be warm enough without extra heat. Definitely not too late, look up Beechgrove garden fact sheets, they garden near Aberdeen take your timings from them.

 

Still plenty of time to sow Tomatoes - doesn't always work to sow them too early particularly if you don't have the right conditions to grow them on.
Sorry @Allotment Boy ......... post crossed