Tomato Growing Thread 2021

Being new to this growing lark, I have been looking around the forum getting some idea of what seeds to buy and when to sow for this year . And wham Ive just been educated, I was reading in the tomato taste 2020. I have always thought one tomato was the same as any other tomato. I have to go pick up some bits in the agri centre in the morning I going to try and pick up some Sungold and Honeymoon seeds and see if I can give mother a run on the taste. I do like a challenge

 

Cheers John, I could not get any Honeymoon seeds our agri centre did have some Honeycomb ones though ie Suttons I took a chance and picked up a packet, I also picked up some Sungold and Gardeners delight. They dont look as big as mother tomatoes but I will give them a go.

I did wonder if different suppliers us the same names on there seeds or not

Price wise mole valley is doing but 2 packets and get the 3rd free so that is a bonus

 

I have a question I am thinking of growing these tomatoes in 5 gallon containers and keeping them on the staging as mother has all the floor space for her tall tomatoes. If I keep them not to tall say max 4 foot will the plants still produce as much fruit. The tomatoes I will be growing are Gardeners delight, Sungold and Honecomb

 

When i had a limited hight greenhouse i used to keep my toms in there in 4 gallon pots until they were over a metre high by then it was warm enough (July) to put them outside.
regds Sandy

 

Pennards are my go to for seed and I love the packaging! What seeds did you order?

 

You're probably going to lose approx. 1.1m of height doing that, @JWK has a method of growing greenhouse cordon tomatoes up strings, then lowering them, maybe an adaptation of that could enable them to grow a bit longer than if grown straight up.

 

Thought this comparison of two tomato plants together might interest some. On the left Purple Ukraine and on the right Ailsa Craig. The Ailsa Craig looks similar to most of my other plants, all planted on the same day and came up relatively similar times.

Purple Ukraine really is a peculiar looking tomato. Not only is it much taller and lankier (they were all under the same lights!) it's also got much more space between leaves and all round is a really "skinny" looking plant. Very interesting. I was told this variety has a habit of looking a little "shrivelled" when being grown and to not be put off. It certainly does look very standout in comparison to the rest of my plants.

 

I'd say the one on the left looks more vigorous than the one on the right, far from shriveled.

 

They arrived today in lovely old fashioned brown paper packets.

Tomato Celano Red Plum, patio bush, blight resistant
Tomato Cocktail Crush, medium, blight resistant
Tomato Consuelo, Juicy Red Cherry, bush, blight resistant
Tomato Nagina Plum, blight resistant
Tomato Veranda Red, dwarf patio cherry, blight resistant

I will sow no more than two seeds of each this year, just test out the varieties then get more organised for next year (maybe even have moved house and have a ‘real’ garden by then!).

Thanks @Susieshoe for the nod to Pennards. What have you got for this year from them?

Tink.

 

Thanks ScrungeeI had a measure up and off the top of the staging there is just under 6 foot so I may be ok height wise

 

FrancescaH, I would be pleased if mine came out like that they look good to me. But I know nothing. I see from your posts you use grow lights, Its my first time using the hot bed and lights for tomatoes, I did grow a load of chillies last year. Just wondering do you have your light on right from the start or only when they have germinated.

 

Planted my seed in the greenhouse a couple of days ago. I went for Ailsa Craig and Alicanti.

Fingers crossed,
Paul G

 

The 'non F1 Tumblers' from Premier Seeds (upper) don't look anything like F1 Tumblers!, but plants from seeds saved from last year's F1 Tumblers (lower) look identical to those grown from expensive F1 seeds so far.





Finished sowing all my other varieties yesterday.