Tomato Growing Thread 2023

Yeah looking great!

Got a few more today

 

Hi Hanglow- Are these tomatoes ripening up in a cardboard box, if so, do you add an apple or banana?

 

I'm still waiting for mine to start ripening

 

I think our Toms will struggle a lot this year. Not had enough warm sunny days .

 

I've been picking for a few weeks now, mostly Sungold and Tumbling Tom Yellow. I've also had some Golden Sunrise and Jaune Flamme. The Piglet Willie is starting to colour up too. Mine are all grown outside.

 

I usually sow my Tom seeds the 3rd week in Feb, this year it was the 3rd week in March. All grown on in an indoor lighted Growhouse.

It would be interesting to hear how others have grown their Toms, and in what conditions.

 

I sow mine on St Patrick's day in a heated propagator. Once germinated, they have to make do with a south facing windowsill until it's warm enough to put them outside during the day. When the night time temperature is reliably above 10°C they are planted outside in the ground and have to put up with whatever the weather throws at them.

 

I dont really keep any records, all I know is it was a tricky spring, some sunny days, but a lot of thick cloud and cold easterly winds that seemed to go on for at least 6 weeks.

I planted some out, late May, but they got caught by the cold nights and gloomy days and stood still for a month.
Every year is different.

 

I usually sow my tomato seeds on the first day of spring, I did the same this year & they germinated in 4 or 5 days in a heated propagator. They spent a couple of months in the kitchen window which faces SW & gets all the available sunshine from 1pm. I did put them out on the balcony for a week or so but a cold spell almost killed them & I had to bring them back into the kitchen for a few more weeks.

But a stray tomato seed germinated in a pot with another plant in it a month later. This seedling has grown very well & has had no protection from the low temps, (but it did get a little protection from the cold winds), it is the best of all the plants (9) & has 3 trusses with toms on them & a 4th with flowers. None of the other plants are anywhere near it! 2 are catching up in height but have no more than a truss on each.

So I think next year I will wait till April before I sow my seed! Better to lose a month than lose the plants!

 

How not to grow tomatoes ... Don't repeat my mistakes. Variety Hundreds and Thousands, cascading small cherries. I knew people put 1 plant into 100l pots or barrels. I planted 2 together in a regular large pot. Fed moderately. Plants "ate" all of their leaves. I removed those yellowed and dried. I don't give up. Will try in a bigger pot next year.

 

I just used that box to transport them. You can pick tomatoes when they start to turn colour and they'll continue to ripen. No other ripe fruit needed. If the toms are still green then you may need a ripe apple/banana to try and ripen them artificially