Tomato growth vs last year

Hi

Looking at photos from exactly a year ago, I had tomatoes (grown from seed) in grow bags about 12 - 20 inches tall.

This year's are barely 4 to 5 inches tall.

Have I done something wrong? was it just the cold Spring? I noticed Monty's on last week's Gardeners' World were a good size...

Advice appreciated!

 

Cold nights would be my guess - its still only 6-7'c overnight here & thats too cold for good growth - Ive got a big difference between the plants in the heated greenhouse & those left to fend for themselves. No doubt one of Montys minnions is tasked with keeping the TV plants at the optimum temperature, although it is good to see them doing some trials on GW this year.

 

Oh, thank goodness! I thought it was just me. Mine are growing so slowly this year.

 

OK that explains it. While last summer was wet I guess it was mild, as was Spring. Despite being on the south coast I'm still having night temps in low single figures in the greenhouse.

We are definitely 3 - 4 weeks behind. My Azaleas usually flower without fail on my father-in-law's birthday on 14 May whereas this year they are only now coming into flower (and small ones at that!)

 

And at what size should I move them into grow bags?

 

My experience from last year was that later sown tomatoes fared better than early sown ones, so this year I delayed sowing resulting in a now burgeoning greenhouse packed with nice sturdy tomato plants crying out to be potted on this weekend.

That's what the "guide book" says!

 

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