Tomatoes

Supercell · 16-03-2019 4:14pm #1

Anyone sowed seeds for theirs yet?, thinking of starting mine in the greenhouse this weekend. Will be sowing Sungold, Gardeners Delight and Latah this year and maybe a bigger plum variety for cooking though haven't decided on any particular variety, any suggestions?

strandroad · 16-03-2019 5:31pm

Supercell wrote: »

Anyone sowed seeds for theirs yet?, thinking of starting mine in the greenhouse this weekend. Will be sowing Sungold, Gardeners Delight and Latah this year and maybe a bigger plum variety for cooking though haven't decided on any particular variety, any suggestions?

I plan to sow mine this weekend. Gardener's Delight and the fantastic Black Cherry, a real gem.

Supercell · 16-03-2019 5:36pm

Never tried black cherry, I did try a black "Russian" tomato before as was disappointed by the flavour. Googling the black cherry variety looks promising, think i'll try that one too so, thanks.

strandroad · 16-03-2019 5:36pm

Oh and I had Alicante last year, decent crop and ripened well in the sun, but they did not have much flavour at all, tasted like supermarket salad tomatoes.

strandroad · 16-03-2019 5:37pm

Supercell wrote: »

Never tried black cherry, I did try a black "Russian" tomato before as was disappointed by the flavour. Googling the black cherry variety looks promising, think i'll try that one too so, thanks.

Give it a try, being a cherry variety they have a chance to ripen well here! I thought about trying Black Krim but I don't think they would ripen enough for me.

Planet X · 22-01-2021 2:23pm

First time to sow seeds this early.....second time to sow seeds

. First time a few years ago (shop bought).....disaster, and it was spring time. Packet, half a dozen or so, no dice, complete failure.

Now, I collected a lot of seeds from existing plants, successfully dried and stored them, but first time to sow them this early.
Just popped them in a veg container, the blue ones, watered and placed them on a windowsill in the TV room, warm.
It's an experiment really but want to get a good head start.
Have a few dozen seeds so if it doesn't work, I'll keep trying.

Anything I should look out for or beware of?
Overwatering, clingfilm over top, mould etc etc???

Supercell · 22-01-2021 2:35pm

I've planted tomatoes this early before and ended up having unwieldy monsters too early to put out - if you have a poly or big greenhouse that's probably not an issue for you though.
Late February or March is optimal for here (in south dublin). Now is a good time for starting chilis.

I'd hold of sowing more for a bit and keep these ones indoors until late April unless you have a greenhouse/poly.

Planet X · 22-01-2021 2:55pm

I'll pop a few chili seeds in also then. Thanks for the advice.
(Stillorgan)

Pat_b · 22-01-2021 11:48pm

Be careful sowing so early, you'll need to take care of them and keep them heated.

Traditionally I sow tomatoes on Paddy's day, I know a lot of people do them earlier but they need the light and heat. You can get a early crop ) especially with some varieties) sowing this time but don't tend to get a greater in overall harvest... Unless of course you have a heated greenhouse

Supercell · 16-05-2021 4:58pm

Mine are growing too big for their pots now, anyone planted outside yet?

vicwatson · 16-05-2021 5:08pm

Supercell wrote: »

Mine are growing too big for their pots now, anyone planted outside yet?

No, and the forecast is for more cold as the week goes on

Zzippy · 16-05-2021 11:00pm

Mine are in the tunnel a couple of weeks now and flying. Had a small fan heater on 2 nights when we had frost but don't anticipate needing it again now til autumn.

Suckit · 16-05-2021 11:54pm

I didn't realise that there was a thread here.
Apologies for the long post... (longer than I had intended, just looking for some help).

I planted a mixture of randomness..

Some plum tomatoes from Aldi 2 years ago and taking the last seeds each year and replanting them, and some beef tomatoes from the local supermarket.
Last year I was very late planting them, so this year it was the end of Feb.
They are all (or seem to be) fine.

But... I bought the Tesco Tomato Selection on March 6th, and planted some of them within the next week. In it there are three types from Spain, Sugardrop, Bamano and Ivorino.
Very few of the Ivorino seeds sprouted (I think 3), the others have about 6 each. But they are staying small, even when I have repotted them, and worse, they seem to be struggling.
I put them out a few nights ago, with all of the others, all are suffering from different looking symptoms. Some look underwatered, some look scorched, some have leaves curling in and look underwatered.
I am not sure where to go, or really how to help these progress, any tips would be great. The main ones are still outside now, I will likely leave them out, going into final planters in the next couple of days.
But the small Spanish ones have been taken indoors and are at a south facing window. I took them in today at 1pm, and watered them and kept them in the kitchen where it was cooler. Until this evening when I put them back in front of main window.
Hopefully that will help.
I literally jumped in to these blind. No idea what size the plants usually grow to either, are they smaller than the others etc..
I'm going to have a proper look tonight, but any help from anyone here would be gratefully appreciated.

I am after going out to photograph them just now after typing that, and they look to have improved a lot, so maybe it was water, and bigger pots needed again. I ran out of pots, so will be moving bigger into planter and move those into bigger pots. They still look a bit scraggy though.

The one on far right is a pepper plant
https://i.postimg.cc/L8ddqRKQ/IMG-20210516-233638.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/VsVP8n78/IMG-20210516-233616.jpg

These are on same window, not looking healthy
https://i.postimg.cc/zXHZXvMR/IMG-20210516-233654.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/5y6cz22T/IMG-20210516-233643.jpg

And this one in the black pot (I am fairly sure is one of the ivorinos - lost some labels) was assaulted by a clumsy friend and a frisbee. I was giving it extra special care out the front of house, bigger pot, watering it and he came along and almost straight away..

https://i.postimg.cc/5y6cz22T/IMG-20210516-233643.jpg

I don't have greenhouse, looked at the ones in Woodies for €40 the other day.. Was unsure.

EDIT - Looking at those photos the pots look very small and may be the case, but they aren't in those that long and they aren't as small as they look). I hadn't noticed those being that small before...

wench · 17-05-2021 1:08am

It was a bit early to be putting tomatoes out, they can't take any frost/cold at all.

Don't rush to put them in large pots, they'll put too much effort into roots, and you get straggly plants.
Mine are still inside in 3 inch pots, and won't be going out until the end of the month.

Suckit · 17-05-2021 1:21am

wench wrote: »

It was a bit early to be putting tomatoes out, they can't take any frost/cold at all.

Don't rush to put them in large pots, they'll put too much effort into roots, and you get straggly plants.
Mine are still inside in 3 inch pots, and won't be going out until the end of the month.

Thanks, Yes, I thought so but somebody I know kept telling me to (still is, words will be had

).
To be fair, I wasn't leaving them out, and only putting them out in the day and back in at evening. I left them out last Sunday or Monday and the temp dropped a bit.
Last night was the first night I left the lot out. The big ones are out again tonight. Hopefully they will be good. I brought in all the smaller ones and some of the peppers.

Zzippy · 17-05-2021 12:48pm

wench wrote: »

It was a bit early to be putting tomatoes out, they can't take any frost/cold at all.

Don't rush to put them in large pots, they'll put too much effort into roots, and you get straggly plants.
Mine are still inside in 3 inch pots, and won't be going out until the end of the month.

Outside or in a greenhouse/tunnel? I have mine out in the tunnel, they were good strong 8-10 inch plants in pots when they went out 2 weeks ago, some are nearly 2 feet tall now. Had been going out during the day to the tunnel for about 3 weeks prior to planting out and brought in to the house at night, so well hardened off. They can handle cold temps (not freezing) as long as the soil is warm. I use a small fan heater on frosty nights just to keep the air temp above 3-4 degrees and they do fine.

Supercell · 17-05-2021 1:04pm

Looking back at my climate records here (in Loughlinstown,Dublin about 1km from the coast), it looks like the last week in May is typically when things start to warm up and the nights are nearly all above around 8C so have decided to plant mine outside in the open next Monday after work, weather permitting.

wench · 17-05-2021 1:13pm

Zzippy wrote: »

Outside or in a greenhouse/tunnel?

Kept warm in a greenhouse or tunnel they should do grand, but exposed outside I wouldn't chance it.

MacDanger · 17-05-2021 5:00pm

Here's a pic of one of my "tumbler" tomato plants, it's doing pretty well and has a good bit of fruit on it. I'm pretty sure that it's outgrown the pot but I don't have anything bigger that's suitable for indoors (no tunnel or greenhouse either). Should I cut off some of the flowers on it and try to get a few tomatoes from it? Or just see how it goes as it is? Or something else

Suckit · 17-05-2021 6:25pm

^^ When did you plant them? Are they the ones often used in hanging baskets or the balcony planters?

MacDanger · 17-05-2021 10:18pm

Suckit wrote: »

^^ When did you plant them? Are they the ones often used in hanging baskets or the balcony planters?

Planted them ~2 months ago. Yeah, that sounds like them alright, I think that's where the name comes from

wench · 17-05-2021 10:49pm

Did you buy the seeds at The Little Shop of Horrors?
Will it be going out, or staying inside to devour all those who get too near ;-)

hirondelle · 18-05-2021 12:37pm

MacDanger wrote: »

Planted them ~2 months ago. Yeah, that sounds like them alright, I think that's where the name comes from

I'm not claiming expertise- my choice would be to feed it very well and let it fruit as it is- the tomatoes are going to ripen at different stages so if you can fool it into thinking it is in a big pot it should continue to ripen the fruits properly over the summer.

Holy Diver · 18-05-2021 2:02pm

Suckit wrote: »

Thanks, Yes, I thought so but somebody I know kept telling me to (still is, words will be had ).
To be fair, I wasn't leaving them out, and only putting them out in the day and back in at evening. I left them out last Sunday or Monday and the temp dropped a bit.
Last night was the first night I left the lot out. The big ones are out again tonight. Hopefully they will be good. I brought in all the smaller ones and some of the peppers.

The pot sizes look more than adequate for the size of the plants tbh so that is not the issue IMO

Are they getting enough light and heat where you have them? Not clear from the photos

MacDanger · 18-05-2021 2:05pm

wench wrote: »

Did you buy the seeds at The Little Shop of Horrors?
Will it be going out, or staying inside to devour all those who get too near ;-)

I bought them as seedlings. I'm living in Mayo so I doubt the climate is warm enough to plant them out. I'll give hirondelle's advice a go and see how I get on

hirondelle · 18-05-2021 2:33pm

MacDanger wrote: »

I bought them as seedlings. I'm living in Mayo so I doubt the climate is warm enough to plant them out. I'll give hirondelle's advice a go and see how I get on

Mayo and outdoor tomatoes does not sound like a winning combination!

Suckit · 18-05-2021 4:01pm

Holy_Diver wrote:

The pot sizes look more than adequate for the size of the plants tbh so that is not the issue IMO

Are they getting enough light and heat where you have them? Not clear from the photos

They should be yes, they are on the front window south facing. They get sunlight from about 8am until 8;30-9pm, I move the ones that fall into the shade too.
I had left them out overnight one night, I am hoping that caused it. I will try and photo them today in sunlight.

On a separate note - I have no quote or thanks button.. I would ask is that the same for everyone but I can see thanked posts and quotes..

hirondelle · 18-05-2021 4:13pm

Suckit wrote: »

They should be yes, they are on the front window south facing. They get sunlight from about 8am until 8;30-9pm, I move the ones that fall into the shade too.
I had left them out overnight one night, I am hoping that caused it. I will try and photo them today in sunlight.

On a separate note - I have no quote or thanks button.. I would ask is that the same for everyone but I can see thanked posts and quotes..

Mine appears as normal

Suckit · 19-05-2021 9:08pm

hirondelle wrote: »

Mine appears as normal

Mine back now. I think it might have had something to do with noscript, although it never happened before and is fine now. Maybe just needed to restart browser,
Anyway....
My Tomatoes seem okay since I brought them in and watered them, and have left them in since. The beef are still out, and last night was cold, so I was worried about them (when I catch myself saying that...

)
I just finished the last of my Planters, and a few other things in the garden. I just need to paint them and they are ready for the tomatoes

looking forward to that.
Would have liked to have got those tumblers too. Something to look forward to next year

.
I like the idea of them cascading out of a hanging basket.

Zzippy · 20-05-2021 1:30pm

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Suckit wrote: »

Mine back now. I think it might have had something to do with noscript, although it never happened before and is fine now. Maybe just needed to restart browser,
Anyway....
My Tomatoes seem okay since I brought them in and watered them, and have left them in since. The beef are still out, and last night was cold, so I was worried about them (when I catch myself saying that... )
I just finished the last of my Planters, and a few other things in the garden. I just need to paint them and they are ready for the tomatoes looking forward to that.
Would have liked to have got those tumblers too. Something to look forward to next year .
I like the idea of them cascading out of a hanging basket.

Are you sure they are tumblers? Any time I grew them they were much bushier, only grew about 18 inches tall but had a lot more sideshoots and grew out over the edge of the basket. Those look more like a vine/indeterminate variety.

Suckit · 20-05-2021 1:38pm

Zzippy wrote: »

Are you sure they are tumblers? Any time I grew them they were much bushier, only grew about 18 inches tall but had a lot more sideshoots and grew out over the edge of the basket. Those look more like a vine/indeterminate variety.

No, sorry, the Tumblers are not mine, I was just saying I would like to get them next year. Up at 6am this morning and brought in anything i had outside, they were taking a beating. Mainly Beef.

Tomatoes

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