Tomato progress

[Paulines7]

I took your advice Tim and cut the growbags in half yesterday.   :D      I found that they had such large solid lumps in them, so decided to tip the contents of each ½ bag into a bucket to break them down.  I took the opportunity to put in some gel and slow release fertiliser, added water then in with my hands to mix it around.  The water was ice cold having come from the water butt so I went and got some hot water to add until the chill was taken off.  I thought that the tomato plants might not be happy being planted into a freezing cold bag.   ;)

I was in my childhood again, making mudpies.   ;D   With my arms almost up to my elbows with dirt, I then put the soil back in the bag and planted the tomato plant.  All good fun!!   ;D ;D

[Paulines7]

[tim]

Good thinking - the warm water!

Normally, if you water 2 days before planting, & it's nice & warm the next day, there should't be too much shock. At least 1.5 gal/bag.

You shouldn't really need added fertiliser if they are reputable bags, the main supply will be from your daily or weekly feed.

[redcow]

This year I started my tomatoes off in propagator's, then removed the lid & left them on the windowsill with only early morning sun & the window ajar. When they were big enough I re-potted them in small pots & put them in the cold frame on the patio. The problem I have is they have all gone slightly yellow but otherwise look healthy, please could someone tell what has caused this?
I did the same thing last year but put them in a mini greenhouse as I didnt have a cold frame & they were fine.

Thanks
RC

[Paulines7]

You shouldn't really need added fertiliser if they are reputable bags, the main supply will be from your daily or weekly feed.

Tim,  it is slow release fertiliser that will activate in a few weeks time when I am away on holiday.   ;D  ;D

... The problem I have is they have all gone slightly yellow but otherwise look healthy, please could someone tell what has caused this?
Thanks
RC

Redcow, Tim will probably come up with the answer to your problem as he has had many years experience at growing tomatoes.   ;D  What size pots are the tomatoes in and how tall are the plants now?

[growmore]

You're making me realise how far behind mine are :( One set have seed leaves, and the others haven't even peeked through yet.

I'm quite pleased though - the ones that have appeared are the seeds I saved last year. Never tried that before.

sally

There  is   plenty of time  yet to plant tommies out in a cold greenhouse ..Cheers Jim

[tim]

Nice thinking, Pauline - & probably won't overdose because the plans roots won't have reached it.

Yellowing?  Sorry, no idea.

And Sally - does this make you feel better?

[MrsKP]

how do i know whether to feed daily or weekly ?

???

[Curryandchips]

That picture represents the extent of my achievements to date, Tim. I am hoping things start to move a little bit quicker now? I am still potting up tomato seedlings in my little area at work (because its warm) as they germinate ...

[tim]

KP - either - depending upon your pattern of life.

We do it daily, because I live here & believe it to be better, using an appropriately dilute mix.

Otherwise, just follow the instructions.

(Nice photo, Curry!)

[MrsKP]

ahhhhhh Tim, i though it might be a different type of tom or summit !!!

well i've got my first two potted up in their ring thingies and out in the unheated g/h.  I'm only just keeping up with my very small quantities, lord know how you lot cope.

;D

[grawrc]

I have gardener's delight, sungold, alicante, shirley and rose de berne. I was intending to plant some outside and some in the ghouse. Unfortunately my father-in-law managed to upend the seed trays on the floor. I've saved maybe 70% of them but now have no clue which is which. Is there any way I can identify them before they fruit? If not are there any that would shrivel up and die outside? ..since I don't have room in the (cold) ghouse for all of them I'm sure to put some outside that would prefer to be in...

Oh dear. Help! help! please.........
:o :'(

[Mrs Ava]

Some do have slightly different leaves, but to be honest, for me anyhow, until the fruit start to set, it is very hard to tell what they could be!  My kids tend to pinch the labels so mummy can have a guessing game  :-X and last year was a mystery.  I knew what I had sown, so waited until the fruits started colouring, then I could narrow it down.  This year the kids have lost interest in the greenhouse so I think i am safe!  ::)

[tim]

The ones that grow taller quicker, more stretched out, will probably be the Cherries.

[Hot_Potato]

How soon do I start to use a feed when I water my tiny 'tumbling' tomato plants, which are only about 2 weeks old.....and is any liquid tomato feed ok?

Up til now, I've just been using water when they've needed any and today I've also moved them from the house out into an unheated greenhouse that I share with another person because at least there, they get some sunshine.

[tim]

Feed? As soon as the first truss has set.

Yes!

[kitty]

"One for the mouse and one for the crow, one to rot and one to grow."

.....and one for the father-in-law!.....

thats usually my trick-turn round-splat!....
kitty

[amanda21]

I've just noticed that some of my "tumbling" (although they are still straight up at the moment) tomato plants are beginning to get flowers.  They are still all in their 4" pots and are hardening off in the garden by day - back in the conservatory at night.  Eventually they will be totally outside - either in the garden or up on the allotment.  Is it a little early to be flowering and will it matter if they are in flower when I put them in their final growbag/pot/bed?

Crikey this veg growing lark is a steep learning curve!!   ;)

[Tee Gee]

These are mine this morning;




The ones on the left are my 1st choice, those on the right are spares.

[cleo]

Amanda-you are probably about two weeks ahead of yourself-but things should be OK,just don`t let them get a check from becoming pot bound.

Hey!! and I had the first customers of the season today :)

[tim]

What's on offer, Stephan??