I've got tom flowers already!

[Jesse]

Just been stroking my tomato plants (in the conservatory) and noticed that the "Outdoor Girl" tomatos have flower buds already! They are looking very healthy and have grown well but I didn't expect flowers just yet. Anyway, should I pick the flowers off until I'm ready to plant them out (which I intend to do in the new week or so in a Wallo'water) or should I let them get on with it and flower to their hearts content, will planting them out whilst flowering cause any stress. Not sure whether to panic or feel happy. Must go check on the ones in the wallo'water that I planted a couple of weeks ago.

[Jesse]

[northener]

Never, how tall are they and how long you had them going? Not sure about piicking flowers off. Its not warm enough here [Barnsley] to be planting out  i've been perished today.

[Moggle]

You could be winning the a4a prize for first ripe tom of the season  :)

[Jesse]

Sown into small pot 31 Jan, germinated 5 Feb, potted on 22 Feb, potted on again 22 March. They are currently around 14" (36cm) tall but they were planted deeper on their last potting on a week ago so you could add another 1" to height if you take that into account.

[tim]

Houston - we have a problem??

At 14", I would try an 'Ina'. 'In flower' is how the books say for planting out.

I won't be sowing for the cold 'house for a week or so.

Let us know how you make out?

[kitty]

o blimey-a cat disaster has decimated my newly sown toms......i shall start again tomorrow  :(
14"??????
bah!
mutter mutter...d*m cat...mutter
kitty

[Mrs Ava]

The ones in my conservatory are about 6 inches tall now, the ones in my heated greenhouse have slowed right down I am relieved to say.   Flowers already!  WOW!!

[Derekthefox]

Like Tim, I am at the sowing stage. My first efforts have succumbed to damping off.

[in my wellies]

Mine just popped up today.
Last year grew mine to the 7cm pot stage and then my father died, I left them in April for about 3-4 weeks. No attention, door shut in full sun, no shade, no water etc. When I got back they were all 14 -18" tall, leaves red/blue, stems woody. Really stressed but all in full flower. I was for composting the lot and left them for another week (not in the mood for gardening anyway)
Anyway my son who was 10 thought they were great as they were soooo tall, (and he likes cacti!) so I let him plant them in the green house in grobags. They turned out to be the best ever crop. All twelve plants of 5 verieties.
Do I dare stres them that much this year? Or was it beginners luck on my sons part? ;D

[Merry Tiller]

Many of you seem to be in such a rush, do you know something I don't about the weather? ???

[redimp]

Well it lookms like prety good grwoing weather for the next few days - but I do not knwo much about toms so apart from that I cannot help - Sorry!!

[Granny_Smith]

I've only just sown my seeds in pots on the windowsill !