2015 Tomato Growing

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by JWK, Jan 1, 2015.

  1. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    • Lolimac

      Lolimac Guest

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      Thanks John:dbgrtmb: Have you got any started?
       
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      • JWK

        JWK Gardener Staff Member

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        No I haven't, it's a bit too early for me. I'm going to start some in late February.
         
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        • Freddy

          Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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          I'll be hanging fire until mid March at the earliest for the toms destined for the greenhouse. I'm not sure what I'll be doing regarding outdoor toms. I might try some of those blight-proof ones, but they're a bit pricey. In any event, I'll only need half a dozen for outside.
           
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          • Vince

            Vince Not so well known for it.

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            Please wait, far too early, early March/ late Feb soon enough and I should know?
             
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            • JWK

              JWK Gardener Staff Member

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              I agree with Vince, unless you have heating/lighting, wait till March.
               
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              • Scrungee

                Scrungee Well known for it

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                My first Red Robin mini-bush toms sowed at Xmas are through. I'll keep sowing at 3-4 week intervals, so there'll be some ready for optimum times to move into greenhouse/polytunnel/outdoors

                toms 2015.jpg
                 
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                • Freddy

                  Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                  Hiya Scrunge :)

                  What's the plan regarding light/heat over the coming weeks/months?
                   
                • NCFCcrazy

                  NCFCcrazy Super Gardener

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                  I want to try something a bit different this year but not sure what. I like Baby plum tomatoes, T&M were selling a variety calls Harlequin which were extremely vigorous, but they no longer sell them. They replaced them with an alternative which was supposed to be an improved variety, but I didn't think so ( cant recall the name).

                  Any suggestions? Anyone who says Moneymaker gets a "funny" rating, cant stand them. I like growing the unusual, but needs to be suitable for outdoors as I disposed of my greenhouse last year.

                  Thanks
                   
                • Freddy

                  Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                  It might be worth having a look through this thread?
                   
                • Scrungee

                  Scrungee Well known for it

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                  I've got the lighting on a timer to come on for 9 hours overnight (7 of which are Econ 7) and everything is currently sitting in 3 thermostatic propagators that are set at different temps depending what's in them. When the lights are on things heat up a bit so I've also got all the propagators on timers so they'll cut out a while after the lights come on and re-start when the lights go off. I've also got a temperature controller with that can either override the heated propagators if things get too cold, or activate a fan in the box wall to extract heat if it gets too hot. The fact I've got an Economy 7 heater in the room complicates things a bit more, so I have to adjust everything depending whether that's on or not.

                  When I start transplanting tomato seedlings (and other stuff) I'm going to run out of room in that box, plus I'll want somewhere that's light but cooler, so then the heating in the room that growbox is in will get turned down/off and the insulated growbox in my unheated greenhouse will be turned on and have 2 thermostatically controlled propagators inside it to keep everything at the right temps, initially also on timers. Indoors I'll change everything over to three 8 hour shifts under lights, then when the greenhouse heating goes on everything needing additional lighting also goes under them in shifts, until the lights are on 24/7 with 3 shifts and the propagators are on a bench for later sown seeds.

                  It's not the sort of thing where you can go off on holiday leave a neighbour to look after.
                   
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                  • Freddy

                    Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                    Indeed. It sounds quite intense!
                     
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                    • NCFCcrazy

                      NCFCcrazy Super Gardener

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                      Thanks Freddy, I have ordered "Floridity" for starters as its been reccomended by JWK. I am curbing myself this year, have a tendancy to grow too many so will only grow these and probably Tumbling Toms too.
                       
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                      • Freddy

                        Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                        Hi there.
                        Probably the best in terms of flavour that I grew outside (in the ground) was Gardeners Delight. Last year (2014) I grew some Sungold in pots (outside) and to me, they are far and away the best tasting. Neither though could be called "unusual" :)
                         
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                        • nFrost

                          nFrost Head Gardener

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                          I've ordered Gardener's Delight. I've heard the name many times on here so they must be good. First time fully Tom growing this year.
                           
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