TOMATO GROWING THREAD 2020

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by ARMANDII, Jan 18, 2020.

  1. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    It's a powder, you sprinkle in the bottom of the planting hole, so the roots come into contact with it. I make a bit of effort to get a flat bed at the bottom of the hole so as to match the shape of the root ball. It's quite expensive so any that misses the roots is wasted.

    There is a video of Monty Don throwing it around like sawdust when he is planting tomatoes, don't do that :blue thumb:
     
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    • Aldo

      Aldo Super Gardener

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      I am glad you think it is actually useful with tomatoes, particularly when planting outdoor in the same bed used the previous year.
      I have been using it for most plants, and always with tomatoes, for a few years now. But of course, it is hard to say with certainty whether it helped or not, given I never tried to compare it with a control group.
      I guess I am too greedy, and have too little planting space to run comparisons, so they all get aspirin, fungi, molasses, prayers to various divinities and I cross my fingers :D
      Particularly this year, I bought 6 grafted plugs from Suttons which are doing great, but the the other 9 toms are all from seed. They all germinated but they are developing a bit slowly.
       
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      • RobB

        RobB Gardener

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        @strongylodon
        Not far from you and had mine in outside pots for a week now and all growing well even with some chilly nights. They were getting too big indoors so no other option.
        I love this time of year, full of anticipation.
         
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        • sandymac

          sandymac Super Gardener

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          From the trial I did 2018 I think posted on here.

          I use mycorrhizal fungi on most things , I find it very beneficial especially on tomatoes, I did a trial last year grafted plants against fungi treated plants, (posted on here) and found mycorrhizal treatment better than grafting for root growth. I did not graft the plants myself but bought in grafted plants. The grafted plants had good root growth but the fungi treated plants had roots that spread the entire border of the greenhouse, the roots were difficult to untangle at the end of the season but the max measurement was five feet long.
          The treated plants were far more productive than the grafted ones and in my opinion tastier.
          The border I used them in had previously been used for tomato growing
          regards Sandy
           
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          • strongylodon

            strongylodon Old Member

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            @RobB Mine are in the greenhouse and will stay in there in the (B&Q) buckets, no room in the garden.
            I will be interested in sampling the flavour of Floridity, recommended on here.
             
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            • RobB

              RobB Gardener

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              I'd love a greenhouse but if I had one there'd be no room outside in the garden, snap!
              Floridity sounds similar to Britains Breakfast, hope it works for you.
              I don't grow F1, only old fashioned(the older the better) open pollinated varieties. The only bad one was Tigerella but some loke it.
              My newest is Peach Bloom Suttons, managed to get seeds from Tomatobomo in France but not listed this year, :fingers crossed:
              Have a good year.
               
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              • Vince

                Vince Not so well known for it.

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                I'm so looking forward to cheese and "Big Zac" tomato toasties, yup, my Big Zac's are doing well.
                 
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                • Moley

                  Moley Super Gardener

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                  Had both my Sweet Million seeds germinate and they seemed to be growing pretty well under my grow light. Yesterday I noticed one of the plants was looking considerably more worse for wear than the other and gave them both slightly more water than I have been, to which I added a first tomato feed first thing this morning.

                  This is only my third year growing tomatoes and only the second of those from seed and this is a new thing for me. I figured someone on here might know what the issue is and if there is anything I can do to turn it around.

                  toms002.jpg

                  It's a combination of wilting leaves (see above) and white spots/splats on some others (see below). The plant itself is definitely smaller than the other one, but not considerably so.

                  toms003.jpg

                  Typically this has only started happening once I've promised one of the two plants to a friend. Though I'm not sure that friendship should still be around if I give them this one.
                   
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                  • Freddy

                    Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                    If it had been growing in a greenhouse, I’d be tempted to say it had been scorched. Could the grow light be getting hot perhaps? Another possibility, overwatering?
                     
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                    • strongylodon

                      strongylodon Old Member

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                      Tomato feed, Tomorite or similar should really only be applied when the first truss is forming, before that if needed, just a weak nitrogen feed, Miracle Grow or similar, can be given.
                      I am not sure whether your plants are suffering from too much potash or what @Freddy has suggested.
                       
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                      • Freddy

                        Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                        Regarding watering. At the pot stage, I don’t routinely water, preferring instead to water when the compost looks dry and when the pots feel light.
                        Agree regarding feed.
                         
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                        • Moley

                          Moley Super Gardener

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                          Thanks both. I've treated the two plants the same - from the dates sown, watering, feeding and distance from the light without getting to the stage of exact measurements - so I was shocked at the difference.

                          I'll keep an eye on it for the next few days and sow another, just in case.
                           
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                          • Freddy

                            Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                            @Moley , any chance of a wider/full view?
                             
                          • Freddy

                            Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                            Yes, I remember it now :thumbsup:
                             
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                            • JWK

                              JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                              Looks like over-watering and 'damping off' (a fungus that attacks seedlings). Doesn't normally happen to tomatoes as they are strong growers. Looks like yours are still indoors? Get it outside during the day, but not in full sunlight to start with especially the wilted one as strong sun will probably finish it off. They really need to be toughened up, from the little I can see of your photo it appears to be leggy, i.e weakened searching for light.
                               
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