Anyone growing tomatoes? (The Gardening thread)

[Simoba]

Still plenty of time yet, I only started getting going around this time last year, and hopefully that is the last of the frosts now.

I am very excited about this year. I have a strong line up and am hoping for good results. I started a bit earlier this year with the help of the heated mats and had good germination rates. Got quite a few outside in greenhouse, though they are all a bit stunted from the cold weather, though seem to have survived.

Kept a couple of each variety indoors too and they all seem healthy enough on the windowsill, though getting a bit big now and need to go outside. My big hope for this year is the ‘Latah’ tomato. Apparently it is a very early variety that grows in a sprawling bush.

I never seem to get any ripe ones until well into august, though these are meant to be ready in June, so we shall see. Exciting times ahead. Craven week this week, so start of new flat season proper too. New flat season, new grow season.

Big fan of Latah tomatoes, grew for the first time 2 years ago (seeds from Real Seeds). Incredible results, early and extremely productive. Be warned though, it does sprawl and ran riot through our small suburban garden !!!

[SteadySlobbin]

Big fan of Latah tomatoes, grew for the first time 2 years ago (seeds from Real Seeds). Incredible results, early and extremely productive. Be warned though, it does sprawl and ran riot through our small suburban garden !!!

Thanks for the advice, Simoba. I am very much looking forward to growing these. I do fear that they are not looking as healthy as my others at this stage, couple of the bottom leaves are curling. I am worried I may have put them in too big a pot when pricking out, or maybe the new pots they are in drainage wasn’t good enough. Though it is very early days, and they look healthy enough, so hoping they are going to be ok.

Just need to find a good spot for them. Am wary of the sprawling bush taking over, though i guess you don’t know until you have tried. Next year will probably be a better year for them, when I know more, whatever they do this year is a bonus!

[sniffer66]

My wife has our Sungold Cherry Toms potted and ready to go outside next month. Been growing them for a few years now - loads of fruit and very sweet - Golden orange in colour.

[firlandsfarm]

A couple of tomato facts I only discovered last year ... a tomato is a perennial, if you keep it out of the frost (not sure what the minimum temp has to be) it will regrow the following spring and produce fruit. Also when you take off the side-shoots they will root if placed in a pot of compost (dipping in rooting powder will help) and you have another tomato plant! Obviously it will be behind the donor plant but then combining that with the perennial nature may give you a plant that is actually 'ahead' come next spring. I only found this out too late for last year but this year I'm going to do some experimenting.

I did have one of those miniature pepper 'patio' plants last year and put it on the kitchen window sill overwinter and it not just survived but started to flower early March and is now full of green peppers awaiting ripening!

[Dublin_Flyer]

A couple of tomato facts I only discovered last year ... a tomato is a perennial, if you keep it out of the frost (not sure what the minimum temp has to be) it will regrow the following spring and produce fruit. Also when you take off the side-shoots they will root if placed in a pot of compost (dipping in rooting powder will help) and you have another tomato plant! Obviously it will be behind the donor plant but then combining that with the perennial nature may give you a plant that is actually 'ahead' come next spring. I only found this out too late for last year but this year I'm going to do some experimenting.

I did have one of those miniature pepper 'patio' plants last year and put it on the kitchen window sill overwinter and it not just survived but started to flower early March and is now full of green peppers awaiting ripening!

When you're taking the side shoots off, you're best off going from the soil level upwards, (removing branches/shooters that touch or might touch the ground removes the path for slugs and snails to get into your plant) even if the shoots look a bit weak you can just plonk a bunch of them in a pint glass on a sunny window and leave them for a few days. There'll be sprouts one day, and 2 inch roots the next day, it's scary how fast they grow roots!

This Public Service Announcement has been brought to you by "Indeterminate" result on my work Covid test, can't go back to work until I'm clear so I got a long weekend with blocked sinuses, that brain fog kinda shit, and hayfever symptoms......what better way to spend it than drinking in the garden and sorting out the gardening shit I'll be doing for the rest of the summer

[ShaunWhite]

and you have another tomato plant!

And it'll be true to type because it's a clone, rather than probably not being if you keep the seed. Interesting experiment though, you'll be getting LEDs next.

Been fencing again today, 2m high, horizontal treated 6x1 16ft boards, overlapped. Looks like it would keep an elephant in and judging by how loud the lions up the road are on these summer nights that level of security might be handy Posts were a SoB last week but today was a breeze. That's 2/3 neigbours blocked out, 1 more and I can start working on my all over tan

[Derek27]

Lucky I read this before getting rid of my daffodils.

Daffodil leaves should not be cut back until after they have turned yellow. Daffodils use their leaves to create energy, which is then used to create next year's flower. If you cut back daffodils before the leaves have turned yellow, the daffodil bulb will not produce a flower next year.

[Trader Pat]

Lucky I read this before getting rid of my daffodils.

Daffodil leaves should not be cut back until after they have turned yellow. Daffodils use their leaves to create energy, which is then used to create next year's flower. If you cut back daffodils before the leaves have turned yellow, the daffodil bulb will not produce a flower next year.

I have no idea where or when but one day I will impress somebody with that knowledge

[Derek27]

Lucky I read this before getting rid of my daffodils.

Daffodil leaves should not be cut back until after they have turned yellow. Daffodils use their leaves to create energy, which is then used to create next year's flower. If you cut back daffodils before the leaves have turned yellow, the daffodil bulb will not produce a flower next year.

I have no idea where or when but one day I will impress somebody with that knowledge

Yeah, it won't work as a chat-up line but it's the sort of thing that will really make someone believe you know what you're talking about.

[Trader Pat]

Yeah, it won't work as a chat-up line.....

Challenge accepted

[ShaunWhite]

Yeah, it won't work as a chat-up line ....

...but if it does she's probably the one.

Bimbos are fun for a while but someone who doesn't mind dirt in her fingernails is much more useful, especially as you become less useful.

[ShaunWhite]

Back to the gardening...... Mr and Mrs Blackbird have been teaching their bub that I'm an easy touch when it comes to handing out sultanas. Had all 3 on the bench next to me....awww. The robin quite likes a mealworm too but so far nobody else comes close.

.... Pre delivery info for my greenhouse arrived today What do you think guys? .... proper slab base or straight on the ground with a path up the middle. Planning on having staging one side and raised bed on the other so paving a whole area seems daft. I'm more excited about it arriving than anything I can remember Never had one before, the main driver has been not being able to get pea aubergines to make a proper Thai curry but it'll be a bit late for this year. Now it's on the way I'm picturing a rain forest.

[Derek27]

Back to the gardening...... Mr and Mrs Blackbird have been teaching their bub that I'm an easy touch when it comes to handing out sultanas. Had all 3 on the bench next to me....awww. The robin quite likes a mealworm too but so far nobody else comes close.

.... Pre delivery info for my greenhouse arrived today What do you think guys? .... proper slab base or straight on the ground with a path up the middle. Planning on having staging one side and raised bed on the other so paving a whole area seems daft. I'm more excited about it arriving than anything I can remember Never had one before, the main driver has been not being able to get pea aubergines to make a proper Thai curry but it'll be a bit late for this year. Now it's on the way I'm picturing a rain forest.

I'd definitely have laid down a proper slab base for my shed if I thought I'd have the skill to do it. A builder quoted me £800 for it, so I just laid down a plastic base.

[Atho55]

Just erected a 6x4 greenhouse for the boss. Was being placed on an area covered in stone chips so mounted it onto a 3x2 wooden frame to get it and keep it square. Bench made from leftover decking and going down the bucket route for toms and cucumbers...

[Dublin_Flyer]

Back to the gardening...... Mr and Mrs Blackbird have been teaching their bub that I'm an easy touch when it comes to handing out sultanas. Had all 3 on the bench next to me....awww. The robin quite likes a mealworm too but so far nobody else comes close.

.... Pre delivery info for my greenhouse arrived today What do you think guys? .... proper slab base or straight on the ground with a path up the middle. Planning on having staging one side and raised bed on the other so paving a whole area seems daft. I'm more excited about it arriving than anything I can remember Never had one before, the main driver has been not being able to get pea aubergines to make a proper Thai curry but it'll be a bit late for this year. Now it's on the way I'm picturing a rain forest.

I'd go for the slab base or at least concrete perimeter so you can get it level and bolted fast to the ground, nobody wants to be that clown texting all the neighbours if they've seen a greenhouse knocking around after the next storm!