Growing some early tomatoes 2020

[quanglewangle]

You can say that again

Three "likes" are quite enough for Miss O'Hara's post; you can stop now.

[Scarlet]

^^^^^




You will get a better crop with a bit more space. Honest!

[mcdood]

Scarlet, with your double stemmed cordons what spacing do you use as I think I'll give that a go this year.

[Scarlet]

On a 14ft run ( I have a partition in the middle of my greenhouse) I put just 6 plants. So slightly over 2ft between each one. In front I kept my potted plants - chillies etc.
I know it doesn't sound much but they did brilliantly and it is like having 12 plants.
I took out the armpits and lower foliage pretty much every day.
Training was a bit of a bugger as I'm a bit short the main stem was tied to a bamboo and the second stem was twisted around string.

I did it with black Icicle and the brown and black boar. Black Icicle is very vigorous so I had loads from one plant. Sorry. I didn't weigh. Brown and black boar doesn't give huge numbers but last year I was impressed with the crop.

[mcdood]

Thanks Scarlet. Do you use the 1st/lowest armpit that arrives as the 2nd stem?

[Scarlet]

Thanks Scarlet. Do you use the 1st/lowest armpit that arrives as the 2nd stem?

I didnt choose one until I planted them up as I plant very deep. I'm sure this helps as you get some good roots. But also the lower branches don't put out flowers so I get fruit low down.
I then used the lowest armpit to the ground.

[DannyK]

I plant very deep. I'm sure this helps as you get some good roots. But also the lower branches don't put out flowers so I get fruit low down.
I then used the lowest armpit to the ground.

Do you earth up immediately or gradually as it grows?

[Scarlet]

Do you earth up immediately or gradually as it grows?

Straight away.!

[annie8]

Phew finally got some germination from the shirley, black icicle a green grape seeds I planted last weekend. Was starting to worry I wasn't going to have any tomatoes this year! Did these in small modules rather than the larger trays that came with the propogator. Not sure I'd that is what made the difference. Never had an issue with tomato germination before. So took the seedlings out and moved to small individual pots. Just put some more gardener delight seeds in and need to get another packet of sungold today.

[Mark Rand]

Grafted five tomatoes (and one cucumber) today. At the moment, they're in a foil tent inside my lightless workshop at 16°C after being thouroghly sprayed with water.

If any of them are not completely dead in a couple of days time I'll be over the moon!

[mcdood]

Started chitting some old seed: Sniega Pika, Gelbe Konigin, Dr Carolyn and German Lunchbox. Hopefully will get some to sprout.

[quanglewangle]

When to start de-suckering?

These bad boys are getting little side shoots. When should I start to rub them out?

(Couldn't persuade pesky camera phone to focus on side shoots so a little bit blurry)


Tomato Mandarin showing side shoots

[Ms-T]

Micro tomato sowed on 29/1/ 29

[quanglewangle]

Micro tomato sowed on 29/1/ 29

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They are doing well. You have flowers!

[Bonjour]

These bad boys are getting little side shoots. When should I start to rub them out?

(Couldn't persuade pesky camera phone to focus on side shoots so a little bit blurry)


Tomato Mandarin showing side shoots

I usually pinch them out at about an inch long. Any smaller is too fiddly for my big fingers.