Growing some early tomatoes 2020

[Scarlet]

Greenhouse is all clean and fumigated; propagator has fresh sand; and the tomatoes are started. Mandarin and Gardener's Delight


Tomatoes and aubergines on propagator

The thin wires are the temperature probes. The pot compost only about 12 °C now but will come up (only just in and used cold water). The sand runs about 20 °C

How much does that cost you to run??

You could get toms by the beginning of July from a March sowing especially if you pick some faster cropping varieties.

[quanglewangle]

Lots of helpful detail in last two posts. H/T Scarlet and Monkeyboy

[quanglewangle]

How much does that cost you to run??

'Tis all controlled automagicly by a pooter, which records when it turns on and off. I then have a file to pass into a spreadsheet that knows our day and night rates. I have last years figures somewhere but am just off for my post-lunch nap. Figures later.

[Scarlet]

'Tis all controlled automagicly by a pooter, which records when it turns on and off. I then have a file to pass into a spreadsheet that knows our day and night rates. I have last years figures somewhere but am just off for my post-lunch nap. Figures later.

I'm very interested! Would love some kind of grow tent in my greenhouse for taking early dahlia cuttings

[quanglewangle]

I'm very interested! Would love some kind of grow tent in my greenhouse for taking early dahlia cuttings

Warning - we are in a very mild part of the country - while air frosts are not unknown we usually only get a couple of days below zero and some winters none at all. YMMV

Can't find last year's figures but quick calculation goes like this: propagator (60W) about 14p / day if on 24 h/day. In-ground heated bed (120W) about 28p day, again is on 24h/day. Based on economy 7 tariff.

Once we get to about March neither are on all day - the sun heats the ground quite quickly. The daily costs start to drop then to something nearer 7p and 14p. Remember our leccy is cheaper at night so the drop is more than you might expect once the days warm up.

There is no space heating in the greenhouse. I usually cover unused parts with insulation board and the propagator stands on a section of insulation board. When cold nights are forecast I drape fleece over everything.

Last year we had aubergines and tomatoes ready about 27 July, but sowed a few weeks later. Hoping for early July this year.

[Hatgirl]

First Post :-D

I grow tomatoes on an indoor windowsill every year, with some help from supplementary IKEA Vaxer lights. This year for the first time I am using a Geopod heated propagator with integrated lights.

This season I am growing four different small plants - Snow Fairy and 506 Bush Early aka Bushy 18" which I have grown before, and new to me varieties Bonté Tigret and Hahms Gelbe Topftomate.

Sowed them on four days ago and the first seedling popped up today.

[quanglewangle]

Sowed them on four days ago and the first seedling popped up today.

I have germination envy

[veggiechicken]

Early tomatoes sown - a day later than I said but I wanted to warm the compost up yesterday before sowing (that's my excuse ).



4 seeds of each one, 2 in each module, 12 varieties. Hoping for 1 of each to grow to maturity.

Bajaja
Gartenperle
Hahm Gelbe
Little Sun F1
Minibel
Red Robin
Rambling Red Stripe
Three Cheeses High
Tiny Tim
Totem F1
Vilma
Yellow Pygmy

[mcdood]

I have 1 red alert seedling which is 1 more than I thought I'd have.

[quanglewangle]

Today Mandarin and Gardener's Delight seedlings poked up their little heads. That's 9 days in the propagator with compost temperature running at about 15°C

[Scarlet]

Latah and VCs rambling red stripe from 2015 sown this morning.

[veggiechicken]

I've moved mine out of the prop to the bedroom window sill today. Not all germinated but I'm still hopeful of the some more popping up.

[FromYorkshiretoBucks]

I’ve got some SAN Mazarno I want to get growing. Would you say these are ok for a January grow or maybe a little later?

[veggiechicken]

San Marzano is a cordon tomato - it grows tall. Where will you grow the plants. If its a heated GH maybe,

[mrbadexample]

San Marzano is a cordon tomato - it grows tall. Where will you grow the plants. If its a heated GH maybe,

Hmmm...I've not read all of this thread. Are there varieties you really shouldn't be bothering with at this time of year?