Growing some early tomatoes 2020

[Scarlet]

^^^ same as me! Just a couple now, enough to keep me happy and also ensure I have an earlier crop then my main sowing will carry me through.

[Ms-T]

Sowed a few.
Micro
House dwarf cherry
Mini bel.

[Vegi potager]

Had a shuffle around on the propagator as my chilis are all up
So lo and behold... space

Now taken up by Red Robin, the other toms will have to wait. (hoping for 2 plants, 1 for me and 1 to give away, if all 4 seeds come up... I make more friends )

[Plot12c]

Will get some on the go tomorrow, have about 10 varieties to sow

[Scarlet]

Will get some on the go tomorrow, have about 10 varieties to sow

What varieties are you starting with?

[quanglewangle]

Gardeners' delight and Mandarin (at front) in greenhouse propagator. They now have their first true leaves just developing, about 28 days after sowing.



Gardeners' delight and Mandarin. Image is a link to full resolution picture

[Babru]

Tiny Tim up and under the grow light, so sowed some Windowbox Red. Then I will STOP till March when I will sow my cordons.

Last year I put my micro toms out in the greenhouse at the beginning of May, but it was a very cold spring and they sat and did nothing. No point sowing early toms if you don't get an early crop, so this year the numbers are down so they can all stay indoors on the windowsill. Fingers crossed for some toms in June!

[Scarlet]

Well here's my Latah, sown just under 3 weeks ago. Potted up - I've kept 5

[Scarlet]

Last year I put my micro toms out in the greenhouse at the beginning of May!

Yes, it's pointless if you can't put them anywhere. I generally try to grow about 3 early plants. I find that early sown plants that get leggy it get cold never catch up so it's pointless if you can't keep them warm at night or give them enough light.
I put them out in the greenhouse during the day and bring them back at night. My later toms get the same treatment I have them on a large grow tray and make someone help me
I'm further south than you but mine don't go out overnight fulltime until mid May. I check the temp every night. If it's in double figure they stay out.

[mcdood]

My solitary Red Alert coming along Ok, started to chit 3rd Jan.

[Snadger]

Just bought myself a long windowsill module propagator from B&M yesterday so I can pot on my Ailsa Craig toms from my own seed. Chilli peppers will be in there as well.

[quanglewangle]

Once they get their true leaves they really start to go.
My Gardeners' Delight (agonized over placement of apostrophe - is is the delight of one gardener, or many?) are growing fast now. About 35ish days after sowing.


Gardeners' Delight about 35ish days after sowing.

Managed to keep the compost temperature above 8°C although air drops to about 5°C inside the fleece "tent" I cover them with at night. Light is neutral white 15W and comes on 13 hours before sunset.


General view of heated sand propagator


Temperature over last week. Blue is air, green is one of the pots
Gap is a technical issue, not zero degres!

[Scarlet]

I wish I'd stuck some gardeners delight in to compare....
Obviously our indoor seedlings will do better in the early days as they are kept a little warmer. Will be interesting if they crop any earlier.

[Plot12c]

What varieties are you starting with?

Yellow pear, sweet millions, black opal, tigerella have been sown

[Plot12c]

Yellow pear, sweet millions, black opal, tigerella have been sown

Yellow pear are popping their heads through, I only sowed them 7 days ago, have them in a heated propagator