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  • Have my plants "set fruit"?

    Hi all

    My Tumbling Toms and 100s & 1000s have developed some groups of small 'buds' in the last few days.

    Also, my Sutton Broad Beans have developed what looks like little furry bunches of buds.

    Is this what's meant by "setting fruit", and now would be the time to start feeding them regularly? Or do you wait until after you get flowers?

    I'm confused about what to do again!

    Cheers!
    My Blog My flickr

  • #2
    they are probably small clusters of new leaves
    you should get flowers first then fruit then feed
    Iamhanuman

    New Boy & Son Blog My Blog about a new gardener's experiences with his son

    AND PLEASE CHECK OUT MY DEAR WIFE'S BLOG
    Independent Minds

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    • #3
      You don't start feeding tomatoes until the first truss has set - i.e. you see tiny pea sized tomatoes starting to form behind the flowers.
      Gardening is a matter of your enthusiasm holding up until your back gets used to it.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Iamhanuman View Post
        they are probably small clusters of new leaves
        you should get flowers first then fruit then feed
        Thanks!
        I wondered if they were just more shoots, but the ones on the toms are bell-shaped an not like anything I've seen before. I actually felt excited by it! LOL
        The ones on the beans are not like the other leaves either... sort of like feathery-topped little 'pods' almost.
        My Blog My flickr

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Gwyndy View Post
          You don't start feeding tomatoes until the first truss has set - i.e. you see tiny pea sized tomatoes starting to form behind the flowers.
          Thanks again!
          So the "setting" is when the fruit forms up after the flowers.

          Hmm I've probably been a bit bad then as I have given them a little bit of Tomorite. Will it do them any harm?
          My Blog My flickr

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          • #6
            Originally posted by onefivenine View Post
            Thanks again!
            So the "setting" is when the fruit forms up after the flowers.

            Hmm I've probably been a bit bad then as I have given them a little bit of Tomorite. Will it do them any harm?
            Correct - fruit forms after flowers. Don't feed any more until you see the fruit setting on the first truss. Should be OK. (Feeding too early just produces loads of growth and delays the flowering.)
            Last edited by Gwyndy; 12-05-2009, 10:46 PM.
            Gardening is a matter of your enthusiasm holding up until your back gets used to it.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Iamhanuman View Post
              they are probably small clusters of new leaves
              you should get flowers first then fruit then feed
              Hey you are getting good at this
              WPC F Hobbit, Shire police

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Gwyndy View Post
                Correct - fruit forms after flowers. Don't feed any more until you see the fruit setting on the first truss. Should be OK. (Feeding too early just produces loads of growth and delays the flowering.)
                Thanks Gwyndy, invaluable help as ever on here!

                I better put the Tomorite out of temptation's way. I'd be gutted if my enthusiasm ended up ruining the plants!

                Cheers
                My Blog My flickr

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by FionaH View Post
                  Hey you are getting good at this
                  hey you! thanks!!!

                  (smile of self-congratulatoryness)
                  Iamhanuman

                  New Boy & Son Blog My Blog about a new gardener's experiences with his son

                  AND PLEASE CHECK OUT MY DEAR WIFE'S BLOG
                  Independent Minds

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                  • #10
                    Got another question folks...

                    I'm planning to plant out my toms in a wall planter/trough - a 100s and 1000s plant alongside a Tumbling Tom.

                    I know toms are self fertile... but it is OK to plant different varieties together? Or will they cross-pollinate and not produce proper fruits?
                    Last edited by onefivenine; 13-05-2009, 09:56 AM.
                    My Blog My flickr

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                    • #11
                      Most of them won't cross pollinate. Even if they do it won't affect the eating qualities of the tomato you harvest this year. Some of the heritage beefsteak types can be cross pollinated but again, it only matters if you are saving the seed, not eating them.
                      Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

                      www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - Spring

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Flummery View Post
                        Most of them won't cross pollinate. Even if they do it won't affect the eating qualities of the tomato you harvest this year. Some of the heritage beefsteak types can be cross pollinated but again, it only matters if you are saving the seed, not eating them.
                        Thank you very much Flummery that's good to know.

                        I have two of each sitting outside in the sun - their 3rd day out. It is a bit windy here but the garden is sheltered and thermometer reading 15 in the shade. (Current forecast says 11 deg and 42 kmph ENE wind).

                        I'm hoping to plant them out on Sunday. Not had a frost since late Feb/early March.
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                        • #13
                          there's a big section on breeding/cross-pollination/etc in the May issue of GYO
                          well worth a look for a bit of blagging-your-way-in-genetics knowledge
                          Iamhanuman

                          New Boy & Son Blog My Blog about a new gardener's experiences with his son

                          AND PLEASE CHECK OUT MY DEAR WIFE'S BLOG
                          Independent Minds

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                          • #14
                            Well fingers crossed...

                            This morning I planted out my '100s & 1000s' and 'Tumbling Toms' in pairs into 18" wall baskets. They have been outside hardening off during the day for 6 days in a row, so have had plenty of sun, wind, and rain, and were even out until 1am the other night. Hopefully that's enough hardening off for them.

                            100s & 1000s waiting in their 5" pots to be potted up
                            Cat looking to the sky and rolling his eyes at me for being obsessed. LOL.


                            One basket planted up. Tumbling Toms on left, 100s & 1000s on right.



                            So are bell-shaped things (in the pictures below) the flowers? and the shoots they are on are the trusses? if so there are loads already!

                            100s and 1000s


                            Tumbling Toms
                            My Blog My flickr

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                            • #15
                              Yes, those bell shaped things are the flower buds. They'll soon split open into bright yellow flowers. Then the flower petals will shrivel up and drop of and left behind in the centre will be a tiny green green tomato

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