It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato - Lewis Grizzard.
Earlier in the year when the time came to sow tomato seeds I decided to grow more for planting outside. I have had great success with outdoor plantings in previous years, as long as they are the cherry types. Last year I planted them out in April and they got absolutely battered by gale force winds and I didn't expect much from them, but, they picked themselves up and carried on producing fruit right through till October.
Not so this year. Obviously the weather conditions are never the same two years running and my tomato plants are still lingering in the greenhouse - it has just been too wet and too cold.
You can see how tall they are getting - these are Sungold and Gardeners Delight both destined for planting outdoors.
The Marmande and Alicante have been put in their final positions in the greenhouse. I use open bottomed pots on top of grow bags and support them with a locking device that slides under the grow bag with the cane held in position by the curved ends overlapping and holding it firm. I have used this method for the last three years and it works really well giving the tomato roots plenty of space to reach down into the grow bags. When the season is over and the plants have been removed I use the grow bags for planting winter lettuce - their isn't much nutrient left in the grow bags but the lettuce don't seem to mind.
The Tumbling Toms are slowly growing in their hanging basket on the floor of the greenhouse - three plants to the container - heaven knows when they will be hung outside.
It is just a case of playing a waiting game with the weather , possibly till the end of the month, then they will just have to take their chance along with the rest of the crops waiting for a bit of warmer weather. Meanwhile I will have to pot-on the other toms to give them a bit of room for their roots to develop and keep them going whilst I dither about wondering what to do.
Earlier in the year when the time came to sow tomato seeds I decided to grow more for planting outside. I have had great success with outdoor plantings in previous years, as long as they are the cherry types. Last year I planted them out in April and they got absolutely battered by gale force winds and I didn't expect much from them, but, they picked themselves up and carried on producing fruit right through till October.
Not so this year. Obviously the weather conditions are never the same two years running and my tomato plants are still lingering in the greenhouse - it has just been too wet and too cold.
It is just a case of playing a waiting game with the weather , possibly till the end of the month, then they will just have to take their chance along with the rest of the crops waiting for a bit of warmer weather. Meanwhile I will have to pot-on the other toms to give them a bit of room for their roots to develop and keep them going whilst I dither about wondering what to do.
We have a new variety that has suddenly appeared over the last few years. It's simply known as the 'Portuguese'. It's a huge, very meaty, non F1 hybrid, tomato, that has almost become the mainstay of everyone I know. If you get the opportunity, I suggest you try them. And you simply keep a few seeds for the following year. What could be better!
ReplyDeleteIt's all getting chocka in my greenhouse... all those tomatoes and peppers growing fast and needing to be put in their big pots for indoors or outdoors. And the spares were to be sold at the gate... but not many customers wanting tender plants with frosty nights and a flooded road!!!
ReplyDeleteCome on sunshine! I want a tomato crop like last year's or better!!
Celia
Yours are so much more advanced than mine. My greenhouse is quite shady and I think it's just been too cold for them :(
ReplyDeleteGoodness, I can't believe you have tomatoes in their final positions already. My plants are tiny little things, though they've picked up a bit since I brought them indoors, it's still too cold for them out there at the moment. I'm having a go at growing some outside the greenhouse this year, I hope I haven't picked the wrong year to try it.
ReplyDeleteI learn something new every time I read one of your posts. What was your life like before you had a greenhouse? : )
ReplyDeleteYour toms look great Elaine. Yesterday I made the decision to leave mine outside in growhouses and not bring them in at night. So far so good but being nearer to London, we don't have the frosts as much as others. I too am hanging on as close to the end of the month as I can get before I risk planting them out. Let's hope the weather improves soon.
ReplyDeleteYour tomatoes are huge compared to mine. I only sowed tomato seed in early April and I don't have much to show. Come on sunshine!
ReplyDeleteThey're huge compared to ours too
ReplyDeleteThanks Cro - I'll try and source some - always ready to try new varieties.
ReplyDeleteMary - Life without a greenhouse would be like life without oxygen.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed Jo it may warm up eventually. The reason my tomatoes are the size they are is that I sowed them quite early in the year, as I normally do, little knowing how cold the weather was going to turn out.
ReplyDeleteSerendipityI did start mine off quite early in the year - not realising just how cold it was going to become. Fingers crossed they hold on till the weather gets a bit warmer.
ReplyDelete-
Magic Cochin-I noticed when I went into Homebase the other day that they didn't have a single tomato plant for sale - I reckon they all got hit by frost - I always feel sorry for the tomatoes they have on sale - they order them in far too early and they sit there freezing to death. Let's hope it all comes good eventually.
ReplyDeleteQuite Gifted -It is always a bit dodgy at this time of year - a couple more weeks and I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and start planting out.
ReplyDeleteLooking really good Elaine:) That's interesting that you say that cherry types do well for you outdoors - usually those are the ones I grow indoors so I'll have to put a few of them out this year. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever tried growing bush tomatoes before? I haven't but one of the other ladies at the Farmer's Market has been raving about them. Apparently they do really well outdoors as well.
Your tomatoes look happy, healthy and huge Elaine. When did you start them off. I'm finding tomatoes a challenge this year but no doubt will get there eventually :)
ReplyDeleteReply - Tanya, Yes I do grow bush tomatoes which are great because they don't need pinching out or staking. I would definitely recommend growing them.
ReplyDeleteAnna - I sowed the seed at the beginning of February when they got a bit too big for the window sill I put them in a mini greenhouse inside the greenhouse so they had double protection - so far so good
ReplyDeleteI a touch envious and just wish I could grow tomatoes like this.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed though as the few seeds that I'm growing are looking okay so far! Flighty xx
Flighty - I am sure they will be fine and you will have a great crop.
ReplyDeleteHi Elaine,
ReplyDeleteLike some of your other posters, my tomatoes are so small compared to your lush ones! Still, I live in hope....waiting for better weather....
I am suffering from a serious bout of tomato envy, Elaine.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year without a greenhouse and the first time that I will have to rely solely on outdoor plants. I feel encouraged by your success with outdoor tomatoes, although I would feel even more encouraged if my tomato plants were anywhere near as impressive as yours are right now!
The Gardening Shoe - I am sure yours will catch up as soon as we have some warmer weather - normally mine would be planted out by now, this year I'm not taking any chances.
ReplyDeleteGreen Dragonette - Oh dear - I'm worried now that mine are too far ahead - too late now, just have to hope they carry on growing indoors without any mishaps along the way.
ReplyDeleteYour Toms are looking far better than mine, which are still in the greenhouse. 6 in grow bags are o.k. but 2 trays full haven't even germinated due to lack of sunlight?
ReplyDeleteRooko -I think the problem we are all suffering from is lack of warmth - growth seems to be static - it is a wonder anything has germinated at all.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI knew that my toms were way behind this year for one reason or another but i didn't realise just how much until I saw yours Elaine. I too use the bottomless pot method but put directly onto the soil in the greenhouse with a drip system. It still manages to dry out quite a lot. I've always found the watering tricky regardless of method.
ReplyDeleteToo much or too little watering always seems a problem with tomatoes - I don't have a water supply so drip feeding is out of the question would save a lot of time though.
DeleteThe first photo is amazing, Elaine. Those look like the most perfect, delicious tomatoes. I'm hungry for tomatoes now. :-)
ReplyDeleteThey were some of the tomatoes I grew last year Beth - hoping they are as good this year - fingers crossed.
DeleteGood luck with your tomatoes. I have some in hanging baskets on my porch that are doing really well this year. The ones in the garden are looking nice too. We are in the South so are plenty warm now.
ReplyDeleteIt is all a bit dodgy weatherwise at the moment but we live in hope that we may still get good harvests, albeit, a little later than normal. I love tomatoes in hanging baskets they are usually the first to ripen - can't wait to try those little summer delights once more.
Delete