It depends where you live, Ellie. I couldn't grow toms outside here. They wouldn't thrive - not consistently warm enough overnight. If you only have one plant, you can grow it on a windowsill inside your house. Depending on type, it will need suitable support, and you'll need to be more attentive to watering and ventilation, but it wouldn't be difficult. Strawberries are completely hardy, so they can go outdoors in pots or in the ground, depending on what outdoor space you have. If you can post a few pix of what you have, you'll get extra advice.
It's a Sungold plant I have. Its currently about a foot tall, however where I live the weather can be pretty atrocious and I don't think it could survive outside in such cold temperatures. I will try it in a more sheltered area outside and see how it copes with the temperatures to start with I think.
My strawberries are currently outside under a net in a sheltered area where they can still get sunlight. They seem to be doing well so far but I've only have them a week! Time will tell I suppose at this point!
"I'm also very open to any advice about growing tomatoes, strawberries and just some general gardening advice!"
Strawberries like quite a sandy soil if I remember. Back when the UK had large strawberry farms they used to have them near the coast for the sandy soil.
They are best grown in the ground where you make a raised rows and dig trenches either side of the row and bury thick black plastic in the trenches so that the rows are covered in the black plastic.
Then cut little holes in the plastic and plant the strawberries.
Usually people will make a wide row, like 3 ft and plant 3 rows of strawberries.
There is very little to no weeding with this method and the ground holds more heat early in the season and holds moisture in
I used to grow them this way and had so many strawberries it was a pain to harvest them all.
Just make sure you keep the earth under the plastic moist.
That is the best way but can be done in pots or dust plant them in the ground but weeds and strawberry plants don't mix well in my opinion.
I've currently got them in a raises box but I'd like to clear an area and have them in the ground in the next few weeks! I will definitely look at trying to get some sandy type soil and look at using plastic too! Thank you for the advice!
I start my tomatoes indoors every year but by the beginning of June they’re planted outside in a sheltered sunny spot and are just fine. We get loads of tomatoes 😊
The plant I got is about a foot tall and I think I'll have fruit on very soon (provided I can look after it well enough) it's been grown in a greenhouse before I bought it so I'm hoping if I pop in outside it can survive okay!
Hi, Ellie. Im not especially expert, either, but I've grown tomato plants outdoors for the last couple of years with good results. I've got some more on the go now for this year. To protect them from mice, etc, I covered them with netting, but fed them with tomato feed and I had a really good crop. The tomatoes I had were the bush variety rather than cordoned, but I think cordoned would also do well.
It's a Sungold tomato plant I have so I'm not sure which this is. I'm going to try it outside and see how we go however I am worried it's too windy and too cold where I live for them but I can only try I suppose! I'm trying to find a nice sunny yet sheltered spot. I got some tomato food too!
Sungold is an outdoor tomato, but harden it off gradually by putting it out in the daytime for a few days,then plant it in a sheltered spot if you can. It's a cordon type, which means you should pinch out the side shoots and support it with a cane as it grows. When the first tiny tomatoes form, it's time to start feeding it once a week or so. It is a super, orange tomato with a wonderful sweet flavour, and seems to be fairly resistant to blight - good choice!
Sungold is an outdoor tomato, but harden it off gradually by putting it out in the daytime for a few days,then plant it in a sheltered spot if you can. It's a cordon type, which means you should pinch out the side shoots and support it with a cane as it grows. When the first tiny tomatoes form, it's time to start feeding it once a week or so. It is a super, orange tomato with a wonderful sweet flavour, and seems to be fairly resistant to blight - good choice!
Thank you! This is definitely reassuring then! I'll hopefully get it planted in the next few days. Would you also say this is better off in a pot or in the ground? I'll go on the hunt in the garden tomorrow for a solid stick or similar to support it!
If it's going to be outdoors, it's better off in the ground, as it won't dry out so quickly and the roots can spread to find food and moisture. If you do decide to keep it indoors, or the only sheltered place is not somewhere you can plant it, it can go in a large pot. Plant it nice and deep -it's OK to sink it right up to the first true leaves, and then it will grow more roots from the buried stem.
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My strawberries are currently outside under a net in a sheltered area where they can still get sunlight. They seem to be doing well so far but I've only have them a week! Time will tell I suppose at this point!