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Growing tomatoes outside in Scotland

The-Greenfingered-JoinerThe-Greenfingered-Joiner Posts: 14
in Fruit & veg
I’m trying a little experiment as I have way to many plants in the greenhouse. I have planted out 6 plants in a bed where my 1st early potatoes have been lifted and another 3 against a south facing fence. Has anyone had any success with tomatoes outdoors in central Scotland? I will report back with results and funeral details for my outdoor plants at a later date. 
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  • gillian328gillian328 Posts: 9
    Hi there Green-Fingered-Joiner, sorry no experience of successfully growing tomatoes outside but I am also in central scotland and have planted a tomato plant left over from the greenhouse into my new vegtrug. Smaller than yours but looking healthy with first truss forming. We shall see :)  
  • The-Greenfingered-JoinerThe-Greenfingered-Joiner Posts: 14
    gillian328 said:
    Hi there Green-Fingered-Joiner, sorry no experience of successfully growing tomatoes outside but I am also in central scotland and have planted a tomato plant left over from the greenhouse into my new vegtrug. Smaller than yours but looking healthy with first truss forming. We shall see :)  
    Hi Gillian, 
    Let me know how yours gets on, the weather is changeable so hoping for some heat and sun to help them on. 
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    I've managed sungold outside in Aberdeen, up against a south facing wall it did fine.
  • The-Greenfingered-JoinerThe-Greenfingered-Joiner Posts: 14
    Skandi said:
    I've managed sungold outside in Aberdeen, up against a south facing wall it did fine.
    There is hope! Thanks Skandi👍
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Good luck with that!  :D

    I don't know anyone round here who bothers trying to grow outside. Usually they try once...
    You might get the odd year it's ok [last year for example] but the temps are too low overnight, especially once we get to August, just when you're hoping for enough warmth to ripen them. Even day time temps can often be barely mid teens, without taking into consideration the wind/rain. If you can rig up some basic protection for overnight, at least, it might be ok. 
    Aberdeen is vastly different from the west  ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • The-Greenfingered-JoinerThe-Greenfingered-Joiner Posts: 14
    Fairygirl said:
    Good luck with that!  :D

    I don't know anyone round here who bothers trying to grow outside. Usually they try once...
    You might get the odd year it's ok [last year for example] but the temps are too low overnight, especially once we get to August, just when you're hoping for enough warmth to ripen them. Even day time temps can often be barely mid teens, without taking into consideration the wind/rain. If you can rig up some basic protection for overnight, at least, it might be ok. 
    Aberdeen is vastly different from the west  ;)
    I’m not confident at all Fairygirl tbh, but  as I said they were spares so just a wee experiment. It’s very true even now that outside temps are low at night, it’s probably been around 11 degrees max here and will only get worse as we go on into august. On a brighter note the 10 plants in the greenhouse all have fruit so fingers crossed for them :)
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    If you have them, it's worth a try if they're spare, but it tends to be very hit and miss, and certainly not worth it for a whole crop.
    The problem is that when you have them in the best site - ie south facing, it also means they're right in the firing line from the prevailing weather. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    That's the problem @pansyface - inconsistencies with temps. It's not worth it. In the last fortnight, there's only been about three nights which have reached double figures.

    I sometimes feel it isn't worth growing them at all - by the time they're ripening, it's almost August, and it's autumnal anyway. You're thinking of warming, comforting meals rather than salads!  ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Edinburgh_WGEdinburgh_WG Posts: 8
    Hi The-Greenfingered-Joiner

    I'm keen to find out how you got on with your tomatoes? I too have lots (I really mean lots) of spare seedlings of the Roma variety, which, according to the label, does well outside. 

    So, I'm too going to do a wee experiment and put Roma outside (I stay in the south of Edinburgh) on a south-facing plot.

    Let us know how you got on with  yours last year please.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's always worth an experiment if you have lots @Edinburgh_WG .
    Again - Edinburgh, although not that far away, is very different from this side in terms of weather. 
    I grew a few outside last year - a commercial variety I collected the seed from. I used the sideshoots I nipped out. They did well, but last year was exceptional here. If the pattern continues of drier, hotter weather [I really hope not!] then it may become easier in future. A town garden is also very different from a more rural or exposed one, or one at a bit of altitude,  so that all has to be factored in. 
    Let us know how you get on   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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