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Outdoor Cherry Tomatoes

shazza 3shazza 3 Posts: 197
in Fruit & veg
hello. i've been given 3 x outdoor cherry tomato plants by someone in work. I've transplanted them into slightly bigger pots as they are growing like mad on my windowsill. Unfortunately, the lady can't remember what the name of the tomato is called. They are now over 12 inches high and look like triffids. I'm watering almost daily so they don't dry out and have bought a growbag ready for when they can be planted out. I don't have a greenhouse so can't harden them off there. At the moment it's too cold/wet/windy (like the rest of the uk) to even try to leave them outside for a few hours. I've noticed flowers starting to form at the top of the plants. When should i start feeding them ??? Any advice would be great as i've never grown tomatoes before. thanks   
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  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Depending on where you live, mine have been going outside for a few hours, by the end of may,I expect them to be outside at night, hardened off ready to go out. The will be mostly in pots in front of s green house, near my veggie plot,just because I will run out of room. A grow bag would be fine for 3 I use pots 12inch by 12,start feeding when you get fruit,any old shops own tomato feed will do
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You don't feed until the first truss of fruits set. Each time you pot on, there's enough nutrition available in the compost.  :)
    Other than that, just be patient and wait until temps are suitable for putting outdoors. They need decent temps overnight - double figures. 
    Don't overwater either. They shouldn't be sitting in damp compost all the time. They're best treated a little mean, so let them dry a bit between waterings. I wait until mine are drooping slightly. When you see little side shoots appearing between the main stem and the proper side stems [those are roughly at right angles to the main stem] pinch those out.
    If you're unsure about that, you should be able to find pix by googling, or I can probably supply a pic.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • shazza 3shazza 3 Posts: 197
    hi thanks for the replies. Nanny Beach -- I'm in wet/windy Swansea on top of a very exposed hill. Fairy Girl -- i have only watered them when they look like they are drooping. I've no idea what that means -- What's a truss ???
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The row of fruits is the truss. Once the flowers go over, you'll see the little fruits develop there in their place :)
    I'm not sure you'll be able to grow them outside. We can't do that here - too wet and windy in summer. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    I had a feeling you wouldn't know what a truss is,so tried to keep it simple,(course you might have an elderly grandad with a truss)no,nothing to do with hernias,it's a little bunch of tomatoes, like a bunch of grapes
  • shazza 3shazza 3 Posts: 197
    sorry to sound a bit thick but do you mean that fruit will develop after flowering has stopped ??? I've got nowhere else to grow them so they have to go outside and my friend said that they were outdoor tomatoes. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It doesn't mean you can't grow them inside though. All the types I've ever grown can technically be grown outside  :)

    The flowers become the fruit. Same as strawberries etc   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Agree with @Fairygirl - you risk losing the flavour if you overwater.
    The truss is the fruit "brnbch" - it begins with a little bunch of yellow flowers which pop out from the main stem - easily seen when they open.  They will normally be pollinated by insects but you can help the process by tapping the main stem ( gently ) when the flowers are fully open.
    If successful, you will see the fruits beginning to develop from the flowers.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Oops - for brnbch read branch 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Snap @philippasmith2 :)
    If you only have limited room indoors - ie windows, you can nip the top out when they reach the top of the windows. You would normally do that anyway once you have around 6 trusses of fruits up the main stem. That would often be around five or six feet, but it doesn't mean they have to get to that height. It will just mean less fruits. They'll need a sturdy cane put in the pots to tie them into. You can do that once they're in the final pots.  :)
    If you don't have anywhere sheltered to grow them outside, it's worth considering keeping them inside. They can get battered by weather very easily and stems can snap even when well supported. I learned that the hard way.
    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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