I leave my greenhouse door open all the time now, although it's netted. My Toms are all in pots and this year is the best I've had in the last 5 with plenty of fruits! I wouldn't worry about surface roots, and the hose setting hasn't really made much difference to mine...
Bf, water by whichever means lets you soak the mix without splashing either water or mix up onto the foliage. Don't blast with a hose, for example. Think in terms of a gentle soak, and I stress the word soak.
bigolob, you're right about the watering, but warmer weather shouldn't mean more fertiliser. Overfertilising can be a cause of tomato problems. It bloats the plant, making it susceptible to ailments. Toms in containers shouldn't need fertilsing more than once every three weeks to a month.
everos, don't be tempted to overfertilise them. If they're planted in good, healthy soil in the first place they just don't need much extra nutrition.
Once when the first fruit appears, then maybe a couple more times over the length of the growing season. Tom plants pumped full of nutrients are less likely to produce to their full potential than plants left to cope for themselves.
Toms, like most plants, exist to reproduce themselves - which, in the tom's case, means producing fruit. They'll be much more inclined to reproduce themselves if they feel ever so slightly threatened. Stuffed full of nutrients, they feel no real need. You'll get fruit, certainly, but less than the plant is capable of giving you.
I've also got my first tomato plants, though they randomly grew in my garden rather than me planting them or cultivating in a greenhouse. I suspect they originate from the compost bin because in March I filled a window box from the compost box, but there was some compost mixed in with the soil.
One of them appears to be plum tomatoes and has so far sprouted just 5 small tomatoes. The other has grown taller but has only just sprouted a single tiny round tomato, which I suspect is a non-plum variety.
Up to last week, there were a fair few yellow flowers, but they seem to be going brown falling off now. Does that mean I won't get many tomatoes? I'm still trying to work out whether the tomatoes grow from the yellow flowers or if they grow separately to the tomatoes?
What time of year do they normally ripen, and what should I do to the vines (they're growing happily in large pots after being moved from the window box) when none are left? I'm hoping I can just leave the pot and new tomatoes will grow from the roots next year, but do I need to prune the vines down to the soil?
Afraid tomato plants only last the one year (in the UK anyway) so next spring you start all over again - watch out, you'll get addicted to tomato growing
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
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I leave my greenhouse door open all the time now, although it's netted. My Toms are all in pots and this year is the best I've had in the last 5 with plenty of fruits! I wouldn't worry about surface roots, and the hose setting hasn't really made much difference to mine...
Bf, water by whichever means lets you soak the mix without splashing either water or mix up onto the foliage. Don't blast with a hose, for example. Think in terms of a gentle soak, and I stress the word soak.
bigolob, you're right about the watering, but warmer weather shouldn't mean more fertiliser. Overfertilising can be a cause of tomato problems. It bloats the plant, making it susceptible to ailments. Toms in containers shouldn't need fertilsing more than once every three weeks to a month.
My tomatoes are planted in the ground in the greenhouse. They are in flower now, when is the best time to commence feeding?
everos, start feeding as soon as you see the first tiny tomato appear. This will be very soon now they are in flower.
everos, don't be tempted to overfertilise them. If they're planted in good, healthy soil in the first place they just don't need much extra nutrition.
Once when the first fruit appears, then maybe a couple more times over the length of the growing season. Tom plants pumped full of nutrients are less likely to produce to their full potential than plants left to cope for themselves.
Toms, like most plants, exist to reproduce themselves - which, in the tom's case, means producing fruit. They'll be much more inclined to reproduce themselves if they feel ever so slightly threatened. Stuffed full of nutrients, they feel no real need. You'll get fruit, certainly, but less than the plant is capable of giving you.
Hi - sorry to jump in here
- Italophile - think you may not be getting Private Message Notifications?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
No I'm not. And only getting emails re post responses at about 6pm every day. In one big hit. The site's problems are ongoing.
I'll go and check my PMs!
Dove, I replied. You probably won't get the email alert.
I've also got my first tomato plants, though they randomly grew in my garden rather than me planting them or cultivating in a greenhouse. I suspect they originate from the compost bin because in March I filled a window box from the compost box, but there was some compost mixed in with the soil.
One of them appears to be plum tomatoes and has so far sprouted just 5 small tomatoes. The other has grown taller but has only just sprouted a single tiny round tomato, which I suspect is a non-plum variety.
Up to last week, there were a fair few yellow flowers, but they seem to be going brown falling off now. Does that mean I won't get many tomatoes? I'm still trying to work out whether the tomatoes grow from the yellow flowers or if they grow separately to the tomatoes?
What time of year do they normally ripen, and what should I do to the vines (they're growing happily in large pots after being moved from the window box) when none are left? I'm hoping I can just leave the pot and new tomatoes will grow from the roots next year, but do I need to prune the vines down to the soil?
Hi Tomsk - the tomatoes grow where the flowers were https://www.google.com/search?q=tomato+flowers+and+fruits&rlz=1C1SVEE_enGB425GB425&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ZVjxUZ7UH4PD0QXyx4G4Ag&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1241&bih=584#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=fUecYkCh4xJDlM%3A%3BVeaRM4sdZwopwM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fsisu.typepad.com%252Fphotos%252Funcategorized%252F2008%252F06%252F03%252Ftomato_flower_fruit.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fsisu.typepad.com%252Fsisu%252F2008%252F06%252Fdo-tomatoes-dre.html%3B350%3B255 . They will grow to their full size, depending on what type they are (cherry, plum, 'ordinary' or beefsteak) and then they will start to turn colour - so late summer through to early autumn.
Afraid tomato plants only last the one year (in the UK anyway) so next spring you start all over again - watch out, you'll get addicted to tomato growing
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.