Irene Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 I don't have a greenhouse, but I have just ordered a 'Growhouse'. This is it.......I would like to grow some tomatoes.I hope all you keen, experienced gardeners have lots of advice to help me on my way. ;)Any recommendations on which variety to grow?I thought I would buy plants ready to install into the Growbag. Is that a good idea?When should I purchase the said plants for planting out?What about support?Best pruning procedures?Any other advice will be received with thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 1. Good old fashioned variety like Moneymaker - not the highest cropper but excellent fruits.2. Yes. Saves a lot of hassle. Get plants that look sturdy with dark green leaves and that smell strongly of tomato plants when gently rubbed. Some of the modern tomato plants have almost no smell, which is an indication of what the fruit will taste like - nothing.3. A week or so after they are first available in the garden centre or wherever.4. Pinch the tip of the plant out when it reaches the top of your greenhouse.5. Use three canes in a triangle and tied at the top to support the plants - a teepee.6. Don't pick the fruit too early. It ripens best on the plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted March 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 3. A week or so after they are first available in the garden centre or wherever.Thanks pops.When would you expect them to start appearing in garden centres? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Mid April or thereabouts in your area, I would think. Depends on the weather really. The important thing is not to buy too early as you might then get caught by frosts.Important thing is not to over-water, nor to let them dry out. Very important is to feed them with something like Tomorite (I use the Tesco own brand tomato fertiliser). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 I recommend Ailsa Craig as the best normal size tomato for flavour, if you can get it. We have grown Gardener's Delight for the last fifteen or so years. They are the tops for flavour. They were the original "cherry" tomato. Others have come since but they have never beaten GD for flavour.I suggest you have a look at some articles on cultivation on the internet about dealing with side shoots, pollination, watering etc. Because unless you master your plans they will not perform properly. All tomatoes have this side shoot madness and GD is one of the daddies at the game. You need to aim for one strong central stem with just leaf stems and fruiting trusses sprouting from it. The side shoots, which develop into "branches" if left, spring out virtually overnight from the junction of main stem and leaf stem, and are to be removed, pronto. Both under watering and over watering need to be avoided and good ventilation is essential if you want to avoid a nasty fungus thing called Botrytis.All in all you may find it easier and more satisfying just to go to a good greengrocer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Some advice here http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/gro...tables/tomatoes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted March 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 All in all you may find it easier and more satisfying just to go to a good greengrocer.Easier maybe, but in my view, not more satisfying, . I think that when you have time available, as I now do, it is infinitely more rewarding to cultivate, even in a small way.This is just a small, new venture for me, which will have rewards which are nutriciously beneficial, most particularly for my man!Lets not forget that tomatoes have properties which, I believe, help to prevent prostate and testicular cancer!Thank you very much for the rest of your post, catgate, very informative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
korgg Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Although I grew a lot of tomatoes in my youth, I can't really say much about it. Just avoid to get the leafs wet. And listen to the advices in here. You'll do fine. I took a lot of beating because of these :D But it was a nice task after all. Especially after they were ready to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 I should have said in my post that if you grow a few Basil plants as well you will have the most perfect tomato and basil soup imaginable. Also if you grow a few marigold plants in among you will not be bothered with greenfly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted March 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 I should have said in my post that if you grow a few Basil plants as well you will have the most perfect tomato and basil soup imaginable. Also if you grow a few marigold plants in among you will not be bothered with greenfly.I'll certainly keep both of those points in mind. Thanks. I made some tomato and basil soup recently. Do you have a particular recipe catgate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 This "companion planting" idea certainly does work. T&M (my link above gives address) have been recommending this for many years.Something else I've been doing over that last few years is planting mixed salad leaves - you know the things that come in very expensive packs in supermarkets like rocket, coriander, sorrel, beet leaves, lambs lettuce, chicory. I got my pack of seeds from my local Co-op - many thousands in the pack and still planting. Pick whilst young to give some flavour to (sometimes) boring old lettuce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 . Do you have a particular recipe catgate?Yes but unfortunately it is very complex:-1) Some tomatoes2) Some Basil3) Some water4) Some Knorr chicken stock powder5) Some sugar6) Boil to TasteWe had a chap lived next to us when I was child, who used to force rhubarb. He eventually gave up because it made his eyes water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 With tomato soup, my granny always said to cook the skins on the tomatoes as that's where a lot of the flavour is. If it's a proper soup, the skins would be sieved out before eating but you can always blend/liquidise to hide them. I think that with the modern tasteless supermarket tomatoes, cooking with the skins is especially important.If you're putting basil into it, don't do so until the absolute last moment. Basil seems to lose its character quicker than any other herb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 What we have done for a number of years is freeze some of the tomatoes mid season, when there is more than can be eaten immediately. If these are bagged into soup making quantities, and a helping of Basil thrown in as well, when the soup season arrives you have you "ready-mix" and you will find the skins will fall off the tomotoes very readily. However as you say there is much flavour to be had from cooking the skins as well. We have also found that it is possible to hang up trusses of unripe toms. in the green house, at the back end of the year when clearing up, and they will ripen. This year we were eating our own almost fresh tomatoes on Christmas day. I am refering throughout to GDs, although others may be the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted March 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 . Do you have a particular recipe catgate?Yes but unfortunately it is very complex:-1) Some tomatoes2) Some Basil3) Some water4) Some Knorr chicken stock powder5) Some sugar6) Boil to TasteWe had a chap lived next to us when I was child, who used to force rhubarb. He eventually gave up because it made his eyes water. :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted June 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 HELP!! :0 Why do some of my some of my tomato plants have curling leaves?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rong Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 is a viral disease that is usually transmitted by sucking insects, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted June 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 is a viral disease that is usually transmitted by sucking insects,Yuk... what can I do to stop it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 Not good news, Irene. Google "tomato leaf curl" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rong Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 If it's not bad, maybe take the leaves of, the other thing is to use an insecticide to kill them, I would take the leaves of as long as it's not all of them. You could also Google it to find out what to do.Just a thought, are they getting to hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 Before you put anything into that grow house, drill some holes in the wall and fix it VERY securely to the wall. They have a great tendency to blow away in high wind. A couple of years ago we came home to find ours stuck half over the back garden gate. It was well and truly wrecked. I had fixed it with some strong wire attached to hooks screwed into the wall, and to make sure had put half a paving slab onto the bottom shelf to weight it down. The wind pulled it from the wall, splitting the framework into several pieces, and depositing the slab a couple of feet away. We were NOT amused. :( :( :( Best of luck with it. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 P.S.Just pinch the side shoots out of tall varieties, but leave them to develop on the bush varieties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted June 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 Just a thought, are they getting to hot.No they are not getting too hot. Unfortunately the Growhouses were damaged a litle while ago, when we had very high winds and lots of rain! , So, they are actually now open to the elements. P.S. They are very sheltered and only have an eclipse of sunshine when it is available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted June 1, 2007 Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 Just a thought, are they getting to hot.No they are not getting too hot. Unfortunately the Growhouses were damaged a litle while ago, when we had very high winds and lots of rain! , So, they are actually now open to the elements. Hence my warning. They just don't like wind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted June 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2007 Just pinch the side shoots out of tall varieties, but leave them to develop on the bush varieties. I did that as they were developing, once the first flowers were apparently coming. :( Otherwise they are coming on great. I talk to them each morning and check their water.They are fed each week. What more can I do. :( :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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