Tomatoes

[itsgrowinglook]

Hi All
Trying to grow toms again! I have kept 3 plants in a mini greenhouse, they are about a foot tall and two of them are beginning to flower. Is this normal? One is a beefsteak and the other is a Roma tom plant.
Thanks
Andrea

[Nicola_D]

Hi Andrea my tomato plants are a similar height but no sign of flowers yet. My chillies are all flowering which is way earlier than last year and i've had loads of alpine strawberries already think it must be all the unseasonable sun we had in April

[bantiekeeper]

Hi Andrea, They toms are fine. Remember to remove any side shoots which appear in the leaf axils as the plants grow, not to be confused with fruit trusses which grow straight out from the main stem. Train them up canes and tap the cane each day to aid pollination. Keep the soil round the plants moist at all times but do not overwater or let them dry out. Keep your polyhouse well ventilated especially on hot days and shaded from strong sunlight. Suggest you restrict the beefsteak variety to 3 trusses by pinching out the top of the plant when they reach this stage. This ensures all the energy is diverted to growing the fruit itself. I have attached a pic of the toms in my greenhouse.
I am growing this year Beefmaster, Bambino, Britains Breakfast, Tomatoberry and Shirley. The Shirley are grafted plants which I am trying for the first time this year..
Good Luck

[itsgrowinglook]

Thank you sooooo much for the reassurance! What with the blight last year and then all this rain, my toms are turning me grey!!!!!
Andrea

[Pacey]

I just have a few planted in the garden only like a inch high sofar wish mine were as big and flowering lol

[bantiekeeper]

Andrea can you please send some of your rain down towards Hertfordshire! We are desperate for rain here. Getting fed up with watering every day at this time of the year.

[GMB27]

I wouldnt mind some too in Devon! My toms are at the same stage but its getting pretty annoying having to go out and water them allll the time! :-) We've not had any proper rain down here for a few weeks, although im probably the only person in the UK actually wanting the rain! hehe

[itsgrowinglook]

I cant believe you have had no rain!! We are in danger of going rusty up here. But today is a nice sunny day for a change.
Andrea

[Nicola_D]

Ooh I have flower buds now!

I also have peas! Massive pea pods I can't believe it. I was only growing them for the shoots in salads and they flowered last week and now peas! We had rain all weekend so that must've helped.

[itsgrowinglook]

Its raining again.

[itsgrowinglook]

And again, all day.

[Nicola_D]

Yeah we've had more rain recently, but been really dry and warm past few days. I'm glad it rained quite lot as my latest water bill was a 3rd higher than unusual.