Tomatoes

[Deleted]

I only planted strawberries and tomatoes this year... after a less than satisfying crop of veggies last year.

[DAG]

Well they certainly look a healthy crop of tomatoes Jeannerene, what type are they?

[jc]

Jeanne, great pics and nice looking toms.

Husband wants to grow tomatoes - but have no green house. Could we just have them outside then in pots?

[kedigato]

They look really good, Jeanne, and I bet with all that Californian sun, they'll taste yummy too.

[DAG]

You certainly can grow tomatoes in pots in England but you will need to chose a suitable variety according to your conditions.

Firstly on a hot day they may need watering 2 or 3 times a day unless you have some kind of drip feed system of watering. Once a day is more normal.

Secondly, the wind can dry them out quicker than the sun so if they are very exposed you need to bring them in or protect them. This means that most varieties would not be suitable as the supports would be too much of a problem, unless you buy or make a container that is designed for this. You could try a miniature variety of plant that still grows largish cherry tomatoes on it like Balcony Red or Totem as I have, which are recommended for window boxes, balconies or patios and you could get them in at night if necessary. They only reach about 15 inches high.

Alternatively there is Gartenperle that are a hanging basket variety and these are good in most conditions except excessive wind and then I put them in the potting shed, but not very often.

I would advise going for a bush type variety of cherry tomato in principle, which will not need side shooting and start them off about March from seed on a window cill/propagator and they should not get too big by late May when they can stay outside except for bad weather.

Everybody develops there own way of growing tomatoes and all this is just my findings over the last 40 years and is IMHO. Hope that is useful and good luck, give it a go as tomatoes are more rewarding than most vegetables!

[jc]

Thanks for the advise Dag. I'll save this and give it to him.


My Dad used to grow tomatoes - esp as he ate a lot of them