Topic: Hot House Tomatoes

[MutantHobbit]

Apologies if it's already been covered but I sowed the "Pearlgarten" tumbling tomatoes that I got free with GYO magazine 2 months ago.  They're now about 6 weeks old, 3" high and I'm wondering if I misunderstood about keeping them above 18 degrees C.  Does this apply just to the germination stage or do they have to be kept very warm until they're put in a hanging basket in May/June.   ???

The reason I ask is my darn cat tried to massacre them the other night and I'm thinking of relocating outside of my nice warm bathroom of 20 degrees C.  They're traumatised enough, without without my accidentally putting them in too cold an environment!   ;D

Dave

[tim]

I would say that you're OK if you don't let the night temperaure drop below 55F. And even then we often fail!!

I assume that they're deeply planted in 3.5" pots?

Light at this time is the more important point?

[MutantHobbit]

I assume that they're deeply planted in 3.5" pots?

er... they are now! ;)  Thanks Tim, I've potted them on, out of their modules now and into 5" pots and put them on a window sill.  I've even put a daylight lamp on next to them so that they get the full spectrum light that they need, as there's precious little sun or light around here at the moment! ;D

Thanks again for the info, much appreciated.  :)

Dave

[tim]

Oh, dear - have I caused a silly?

3.5" (3 1/2") pots are the norm - because it's reckoned to be better for a plant to fill a pot with roots- making a coherent rootball, before going on to a 9" one, a Growbag or the open ground.

But - one professional says in his book that he would use larger ones if he had room, because the plants so quickly outgrow the smaller ones.

I would take his word against mine.

[MutantHobbit]

No problem, Tim.  I made a silly mistake by leaving them in their modules so long. :-[ :) 
I've put them into 5" pots as I'm planning to put them in two 10 " hanging baskets, attached to the shed.  This will be at the start of June, as I'm in the Midlands so I thought they'd need the growing room as there's another 6 to 8 weeks to go yet before I move them outside.  They're doing alright though, despite the not so tender ministrations of my cat! ;D