Topic: first year tomato advice

[aide]

Hi all,

I've got a couple of tomato plants that I think are growing really well in my little plastic green house, they've started to flower now and I'm just wondering what I should do now.


thanks all!!

[deboydoyd]

My first time as well, as far as i know when you get your first flowers you plant them into there final positions, either in a greenhouse ie growbags or ring culture
(look in search for info) or outside (after last frost--hopefully now). When the first truss has 'set' (flowers fallen off and tiny tomato visable) you need to start feeding with a tomato feed, follow instructions on bottle but usually once a week. Mine are looking good--3 Alicante have  about 4 trusses set. And obviously keep watering regularly.

[Svea]

contrary to popular belief, tomatoes do not need watering all that much if they are grown outside in soil.

in fact, they are one of the few vegetables still standing when other things have given up due to heat and lack of water.

sparce watering will encourage their roots to go deep and seek their own - don't spoil your crops too much

[Merry Tiller]

Aide, superb avatar, what happened to Tiger though ???

[Chocolate]

Hi everyone
maybe thick but whats a ring culture ???
Faith

[plimsoll plot]

:)i take of all the side shoots as they flower and give them plenty of support with canes . i grow mine outside as growing melons in my greenhose this year. i give mine plenty of water, and they give me plenty of toms :-*

[supersprout]

whats a ring culture ???

See http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,57/topic,19000.0 for the low-down choccy :)

[redcow]

I have a stupid tomato question as this is the first year I have grown tomatoes in the greenhouse.....
Just planted some tomato plants in the raised bed in the greenhouse & I have put some wire across the top & was going to grow the tomatoes up string tied to the wire. Now the daft question - do you have to anchor the string down & do I have to tie the main stem to the string???

Any advice welcome as my plants are starting to bend over......

RC

[supersprout]

I tie the string in a loop onto the stem. Then just twist the stem around the string about once a week as it grows - no further tying in necessary ;D

[redcow]

Thanks Supersprout. Sometimes you just cant see the obvious......  :)

RC

[Chocolate]

Thanks Superprout
Yer, I think I am thick I'll stick to planting them in the ground and hoping for the best   ::)
See Ya
Choccy

[aide]

thanks for all your help.

My first Tom is coming through!!!!! 
My girlfriend said I spent more time with that little tomato this weekend than I did with her

She's probably right   ;D

[Tee Gee]

I agree with supersprout but do not tie the loop too tight at the base of the plant.

Leave sufficient space for the stem to grow/expand otherwise you might strangle the plant.

[supersprout]

do you have to anchor the string down & do I have to tie the main stem to the string???

This is what mine looked like today redcow - the rig is more impressive than the toms >:( ;)

[tim]

Pretty impressively original, Sprouty!!

With cord, they do say put it around the root ball.