Author Topic: Exending the tomato season (Read 5688 times)

graham · « **on:** August 20, 2004, 16:51:57 »

Hello all another new member here looking for your advice. I've had a great season in a new greenhouse with tomatoes starting to come on full flow. I have produced Gardeners Delight, San Marzano and Brandywine all starting to ripen up. What I interested in is extending the season maybe with heat and light. Any opinions. As you can see from the members map I'm way up north opposite the Isle of Skye so night can be short but surprisingly little frost. Thanks to all

ina · « **Reply #1 on:** August 20, 2004, 17:00:03 »

Welcome Graham.
Are your tomatoes growing outside? At the end of the season, you may have to ripen the last green ones inside on the truss, they will ripen but not get sweeter.

graham · « **Reply #2 on:** August 20, 2004, 17:38:52 »

Hi Ina, No given where we are, northwest Scotland, there all in a greenhouse growing in open borders. There is no chance that we could grow toms outdoors here. I don't think we would even get flowers never mind fruit!

tim · « **Reply #3 on:** August 20, 2004, 18:22:17 »

Yes - light & warmth would do it - at a great cost. I use lights, alone, to bring on seedlings, & it costs me about 5p per lettuce to get them to planting out time. But it's fun. = Tim

ina · « **Reply #4 on:** August 20, 2004, 18:33:07 »

Ah, that's how I grow mine in Holland.

Not that it will do you any good now and I'm by no means a very experienced tomato grower, but I would think that extending the growing season may have to take place in the beginning, not the end of the season.

The trick is to start your tomatoes real early in your house, best with a grow light to keep them from getting too leggy. Replant them several times deeper by taking off the bottom leaves and burry them up to the top few leaves. You end up with a plant with a lot of roots that grew out of the stem. When the soil in the greenhouse has warmed a bit, maybe add horse manure to help with warmth, you plant them............. not deep because the soil down there is still cold but at an angle with only the top few leaves out of the soil. This way the plant will grow faster because the top of the soil is much warmer than deep down. We had ripe tomatoes much earlier than anyone else at our allotment complex and thus having a longer growing season.

For now, I think, you have to do anything you can to keep warmth in your greenhouse. How? Your guess is as good as mine.
Good luck.

graham · « **Reply #5 on:** August 20, 2004, 18:49:42 »

Thanks both of you. Thats very interesting. I was thinking of trying to bring on some young plants now and using heat and light to grow themmaybe until late October, but your point of starting earlier with a succession of plants is well taken - thanks. Tim -do you keep planting right through the winter in a frost free environment.

tim · « **Reply #6 on:** August 20, 2004, 20:13:56 »

1. Winter? No way!!
2. Light till October? The cost would make supermarket toms seem like a gift?
3. For the lights you might need, see growthtechnology. = Tim

graham · « **Reply #7 on:** August 20, 2004, 21:33:57 »

Ok Tim - Got the message - thanks Graham

Leonie · « **Reply #8 on:** August 21, 2004, 10:44:32 »

Im very interested in growing under lights, I managed to perk up some very sick aloes with them that I rescued from a bonfire when I was in Spain.

That was just a cheap light but I was considering looking at getting something like a 400 watt metal halide light and growing lettuce, cucumber and tomatos during winter. Surely the cost of the light would only be the same cost as buying the veg in the supermarket during winter... and you have the benefit of it being home grown. Or am I way off the mark?

graham · « **Reply #9 on:** August 21, 2004, 11:00:39 »

Yeah my thoughts too - personally the point is the quality of the produce not necessarily the cost - within reason. Like you I would like to try a range of vegetables just to see what the result would be although I do realise that growing under lights is a very specialist business whic seems to be mostly combined with hydroponics, as far as I can see. Do plan an experiment this year?

Leonie · « **Reply #10 on:** August 21, 2004, 11:17:21 »

Hi Graham

Ah someone who thinks on the same lines as me! I dont mind if the cost of the light plus power is slightly more than supermarket, its the taste and pleasure of growing my own that im interested in.

You mention hydroponics, well I've actually grown my veg in hydroponics this year. I cannot compare with soil grown as this is my first year as a gardener (I just like technical stuff!) Its been pretty amazing to pull carrots from a box on a table, no bending, no digging etc (also no carrot fly as the boxes are high up). Also i've not had to worry about my toms drooping, I set them up in a wick system so just add my solution to the bottom of the pot about once a week, how lazy is that!

I am trying to buy a cheap light at the moment to try an experiment in the greenhouse over winter, if you are doing this too i'd be very interested in hearing how you get on.

Bannerdown · « **Reply #11 on:** August 21, 2004, 11:30:06 »

You could try layering them ! This is done with Sweet peas, if you carefully remove the stem of the tom from the support (string or cane) lay it down on the ground then allow it to grow up a second support from about 6 inches, along the original stem there may be bundles of "nodules", these are embryonic auxiliary root systems, cover these with soil and they should grow and provide extra nutrition. As the new plant extension grows up, tie in as normal. The second plant can be allowed to grow up the support vacated by the first plant and on and on and on, hope this helps. Let us know if you give it a bash and let us know the results! Cheers, Tony.

tim · « **Reply #12 on:** August 21, 2004, 11:46:17 »

Might I suggest that a 'cheap' light may give a cheap result. But the minimal light produced could cost more per watt than the 'better' lights. My little 'Whitefire' cost me some £90. Long term, that's not too bad but, in my lifetime, it's a luxury! = Tim

graham · « **Reply #13 on:** August 21, 2004, 12:34:30 »

Leonie - well there you go! I've just complete a 2 year 'experiment' with a small hydroponic unit too! I've had two sweet pepper and two chilli plants going for two year - interestingly the plants produced mush more fruits in the secon year than in the first, although admittedly I have had them in the new greenhouse since May, both on a wick system. The problem for me was the use of synthetic fertilizers but recently there is a range of organic feeds which seem to be doing quite well. I have been thinking of expanding to a fell hydroponic unit with lights etc. Tim I think your right about lights - I do belive that the more you pay the better - al least according to the catalogues. Layering well I'm nippiping out to the house now to give it a go! Yes Leonie I would be interested in aa joint trial to see how we get on.

Leonie · « **Reply #14 on:** August 21, 2004, 14:38:22 »

How interesting that you chose the wick method too. I have a 12 trough system that I bought but found my own setup with two black buckets, perlite and some capillary matting works just as well!

I was thinking more on the lines of starting early, ie starting my seeds now and possibly eating my own toms etc when the daffs are just out?

What did you grow? My carrot boxes werent wick systems, just big boxes with a tap drilled into them, tip the solution in the top and catch it at the bottom! Did you find your hydro stuff tasted any different from soil grown? Sorry for so many questions but I thought I was the only hydro bod on here! :)

graham · « **Reply #15 on:** August 21, 2004, 15:03:38 »

Hi Leonie
So Far I've only grown sweet peppers, lettuce chilli's and basil, the only problem I've had was that some of the chilli's weren't hot then suddenly they got mega hot - other than that everything was just great. Keeping the ppers and chilli's over for a second year was interesting, as you know normally we would treat them as annuals but in 'real life' they are perennials. Bob Flowerdew - my guru - made the point on a gardening programme recently. I got a lot more the second year although that was probably because I kept them in the greenhouse as opposed to the top of the stairs where the light was weak. The best catalogue I've seen for complete systems is Esoteric Hydroponics who even include a cd-rom with a video on how to build and use a system - there a bit dear but maybe it's a one off 'investment' were seriously considering going for it. At least we could go on holday for a week or so and let them get on with it. There address is http://www.1-hydroponics.co.uk/. Have you had any problems with your system and where do you keep it? Maybe we should start a new thread on 'Newbie Hydroponics?'

Leonie · « **Reply #16 on:** August 21, 2004, 16:37:44 »

Hi Graham

Yes a thread on newbie hydroponics is a great idea! I dont know whether to post here now or not??

I have the trough system on here http://www.thehydroponicum.com/acatalog/Hydroponicum_Wick_System_Kits.html its £125 but I was lucky enough to get it second hand and hardly used! Its great really, just fill it up and leave it alone for a week or so! Have a look around that website, theres a forum on there, small at the moment but growing!

I had a very poorly sited greenhouse that I set the troughs up in, however they didnt get off to a good start and I wasnt sure whether this was due to it being hydroponic or no light, so I took out a few plants and put them under a glass construction I made in the direct sun (hubby said I was turning the garden into a scrap heap) and they thrived!

Everything just seems so much 'cleaner' with hydroponics. Theres no soil diseases and less chance of lettuces etc being munched. Actually I found myself spending time in the greenhouse just looking at the plants as there wasnt really much else to do!! Water once a week, no weeding etc etc!

graham · « **Reply #17 on:** August 21, 2004, 19:39:23 »

The Hydroponium of the website is about 80 miles north of here at Achhiltibuie - were in Glenelg by the Isle of Skye. It's very impressive - they grow a huge range of flowers and vegetables in a sort of plastic 'glasshouse' in fiact I got my unit there the baby version of yours. Lets take the plunge and see whose interested and maybe can give is some advice. As I said my concern was the totally synthetic nature of the feeds but there are some very good organic mixtures now - I even put some of my liquid tomato in the trough - stank to high heaven but the plants loved it.

See you on the new thread!

Leonie · « **Reply #18 on:** August 22, 2004, 12:39:13 »

Hi Graham

Oh dear I didnt see your new thread and posted another one, sorry. :(

What a small world it is, with us both having a similar system. I did very well getting my second hand for £30 and that included about 8 liters of solution! I would love to visit the hydroponicum but its just too far away from me in the midlands. I have heard its fascinating to go round!

Are you saying that you grew your plants originally at the top of the stairs then? and was it the 'proper' time to start seeds or were you trying to cheat the seasons with your lights?

Have a look here http://www.get4.me.uk/index.htm His lettuce pictures are pretty impressive, thats a lot of growth for three weeks!

graham · « **Reply #19 on:** August 22, 2004, 12:49:40 »

Hi Leonie
Sorry for the delay in getting back but I forgot to click the 'notification, box DOH!!!. I saw you started a thread too no problem - I was still smarting from my telling off from Tim! Yes the Hydroponics Centre is fasinating they grow everything from soft fruit to bananas very successfuly,l and all the produce is used in the Michelin star restaurant next door - so I think that answers the critics on the taste front. I'm probably going up there next week for a family outing I could get you some 'bumf' and post it on if you think you would find it useful?

As far as the top of the landing is concerned. I planted the system and placed it under a velux window we had which faces south but interestingly there wasn't enough light, although the plants did well enough they never produced the weight of crop they did when I moved them to the greenhouse. Maybe we should lobby for a new 'Greenhouse" section of the forum but as a newbie here I don't weant to step on any toes - there seems to be some very sensitive ones.

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Author Topic: Exending the tomato season (Read 5688 times)