Early Tomatoes?

[Garden Manager]

has anyone managed to produce a really early crop of tomatoes? If so how ealrly and when did you sow the seed?

I have for a long time wanted to get an earlier crop of tomatoes, especialy after last year when I ended up with outdoor plants ripening before th indoor fruits. So now as a result i have 8 young plants in 1 litre pots, some of which have flowers just starting to form.

Now i have to point out here I didnt got these from seed, but as young plants bought a few weeks ago from the garden centre. Bit of a cheat perhaps but I do now have decent sized plants at a time when my own home grown  tomatoes are mere seedlings!

I hope to have a crop by june, maybe even late may if i am lucky!

The only problem will be where to grow them, as the green house will probably be choca until late may with other plants. ???

[Garden Manager]

[jennym]

Earliest crop I ever had was last year, Marmande were ripening well on the plant outside in the week leading up to 21st July (was so proud took a photo!) Sowed them around mid March I think, they were about a foot high on 20th April on my windowsill. Much, much later than you are looking for I'm afraid  :)

[Chris Graham]

I'll let you know.

I started a Garten Perel in January and moved it to the cold greenhouse.  Seemes to be doing really well even tho we had a frost.

Wonder if i'll get any toms soon?  Has a few flowers already.

[Garden Manager]

I'll let you know.

I started a Garten Perel in January and moved it to the cold greenhouse.  Seemes to be doing really well even tho we had a frost.

Wonder if i'll get any toms soon?  Has a few flowers already.

Keep it warm and treat it like you would your normal/main crop (feeding watering etc), with plenty of light and i am sure you will get a good crop. I dont see why normal cultivation techniques, albeit much eaarlier wont produce an earlier crop. Thats what i am hoping anyway!

[Jeannine]

I grow just a couple of Tumblers as they come on very early, they keep me going till the others come along. I can have fruit from June with them but I start in a heated greenhouse and thay go in a hanging basket . I am not big on the taste but better than anything the store has I palnt in January,
XX Jeannine

[Trevor_D]

That's a brilliant idea Jeannine! (I realise it's too late now, but I'll make a note for next year.)

My problem is that, like GC, our GH is full! Until my wife starts on the hanging baskets & troughs (normally late April), I can't have the space to plant the tomatoes. But I could steal a 'spare' basket and hang that in the GH to start us off.

[Chris Graham]

I think my main problem would be the temperature differences in the greenhouse.

Took a look at the max min and it was 108 max and min was 38 !!!!!

Gotta be careful of my tomato plants may catch fire ;)