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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Chris Graham on May 06, 2007, 11:52:26

Title: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Chris Graham on May 06, 2007, 11:52:26
 :D :D :D :D :D

Managed to get all my tomato plants tied up this morning.

Also squeezed 14 plants into a 6x6 greenhouse.  A bit overkill but hey I couldnt bring myself to put them outside just yet.

Blowing a gale here btw!!  ;)

(http://backyard.8m.net/garden%20veg/06.05.07/may%20060004.JPG)

(http://backyard.8m.net/garden%20veg/06.05.07/may%20060005.JPG)

(http://backyard.8m.net/garden%20veg/06.05.07/may%20060001.JPG)
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Marymary on May 06, 2007, 13:36:59
Looking good Chris, think I will have to pack mine in even closer!
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: saddad on May 06, 2007, 14:16:50
The four Aubergines are looking good as well!
;D
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Chris Graham on May 06, 2007, 16:28:07
Quote from: Marymary on May 06, 2007, 13:36:59
Looking good Chris, think I will have to pack mine in even closer!

Would i be able too?  I have a few more left over.
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: tim on May 06, 2007, 19:13:15
SO much sturdier than mine!
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Barnowl on May 06, 2007, 19:44:39
Much sturdier than ours too and I've just put the first batch outside. ???

Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: manicscousers on May 06, 2007, 19:59:08
just put some out to harden off, and down came the rain, I could just hear the plants slurping it up  :)
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Chris Graham on May 06, 2007, 20:00:01
Its strange coz Scotland is having a really mild winter. Wonder if thats why things are growing so well.

I heard that there could be a frost tonight and I have two tom plants outside. Probably best to move them in the green house later.

I love growing these, so addictive!!
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Marymary on May 06, 2007, 22:25:24
Quote from: ChrisG on May 06, 2007, 16:28:07
Quote from: Marymary on May 06, 2007, 13:36:59
Looking good Chris, think I will have to pack mine in even closer!

Would i be able too?  I have a few more left over.

I've just had a count up & I've got 65 tomato plants!  I got a bit carried away!  Most of them will have to go outside but I am reckoning on having as many as possible in the greenhouse so they will have to snuggle up a bit.  Plus the aubies & cukes & peppers & chilies & melons .......................  :)
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: lin on May 06, 2007, 23:49:05
I put all my tomatoes outside in pots last week and they all look fine... it's pretty mild here in Manchester, although a bit cooler today, don't think the forecast cold snap is going to be enough to harm them. And they are in my backgarden lining the house walls, so fairly protected.

I have tried growing them in my conservatory, but somehow tomato plants don't like it in there, all they do is get huge and green, but are stingy on tomatoes, don't think the light is sufficient as there is shading on the ceiling glass.

I grew a few plants outside last year and got loads of tomatoes so fingers crossed if we have the same weather, I should be eating loads of different tomatoes this year. Have put some out called Tigerella and the pic shows lovely stripey toms, hope they taste as good as they look!
Lin
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: manicscousers on May 07, 2007, 16:31:53
I can vouch for the tigerella, lin..we've got 5 plants this year, they're very prolific, lovely to look at and taste wonderful..mind you, any home grown taste better than the cr*p in the shops  ;D
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: cleo on May 07, 2007, 17:10:29
I don`t mind Tigerella-it`s not one I grow/sell now because I only have limited space . Mind you they did sell well after Conran? and his Chelsea Garden.
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Curryandchips on May 07, 2007, 17:30:25
I agree on the tigerella, it is one I grow every year as a reliable fruit, seeming resistant to most problems. I have 12 plants in the greenhouse, and about another 8 to go outside ...

Derek :)
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: ellkebe on May 07, 2007, 18:33:50
Growing Tigerella for the first time this year, and they've produced very sturdy little plants so far, so seems promising.
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Chris Graham on May 07, 2007, 18:34:20
Yeh i have two tigerella plants, one in the greenhouse just now and one still on the window sill.

Going to move it out later along with the Alicante.
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Chris Graham on May 07, 2007, 18:36:45
some more pics?

(http://backyard.8m.net/garden%20veg/07.05.07/may%20070007.JPG)

Sungold's first flower buds.

(http://backyard.8m.net/garden%20veg/07.05.07/may%20070008.JPG)
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: manicscousers on May 07, 2007, 19:32:52
tigerella plants, just getting flowers on  ;D
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: MrsKP on May 08, 2007, 07:24:16
Chris, we're back to winter again eh pal ?  Ruddy freezing out there this morning.

Here's my toms ... not anywhere as neat at yours though.

(http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l198/missusKP/8%20May%202007/f1578118.jpg)

;D
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Chris Graham on May 08, 2007, 08:26:23
Quote from: MrsKP on May 08, 2007, 07:24:16
Chris, we're back to winter again eh pal ?  Ruddy freezing out there this morning.

Here's my toms ... not anywhere as neat at yours though.

;D

Hey MrsKp, those look really good.

Your right about the weather, but i have put a few tomato plants out anyways  ;)
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: MrsKP on May 08, 2007, 19:42:25
of course, being so cold this morning i never "opened up".  roasting when I got back tonight lol.

Outside, already ???   :o   ooh scary !

;D
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Chris Graham on May 08, 2007, 19:46:41
Quote from: MrsKP on May 08, 2007, 19:42:25
Outside, already ???   :o   ooh scary !

;D

Yeh and they seem to be doing really well.
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: MrsKP on May 08, 2007, 19:51:04
i've got a load more harbingers, san marzano (?) and tumbling tom red still to pot up.  i've  feeling they'll all be outside, if i can find enough black buckets !!!

i'm worrying about the wind more than the cold tbh.  we are in a bit of a wind tunnel and when it blows, it blows ! 
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: Chris Graham on May 09, 2007, 08:37:35
Quote from: MrsKP on May 08, 2007, 19:51:04
i've got a load more harbingers, san marzano (?) and tumbling tom red still to pot up.  i've  feeling they'll all be outside, if i can find enough black buckets !!!

i'm worrying about the wind more than the cold tbh.  we are in a bit of a wind tunnel and when it blows, it blows ! 

Same my way, the wind has been really bad. I had to move a lot of pots to a sheltered area.

BTW best place for black buckets is Sainsburys (altho the one in Edinburgh dont give them away). Always a nice lot in the Stirling branch.

I could do with a few more....got around 5 more tomato plants to plant up and out. My garden is going to be full of them!
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: antipodes on May 09, 2007, 15:49:10
Can anyone explain how you tie up the tomato plants? I have planted mine next to stakes but as they are still small, I haven't tied them yet. Where on the stem do I tie? And what should I use? I am sometimes afraid of hurting the stem and I don't really know how tightly to tie it.
Any advice?
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: MrsKP on May 09, 2007, 19:30:59
am still to hit morrisons again although i've heard they've discontinued the offer sacre blue de blanc !  although i have got some sainsbury's points to use up. if i'm feeling brave at the weekend, I might hit Braehead !   :o

Antipodes.  I wouldn't worry if they're too small to "usefully" tie.  i think the support is for when the trusses and fruit form just to save the plant from keeling over sideways under the weight of all the gorgus toms you'll be getting.  mind you, i can only speak from some Gartenperles and Totems in pots last year, but even though Totem is a bush, I still need to right up elaborate contraptions of strings round the fruit bearing bits, otherwise they'd hit the floor.

I've only tied once so far and that's more or less to keep the plants close to the stakes.  I'm using garden twine (the green stuff so i can't see it  :P) and just find a suitable gap between leaves, with a bit of slack.  As they grow, I'll reassess.

Hope the experts will agree with me otherwise I'll be reassessing a bit earlier than planned.

;D
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: greyhound on May 09, 2007, 21:50:36
Strips cut from old stockings and tights are good, as they have plenty of "give" in them and won't cut into the stems as they grow.  Just tie them loosely to the support so they stay reasonably straight.
Title: Re: Tomato plants all tied up
Post by: antipodes on May 10, 2007, 09:13:11
Stockings! I wouldn't have thought of that! That is a brilliant idea! Stretchy so they don't damage the plants. Well I guess I will wait till the plants are a bit bigger to tie them then.