Gardening in England - best time for planting tomatoes??

Author

best time for planting tomatoes??

jamesmgib@hotmail.com

2005-08-11, 8:21 pm

dear members,

could someone tell me what is the best time for growing tomatoes, and
what is the best method, seeds? seedlings? greenhouse or outdoors? i
live in the uk.

regards

james

Bob Hobden

2005-08-12, 3:21 pm

James wrote >
> could someone tell me what is the best time for growing tomatoes, and
> what is the best method, seeds? seedlings? greenhouse or outdoors? i
> live in the uk.
>
A big question!

Depends if you are to grow them in a greenhouse or outdoors, there is a
considerable difference, not least the varieties you should grow.
In a greenhouse you will get fruit sooner whereas outside you won't get a
crop of ripe fruit until late in the summer, although I think the outdoor
garden planted ones taste better. Outdoor ones are more susceptible to
Blight late in the season when they are beginning to crop, so you can loose
the lot. The new French "Ferline " variety is blight resistant though, so
excellent for outdoors.

For a greenhouse, you can plant seed in late February, keep the pots warmish
and grow them on in the house or in the greenhouse if heated. You then plant
them out in the greenhouse when they are big enough. I would favour the ring
culture method if I had a greenhouse I could use. Don't forget they need a
strong support as they grow.
For outside planting plant the seeds as above in April for planting out
after all chance of frost has passed (Chelsea Flower show time?) Again you
need to provide a very strong support as a plant full of fruit is very heavy
and outdoors wind and rain increase the risk of a broken plant.

Seeds are best as you have a choice of hundreds of varieties, you don't have
to grow those nasty tasteless thick skinned supermarket ones and you can
choose the tomato for what you want, i.e. Brigade for cooking sauces and
sandwiches. (meaty and not much juice to make the bread soggy)

A determinate plant will grow into a bush, an indeterminate, also known as a
cordon, will grow straight up for ever ( bit of a simplification) and needs
all side shoots pinched out so only one stem grows.

Links to some good UK seed merchants.....
http://www.totallytomato.com/ (actually a US site but gives you an idea of
what's around)
http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/ (have to send for a catalogue)
http://www.thomasetty.co.uk/ (for old varieties)
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/index.html
http://www.suttons-seeds.co.uk/

If you can get to..... http://www.westdean.org.uk/site/gardens/index.htm
easily for their "Totally Tomato" day in September, you will learn a lot.

Finally, get a good book on veg growing.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

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