 |
| Rockwool, sponges and Jiffy Pellets are great for sowing tomato seeds. |
- Less messy
- No pricking out
- Better moisture and air holding capacity than most seed compost
- Potted on without disturbing roots
More information about these sowing media here.
Thursday, 11 January 2018
Various Media For Sowing Tomato Seeds
Usually, tomato seeds are sown in seed compost but there are a number of other ways to sow tomato seeds that may be more convenient and a lot less messy than using compost.
There are a number of advantages by using each of these media.
More information about these sowing media here.
More information about these sowing media here.
Tuesday, 9 January 2018
Technical Tomato Articles
At this time of the season, it's good to get back into the groove and learn a few new facts about growing tomatoes or remind ourselves of the stuff we have forgotten!
The truth is, tomato growing can be as easy or as complicated as we want to make it but there is always an advantage in knowledge - even if we decide to disregard it from time to time.
Here are a few technical articles that I have found useful in getting the best from my crop - perhaps it may do the same for you. Technical Tomato Articles.
The truth is, tomato growing can be as easy or as complicated as we want to make it but there is always an advantage in knowledge - even if we decide to disregard it from time to time.
Here are a few technical articles that I have found useful in getting the best from my crop - perhaps it may do the same for you. Technical Tomato Articles.
 |
| Guttation - drops of water on leaf edges. |
Saturday, 6 January 2018
When To Sow Tomato Seeds
The short answer is eight to ten weeks before your last frost - but why do we sow at this time?
Sowing tomato seeds at the right time can help avoid a number of problems that are caused by low light levels.
Leggy tomato plants
Sowing too early means that plants struggle through shorter days, and in their search for more light, become leggy.
Leggy tomato plants with thin stems will produce fewer tomatoes, so it's important to grow healthy stocky seedlings and young plants if you want a good crop.
Fewer flower buds
The other issue with low light levels is the amount of flower buds that are encouraged by light. Less light means fewer flowers and eventually tomatoes.
In conclusion
It is true that a plant sown a little later in the spring can catch up and do better than a plant sown earlier that has had to struggle through short days and cooler temperatures.
Of course, with grow lights and correct temperatures, tomatoes can be sown and grown any time of the year!
More information on when to sow and how to sow tomato seeds.
Sowing tomato seeds at the right time can help avoid a number of problems that are caused by low light levels.
Leggy tomato plants
Sowing too early means that plants struggle through shorter days, and in their search for more light, become leggy.
Leggy tomato plants with thin stems will produce fewer tomatoes, so it's important to grow healthy stocky seedlings and young plants if you want a good crop.
Fewer flower buds
The other issue with low light levels is the amount of flower buds that are encouraged by light. Less light means fewer flowers and eventually tomatoes.
In conclusion
It is true that a plant sown a little later in the spring can catch up and do better than a plant sown earlier that has had to struggle through short days and cooler temperatures.
Of course, with grow lights and correct temperatures, tomatoes can be sown and grown any time of the year!
More information on when to sow and how to sow tomato seeds.
Tuesday, 10 October 2017
Choosing Tomato Seeds 2018
It's an exciting time when choosing tomato seeds for the coming season.
Should I stick with the regular varieties that I grow every summer, or try one or two new ones?
These include:
The F1 means that they are a first generation cross between two varieties that have been used for their special qualities. In this particular case, they have been bred to resist tomato blight.
Find out more about blight resistant tomato seeds here.
Then their are the old favourites in the UK which include Moneymaker, Alicante, Shirley and Gardener's Delight. These have been grown for many years and remain popular because of their reliable performance and very good taste.
Whatever seed varieties you choose this summer, if you are growing outside, I recommend at least one blight resistant variety.
More about choosing tomato seeds here.
Should I stick with the regular varieties that I grow every summer, or try one or two new ones?
Wet Summers Ahead
It seems that we are in a phase of wet summers in the UK which means that tomato blight is an issue. The good news is that there are blight resistant varieties available that can cope with a wet summer.These include:
- Crimson Crush F1
- Lizzano F1
- Mountain Magic F1
The F1 means that they are a first generation cross between two varieties that have been used for their special qualities. In this particular case, they have been bred to resist tomato blight.
Find out more about blight resistant tomato seeds here.
Non Blight Resistant Varieties
Black Opal, Black Cherry and Rosella are three great tasting black purple cherry tomatoes that are well worth growing for their sweet flavour.Then their are the old favourites in the UK which include Moneymaker, Alicante, Shirley and Gardener's Delight. These have been grown for many years and remain popular because of their reliable performance and very good taste.
Whatever seed varieties you choose this summer, if you are growing outside, I recommend at least one blight resistant variety.
More about choosing tomato seeds here.
Tuesday, 3 June 2014
Silicon - Supplement for Tomato Plants
Silicon as a supplement for tomato plants has a number of benefits that are well known in the hydroponic world of growing, but not as widely used as many other supplements.
For the home gardener, silicon is almost completely unknown - but that's a pity because silicon can be used to protect plants - especially those growing outside and enhance their performance too.
My visit to the Home Grown Expo at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry was fun and informative - there's always something new to learn and new products to try out and test on my plants. One of these is Solar Green Power from "buddhas tree".
I now have several plants receiving the silicon treatment and I shall be giving the results of the test later in the season!
The difference between Solar Green Power and other brands is that they use silicic acid which is much more readily used by plants than other brands that use potassium silicate.
The benefits of silicon include:
Greater tolerance of cold, heat, under and over watering and under and over feeding.
Improved growth rates owing to an increase in photosynthesis and greater resistance to aphids and diseases - such as fungal spores!
I look forward to sharing the results later in the season - if this product can help resist against blight spores in wet weather, it will be worth using every season by default!
More information about this product at: www.buddhastree.co.uk
For the home gardener, silicon is almost completely unknown - but that's a pity because silicon can be used to protect plants - especially those growing outside and enhance their performance too.
My visit to the Home Grown Expo at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry was fun and informative - there's always something new to learn and new products to try out and test on my plants. One of these is Solar Green Power from "buddhas tree".
I now have several plants receiving the silicon treatment and I shall be giving the results of the test later in the season!
The difference between Solar Green Power and other brands is that they use silicic acid which is much more readily used by plants than other brands that use potassium silicate.
The benefits of silicon include:
Greater tolerance of cold, heat, under and over watering and under and over feeding.
Improved growth rates owing to an increase in photosynthesis and greater resistance to aphids and diseases - such as fungal spores!
I look forward to sharing the results later in the season - if this product can help resist against blight spores in wet weather, it will be worth using every season by default!
More information about this product at: www.buddhastree.co.uk
Sunday, 1 June 2014
Curled Leaves on Tomato Plants
Curled leaves and branches on tomato plants are often caused by stress.
Of course, disease, weather conditions, and soil problems, including under and over watering, can cause stress and leaves and leaf branches to curl.
However, this often happens in the early summer when plants are still developing their root systems and we get warm sunny days when water uptake is greater than plants can cope with at their stage of development - especially if they are growing in containers.
Sometimes if roots have been damaged by over feeding or disease, this can cause a restricted uptake of water by a plant.
Usually curled leaves and leaf branches return to normal growth when temperatures become more stable and roots have had more time to develop a system that can cope with higher summer temperatures.
Of course, disease, weather conditions, and soil problems, including under and over watering, can cause stress and leaves and leaf branches to curl.
However, this often happens in the early summer when plants are still developing their root systems and we get warm sunny days when water uptake is greater than plants can cope with at their stage of development - especially if they are growing in containers.
Sometimes if roots have been damaged by over feeding or disease, this can cause a restricted uptake of water by a plant.
Usually curled leaves and leaf branches return to normal growth when temperatures become more stable and roots have had more time to develop a system that can cope with higher summer temperatures.
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Popular Organic Feeds for Tomatoes
Now is a good time to decide on organic feeds for later in the season.
Popular organic feeds for tomatoes include:
The teas are easily made from leaves, but the seaweed (if taken by you from the sea) would need a thorough wash and soak to remove all salt.
Poultry manure may carry disease unless heated and processed, so you wouldn't put raw manure directly into your soil just before planting.
Organic feeds have the advantage of avoiding the possibility of over-feeding and nutrient salt build up because organic food cannot be accessed by roots until it has been gradually digested by the friendly bacteria etc in the soil.
Soil Temperatures
For the organic grower it may be necessary to delay sowing by a week or two so that soil conditions are more favourable - the soil temperature is warmer.
Soil Air Capacity
Healthy soil is full of friendly microbes that feed and protect roots from disease. These friendly bacteria and fungi need oxygen just as the roots do, so a well drained soil with an open texture is ideal.
When roots are happy the whole plant flourishes. When roots are stressed or diseased they take resources from the plant above the soil and growth is effected.
If you are thinking about growing tomatoes using organic feed, there has never been a better time to start. You can save money too if you make your own!
More info about growing organic tomatoes here.
Popular organic feeds for tomatoes include:
- Comfrey Tea
- Nettle Tea
- Compost Tea
- Seaweed Extract
- Poultry Manure
- Horse Manure
The teas are easily made from leaves, but the seaweed (if taken by you from the sea) would need a thorough wash and soak to remove all salt.
Poultry manure may carry disease unless heated and processed, so you wouldn't put raw manure directly into your soil just before planting.
Organic feeds have the advantage of avoiding the possibility of over-feeding and nutrient salt build up because organic food cannot be accessed by roots until it has been gradually digested by the friendly bacteria etc in the soil.
Soil Temperatures
For the organic grower it may be necessary to delay sowing by a week or two so that soil conditions are more favourable - the soil temperature is warmer.
Soil Air Capacity
Healthy soil is full of friendly microbes that feed and protect roots from disease. These friendly bacteria and fungi need oxygen just as the roots do, so a well drained soil with an open texture is ideal.
When roots are happy the whole plant flourishes. When roots are stressed or diseased they take resources from the plant above the soil and growth is effected.
If you are thinking about growing tomatoes using organic feed, there has never been a better time to start. You can save money too if you make your own!
More info about growing organic tomatoes here.
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