2018 growing season

Polytunnels, cold frames, greenhouses, propagators & more. How to get the best out of yours...

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Westi
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Potted on some of the tomatoes this evening. The beefsteak ones were romping away so had to have their own pot & stop sharing. Another seed I was given for Xmas called Banana Legs was also quite big as well, but it's fruits are only about 4 inches long but it is said it is prolific so that might explain it's zest for growing.
Westi
tigerburnie
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Shows the difference in temperatures there Westi, my tommies seeds won't go into the propagator for 4 or so weeks yet.
Been gardening for over 65 years and still learning.
Monika
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I am always tempted to sow the tomatoes at the same time as the peppers but realise I might be able to maintain the required temperature but it's the light that's missing, so my tomato seeds don't go in until well into March. Otherwise they grow too lanky for my liking.
robo
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I always plant my tomato seeds late ,I like getting them ripe in November when they are expensive in the shops I can then ripen the green ones well into winter if I sow to early they are gone by September
tigerburnie
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Most of our later tommies were roasted with cayennes and made into peseta which went on pizzas and in soups and all sorts. Because we get really long summer daylight hours any later stuff usually catches up, we can get close to 20 hours of daylight in June.
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Primrose
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If you've recently ordered anything from D T Brown, you will probably have received this message but just in case you haven't:

Despatch delays due to adverse weather conditions

At D.T. Brown we believe exceptional quality is something that should never be compromised on.

Over the past few days, our temperatures have plummeted and this remarkably cold weather has the potential to damage live products during transit. We have therefore taken the difficult decision to suspended all dispatches until further notice. This includes: Seed Potatoes, Onions, Shallots, Garlic, all Potted Fruit and Hardware.
With this, the heavy snowfall may well disrupt any other scheduled deliveries, including seeds.

We ask for your patience and understanding whilst the extended delivery periods are in place and look forward to the thaw!
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Primrose
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Well they say garlic is supposed to like a period of extended cold to help make the bulbs split, so it's certainly getting it.
The bitter wind is fairly whipping across the garden today.
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Diane
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Our snow is going round and round in circles - whipped up by gusts of wind. Never seen it snowing upside down before.
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derekthegardener
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I've just gone mad and ordered 11 different varieties of tomato to arrive as plug plants in April. Varieties are: Earl of Edgecombe, Tomato de Barao, Hillbilly, Yellow Perfection, Holly Rose, Indigo Rose, Latah, Santonio, Stupice, Sweet Aperitif, & Tumbling Tom. I've never grown any of these before, has anybody any experience of these? I have a few plants that I usually grow (Marmande, Tigrella, Sungold, Moneymaker, Gardener's Delight, Roma) already started in a heated propagator. I should have great variety for my tomato salads this summer!! Must get planting some Basil soon...
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Primrose
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I grow Tumbling Tom (red and yellow) every year as a Tumbling variety in big patio pots and in one of my borders as well as some upright cordon varieties. They don’t need side shooting but to me one of the big benefits is that they flower and crop earlier so if it’s a bad year for blight you can usually get a crop before the disease hits. And they crop prolifically.
I’: not really familiar with any of other varieties you’ve ordered but there are so many on the market now there is an almost endless selection to choose from. You must remember to report back with your comments at the end of the season!

And don,t forget to keep an identity label for each plant. So many times I,ve planted out different varieties in my tomato border, , forgotten which plant was which variety and then had to wait until each plant cropped to find out what variety it was Sometimes it’s obvious but many varieties can look very similar and then you’re into a guessing game !
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Geoff
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I've grown three of these. Hillbilly - a lovely beefsteak, late and not very prolific but a treat; Latah - the main thing it has going for it is it is very early, bit soft and tasteless but still better than bought at the time it is ready; Sweet Aperitif - first time last year, quite a reasonable cherry.
Westi
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Welcome Derek! You are certainly going to have a fine section of tomatoes. I've grown Indigo Rose before, well this is year 3! It is a very tasty black tomato, confused me completely to know when it was ripe first time I grew it but it gets a bit of a red blush on the skin when it is ready.

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Westi
tigerburnie
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Just sowed some Cos and mixed leaf lettuce in the greenhouse border along with Scarlet globe and French breakfast radish for some earlier salads
Been gardening for over 65 years and still learning.
Westi
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I had great plans for some sowing based on the last couple of days weather but seen the temp for the weekend so hands deep in my pockets again - killing me not to get sowing! What so you mean impatient??? :) At least my replacement plastic sheets to replace the broken glass in the greenhouse have arrived but forecast also says windy so won't be able to get them in & light the wee heater to warm it up. Tomatoes will have the lid off the propagator soon with their growth!
Westi
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Diane
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I feel the same Westi - usually at this time of the year the greenhouse is almost full of various pots and trays of plantlets - but not this year. I'm waiting for another week - maybe after the weekend things will improve. I haven't even got round to pruning the roses yet.
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