Hi everyone,
I started growing cherry tomatoe in mid Oct 07 as someone gave me some home grow to taste and I loved them so much. I seeded them and tried to grow them myself and now they are about 10 inches tall in a pot staying indoor. I think I'll move them outside when it becomes warmer in April or May as winter in Toronto is impossible to grow anything outside!!!
If I don't want to grow them next year indoor again in winter, is there any thing I can do to keep them alive outside in snowy weather!!!
Do people just save the seeds in fall and plant them again in spring? Or just simply go buy tomatoe plants and plant them every single year to be able to enjoy them all summer!!!
Thanks
Hi Florie,
Welcome to the Helpful Gardener! You can grow your tomato plants indoors for the winter but lots of light will be most important to get them to bloom. You'll also have to give them a shake to pollinte the flowers.
https://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/VegFruit/tomatind.htm
https://nctomatoman.topcities.com/From_The_Vine.htm
https://www.growing-tomatoes-made-easy.com/Saving-heirloom-tomato-seeds.html
Newt
Welcome to the Helpful Gardener! You can grow your tomato plants indoors for the winter but lots of light will be most important to get them to bloom. You'll also have to give them a shake to pollinte the flowers.
https://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG/VegFruit/tomatind.htm
Only if you have a heated greenhouse....is there any thing I can do to keep them alive outside in snowy weather!!!
Both. You can save seeds from tomatoes but be sure they haven't cross pollinated. Heirlooms are the best to save. Here's how from the bottom of the page at this site.Do people just save the seeds in fall and plant them again in spring? Or just simply go buy tomatoe plants and plant them every single year to be able to enjoy them all summer!!!
https://nctomatoman.topcities.com/From_The_Vine.htm
This site has great pics.Saving Tomato Seed:
1. Use tomatoes that are edible ripe and NOT overripe or rotting.
2. Label a Dixie cup with the name of the tomato
3. Cut the fruit in half and squeeze the contents into the cup- seeds, juice, pulp and all
4. Place the cup in the shade in a covered area outside or in a garage or shed and it will really smell bad and attract fruit flies!
5. After about 3 days, once a white fungus layer forms, add water to fill the cup and carefully remove the fungus layer and discard. Pour the contents into a fine mesh sieve and, with water running over the seed mass, press with a spoon so that everything but the seeds passes through the mesh.
6. Scrape out the cleaned seed, spread onto a labeled unglazed paper plate and let air dry in the house for about 2 weeks.
7. Tomato seeds, if stored in glass or plastic vials, will last 10 years or more, stored at room temperature.
https://www.growing-tomatoes-made-easy.com/Saving-heirloom-tomato-seeds.html
Newt
You are very welcome! I'm not sure your plant will still be in condition to be planted outside next year. I think you wlll have to wait and see how it does over the winter and early spring. You might want to save some seeds and start new plants.
When you reply, there's no need to quote the last person each time unless you really need to for clarity. Just scroll down and click on 'post reply' on the left under the box.
Newt
When you reply, there's no need to quote the last person each time unless you really need to for clarity. Just scroll down and click on 'post reply' on the left under the box.
Newt
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opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
Yes, be sure and get yourself some good growlights, I've found that the conical shaped bulbs don't last long at all and personally prefer the incandescent bulbs. You can also buy fixtures that clamp onto just about anything from nurseries and big box stores.
Also, with your tomatoe plants, fertilze them with a bit of kelp meal in each pot for now. This will give them their nutrient supply for the next several months. You can also feed them with liquid seaweed fertilzer diluted as per the instruction on the bottle but, this must be done once a week.
Yes, and as Newt said: You cannot grow tomatoes outside in the dead of winter. Be sure that all signs of frost are gone before you move the seedlings outside.
Generally speaking you are a bit early for starting your tomatoes but, it will give you something fun to do over the winter. Next year, you might try starting your seeds in January or even February.
Also, with your tomatoe plants, fertilze them with a bit of kelp meal in each pot for now. This will give them their nutrient supply for the next several months. You can also feed them with liquid seaweed fertilzer diluted as per the instruction on the bottle but, this must be done once a week.
Yes, and as Newt said: You cannot grow tomatoes outside in the dead of winter. Be sure that all signs of frost are gone before you move the seedlings outside.
Generally speaking you are a bit early for starting your tomatoes but, it will give you something fun to do over the winter. Next year, you might try starting your seeds in January or even February.
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opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
Hi Florie,
I now understand what you meant in your pm to me! Not a problem. Anyway, look up Seedy Saturday and Toronto on Google or another search engine. Seedy saturdays are great places to buy heirloom seeds and trade heirloom and non heirloom seeds as well. Also, they have lectures on organic gardening and non organic gardening and it's a great place to network with other gardeners and find out about garden clubs and so on.
Something tells me that given the size of Toronto, that there will be several seedy saturdays around your area. Generally around here they are held in February.
Also, check out our seed trading forum at the bottom of the forums page.
I now understand what you meant in your pm to me! Not a problem. Anyway, look up Seedy Saturday and Toronto on Google or another search engine. Seedy saturdays are great places to buy heirloom seeds and trade heirloom and non heirloom seeds as well. Also, they have lectures on organic gardening and non organic gardening and it's a great place to network with other gardeners and find out about garden clubs and so on.
Something tells me that given the size of Toronto, that there will be several seedy saturdays around your area. Generally around here they are held in February.
Also, check out our seed trading forum at the bottom of the forums page.