So the last plastic panel has yet to be installed in my new Harbor Freight greenhouse. (Yippee! And that was a project--but a subject for another post!)
So I want to try growing tomatoes in my greenhouse. I am new to greenhouse growing so I would love some advice.
I still have tomato plants in my garden. Am I best off starting new plants from cuttings of the ones in my garden?
Or should I try digging up some of these plants and move them into my greenhouse. Or start fresh from seeds?
Thanks all in advance!
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opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
Tomatoe plants are annuals so, transferring them to the greenhouse will not produce many more tomatoes for you. What may happen is that any tomatoes that are on the plant now, will have the chance to ripen provided that the temperatures in the greenhouse stay high enough.
You could try starting plants from seed. Though, there will be no pollinators to spread the pollen from the flowers around and therefore, the plants will not produce tomatoes unless you pollinate them yourself.
What generally happens with tomatoes is that the seed is layed into the soil (in the form of tomatoes falling to the ground) and bacteria and fungi digest the flesh from the tomatoe and coat the seeds with chemicals that make them resistant to infection.
In the spring once temperatures are warm enough, all these seeds germinate and grow into tomatoe plants.
I would suggest growing some winter vegetalbles (winter lettuces, kale, swiss chard and others) in your greehouse. Tomaotes are a warm weather crop and it will probably be a lot of work for you to try and grow them over the winter
What you can do, is save tomatoe seeds from your existing plants (lots of thread on that in this forum) and spread them into a flat with soil in February and allow them to germinate. Then, section the individual plants off and plant them in your greenhouse and around your yard.
Also, see if anyone has any heirloom tomatoe seed that they might with to trade with in the Seed Trading Forum both here and at the Garden Web.
You could try starting plants from seed. Though, there will be no pollinators to spread the pollen from the flowers around and therefore, the plants will not produce tomatoes unless you pollinate them yourself.
What generally happens with tomatoes is that the seed is layed into the soil (in the form of tomatoes falling to the ground) and bacteria and fungi digest the flesh from the tomatoe and coat the seeds with chemicals that make them resistant to infection.
In the spring once temperatures are warm enough, all these seeds germinate and grow into tomatoe plants.
I would suggest growing some winter vegetalbles (winter lettuces, kale, swiss chard and others) in your greehouse. Tomaotes are a warm weather crop and it will probably be a lot of work for you to try and grow them over the winter
What you can do, is save tomatoe seeds from your existing plants (lots of thread on that in this forum) and spread them into a flat with soil in February and allow them to germinate. Then, section the individual plants off and plant them in your greenhouse and around your yard.
Also, see if anyone has any heirloom tomatoe seed that they might with to trade with in the Seed Trading Forum both here and at the Garden Web.
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opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
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Katebee
- Newly Registered
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- Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 8:13 pm
- Location: Northern Coastal California
Okay, I will certainly take you up on tips and information. And perhaps I am starting a new discussion here, please excuse if so, I am new to this whole forum business...
Regarding tomatoes. I planted quite a few plants this year. I got fabulous cherry tomatoes but all my full size guys got mushie by the time they ripened. I live in Northern CA near the coast, lots of sun during the day but a chilly coastal fog comes in in the evenings. Any advice?
Also, I have a compost question also. Am I better off starting a new discussion or thread?
-- (Being a newbee is fun!)
Thanks for your earlier advice and thanks in advance for any more you have for me.
Regarding tomatoes. I planted quite a few plants this year. I got fabulous cherry tomatoes but all my full size guys got mushie by the time they ripened. I live in Northern CA near the coast, lots of sun during the day but a chilly coastal fog comes in in the evenings. Any advice?
Also, I have a compost question also. Am I better off starting a new discussion or thread?
-- (Being a newbee is fun!)
Thanks for your earlier advice and thanks in advance for any more you have for me.
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opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 4659
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
You are most welcome,
regarding the compost; just to make things more searchable for people it would probably best if you asked that question in the organic gardening forum.
If you live near the coast, Tomatoes tend to acquire blight when they are grown near the ocean. That may have been your problem. Your greenhouse might solve that problem.
You can also boost the immunity of your plants against pathogens by adding eggshells to the soil that your grow them in or purchase a calcium spray from a local nursery and spray the tomatoes as per the instructions on the bottle.
regarding the compost; just to make things more searchable for people it would probably best if you asked that question in the organic gardening forum.
If you live near the coast, Tomatoes tend to acquire blight when they are grown near the ocean. That may have been your problem. Your greenhouse might solve that problem.
You can also boost the immunity of your plants against pathogens by adding eggshells to the soil that your grow them in or purchase a calcium spray from a local nursery and spray the tomatoes as per the instructions on the bottle.
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garden girl
- Cool Member
- Posts: 61
- Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:10 pm
- Location: Humboldt County, CA
I am in the same area as you, are your tomatoes off the ground? With our weather, the plants need lots of air circulation, so keep them up and trim back some of the extra leaves to let the sun on the whole plant so they dry out quickly after the nightly/morning moisture 
By the way, I know the greenhouse you mention, it's a good one. If we didn't build one with windows and wood we already had, that would have made it into my yard also!
By the way, I know the greenhouse you mention, it's a good one. If we didn't build one with windows and wood we already had, that would have made it into my yard also!