Greenhouse

[Scotia]

Hello.
I'm currently renovating my dad's old greenhouse. Just having to fix a few of the panes of glass that the little c*nts have broken. Usually i fit in 10 reps of about 60secs per day by chasing them down.
I'm a beginner and my plan is to have a batch of tomatoes that i can sell to the local shop by the end of june.
How often do i need to water the tomatoes? Do they need fed? Are my tomatoes likely to be stolen?
Thanks for your help...

[badger]

I reckon muck, lots and lots of muck, thats the key.

[mharky]

Once you have chosen which varieties to grow, raising the plants is simple: sow the seeds in a pot and in about eight weeks the seedlings will be large enough to plant out. By mid-summer the first sun-ripened fruits arrive and they continue throughout the summer.

Start your tomatoes off by sowing seeds in a pot or seed tray towards the end of April. Leaving them to germinate on a windowsill or somewhere that is warm and frost-free.

How to sow: Fill a 7.5cm (3in) pot with seed compost, lightly firm the surface and water. Thinly scatter the seeds, cover with a small amount of compost and clearly label the pot. Keep the compost moist but not waterlogged.
Handling seeds Once they are large enough to handle, carefully prick out a single seedling using a SI Card, bringing as many roots as possible with it. Lift the seedling gently by holding a leaf. Avoid the stem as this is easily damaged.
Pricking out: Take the seedling and plant it in its own 7.5cm (3in) pot of seed compost. Gently firm it into position and water in. Place in a warm, frost-free, well-lit location, remembering to turn the pot daily if it's on a windowsill.
Growing on: When the roots start to come through the drainage holes, transfer the plant into a 12.5cm (5in) pot, taking care not to damage the roots, and water in well. If the plant is very tall, tie it to a cane for support.
Tips for success
Seeds should be sown six to eight weeks before the last frosts are expected.
Clearly label the seed pots with the variety name and the date of sowing.
Tomato seeds germinate best at 15°C to 20°C (59°F to 68°F). A windowsill is ideal.
Before planting out, harden off the plants by placing them outside during the day for a few weeks.
Prepare the site by incorporating organic matter into the soil.
The tomato is ready to plant out once the first flower-bearing truss has formed.
Watering the plants regularly will help to prevent the fruits' skin from splitting.
When four trusses have set fruit, remove the growing tip to hasten ripening.
Remove weed competition from around the tomato plants during the summer.
Pick the fruits when they are fully ripe, to capture all the flavour.
Caring for your plants
Planting out: When risk of frost has passed, drive a strong stake around 2cm (0.75in) in diameter into soil that has had organic matter dug into it. Then, next to the stake, dig a hole a little deeper than the height of the plant's pot. Place the plant in the hole and firm in.



Staking: Use soft twine to tie the plant's stem loosely to the stake. As the plant grows, check the ties regularly and loosen them occasionally to prevent stem damage. The next tomato should be planted 45cm (18in) away to allow the sun to reach the ripening fruits.



Remove sideshoots: Using your thumb and finger, nip out any sideshoots that develop between the leaf and the stem to help channel the plant's energy into its fruits. Watering and regular feeding with a high-potash fertiliser will ensure a plentiful, healthy crop.



Harvesting: When the fruits have ripened, pick them by bending back the fruit at the notch on the stem. They can be eaten straight from the plant, or can be stored for up to a week in the fridge. Continue to water and feed the plant to help the remaining fruits mature.

Variety guide
'Gardener's Delight' is a heavy cropper with deliciously sweet, small, deep red fruits.
'Tigerella' Each medium-sized red fruit of 'Tigerella' is easily recognised by its paler tiger stripes. It fruits early and has a wonderful flavour.
'Outdoor Girl' is an early-maturing tomato with a good flavour, this sturdy variety produces a generous yield of medium-sized fruit.
'Alicante' is reliable and heavy-cropping with an excellent flavour. It is ideal for beginners.
'Ailsa Craig' is a high-yielding variety that produces richly flavoured, red fruits.
'Marmande' is a large red beefsteak variety, distinguished by its irregular shape. Fruits have a sweet, juicy flavour and very few seeds.
'Sungold' The sweetness of the cherry-sized fruits makes them ideal for use in salads.

[juniorkyle]

http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/greenhouse.html

Does this help?

[eddie]

you're a jobbie you know that

[Ed]

personally, I reckon a decent dose of "fertiliser" should do the trick. I'm sure you'll have no trouble getting some of it.

[Scotia]

My father said the greenhouse business is very profitable ...

[distracted]

Handling seeds Once they are large enough to handle, carefully prick out a single seedling using a SI Card, bringing as many roots as possible with it.

The many uses for an SI-card

Scotia - didn't know you meant that type of tomato...

[mharky]

i can't believe you actually read that sh'te

[Copepod]

Hi Scotia. Hope you're making compost - will be needed for next year's batch of tomatoes. Advice available on http://www.hdra.org.uk (Organic gardening organisation based at Ryton, near Coventry) or ask your council if they have Master Composters - I'm one of Cambridgeshire's.

[PorkyFatBoy]

How often do i need to water the tomatoes?

Daily in the evening at root level.

Do they need fed?

Yes, once the fruit has set week twice a week with an organic tomato feed

Are my tomatoes likely to be stolen?

No, but they might get eaten by slugs. Pick them of by torchlight and drown them in salty water. Beer traps work but are a waste of beer.

My neighbour grew some tomatoes like those ones in your photo. He set light to them one night when he heard that PC Plod was going to investigate. He managed to burn down the whole of his outbuilding as well as the green house. Luckily he didn't set fire to the thatched roof of his house....

[Guest]

Ignore Eds b*lls**t, the best fertiliser is a banana skin. When you pot up your tomoato plants to put them outside, put a banana skin in each pot. The nutrients from the decaying banana skin gives them a really good start. However, you'll still need to feed the tomotoes with tomato feed when the they start to fruit. The banana skin can't do everything.

Migsy

[FatBoy]

He managed to burn down the whole of his outbuilding as well as the green house.

Presumably because he was completely off his tree having just set fire to a year's supply

[Mrs H.]

Agree - was going to say i hope he was standing down wind of the fire!

I must admit i don't grow tomatoes as i find them rather labour intensive - and i go away too much I am however passionate about onions - the perfect crop - plant them, hoe them, leave them, harvest them, keep them all year. I am also very keen on compost

[PorkyFatBoy]

My father said the greenhouse business is very profitable ...

...as long as you don't get caught. Here's the news story about my neighbour's court case.