It's that time of year again ...

[Odsox]

... to start sowing tomato seeds.

Well for some weirdo people it is anyway.
Started off today chitting a few Silver Fir Tree tomato seeds, which if I've got my timing right should start producing ripe fruit in time for Christmas.
But this year there's something new. Whilst browsing through the seed racks in a huge nursery when on holiday in England, as you do, I came across a sweet pepper that has been bred for pot growing. So this year there will be one less potted tomato and a pepper instead.
Exciting times...

[Cassiepod]

eh? where do you keep them and how on earth do they ripen?

[bonniethomas06]

Am I right in thinking that tomatoes don't need sunshine hours just steady temperatures to fruit?

[Odsox]

Am I right in thinking that tomatoes don't need sunshine hours just steady temperatures to fruit?

A bit of both, although I think the temperature is the most important.
These will be grown on a south facing windowsill, but being south west Ireland doesn't mean unbroken sunshine. I would estimate that from November to March we might only see the sun maybe twice a week sometimes, but the temperature will be a fairly constant 20 degrees.

[Odsox]

eh? where do you keep them and how on earth do they ripen?

Cassiepod, more details of last year's winter tomatoes are here http://selfsufficientish.com/forum/view ... =1&t=29031

[Flo]

I thought it was the time of the year to worry about preparing the beds for autumn sown onions and garlic ...

[Cassiepod]

Thanks Odsox

mmm onion and garlic much more my thing! although with a bit of tomato your getting a nice pasta sauce going....

[bonniethomas06]

Its a race against time for me to get any portion of land ready for garlic/onions. It is currently turf!

[Odsox]

A bit of an update.
The Silver Fir Tree tomatoes are now just over a month old now, languishing in the afternoon sun.
I'll post every now and again to see if my timing is right and I have ripe fruit for Christmas.
It's a bit of a gamble as I haven't grown them during the winter before, so we will see if I get egg on my face.

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[Brewtrog]

Hopefully it's tomato on your face, not egg

[Green Aura]

Even at that size the plants are so pretty.

[Odsox]

UPDATE

We now have a tomato hedge, or even a silver firtree hedge.
Things are looking promising, 10 weeks to go for ripe fruit.
Might do it ...

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[Green Aura]

Grrrrrrrrr.

[bonniethomas06]

Oh my word! They are beautiful! I recon you'll be good for Christmas. Fingers crossed!

[Odsox]

Oh dear, it looks like my timing was a bit out.
Ah well, at least there should be some left at Christmas .... hopefully.

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