VG says -
“yep ill do it you going to sow some more seeds?? also best to plant at the same time raise in pots or direct sow? same type of control of water but cant help it with rain. you growing them out in the open??
———-
i’m growing mine in a walled garden backing onto a north facing wall of the chook house. i already have 4 Brandywine toms (about 100 – 200mm high) growing inside plastic tree guards. photos coming on the w/e.

pepe said:

VG says -
“yep ill do it you going to sow some more seeds?? also best to plant at the same time raise in pots or direct sow? same type of control of water but cant help it with rain. you growing them out in the open??
———-
i’m growing mine in a walled garden backing onto a north facing wall of the chook house. i already have 4 Brandywine toms (about 100 – 200mm high) growing inside plastic tree guards. photos coming on the w/e.

ill plant some seeds tomorrow morining before i go out and will update it every weekend when you do, may try another batch as well pepe (if you got seeds).

My plan for my winter tomatoes same way as pepe tree guards around them as well, ill plant out about 4 seeds direct sowing into the garden beds also i will rasie a few in pots and put them in my grandmas greenhouse and see how they go in there as well. planting should be between now and sunday will let you know when i have done it. Update every weekend after they have came up.

ill plant some seeds tomorrow morining before i go out and will update it every weekend when you do, may try another batch as well pepe (if you got seeds).
-
i might have some college challenger seed. so i will plant a few in pots tomorrow so we can compare the early growth rates. i can always grow some in pots inside the chook house – because the chooks have moved into their winter house.

pepe said:

ill plant some seeds tomorrow morining before i go out and will update it every weekend when you do, may try another batch as well pepe (if you got seeds).
-
i might have some college challenger seed. so i will plant a few in pots tomorrow so we can compare the early growth rates. i can always grow some in pots inside the chook house – because the chooks have moved into their winter house.

so in the ground or pots do you want to do it?

veg gardener said:

pepe said:

ill plant some seeds tomorrow morining before i go out and will update it every weekend when you do, may try another batch as well pepe (if you got seeds).
-
i might have some college challenger seed. so i will plant a few in pots tomorrow so we can compare the early growth rates. i can always grow some in pots inside the chook house – because the chooks have moved into their winter house.

so in the ground or pots do you want to do it?

i’ve got 4 in the ground and i’ll plant 4 in pots tomorrow. so both- ok?

pepe said:

veg gardener said:

pepe said:

ill plant some seeds tomorrow morining before i go out and will update it every weekend when you do, may try another batch as well pepe (if you got seeds).
-
i might have some college challenger seed. so i will plant a few in pots tomorrow so we can compare the early growth rates. i can always grow some in pots inside the chook house – because the chooks have moved into their winter house.

so in the ground or pots do you want to do it?

i’ve got 4 in the ground and i’ll plant 4 in pots tomorrow. so both- ok?

ok ill do that as well ill take 4 to my grand parents as well.

I cheat…I buy seedlings from the nursery…

Dinetta said:

I cheat…I buy seedlings from the nursery…

not many around here would be selling them at this time i reckon and if they where they would have a few problems.

i planted about 20 college challenger seed in 4 pots this morning.
the ‘college’ is hawkesbury ag college and they are definitely summer toms. oh well – our experiment can only fail

pepe said:

i planted about 20 college challenger seed in 4 pots this morning.
the ‘college’ is hawkesbury ag college and they are definitely summer toms. oh well – our experiment can only fail

is that College in NSW or SA?

Hawkesbury Ag is on the Hawkesbury river in NSW.

roughbarked said:

Hawkesbury Ag is on the Hawkesbury river in NSW.

kk its near me any way just over 1 hr away.

veg gardener said:

pepe said:

i planted about 20 college challenger seed in 4 pots this morning.
the ‘college’ is hawkesbury ag college and they are definitely summer toms. oh well – our experiment can only fail

is that College in NSW or SA?

Hawkesbury NSW – not too far from you – i think?

Tomatoes will perfor in winter but only where frosts don’t get at them. Such as in a cutting at a place like White Cliffs where there are less than 2 frosts in the average winter and the days are sunny and dry generally.

If you want to grow them south of a line through White Cliffs then it is best noot to try growing them in the soil. Better to use pots. Pots can be moved to sunnie spots and can be taken in out of the frosts. Once the soil cools down it will not warm up again until late in spring.

Seedlings purchased seem to me to usually have disease.

Perhaps it is all that shipping around and contact with disease but seedlings I have purchased unless they are locally grown, all seem to undeperform and die prematurely.

Yes grow your seed during winter plant out in spring.

If you are lucky enough to live in a warmer area or have a glasshouse then tomatoes will likely grow in winter.. but not down south.

pepe said:

veg gardener said:

pepe said:

i planted about 20 college challenger seed in 4 pots this morning.
the ‘college’ is hawkesbury ag college and they are definitely summer toms. oh well – our experiment can only fail

is that College in NSW or SA?

Hawkesbury NSW – not too far from you – i think?

yeah, we got past the Hawkesbury river when we go down south.

I’ve never tried College Challenger I will be interested in hearing how they went.

hey pepe i have some self sown tomatoes ill use them as well they are about 300mm high.

veg gardener said:

hey pepe i have some self sown tomatoes ill use them as well they are about 300mm high.

good thinking – full marks for initiative.

pepe said:

veg gardener said:

hey pepe i have some self sown tomatoes ill use them as well they are about 300mm high.

good thinking – full marks for initiative.

i thought i had some self seeders in the garden but didnt know if they had been pulled out got about 6+ of them.

pepe said:

veg gardener said:

pepe said:

i planted about 20 college challenger seed in 4 pots this morning.
the ‘college’ is hawkesbury ag college and they are definitely summer toms. oh well – our experiment can only fail

is that College in NSW or SA?

Hawkesbury NSW – not too far from you – i think?

At Richmond…near Windsor…now, I think, a campus of the University of Western Sydney

AnneS said:

pepe said:

veg gardener said:

is that College in NSW or SA?

Hawkesbury NSW – not too far from you – i think?

At Richmond…near Windsor…now, I think, a campus of the University of Western Sydney

my sister did agriculture there :)

pics of pepes winter toms
plants inside tree guard – overview of well sheltered sunny spot with mature eggplant and capsicum transplanted in front – tom seedlings just planted or chewed by mice

my seeds havent came up yet what about yours, dont think they will come up for a while could try some on hotwater heater as well.
—————————-
all of my seed are up – about twenty in 4 small pots.
and the 4 plants in the ground are over half way up the tree guard.

pepe said:

my seeds havent came up yet what about yours, dont think they will come up for a while could try some on hotwater heater as well.
—————————-
all of my seed are up – about twenty in 4 small pots.
and the 4 plants in the ground are over half way up the tree guard.

yeah, my tomatoes in the ground dont look to happy.

pepe said:

my seeds havent came up yet what about yours, dont think they will come up for a while could try some on hotwater heater as well.
—————————-
all of my seed are up – about twenty in 4 small pots.
and the 4 plants in the ground are over half way up the tree guard.

yeah, my tomatoes in the ground dont look to happy.

veg gardener said:

pepe said:

my seeds havent came up yet what about yours, dont think they will come up for a while could try some on hotwater heater as well.
—————————-
all of my seed are up – about twenty in 4 small pots.
and the 4 plants in the ground are over half way up the tree guard.

yeah, my tomatoes in the ground dont look to happy.

are these the self sown ones?
is it cold where you are at present?

pepe said:

veg gardener said:

pepe said:

my seeds havent came up yet what about yours, dont think they will come up for a while could try some on hotwater heater as well.
—————————-
all of my seed are up – about twenty in 4 small pots.
and the 4 plants in the ground are over half way up the tree guard.

yeah, my tomatoes in the ground dont look to happy.

are these the self sown ones?
is it cold where you are at present?

yep these are the self sown ones it has been cold and then hot.

yep these are the self sown ones it has been cold and then hot.
———
its been in the 30’s here – that’s why my tom seed have germinated so fast.
i’ve put them outside to toughen a bit – only in the twenties today.

pepe said:

yep these are the self sown ones it has been cold and then hot.
———
its been in the 30’s here – that’s why my tom seed have germinated so fast.
i’ve put them outside to toughen a bit – only in the twenties today.

yeah sorry i havent replyed catching up on tv.

an update – the biggest one has set six fruit
i’m still looking for uv resistant plastic – like the tree guards.

an update
i have wrapped three cages in uv plastic. the mornings are cold so the toms planted without plastic may not survive the winter.
those toms inside the plastic have flowered but not set fruit as far as i can tell

Hey Pepe, you might need to hand pollinate in those wraps.
My neighbour and i have been discussing how once we cover our tommies with fly netting, we get little or no further fruit set.
It’s not a bee thing. Maybe the breeze is blocked and so the pollen can’t disperse sufficiently.
Also, i think optimum fruit set temp is something like 25 deg.

Here are my tommies as of 10 minutes ago.
Going well.
I’ve been using a tiny paintbrush and trying my hand at hand pollinating too.
You can see my few brassicas in the foreground under the netting for the dreaded moth.

Not to mention my tomatoes are just starting to crop. There’s one big ripe one on there with a few just starting to turn colour.
————
i seldom get good toms whereas you (and my barber) get them all the time.
i will check for pollination but the top is open and i can try shaking them.
i suspect they will rarely reach 25 degrees until september comes around.
thanks

What type of tommie are they Pepe?

Longy said:

What type of tommie are they Pepe?

in the plastic are ‘brandywine’ elsewhere they are ‘college challenger’.

pepe said:

Longy said:

What type of tommie are they Pepe?

in the plastic are ‘brandywine’ elsewhere they are ‘college challenger’.

Pepe is this the first time you have grown College Challenger??? if it isn’t how they a good crop one, and how would they go up in my area?

pepe said:

Longy said:

What type of tommie are they Pepe?

in the plastic are ‘brandywine’ elsewhere they are ‘college challenger’.

OK. I grew some CC, i think last Winter, and was less than impressed.
Never tried Brandywine. ARe they recommended for cool season?
The ones in my images are big beef. Same as i grow in Summer. They just seem to do well here.

Pepe is this the first time you have grown College Challenger??? if it isn’t how they a good crop one, and how would they go up in my area?
—-
they are meant for your area and yes they are a good tom
big plant and fruit – and bred at hawkesbury .

pepe said:

Pepe is this the first time you have grown College Challenger??? if it isn’t how they a good crop one, and how would they go up in my area?
—-
they are meant for your area and yes they are a good tom
big plant and fruit – and bred at hawkesbury .

Where abouts did you get the seeds from??

Longy said:

pepe said:

Longy said:

What type of tommie are they Pepe?

in the plastic are ‘brandywine’ elsewhere they are ‘college challenger’.

OK. I grew some CC, i think last Winter, and was less than impressed.
Never tried Brandywine. ARe they recommended for cool season?
The ones in my images are big beef. Same as i grow in Summer. They just seem to do well here.

i’m just having a bit of fun with old seed longy.
mind you i’m desperate for good toms.
i think ‘burnley bounty’ and one of the ‘rouge de marmal (?)’ are the winter toms here.

i think ‘burnley bounty’ and one of the ‘rouge de marmal (?)’ are the winter toms here.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Marmande.

I have grown those here too but the BB’s just keep on being better.
Look at the image. Proof right there.
Where VG is, i guess they have similar Winters to me, maybe a tad cooler depending on coastal influences.
My neighbour grows Summer taste and Ox heart and tho’ he gets a feed, i don’t reckon his results are quite as good as mine.
Maybe that’s a biased view:-)

Longy said:

i think ‘burnley bounty’ and one of the ‘rouge de marmal (?)’ are the winter toms here.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Marmande.

I have grown those here too but the BB’s just keep on being better.
Look at the image. Proof right there.
Where VG is, i guess they have similar Winters to me, maybe a tad cooler depending on coastal influences.
My neighbour grows Summer taste and Ox heart and tho’ he gets a feed, i don’t reckon his results are quite as good as mine.
Maybe that’s a biased view:-)

yeah i am not that close to the coast may be 1hr inland. so we don’t get salt blowing all over the place like grassy does.

Where abouts did you get the seeds from??
—-
eden seeds – altho’ they are widely available here in sa.
my onions this year are partly ‘hunter valley brown’ – which are from your area as well i imagine.
(wouldn’t it be typical if sa could get the seed and you couldn’t ?).

pepe said:

Where abouts did you get the seeds from??
—-
eden seeds – altho’ they are widely available here in sa.
my onions this year are partly ‘hunter valley brown’ – which are from your area as well i imagine.
(wouldn’t it be typical if sa could get the seed and you couldn’t ?).

we can get the Hunter Valley Brown up here.

yeah i am not that close to the coast may be 1hr inland. so we don’t get salt blowing all over the place like grassy does.

++++++++++++++++
I guess that also means you get a frost too then VG?

Longy said:

yeah i am not that close to the coast may be 1hr inland. so we don’t get salt blowing all over the place like grassy does.

++++++++++++++++
I guess that also means you get a frost too then VG?

yep we get frost here as well.

yep we get frost here as well
++++++++++++++++++++++
That’s the hard part. No matter what, tommies won’t like a frost.
So they need a warm spot, out of the southerly and westerly wind, preferably with a northerly aspect.
A good place to grow them is against a north facing brick wall.

Longy said:

yep we get frost here as well
++++++++++++++++++++++
That’s the hard part. No matter what, tommies won’t like a frost.
So they need a warm spot, out of the southerly and westerly wind, preferably with a northerly aspect.
A good place to grow them is against a north facing brick wall.

thats where one of my new veggie gardens is right out the front of the house.