After reading Sojerd's posting with all those beautiful toms hanging around and processing them light up a bulb in my head. Yes that is a great idea and if I can successfully plant toms, we can have all the tom concentrate we need instead of getting it from the supermart. Now where to get the seeds? Dropped by my regular seeds supplier and he have hybrids only, the packaging looks real old so I decided against buying it. I asked him about planting toms and was told that it is not a popular plant. At the moment it is commercially grown mainly in the highlands only because of the cooler climate. I remembered my mum used to plant toms when I was a kid and we were living in the village then. According to her it was easy, just throw the seeds from the fresh toms where you want it to grow and it will grow. So I guess my source of seeds will have to be from fresh toms and I would have to hijack some from Becky when she is cooking toms next. Fresh Tomatoe Seed ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) About a fortnight ago, I got the seeds and planted them in a small pot, not all of them but just a clump of it. The rest I left them in a plastic egg tray to dry but I failed badly here. Yikes! Fungus covered tom seeds. ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) I just checked them and mostly are covered with fungus ... yikes!!! I think I should have removed the jelly like thingie before leaving them to dry ........ help please!! Tom in pot for germination ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) I did not plant more than just a clump because I am not sure whether they are normal toms or hybrid. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they are normal. Tom seedlings ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Well 3 germinated and grew into beautiful healthy seedlings. I just had them transplanted to their bed yesterday and growing well. There are 3 of them now, I guess eventually there should only be one.
Hi KK--I would separate the three and plant them separately so that you have three individual plants. This is exciting, KK...REALLY exciting. Do you plan on growing them in containers or in the ground? Good luck, mate!
They look great! I would follow Sjoerd's advice and separate them. I was once told by an old market gardener that the mold on the fresh tomato seeds was a GOOD thing to help with germination. Did you plant them or throw them in the compost KK Ng?
Thanks for the info Glendann, I guess I'll go and do the necessary tomorrow. Sojerd I dare not seperate them since this is the very first time I am planting tom. I just dug out a whole chunk of earth from the pot and transfer them into the grow bed. Moreover I am not sure that whether they are normal or hybrid. Next time when I am sure I will definitely do that cause I am planning to plant at least six plants at a go. They were planted in the ground in a mini raised bed for 1 plant. Yes it is indeed exciting and thanks a lot. Thanks Netty and I am so sorry the seeds are already in the compost and the container is in the recycling. If this plant is normal, I guess I'll be getting lots of seed then.
When your seedlings get their second set of leaves, transplant them then. Even if they are close together, you can dampen the soil very well, and gently disentangle the root systems so you have three separate plants instead of a clump. The tomatoes will grow better with more space, and not grow all that well if left together. Even if your plants are from hybrid seeds, you'll still get tomatoes but not perhaps the kind you took the seeds from. This is exciting! Keep us posted on your tomatoes' progress.
KK, you really do need to thin and transplant the seedings as individual plantings. They grow very large and need the space. We plant ours about 3 ft/1 meter apart. They also root very easily so as they grow any part of the stem touching the ground will develop roots at that spot, giving you even more support for gathering moisture and nutrients. Don't be afraid to separate the seedlings. water them very well and gently tease apart the roots and re-plant them. Tomatoes are very easy!!! I have actually taken tomato cuttings and rooted them for the garden. it only took a couple of days for the roots to appear.
The Chosen One! ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) OK I did it. It was really difficult to determine which one get to stay so I use the world most popular way of elimination ... "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" Marlingardener, thanks for reminding me that about the hybrid and fruit thing .... I wonder why I just keeping on thinking that it wont bear fruit or the plant will be sickly! Thanks Carolyn, I did it this evening. I just snip off those that did not get chosen because I did not want to disturb the ground and did not have any vacant lot to plant at the moment. Anyway let's see what kind of toms I'll be getting. Err are toms creepers? All I know is that they need support when growing because they have very weak stem
KK--In my childhood, I always used soil from our compost pile to enrich my flower gardens. I ALWAYS had tomato seedlings growing amidst my flowers! (And causing they to smell like tomatoes too!) I think they are indeed easy to grow from seeds from a store bought tomato. Good luck! I hope yours is yummy.
KK, tomatoes are creepers (they are actually called "tomato vines" in many old catalogs). Supporting them keeps the fruit off the ground--cleaner, fewer chances for diseases, and harder for critters to get at. You can let the tomato sprawl over a nice layer of mulch, but if you are pressed for space, a sturdy trellis will save space and make picking easier, too. And I'd bet you'll be doing a good bit of tomato picking!
KK, good for you! Thinning them was very necessary. As the tomato that you left in the ground grows, it will need support to keep it off the ground, any stem touching the ground will develop roots in that spot. Any fruit that develops and stays in contact with the soil and gets dirty, moldy tasting or rots very easily. We grow ours inside tomato cages made out of concrete reinforcing wire. we take a 5 ft piece and roll it into a tube, zip tie it together and cut the bottom ring of wire off and use the "stakes" that are left to hold them upright, by shoving them straight down into the ground. Not knowing what type of tomato you are growing will also mean you don't know how tall it will grow. You will have either a determinate or indeterminate tomato. no telling how tall it will be.
Yes Cherylad , it is fun doing it Thanks Cayuga Morning, my only wish for it is that it is not sour! Marlingardener, thanks for your confirmation, I have my thinking cap on what is the best way to support just 1 plant. Carolyn, thanks for your tip - a cage sounds great! I don't like using metal in my garden because it rust real fast due to the pollution and weather condition here. I think I'll make it out of bamboo since I have a lot to spare. We will have to wait and see how tall it'll get I guess.
You are right Carolyn, bamboo make great stakes. The Bamboo Cage ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Vine for tying ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) What used to be a nuisance is now useful :-D but they are still a nuisance. Anyway I cut those vines from the fencing of my home perimeter yesterday and found them to be quite strong for tying the bamboo cage. Those that were cut yesterday and left in the sun are stonger and more flexible than those that are freshly cut. The fresh ones are brittle. It feels good to be able to use everything from the garden :-D
