Have I sold 16 people a pig in a poke?

[PiggyPokkyFool]

Name changed as this is very outing.
The facts: Saw YouTube video about growing tomatoes from a slice of tomato, had some v tasty cherry ones from supermarket so planted 3 slices with low expectations. 3 weeks later, 54 seedlings, transferred to larger pots expecting to lose half, 52 survived - nearly all grew looking super healthy - had 49 tomato plants. Couldn't possibly use all so planted some, gave away some and had 28 tomato plants left. Got the bright idea of selling them on our local group for 50p each - sold all bar 3 which I offered some to my much older, much wiser chum and he said " Oh, no thanks as they are probably F1s so won't produce anything". Have I sold 16 people a pig in a poke? Never mind friends who think I am a great grower

We used to grow potatoes at school with our year 2s. We used supermarket own and watched them chit and then planted them. We usually got a good yield and made potato salad with them for the children to take home.
We then had an expert from our staff tell us that we should use seed potatoes as they would be more appropriate to use and would yield better quality potatoes. So I bought them and we did the process. We ended up with four potatoes covered in a white fungus.

Went back to supermarket specials next year!

@stayingaliveisawayoflife - break the rules and win anyway.
We are trail blazers.....

AutumnCrow

Your plants should be flowering soon? Let us know how the surprise tomatoes turn out. I fancy making some of my own surprises next year!

Oh yes I will keep you posted - good or bad - really keeping my fingers crossed for a positive outcome from my slices of hope

Gosh BobTheDuvet if they get all those their 50p will be well spent! In fact if they get a dozen of those they will be doing well enough. It's a waiting game now to see how they progress. Keep me going with your amazing stories.

I currently have 14 healthy seedlings beginning to come into flower from one half cherry tomato.
wow! And to think of all the tomato seeds I throw away every week. I know what I am doing after Christmas.

Given how knowledgable everyone sounds, can I jump on for a blatant derail?! I am no gardener, but saw some tomato seedlings for sale locally and bought 3 plants at the end of April. I kept them inside for 2 weeks and then planted them in a tomato grow bag in our south facing garden. They are kind of growing, one more so than the others, but (stupid question incoming) there’s no sign of any fruit or flowers - they’re still just green and spindly. What should I be seeing by now? I’m keen not to kill these, as I have a 5yo very excited to try our own tomatoes...

What is a ‘pig in a poke’?

A pig in a poke is something that is inferior to what it seems.

Thanks @BikeRunSki.

Comes from the practice of showing a buyer a healthy pig but, upon purchase, swapping it for a sickly pig or another type of animal in a sack so the buyer doesn't notice.

F1s will produce seed, but not necessarily the same type of tomato.

You normally keep tomatoes in a greehouse, Silent. My greenhouse ones which I grew from seed are still small plants now. They will grow outside but even more slowly and will produce less fruit. Most produce fruit from July to September.

You can get really cheap plastic growhouses that will fit a gro-bag. I've had good crops in the past from those.

Sounds like you haven't sold them a pig in a poke as much as a lucky dip surprise!

I'm not surprised you sold them. People hate the idea of trying to start things off but once they're up and going, they know all they need to do is the nurturing part.

We live in a country town and my friend makes a good bit of cash from selling seedlings of all kinds outside her house. She has trays of herbs and tiny lettuces etc.

She's adding eggs and potted jams soon for the tourists!

Transparency I can definitely handle a lucky dip surprise but would hate to feel I had cheated anyone.
HennyPennyHorror That is exactly right - hence the local farmers market gets away with selling tiny miserable looking basil plants for £4.50, spindly tomato plants £3 etc. I see people queuing up to buy them too.
Maybe this can be a new business idea - lucky dip tomatoes - I would only need to sell 2M odd and just like Del and Rodney this time next year .......

Not tomato related, but we once grew courgettes in growbags. Our new kittens used the earth as a litter tray. Months later we excitedly harvested really big courgettes and put them in the kitchen. Until that is we noticed the smell. They have since been known as the cat shit courgettes. We've never grown them again....

I'm not greefingered whatsoever, but love the idea of giving this a shot!

I'm assuming I'm too late for a go this year, so can anyone walk through rough timings with me on tomato growing, and how to actually give these ones a go?
What sort of pots, soil etc?

Thanks

Blatant placemark for tips.

Good guide here from T&M
www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-grow-tomatoes
Does not include my 'cut a slice of tomato, place on compost, cover with more compost, get 54 seedlings bit' but good from there. March/April is the time to start with the seeds.
Keep the support coming and I'll update when I have news.

Piggy I think you need to write your own tutorial

I had a mouldy tomato once and bashed it up and stuck the lot in a plant pot and had a lovely big tomato plant.

Tomatoes were smaller but I got a couple of salads out of it