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Dolmio Tomato Growing Seeds - progress reporting thread

471 replies

AnnMumsnet · 06/05/2011 09:26

This thread is for the MNers who are growing tomato plants from seed courtsey of Dolmio (well at least they are hoping to Grin). The project is designed to highlight the fact that 100% of Dolmio tomatoes are grown outdoors in the sun (not in greenhouses). For more info on Dolmio please click here

If you are a tomato grower and part of this project please add your updates below - we'd love to know about the plants at each stage - from humble seedlings to the fully grown fruit! Do let us know how, if at all, your children are getting involved as well. If you are not so succesful don't worry please also let us know here. If you need any advice please ask and if you can offer advice please do so!

Details for sending in photos is on the email sent.

Everyone who takes part in this project and who adds their feedback and sends in at least one photo will be entered into a prize draw to win one of two £200 John Lewis vouchers and a Dolmio hamper (to be mailed out in September).

Thanks and best of luck
MNHQ

OP posts:
sunchild77 · 07/05/2011 15:34

We planted our seeds last week, and a couple have sprouted already. We did have to buy a plastic lid thing though... Kids are very excited to watch them grow :)

clayre · 07/05/2011 18:02

I just brought ours in from the rain, dp thinks I have ishooes!!

BehindLockNumberNine · 07/05/2011 18:13

So, I planted mine on bank holiday monday, spread into 8 pots. Over each of the pots I placed a clear sandwich bag and then placed said pots on a sunny window sill. Sort of like a window sill full of mini greenhouses.

I have teeny tiny shoots in some of the pots. Grin [we need a tomato emoticon]

I have a picture to send, where to I email it to?

Grockle · 07/05/2011 22:46

We planted ours on Friday. When I say we, I mean me... DS did his usual 'you do it, Mummy & I'll bugger off and play football'

Naoko · 08/05/2011 00:33

Seeds only got here today, going to sort out a tray for them tomorrow and will report back :)

PaperView · 08/05/2011 11:19

Not even done them yet Blush

Bought a grow bag and was ready just to do my usual bung some seeds in and see what happens but then i read the back and its a bloody palaver. Will plant (sow?) soon.

BornToYolk · 08/05/2011 11:34

I have seedlings! I used a windowsill propogator (v cheap from Wilkos) and I have about 10 seedlings so far.

I've also got a load of plants from seeds I planted a couple of months ago. I planted a couple of these into growbags as per Moonbell's suggestion on the other thread and it was very easy to do and the bags are standing up nicely.

Bicnod · 08/05/2011 12:11

Little green seedlings came up overnight Grin

DS very excited.

Now got to work out when to move them from the propagator (and hopefully not kill them)

ShatnersBassoon · 08/05/2011 15:00

We have seedlings too. They're been on the patio, was a bit worried they'd be washed away in the downpours yesterday, but they're hanging on in there.

craftynclothy · 08/05/2011 16:33

A couple of ours seem to be growing Hmm. How do I know when to move them to a pot?

onadietcokebreak · 08/05/2011 17:48

I have brought a mini propagrator and put it in our mini greenhouse outside. Fingers crossed.

RAlover · 08/05/2011 18:02

We planted ours on Thursday evening, a pot for each of the DC. Am going to try my hardest not to kill them. Will report back if and when there is growth Grin

Grockle · 08/05/2011 20:08

I'm impressed that people had seedlings overnight. Ours are nowhere to be seen but we've left them on the patio (in a sheltered spot). It's warm here so I hope they'll be ok outside.

TheMonster · 08/05/2011 20:12

I've just planted my seeds (better late than never!). I bought a mini windowsill greenhouse plastic thing for a couple of quid and it's not got pride of place on the windowsill in the lounge, which gets nice and sunny.

TheMonster · 08/05/2011 20:13

I don't know why I have put the word 'not' my post! It HAS got pride of place!

loolooskiptotheloo · 08/05/2011 20:18

in the propagator, so will keep you posted, not that hopeful i'm awful at growing things!

BeerTricksPotter · 08/05/2011 23:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 09/05/2011 06:17

We have baby seedlings. Crafty I usually wait until they have two sets of proper leaves (the first leaves that come through don't count) and are a couple of inches high, then whack them into a 3 inch pot (DS makes thrm out of newspaper and an aerosol cam if we haven't any . With tomatoes you can plant them up to their leaves and new roots from the stalk giving them a good root system. Apparently tomatoes use the more shallow roots at the top to take in feed and the bottom roots for water. So when they go into their final pot when bigger, you can cut the end off a plastic bottle and bury it next to the plant. Water into the bottle, then when you give the plant feed you water that onto the compost surface.

I'm going to look out for some comfrey and make some comfrey tea for mine if I can face the vile smell it makes.

Bicnod · 09/05/2011 06:39

Grockle - they came up overnight after being planted 5 days previously so not as impressive as it sounds! As an aside - are you from the New Forest by any chance??

Wynken - if they are in a propagator do you leave the lid on until the first two sets of proper leaves? Thanks for the tips :)

Got a few more sprouting now - very exciting - they grow pretty quickly once they're up.

Grockle · 09/05/2011 06:56

Oh phew! I was thinking you had super amazing seeds! Grin

I do live near the Forest.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 09/05/2011 07:11

I usually take the lid off once they are up Bicnod and get soften somewhere with a lot of light as they grow fast and get pretty leggy otherwise and the humidity with the lid on can cause them to keel over when they are tiny, think it's called damping off.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 09/05/2011 07:17

Grockle can you stick them on a sunny windowsill with a plastic fruit punnet over the top as a lid maybe? I'm sure they will come up outsibandit we're 15 mins from New Forest and we had a sharp frost 15 May lady year which decimated all the tender things on allotment and tomatoes don't like evening temperature of less than 10 degrees.

snorkie · 09/05/2011 08:35

On gardeners question time yesterday they were saying not to put tomatoes outside for another fortnight due to frost risk.

CoffeeGoneColdAgain · 09/05/2011 11:32

Ours have been in a week and no sign yet. We do have beetroot shoots tho :o

jasper1980 · 09/05/2011 11:46

I put my seed tray in beside my tortiouse(who is still indoors until it warms up enough for her, we are in ScotlandGrin)...and we had seen nothing in the form of life from them.

They had obviously germinated as over the space of 24 hours they have grown so much!...suppose the artificial sun we need for the tortoise had done them the world of good and the constant 30 degree warmth!