[keano97]

Im growing a tomato plant in a mini - plastic greenhouse in Cork city. It had two trussess of tomatoes now. The first truss in actually flowers - the second is just buds. Im wondering how long after the flowers appear will tomatoes start to show.?? Is it because it is too cold at night?? Im not too sure if im just being impatient?? It could be about a week since the flowers came .. mabye two i dont know?? help anyway pleeeeeeeezzzeeeee!!!! If michael brenock or james kilkelly are reading please reply!!

[Sive]

Patience ! When the flowers start to wither away, you will see a tiny little tomato starting to form. Patience !

[keano97]

sorry for asking another question!! i must sound like a impatient git!! but how long after the flower is pollinated does it usually take to see a small tomato. I have been a bit heavy handed with the water and I read that the first truss can fail because of it!! It is a moneymaker variety and at the moment is 20inches tall. It is also quite bushy. But there are no side shoots because I picked them all off. How many trusses should I leave grow on my plant?? I wont really have a any room for more than two trusses. So would It be bad for the plant to pinch it out at that stage? Tnkz

[Jimbo]

when the flower falls off you should see the tomato. it will be about the size of a pin head. As Sive says, be patient....

[keano97]

K i can see that now!!!!! Thnkz 4 all d replies !!

[mcgrueser]

Patience Keano, it'll be worth it!

As regards the number of trusses, it can depend on what height you have available but i think 4or5 would be the norm. Just make sure you take out the side shoots as they appear or the plant will put too much effort into them growing rather than the fruit...

[keano97]

Ya I was doing that!
I think ill leave two trusses because thats all i will have room for in my greenhouse. Not many people in my family like tomatoes wither so there will probably be even too much as their is!! After they mature and i pick them I presume thats all you get until next summer?? I want to keep it alive until then - Any ideas/tips?????

[mcgrueser]

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the amount you get off your plants. They should keep on fruiting for most of the summer.
As regards keeping them alive until next year? I don't think that's feasible really...

[keano97]

ya i dunno .... i might bring them inside for the winter??

[cathd]

Tomatoes are very light hungry which is one of the reasons to start them so late this far North. I brough a tomato plant indoors last year in early october and it continued fruiting till mid november. I had hoped to keep it alive till spring so I could take cuttings- it had a superb flavour, but i bought it as a plant and didn't know the variety. It was kept nice and warm, but not too warm- under a velux window at the top of the house. Kept watered, but never waterlogged, (I used a wick to keep soil moist) but eventually as the days got shorter, it gradually gave up the ghost and finally died in late december. Maybe a grow light would have helped, but the lights in my attic room which would have been on for a few hours each evening don't seem to have been enough to keep it going.

[Michael196]

Collect the seed from one of the tomatoes, for next year.

I had old tomatoes fall on the greenhouse floor last year, now three tomatoe plants are sprouting up from the walkway in the greenhouse.

[fontodi]

When the summer is over you can cut the whole plant at the base and hang it upsidedown in a cool dark shed and the green tomatoes will ripen slowly. I did this once and had tomatoes in november.

[sillydad]

should all tom plants be supported staked mine are bout 2 foot high just starting to flower

[keano97]

I staked mine anyway - i think it is much better than to let them fall around themselves. You even might risk the chance of them breaking. Not a chance that i would take anyway!! I think it keeps it much better in my opinion! 2 foot tall and only just flowering now?? Have you been feeding with tomato feed every second feeding if your growing them in pots??

[Charles_Dimmock]

My plants have been out since Sunday in the garden but have yet to flower.

I've read contradicting articles on feeding. If i use a tomato feeder now surely im just encouraging my foiliage