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Posted

Had no problems growing tomatoes in the UK.

 

Been over here now just over 12 months and am getting my head round growing season for fruit & veg. Tried a couple of tomato plants (UK seed & Thai variety) with zero success.

 

Had a lot to do with the ground I think plus not enough attention paid.

 

Just cleaned out the chicken shed six months worth of rice husk and muck. I've got a smallish patch of spare garden that I can prep. Clay soil going to break up, mix in rice husk, chicken manure and straw, work over, keeping damp.

 

Worked ok on a separate patch and got in chillies, potatoes and pak wan. Soil really nice, lots of worms.

 

Will this work well for tomatoes?

 

Patch is full sun after around 11am.

 

What time of year is best to start propagating tomato seedlings over here?

 

Lovely looking plants you got there. Any advice greatly appreciated.

Posted
2 hours ago, grollies said:

Had no problems growing tomatoes in the UK.

 

Been over here now just over 12 months and am getting my head round growing season for fruit & veg. Tried a couple of tomato plants (UK seed & Thai variety) with zero success.

 

Had a lot to do with the ground I think plus not enough attention paid.

 

Just cleaned out the chicken shed six months worth of rice husk and muck. I've got a smallish patch of spare garden that I can prep. Clay soil going to break up, mix in rice husk, chicken manure and straw, work over, keeping damp.

 

Worked ok on a separate patch and got in chillies, potatoes and pak wan. Soil really nice, lots of worms.

 

Will this work well for tomatoes?

 

Patch is full sun after around 11am.

 

What time of year is best to start propagating tomato seedlings over here?

 

Lovely looking plants you got there. Any advice greatly appreciated.

I am hesitant to give advice because what works for me may not do it for you.

 

Start planting your seeds at the end of August in order to benefit from the cool season.

 

You are right about the soil, all the magic is there. You need to till it deep enough (while mixing manure) for delicate roots to expand in order to support the plant.

My tiller goes down about one foot, barely enough. When planting your seedlings, bury them up to the highest set of leaves in order to develop a full set of roots

If your soil is clay, you need to be certain of good drainage otherwise you are wasting your time. You may need to mix in lots of organic matter for a few seasons before attempting to duplicate my results.

 

In my experience, chicken manure tends to burn the young plants, I use a generous amount of cow manure and bat excrement fertilizer to mix in my soil; then top up monthly depending on how the plants develop.

 

Once the young plants get going you need to have an IPM plan (integrated pest management) and apply weekly protection, When young; major pests are snails, leaf miners & assorted anthers like aphids, caterpillars. 

For big juicy sweet tomatoes you need happy vigorous plants. When fruit develops, you need to deal with the fruit fly.

 

For specific questions feel free to ask or PM.

 

Best Regards

Posted

Listen, any advice is appreciated!

 

I was just checking out the Kitchen Garden Photos thread, very interesting.

 

I've put some stone drains in this year and am raising the height of the plot around 50cm to improve drainage and will start digging in the New Year (fortunate to have a mini excavator).

 

I am also making and using chicken manure tea which the chillies, hedges, roses, bananas and lime trees seem to like (made from mature manure).

 

Will come back to you sometime re IPM Plan. I have had a problem with leaf miner on lime trees. I made a mix of liquid soap, mouthwash and water and sprayed the leaves. Took a few weeks spraying and removing affected leaves but it seems to work.

 

I'm pretty new here and enjoying the posts from everyone. As you say, you can pick and choose the advice that best suits.

 

Cheers for the reply and Happy New Year

 

grollies

Posted

The foliage on your plants is amazing! 

Mine are like skeletons compared... but the crop is still good, IMO.

 

Would you mind sharing your tips (step by step) on how to maintain good foliage? 

 

20161231_123743.jpg

20161223_173632.jpg

Posted

"green thumb", Tomato pollination is at least 50% self pollination. Flowers have both male & female organs. Pollen is enclosed and released on to the female organ when temperatures are in the optimal range.

Bees and other pollinators do help; their wing's vibration help release the pollen but subject to above.

To grow successfully; you either time yourself for the cool season or stick with heat tolerant varieties. Most North American/European heirloom varieties will have a next to zero fruit set in the hot season.

 

"djayz", to specifically answer your question about the healthy foliage.

My wife, makes, for our commercial farming operation, a home made spray fertilizer that every villager in Thailand has an opinion about.

It consists of leftover kitchen scraps + EM + molasses, left to ferment for a few month.

In this case I took the solids from bottom of the barrel and tilled them in before planting, you see the result.

 

Best Regards

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
On 12/31/2016 at 0:45 PM, soidog2 said:

 

 

 

 

Once the young plants get going you need to have an IPM plan (integrated pest management) and apply weekly protection, When young; major pests are snails, leaf miners & assorted anthers like aphids, caterpillars. 

For big juicy sweet tomatoes you need happy vigorous plants. When fruit develops, you need to deal with the fruit fly.

 

For specific questions feel free to ask or PM.

 

Best Regards

Can I ask what you use for the leaf miners.

Thanks

Posted

If you want organic; as soon as the plants develop a few sets of leaves; (don't wait for infestation) thoroughly, weekly, spray the new plants and the ground beneath them with a neem oil solution, include some detergent for adhesion. (you can combine it with fertilizer etc).

 

Chemical, If you see the tell tale marks; Abamectin, two or three biweekly applications (again include the dirt beneath the plants) will clear the pests and perhaps a monthly application will prevent new ones.

 

Posted
On Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 8:23 PM, soidog2 said:

IMG_5107.JPGIMG_5086.JPGIMG_5103.JPGIMG_5112.JPGRipeness update

Massive tomatoes! 

What kind are they? 

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted
1 hour ago, soidog2 said:

I guess, now, you will hate me more!

 

 

IMG_5304.JPG

It's called "throwing down the gauntlet"!

 

I'm prepping ground now to start July/Aug...........

 

I'll no doubt be in touch around Nov asking what went wrong 555555

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