Tomatoes in cool UK conditions

LessImpecunious

I've read recently on another gardening group that tomatoes don't like temperatures below 10 degrees C, and, as my greenhouse often has overnight temps below 10C even in July and August (on a hill in mid Wales) I'm suspecting maybe this is one reason they've never been very successful... Can anyone suggest any varieties (for next year!) I might try that might do better than the Gardeners Delight and Tigerella that I've mostly grown recently. I found a list of cool-tolerant toms for the US, but not for UK varieties...

Farway

Have a search on the variety Alaska, as the name implies. I grew it years ago but have forgotten how it fared or tasted. My quick search shows lots of UK suppliers

You could also try a search on east European variety, say Polish for instance

Woolsery

Gardener's Delight has lost its AGM, many modern seeds being somewhat suspect. I imagine Sungold will not be very suitable for your location, but it's my favourite.

Have a look at Real Seeds in your neck of the woods. Their super fast Latah and derived varieties might suit, but don't expect them to grow tidily! The down-side to Real Seeds is their minimum order size....or it used to be whe I last looked.

https://www.realseeds.co.uk/tomatoes_bush.html

RAS

Sub-Arctic Plenty is available in the UK; not sure who has seeds.

Have you considered adding extra protection inside the greenhouse for the cooler nights? Fleece or bubble wrap?

LessImpecunious

RAS said:

Sub-Arctic Plenty is available in the UK; not sure who has seeds.

Have you considered adding extra protection inside the greenhouse for the cooler nights? Fleece or bubble wrap?

I would protect young plants at this time of year if it got cold / near frosty conditions - I just hadn't realised until this year that 10C was considered too cold for toms, and my summer overnight temperatures will quite often drop below this...have been recommended Sub-Arcric Plenty by others so may give it a go - I tried it outside here several years ago with not brilliant success, but maybe in a GH would do better!

MovingForwards

I grew all of mine outside last year, in Scotland, unfortunately I lost the lot due to blight. The year before I grew them in a plastic greenhouse and they were fine.

MalMonroe

My Dad grew tomatoes for years in his greenhouse. He did have a small special greenhouse heater which he used when the weather was unseasonably cold. If you google 'greenhouse heaters' there are lots of options - as with most things you can spend a little or a lot. One thing I remember in the greenhouse was his thermometer which was not sophisticated, it just hung from a screw in there and hit you on the head if you weren't careful. He was very vigilant, too, checked temps twice a day and opened doors and windows of the greenhouse at different times. His tomatoes were always delicious and very sought after by family, friends and neighbours. He always said that you had to be fussy about the soil/compost they were grown in but that's all I know about growing tomatoes. Wish now that I had taken more notice. There were always plenty of toms each year and he just gave them away to all and sundry. 

Woolsery

MovingForwards said:

I grew all of mine outside last year, in Scotland, unfortunately I lost the lot due to blight.

I'm doing the same in sunny Devon this year. Since storm Eunice I've gone all open plan in my polytunnel. Sadly I suspect my fate will be the same. I've never had blight when I've had a roof

MovingForwards

Woolsery said:

MovingForwards said:

I grew all of mine outside last year, in Scotland, unfortunately I lost the lot due to blight.

I'm doing the same in sunny Devon this year. Since storm Eunice I've gone all open plan in my polytunnel. Sadly I suspect my fate will be the same. I've never had blight when I've had a roof

I lost some spuds too, therefore this year my toms will be grown in the lounge to avoid problems.

LessImpecunious

MovingForwards said:

I lost some spuds too, therefore this year my toms will be grown in the lounge to avoid problems.

now there's an idea...

MovingForwards

LessImpecunious said:

MovingForwards said:

I lost some spuds too, therefore this year my toms will be grown in the lounge to avoid problems.

now there's an idea...

My lounge is like a greenhouse as it's got huge windows and gets very hot.

If it works, that's the way I'll grow them from now on. Bees and other insects come in as I have the windows open and when they're closed the insects bounce off the windows trying to reach the veg plants I've grown for outside.