On Sat, 3 May 2003 09:30:35 +0900, "Gyve Turquoise"
wrote:


I don't know "Red Robins", but if you grow the cordon type of tomatoes, the
ones where you tie them to a stake, then presumably you're pruning lots of
bits off them. (Sorry I don't know the technical name for the "bits".) I've
found that if you let these bits get about ten centimetres long and then
pull them off you can plant them into pots of potting compost and they very
readily root. The first few days they wilt very badly, but they usually pull
through the wilted phase (don't forget to water them of course) and then you
get a very nice tomato plant. For the case of expensive hybrid tomatoes
buying one or two plants from the garden centre and then propagating them in
this way is much cheaper than buying a packet of seed.

Thanks.


Tomatoes are allegedly a perennial plant in their native environment, so if
you have a warm position in the greenhouse presumably you could keep
propagating plants throughout the winter.


We won't be able to keep tomatoes going through the winter
in our (not yet built) hoophouse, as it will be unheated and
it can get as cold as minus 20 F here (and did several times
this last winter).

However, we have a big bay window flanked by a window on
each side set at 45 degrees to the bay window - the whole
affair sticks out from the house and has a wide window
ledge. It faces southeast and is almost like a
'mini-greenhouse'. I can fit six 22" x 11" flats on the
window ledge.

Since Red Robins will grow happily in a 6" pot, I'll
definitely grow some of them through the winter in the bay
window. Also some salad greens and herbs. Cilantro,
possibly basil. Parsley for sure.

I didn't do this before - we've lived in this house only two
years - because the cat liked to sleep on the bay window
ledge and the dogs flopped their front paws up there to see
out the window. We've blocked it off now with a piece of
wooden lattice-work so I can use it for plants - the dogs
and cat have adjusted!

Thanks.
Pat