Tomatoes on allotment?

Fruitcake

I've got loads of tomato plants in pots at home which need to go to my allotment. 

But I don't have a greenhouse there. They've more or less been grown outside until now, will they be ok on my allotment or do I need sone kind of protection for them? 

Ive not had the allotment for two weeks yet so please brace yourselves for more silly questions 

Dovefromabove

I don't have a green house - I grow all my tomatoes outside in a sunny part of our garden terrace - This year I have 25 plants in large pots - not quite sure how that happened - I meant to cut down this year   

Some varieties do better than others outside and we are dependent on a decent summer, but l usually find it's really worthwhile

Are you going to plant yours direct into the soil on your allotment?  I would if I were you.  It'll be easier to manage the watering.  

Fruitcake

Thank you both. I'm still a bit unsure about the type of soil there, it's somewhere between clay and really good stuff. The plan is to plant them directly into the soil but I'd mix some compost in first

Fruitcake

They all seem to be doing them in greenhouses

artjak

Fruitcake, I can't see where you are in the U.K. Here in the Norfolk Fens I grow some toms outside and some inside, and then hope for a sunny warm summer.

Fruitcake

Sorry artjak, I'm in Bristol. I nipped up to the allotment to water, and had a quick look at whether other people were growing them outdoors or not. The answer is yes! 

DorsetUK

My mother used to to grow them outside near Portishead.  I grew them outside near Salisbury and I'm now growing them outside near Dorchester. Must get round to buying a greenhouse one of these days

Forester2

Stake them too and pray for lots of sunshine and warm weather.

Lullabelle

My tomatoes are in a container in the back garden, plenty of sun. The bottom leaves are turning yellow not sure why. Also I want them to stop growing and focus on growing the tiny toms already on the plant. Do I nip out the tops to stop them growing any taller?

bekkie hughes

You could try erecting some sort of windbreak, it might help to keep them sheltered just a little, as allotments can be very open, windy places. My cheapo method ws to by a couple of the plastic cloches from 99p store, instead of using them horizontally and pushing the wire supports in the ground, take the wire out, thread canes through and push the canes in to the soil- it will look a little like a one of those things you have on the beach. It looks a bit odd, but does the trick

Fruitcake

Thanks everyone, Rebecca Hughes I love that idea!