This is my first time growing tomatoes and it's been a very exciting journey so far as you guys can imagine.
As a first timer, one of the problems I face is not really knowing how I'm doing and what to expect from my tomato plants. I don't have a big garden, so most of my plants live in the top floor where I have south-faced window with a lot of sun during the day.

At the moment I have 20+ plants of tomatoes, all grown from seeds, most of them started between 27/01 and 10/02, all indoors (south faced window, 20+ celsius during the day and slightly colder at night).

I plan to use my balcony (15m2) to get them most of them in pots later on the year at about May (last frost is early/mid may).

The varieties I have planted are Bistecca (heirloom), Marmande (heirloom), Chipano (indeterminate), Roma VF (semi-bush), Ace 55 VF (determinate), San Marzano (indet), Bush, Tiny Tim (bush), Phillipos F1 (?), Luxor (?) and Orange Tomato (heirloom).

From what I see in several posts here, I may have started too early.
I have started some additional plants last week because I'm afraid of having started to early and end up running into problems because of that. I have no ideas whether I should be afraid or not.

So here my questions:

1) Is the 'started too early' problem a real one since I will keep them in large pots, or only if I will plant them on the ground? As I mentioned above, I have no plans to put them on the ground.

2) I haven't yet fertilised them at all, I started with potting mix and last week transplanted most of them to 7 inch pots with the thought that they could grow a bit more until I finally transplant them to the bigger pots - 10+ gallon.
Is it a problem that I haven't fertilised them yet?

3) Some of the branches look a bit "too heavy" for the main steam, also the leaves are pretty large. Branches look like they are falling and struggling to grow upwards (see pics).
I have been removing suckers from the indeterminate varieties and left the bush tomatoes alone.

4) When should I expect the first flowers?

Well, that is folks, I would be grateful if someone with more experience could help me with this.

If someone with more experience could help to clear up these things to me, it would really really great.

Below a few pictures:

Cherry tomato (leafy)

Bistecca 2 with "heavy" branches

Chippano (leafy)

Many thanks,

- Bruno

I don't have any experience with containers but those are going to be huge in 4-6 weeks and probably showing the effects of being rootbound and very shocky when you transplant. You could try stepping them up into ever larger containers or just use the ones you started later.

The branches look fine by the way just getting too large and might stand some support before too long. The branches will droop if they aren't supported.

As far as the branches getting heavy, there are two issues:

Number One: You have to support them : by cage, stake or other means.

Number Two: growing in container , in a balcony, perhaps it is necessary to do pruning to some degree.

Another thing that I noticed, maybe your containers are not big enough in volume. MINIMU is about 5 US gallons or about 20 liters. Most will advocate using double that size (= 40 liters), UNLESS your plants are dwarf, bush, or small determinant varieties.

Just My Opinions

I have been removing suckers from the indeterminate varieties and left the bush tomatoes alone.

As long as you understand that doing that is optional and isn't required for any reason, that it will cost you production, and it will result in a taller (skinnier) plant than if you leave them.

Dave