The Tomato Growing Thread 2019

Me too....no tumbling tom seeds at garden centre today.

 

I grew Tumbling Tom Yellow last year and thought it had a slightly better flavour than the reds.

 

One year my neighbour gave me a tumbling tom plant, it had loads of tomatoes but they never ripened they just stayed yellow ended up throwing it in the compost bin, my neighbours was the same and she threw hers away, you guessed it...Tumbling tom yellow.

 

Looks like ive killed my first batch of marconi peppers,no germination. But the seeds taken from long red peppers sold in Aldi are up.
Rocket is looking good,basil is stirring. New batch of marconi just gone in with sungold toms and tumbling juniors.
Havent got a clue what im doing but its fun innit?

 

I'm doing a bit of a Gardeners Delight test. More out of coincidence than intention. I was sent a 'free' pack of GD with my polytunnel. I then forgot and bought a pack of GD from Chiltern. Then JWK kindly sent me two different years seeds from his crops. I'll grow one of each plant in the tunnel and give some to friends and father in law to attempt to get a wider sample of each strain. Don't expect anything too scientific though.

I'm then growing what they call buffalo heart/ox heart in Bulgaria. I think its beef heart here. Its the ugliest plant Ive seen but the fruit has few seeds and low acidity.

Then, due to me going a bit mad with other seeds, I wont have space for (m)any other tomatoes.

 

Well after you have posted this I now realise the toms on my allotment were tumbling yellow cherry toms. I did however work out they were yellow toms (and they were fantastic), but I thought they were so untidy spreading all over the place....but absolutely FULL of tomatoes. Now it makes sense if they were the tumbling type.

 

Just to add to that - the tomato seedlings were given to me by a neighbour who had them given to her too - and she had no idea what type they were. lol

 

so many people saving seeds now ....

 

Anyone would think people are getting worried about an increase in food prices and wanting to grow their own maybe?!? lol

 

Wait Vince........... then go for it.

I have lights and heat but prefer to grow my toms naturally, this year more of the same....

Big Zak (because I can and they don't taste bad)
Big Boy (even tastier than the above)
Manx Marvels (Exceptional taste and crop last year)
San Marzano (No better plum tomato for sauces [I was growing them before that TV chef ever knew about them])

Maybe some gardeners delight if I can get hold of seed from old stock.

 

The old man was handed two tomato plants on one of his postal rounds last year. So while this is the second year we've grown tomatoes, it'll be the first from seed.

Got some Gardener's Delight seeds in a 'Salad Collection' multipack that was on sale at Wilko towards the end of last year, in the hope of getting one plant out of them that we can cordon in the greenhouse.

Fingers crossed.

 

I am after some recommendations please if anybody has any on which tomatoes to grow this year. I usually have 3 hanging baskets of trailing tomatoes and 4 tomatoes plants (not bush type) in the greenhouse in pots. Preferably one beefsteak type and 3 medium salad tomatoes.

Also, I have had a problem with blossom end rot (black at the bottom of the tomatoes) the past couple of years. What causes it and how do I stop it?

 

Is it too early to sow tomato seeds yet? I'm desperate to get going.

 

I'm forcing myself to wait another week or so. I have started earlier but because I don't have your milder climate, I regretted it due to space restriction. I'd probably be the same as you if I lived over there. I would be sowing now!