Tomato Growing Thread 2021

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by JWK, Jan 4, 2021.

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  1. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    I consider blight to be one of those problems you only get if the conditions are right for it to develop.

    Obviously the conditions are mostly weather related.

    But I tell my self every year to plant toms randomly amongst other plants and leave plenty of space around them for a good air flow.

    Do I end up like that, no, every thing seems to all get closed in and too close.
     
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    • hailbopp

      hailbopp Gardener

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      Have been reading about all your woes of blight in the South. Until just about a week ago everything was very jolly and blight free up here. Normally we in the “ frozen north” are struggling with blight come the middle end of July but not this year, great joy. However, funny that word crops up regularly!, this last week has been pants and the tomatoes in the greenhouse are beginning to show signs of botrytis due to condensation!grr. Like JWK I am now keeping the door open a little and some of the vents which is helping with moisture but obvious not with temperature......my melons:yikes:. The forecast is much better so all not lost I hope. I am going out right now to strip off as many of the botrytis affected leaves as I can.
       
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      • FrancescaH

        FrancescaH Gardener

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        First small batch of the Costoluto Fiorentinos skinned and cored, now in the freezer. Got 450g here so probably want about 2kg before I dare cooking them down for sauce. However my plants are still quite full and these fruits appear to be ripening OK, so I should have a steady stream.

        [​IMG]
         
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        • JWK

          JWK Gardener Staff Member

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          Good news: finally getting a decent amount ripening
          20210814_204323.jpg

          Bad news: got blight in the greenhouse, pruned off all affected leaves and sprayed.
           
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          • FrancescaH

            FrancescaH Gardener

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            Next haul. I'm cutting them off a little early because the blight is encroaching. Let's see how many I get before they all get blight :(

            [​IMG]
             
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            • Loofah

              Loofah Admin Staff Member

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              I'm down to a few plants now, rest got blighted.
               
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              • Tomhip

                Tomhip Gardener

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                For two seasons now I have been disappointed with my gardeners delight tomatoes I have used seeds from three seed merchants and still can not find the taste that I associate with gardeners delight of a few years back I believe that the variety has been contaminated with experimental interference! now my question is has any member come across a seed company that in your experience has proper gardeners delight seeds!
                I look forward to a positive reply folks
                Good growing to you all
                Tomhip
                 
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                • JWK

                  JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                  You have come across the same issue with Gardener's Delight as a few of us found @Tomhip. We had a thread about this some years ago, I never found any seed supplier that gave good results taste wise:

                  Gardener's Delight Tomato Seed Germination and Growing Thread

                  That is a long thread, in summary:

                  The RHS trial of cherry tomatoes (2017) stripped Gardener's Delight of it's Award of Garden Merit (that's something that rarely happens I think). It was too big and too variable.

                  Taken from the RHS trial summary:
                  "they felt it was not a cherry tomato. Besides, this cultivar (perhaps because of its popularity and age) is too variable, with many different strains being sold as the same plant. The Forum felt that it is 'not what it should be or once was'"

                  So a few of us grew from various old seed packets and found that the year 2005 yields the same lovely tangy taste. I am growing them again this year and they taste lovely. I have also saved seed last year and my new plants also retain the same tangy taste.
                   
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                  • sandymac

                    sandymac Super Gardener

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                    all the time care and effort put into growing tomatoes why would anyone use chempak ????
                     
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                    • Tomhip

                      Tomhip Gardener

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                    • Tomhip

                      Tomhip Gardener

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                      Thanks John
                      You have confirmed my opinion about Gardeners Delight I am also of the opinion that the older established varieties are still better tasting easier to grow and more trouble free! varieties such as Ailsa Craig, Alicante, Outdoor Girl etc however there is one recent variety namely Sungold that I will grow for as long as I'm able I regard this as superb but this being an f1 who knows what will happen to this overtime.
                      Thanks for your reply
                      Kind regards and successful growing
                      Tomhip
                       
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                      • JWK

                        JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                        Honeymoon are blight resistant and the tastiest big tomato I know, it has been slow to ripen but worth the wait

                        20210814_154820.jpg
                         
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                        • Scrungee

                          Scrungee Well known for it

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                          20210814_154820.jpg

                          Are those green tomatoes not ripe yet outdoors, or not ripe yet greenhouse grown?
                           
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                          • JWK

                            JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                            They are green greenhouse grown.
                             
                          • Scrungee

                            Scrungee Well known for it

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                            "Transplanting - heated greenhouse planting up in mid February, cool greenhouse plant up mid spring, outdoors early June after all risk of frost has passed"


                            Don't appear to be suitable for outdoor growing then, despite what some sellers suggest, except perhaps for fried green tomatoes or chutney.
                             
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