Tomato Growing Thread 2022

My incas tomatoes seem to be acting normally.
They are a bush variety but up until blight last year have always been a heavy cropper.
I usually try to hold them up with multiple sticks and string but this year I'm letting them sprawl and will put straw under them, also have a rain cover I can use when the deluge comes.
Only got 3 plants but if all those flowers turn into fruit I'll need a stall in the market.
Dream on.

 

I am now getting an alarming amount of blossom drop and I hand pollinate, humidity is low and the sun continues to beat down...

 

I just keep flicking the flowers, i get the feeling it's working.

 

I watered my toms with a general fertilizer yesterday & I swear they are growing like Jack's beanstalk! Must be the combination of fertilizer & hot temps! I've been able to wrap the stings around a few sideshoots (now proper stems!) & I'm expecting to see flowerbuds tomorrow & maybe fruits the day after now!

 

I'm expecting the same in the coming days, temps in the greenhouse were silly today and even hotter tomorrow.

 

Looks like you have turned the corner, Balc... and about time to.

 

One plant down. Not a good picture, but there was a fair bit of blight on it as well as the biggest tomato on it. Been perfect conditions for it unfortunately

 

So, I've had to pull two plants that wilted. The cause, well on examination it was stem rot right at the base.

Two lesson learnt;

1) don't water too close to the stem, the root will go out from the stem quite a distance so water three or four inches around.
2) mulch, it is really good at stopping surface evaporation so don't rely on the surface moisture, even get a cheap device for measuring moisture way below the surface.
3) did I say two, well mulch again, keep it away from the stems a good two inches around. It retains moisture underneath and if it touches the stem it will provide ideal conditions for rot.

Other plants all okay, and many had roots branching right at the surface to absorb excess moisture. These two were smaller, younger plants and didn't really get a chance with the mulch and my watering regime.

Oh well, live and learn !

 

I said that in jest - I should be more careful with what I say as I discovered another tomato on the plants today I hadn't seen before!

 

@Hanglow bad news indeed, were they inside or out?

 

Outside, that one was Aurora which is supposed to be a very early determinate. Nothing close to being ripe

I sowed it end of march I think.

I do have two other aurora plants in another part of the allotment, they didn't have any signs yet. Also three other varieties outside including crimson crush, so we will see how they do.

 

I've got nothing anywhere near ripening outside, could be another month yet.
Got a couple i think that maybe ready in the greenhouse today.

 

The way my Tomatoes are growing I may have enough for one Cheese & Tomato sandwich.

 

I picked these today, the unripe one fell off while I was getting the others, already eaten one.