Tomato Growing 2024

@pete In case you are interested ...

20 Semillas de Pepperdew, Piquanté (Capsicum baccatum) seeds | eBay

 

OK, thanks, its in Spain and to be honest I've got my pepper seed for this year.
Interesting though, I think I saw @CanadianLori saying they were available over there?

 

I'll be sowing mine in another week or so, and it'll be interesting to see how everyone here does there toms, and what types they grow. Only cherry or plum types for me, and undercover as the weather here isn't ideal for outdoor growing, but I grew a couple of Piccolos outside last summer as we were having a hideously hot ,dry summer, and they coped very well. Will just have to see how it all goes

 

@fairygirl hot dry summer? I can see you're in Scotland, but I'd have thought yours would have been like ours in south Wales - hot May/June, and since then almost perpetual rain!

 

No - a bit warmer and drier in May @CarolineL, then June and July can be cold and wet, along with hotter days as well of course, but we had our hottest driest summer on record last year in this general area. Still nothing like as hot as the south, and still wetter than many areas, especially the east side, but for us - the hottest and driest. I have to stay inside when it's like that - can't cope with it at all.
We often struggled to get double temps during the day in July here in the past, hence growing undercover.

 

For a second year, I'll be growing a couple of Costoluto, each in 20litre pots on my south facing patio, and maybe two or three Moneymaker. All did well last year. BUT, I need to work out how to support the Costoluto. Last year they grew like triffids, and were heavy croppers. I used just about every bamboo cane in my possession. I've looked around and can't see anything suitable for supporting them , given that I can't construct an overhead frame or anything similar.

If anyone has any useful advice, I'd be grateful.

 

Near to,but not up against, the house wall which has two sets of windows plus French windows. The only available bit of wall is home to a Waldo blackberry in a large terracotta pot. This too is an energetic plant and supported with wire and vine eyes .

 

1.I don't know what type would work.
2. Long standing shoulder problems .
3. No help to do it.

 

What about an obelisk @Nel_Staffs ? There are proprietary ones available, albeit a bit pricey. Would that work? I assume you're growing in a container?
Or even just something similar to the canes and string often used for annual climbers. I did that with one last year - 3 or 4 canes and string wrapped round for support.
It's not a tomato I've grown so perhaps it's too hefty.

Apologies - I've just seen you're using 20 litre pots for them.

 

Obelisks a possibility @fairygirl . I'll have look , thanks for the suggestion. If I could construct some sort of stable frame using bamboo canes and string, that would be fine, I just wouldn't be able to lift heavy /chunky wooden poles . More thinking needed

 

I've just ordered some for my sweet peas. They're the kind that just screw together and they don't seem too bad in terms of strength. I don't know if that would suit you for toms though. All my canes were falling apart too, and I reckoned it would be cheaper than making something myself. I just scouted around Amazon etc to see what would work.

 

@fairygirl .I'm just hunting around online now.

 

I hope that works out for you @Nel_Staffs