Tomato Growing 2024

Thanks Alisa. I might just give that a go with some of my older seeds.

 

I've been looking for a supply of CaCl as I get problems with a couple of apples with bitter pit type problems. It is similar to blossom end rot in toms in that it is really a water availability issue, these two apples are cordons on a south facing wall and get very dry in the summer and I have put limestone chips around but they still get it in dry summers. You can apply CaCl as a foliar spray apparently so I'll try it. I haven't had problems with tomato blossom end rot as they are in a greenhouse bed with a dripper system.
The dripper system is ideal when you are away. I did get a strain across my neck and shoulders when I first installed it however as there are loads of little tubes to push onto connectors.

 

All this talk of drying toms and making sauces I'll have to check out some recipes on the internet. Just a thought is their a section on this forum especially for preserving our produce... I'm thinking this would be useful for a lot of us?

I have read and re-read my notes on sowing tomatoes seeds (first timer with seeds) and have now placed 8 small pots in the propagator. Thanks to @eatenbyweasels who kindly sent me:
Fat Frog
Maskotra {Mascot}
Baby Boomer
Lufichoise Multi-flora

Planted 2 of each just to be on the safe side, my daughter said she would take one or two if all germinate.
Lufichoise Multi-flora will be going in my cold frame as it is a cordon along with Maskota(Bush)
The other two will be on each side of my door entrance - south facing

 

No @JWK it was Italy , but I can see where you are coming from! The "digger" bit was the garden in Italy where we seemed to be forever digging - the forum there was how to survive living there.... My picture (little as it is) was the building site like land we had to dig for the veg plot. I too have grown toms for longer than I wish to recall, but not here in the UK for many a year. When I did it was "big boy", hence thinking on it why I stopped a 8 trusses. My favourite these days would be datterini type toms (small plum you might not get here, not looked) or for a bigger variety Pera D'Abruzzo (which I see you possibly can get here). But growing under glass is not something I think I could go back to for toms, they need warm sunshine for me. Picking hot tomato's on Saturday to make a salad with fresh home grown basil and your own olive oil was to die for.. Peppers and/or aubergine might be different.

 

size of those I havnt planted the seeds yet always leave till first week Of April

 

Balc's Cherry started trying to flower so I lopped the main stem and am allowing two side shoots to develop. I usually grow my cordon varieties as doubles anyway.
My stunty Bloody Butcher is also in bud but it's grown to be my earliest tomato and the height won't get out of hand, so I'm letting it do its own thing.

 

I'm just about to start sowing mine @Loofah. I've not sown anything yet, ornamental or edible apart from a new lettuce, as it's counter productive here. Sungold is very nice - I've grown it for many years after someone recommended it. The lettuce is one that germinates at lower temps so I thought it could be useful It certainly germinated, but...

I just have to work up the enthusiasm for it all now! Too many other things were/are needing attention. Sigh...

 

Last of my seeds germinated today, which was fantasio. So they all germinated between 5 days and 11 days

 

I've not sown mine yet, I always leave them until the beginning of April. They usually germinate quickly and are ready to put outside in the second half of May. I grow Roma for soups and sauces.

 

I've sown 5 varieties of Tomatoes plus some mixed Cosmos, all keeping warm in my Growhouse.

 

I've sown a cherry tomato that's called Red Cherry 50 seeds and a free seed packet of a small plum tomato, no name and 10 seeds.
The free packet is a bush variety.

 

I never sow tomatoes until April either. No greenhouse, so I need to time it so that by the time they're getting too big for the windowsills it's mild enough overnight to put them outside, which is about the third week or fourth week in May usually.
I must have a look and see what tomato seeds I've got. There's definitely some Rosella and Yellow Pear, maybe some Gardeners Delight too. I think I used the last of my Sungold last year. If not I'll sow what's left, but I won't buy them again - they look pretty but I'm not a big fan of the taste.

 

This is why it's difficult to recommend a tomato @JennyJB . We all have such individual tastes.
I was going to try some new ones, but I have loads of the Piccolo ones I'd saved, so I'll use those up and maybe try a few others next year.
Mine only go out to the gr'house around mid May, so it takes around 6 to 8 weeks from sowing to having them a decent enough size for thriving. Temps can still be a bit low overnight, but sturdy plants can manage.