Tomato Growing 2024

Personally I think these are one of the most overrated variety of tomato. Okay for canning and even then needs to be very ripe. Typical regional hype from Campania that is the hallmark of most Italian regions. I found them bland to taste and prone to disease the time I tried them in Italy.

 

They are for cooking with, not for salads. I've grown them with success @DiggersJo but then the majority of my tomatoes end up being pureed and reduced down to store for winter soups, sauces and casseroles. I grow cherry toms and the big beefy ones for salads and tarts.

 

It's my first year growing tomatoes and was wondering if anyone tried, I think it was Huw Richards that mentioned it, not watering the tomatoes for 3 days after they have been planted. I think the rational is that it means they begin to really stretch their roots out wider than they would if well hydrated.

 

Thank you all.

 

I think that applies to most plants when planted in the ground, with maybe an initial watering to settle the roots and soil.
I think in general lots of people over water because it seems like the right thing to do, but just causes surface rooting and no drought resilience.

 

I haven’t tried that as such @Thevictorian but I do only water mine once maybe twice a week. Mine are all planted into soil beds in the GH. I push a small plant pot (6-9cm) into the soil so its rim is level with the surface by each plant and that gets filled 2-3 times each watering session.

 

I don't water until the toms are slightly wilted @Thevictorian. When they were grown in pots, they'd be watered initially and then left until they were drooping a little.
Mine are indoor though, so it's more important to check, but even since I've been growing them in the ground in the gr'house, they can often be left for quite a long time without watering because they absorb it from the surrounding soil outside of the gr'house itself. If they're planted more deeply each time they're potted on, they have good, deep root systems which also helps.
I agree that many people overwater them.

 

Mine would have to germinate first @Loofah

Usually about mid May for mine, sometimes later. I was later sowing this year, so probably the latter. I find it's about 2 months from sowing for them to be agood enough size to go out there.

 

I’m planning to move my packets of tomato seeds into the GH today, does that count?

 

I grew san marzano "redorta" one year and it was a very good plum tomato. Definitely a cooker, not felt the need to grow it again though. I think I prefer the pink oxheart tomatoes for both cooking and eating now, they are also earlier

Last couple of years I put mine in start of May. We had three nights of frost late last april so I am wary of putting them out before then

 

I've just read somewhere that bone meal (and i assume blood and bone too) can reduce the effectiveness Mycorrhizal. Has anyone else heard of/know about this?

Annoying if so as I have just used both on a number of plants!

 

I was wondering the same thing yesterday!

I don't have a greenhouse, but rather a walk in polytunnel.
I started putting my tomatos in there from mid may last year, but then either bringing them in at night, or covering with fleece as we had some very cold nights.

This year I'm wondering if I could get away with putting them out earlier (end of April?) and getting them to tough it out if it gets cold at night.
Not good for the back bringing things in all the time....

 

Not according to: Phosphorus Fertilizer or Mycorrhizal Fungi

"Mycorrhizal fungi are not the silver bullet, they're just one of the myriad of organisms we need to support. And sometimes you might just actually need phosphorus fertilizer. However, if you've got your fungi in place, at least you won't waste it."​

 

I'm happy with that!