Tomato Growing 2024

I usually roast the tomatoes with a bit of garlic and seasoning and then whizz up, skin and all

 

The last 2 years I have had blight in my greenhouse, it was never a problem before. I think I am going to have to write this years crop off and make green tomato chutney as a lot of the biggest fruit have the first signs of blight on them. I have found some interesting Indian recipes on line for Green Tomato Chutney. So frustrating after such a dodgy start to the season to finally get some fruit, only to lose them.
I always empty my greenhouse and wash down with diluted Jeyes Fluid every year, I also wash all of the pots so weather seems to be the problem and not much I can do about that.
Interestingly, the Pink Grapefruit tomato I have grown for the first time seems to be more resistant to blight than the Cocktail Crush or Big Mama. I like the flavour of it so will definitely grow it again. Also Surendas Indian Curry, both are sharper than most tomatoes I have grown previously.
P.S. I rarely skin or deseed tomatoes, like I rarely peel potatoes. Only for creamy mash. Everything gets eaten.

 

That must be very frustrating for you @Goldenlily26 . Haven't had a problem with blight here since 3 years ago and that only affected some of the toms outside not those in the GH. Like you, I never deseed or skin toms and never peel potatoes either. I agree about the green toms - different chutneys and sauce too.

 

That's them all finished now, final harvest, all plants replaced with salads for winter/early spring

 

After all the fretting over the summer, we are now enjoying a pretty good crop. Lots still ripening on the plants, slowly but then that’s better than too big a glut at once. Our Buelesque beefsteak aren’t as big as they can be but most are around 3-400g so quite pleased with them. The Costolouto Fiorentino are quite small, most just regular tomato size, but enjoying the texture and flavour. I have some seeds left for next year and will happily grow them again.
Just squished one of the supermarket 2nd generation cherries to get seeds for next year. I just squish them onto tissue, gently spread them out and then let it dry on a window sill. I don’t bother cleaning the seeds. Fabulous, rich flavour this year so fingers crossed for next

 

Good harvest @JWK for the end of November, despite the blight.

 

I pulled up all my cherry tomatoes at the end of October.

 

I picked the last of our in November . The very last were solid green, I didn't think that there was much chance of them ripening. I left them in a tray under the kitchen table, to my amazement they have gradually ripened, we have only used them for cooking but even so using our own fresh tomatoes in December is a first.

 

Well you did very well not only to pick them in November but getting them to ripen as well! Congratulations!

 

I have very little space to grow tomato plants, but even so, next year I'm going to try and grow 10 outside - 3 in cold frame (bush) / and the rest on the patio and down the side of my garden.

Patio is sorted as it has an awning over the top to protect them from the rain and sun. Along the path in front of the conifers will take a bit of working out... maybe 4 tall wooden stakes in each 20L pot with heavy duty trellis netting wrapped around them, which will also aid me to use fleece as a cover when needed.

Anyway... thats my plan for 2025
I need to grown extra so that I can harvest lots of green tomatoes to enable me to continue making green chutney as my family have decided that they all like it; and have noses like blood hounds detecting where I am storing them.

 

@Grandma Sue , if the plants are outside they can take as much sun as they can get. So they will only need shelter if you are starting early and you are protecting them from low temperatures.

 

Thanks @Allotment Boy -I was thinking about sunscald on the plants as our garden is south facing and if we have a hot summer I will be ready to simply put a fleece cover over the 8ft stakes giving just a little shade when the sun is at its strongest.