2013 Tomato Growing

Better boy is the seed that Vince sent me and which I passed on to you darling.

 

Thankyou Mr Searchfield There you go John ...Better boy it is

 

Ready to go, only pointless up here until mid April, as the greenhouse will not achieve more than 9c at night until May
If we get a drought warning it may be minus 6c
If we get a flood warning it may be 28c :-)

Jack McH

 

Hiya Jack.

I recall the problems you had last year with getting them to ripen. Why not try a few Sungold? I find they ripen quite readily

 

I want to grow something different this year, to try different varieties, and as you have been recording your varieties and taste-testing over several years I have decided to just follow your selection as a starting point. (I've been looking at your Taste Test 2012 and also Taste Test 2011, Taste Test 2010, Taste Test 2009 and Taste Test 2008 )

Some questions though

Ferline : are you growing that for blight-tolerance? I note that you only gave it 5/10 and did not rate the flavour particularly

Do you think it is worth growing Sungella and Sungold? Seem to be much the same, except that Sungella has larger fruit?

I'm was inclined not to also grow Golden Sunrise - but you rated it very highly in 2011 ("very soft and thin skinned. It's got a distinctive medium sweet and not tangy taste. Mrs JWK says it's too watery for her. It always has a low yield and is susceptible to fungal attacks. I need to find another yellow variety that has disease resistance.") Hmmm ... and in 2010 ("my favourite, very soft and thin skinned. Its medium sweet and not tangy. Mrs JWK says its a bit too watery for her") kinda plagiarising yourself there John!


I wonder about growing both Amish Paste & Black Krim given that you said they were very late to ripen (succumbed to Blight for you last year). I'm not planning around Blight, only Taste / Flavour etc., but if they are very late they are taking up greenhouse space for a while of course ...

Nicky's Nursery has them as 75-90 and 85 days as against 65 days for regular - so 3 weeks later (which doesn't sound all that significant to me??)

 

Er, are your subs overdue John?

 

Mine will be underway at the beginning of March.

 

Thanks John, that's useful.

Strange? I reckon I'm known for the Novels I've written in reply on here!

Now you tell me! Cracking idea though.

Re: Sowing date. I've noted most years that I sowed Mid Feb. However, I do have lights to bring them on with until the unheated conservatory is warm enough.