2016 Tomato Growing

Well, I've been hugely impressed with the outdoor toms this year. I grew 'Tumbling Cherry', 'Gartenperle' and 'Tumbling Tiger'. I won't be growing 'Tumbling Tiger' again, very bland. But the others had great flavour and I got lots! I was picking from around mid July and picked the last, around a week ago. I still have some toms in the greenhouse, but mostly tiddlers, 'Sungold'. The 'Sungold' actually disappointed a bit this year. Yes, flavour was as good as ever, but they really were a bit small, so yield was well down. Don't know what that was about?
So now is the great 'wait', until we all do it again next year

 

Just in from picking the Gartenperle I've not scoffed as going to collect seed again as I did last year (very successful). My Sungold have been absolutely amazing and still are. I grow them in the borders in the greenhouse and have had tonnes. Admittedly I had to wait until the end of July to really get them in full production but since then I have been giving them away as had such an amazing crop. They certainly benefitted from the very sunny September. I counted a truss the other day. It had branched into 2 and altogether just 1 truss had 47 Tomatoes on it! Some near the end of the trusses were quite small but the rest were a pretty good size. @Freddy my only suggestion would be to maybe grow them in soil in your greenhouse if that's is possible. I grew a couple of Sungold in pots and they were ok but nothing like as good as the ones in soil. I also feed (Chepak) every watering once the 1st trusses have set. I am not an expert by any means but I obviously did something right for a change. My Peppers on the other hand.....dreadful!

 

I am going to have to bite the bullet soon and pull these out. The recent cold spell has done them no favours. They are a variety called Sparta, which according to the blurb are an improved Shirley type. We have been picking them since the end of July so I am more than happy with them.



The Beefsteaks are still managing to ripen. This is a variety called Bigdaddy. They aren't the biggest I have ever grown but they are the most uniform in size, all around the one pound mark. Plus they were all perfectly formed with none of the ugly shapes associated with some Beefsteaks. I think that next year this is the only Beefsteak that I will be growing.

 

Somethings been eating me plums

 

Good crop there John

 

Here we are almost into November yet my Tomatoes (in the greenhouse I hasten to add) are still going strong. The Garden Pearl are finished but The Sun Golds are definitely not. I must have picked at least 10 lbs this morning! A few have split skins now, presumably because the skins have toughened a bit as it ain't warm at night here now but they are still fine to eat if munched quickly once picked. I stopped watering the plants about 2/3 weeks ago as they are in soil borders which are best to be on the dry side during the winter so that may also be the reason? I know split skins are usually down to erratic watering, maybe also caused by no watering. I have bought all the makings for another batch of Apple and green Tomato chutney except with the way things are going it's going to be...apple minus the green Tomatoes at this rate. I'm not complaining! I see @JWK is harvesting vast quantities and very yummy they look too, do others still have fruit ripening? When you get a great crop and it goes on for months who minds the hard work in the Spring?

 

I'm still getting plum tomatoes from the greenhouse, no pics as my camera won't focus

 

blight had my last lot of 100's and 1000's.. was expected since the rest had it! roll on next year

 

Last week blight got one of my Tumbler toms grown in containers at home, but the other 25 are still unaffected by it, jusy dying from cold nights.

Expecting freezing temps later this .week so last of everything in polytunnels (still no blight there, but botrytis becoming a problem) will be picked tommorow.

 

cleaned greenhouse out today my season finished

 

@silu Sun Gold are very tasty, and still going strong

 

I'm just in from picking the remaining ripe and semi ripe tomatoes as we are due a humdinger of a frost I fear.Have brilliant blue skies and no wind so all the ingredients for there to be 1. We had a slight air frost last night as it was.
Having had such a fantastic Autumn, the vast majority of my Tomatoes have ripened but I still have some ultra green Toms which I doubt would ever turn even if cosied up to a Banana or whatever.
I will make chutney with the really green ones but I am a bit pushed for time today to pick what remains. If we get a massive frost and even the greenhouse goes below freezing will the green Toms still be ok to use for chutney or am I better to belt out now and pick as many as I can before I need to go out? Hope someone sees this and can give me an answer asap!