Tomato Growing 2024

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by JWK, Jan 1, 2024.

  1. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    Honeycomb,not a heavy cropper but I like the taste.
    20240721_155710.jpg
     
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    • Allotment Boy

      Allotment Boy Lifelong Allotmenteer

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      I agree completely about the lack of flavour in SM toms.
      Another issue with growing in GH soil though is Toms are prone to root viruses and eelworms (remember it's the same family as spuds) my father used to talk about soil becoming "tomato sick" . So if you grow direct in GH border, every 3rd year or so, you need to dig the soil out to at least one spade depth and change it for some from outside and from an area that has not grown Toms or spuds in the past couple of years.
       
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      • Philippa

        Philippa Gardener

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        Glad I'm not the only one to find SM toms useless. The only thing I tend to do if I have to buy them is to is to use a little bit of salt and Basil oil and let them sit overnght )
        I always grow mine in containers in the GH ( the 40 litre potato sacks are ideal ) and renew the soil/compost every year. That method works well for me.
        I don't know how much I'll get this year but that has been due to the poor weather. The Sungolds are the only ones ripening at present but even they are certainly taking their time !!
         
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        • JWK

          JWK Gardener Staff Member

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          Have you tried mychorizal fungi @Allotment Boy ? Applied to tomato plants' roots it encourages vigorous root growth and there is no need to swap the soil any more.

          The other alternative that also works is to use grafted plants. With a disease resistant rootstock you get the same results as mychorizal fungi, i.e. no need to swap the soil. I spent a few years grafting my own before someone tipped me about the m. fungi.
           
        • Allotment Boy

          Allotment Boy Lifelong Allotmenteer

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          @JWK I have used m. fungi, but only on long term or permanent crops, such as soft fruit, or with some ornamentals at home. I had not heard of the use you mentioned, very interesting. In any case I grow my GH toms on the Quadgrow system, so they get new soil / compost every year.
           
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          • Obelix-Vendée

            Obelix-Vendée Total Gardener

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            My tomatoes have had a reprieve. Nearly all have finally reached the tops of their twirly supports. All have at least one truss of flowers and a couple of th ebeef varieties have green tomatoes. There does seem to be a dearth of pollinators tho with none of the usual buzzing apart from a group of very defensive wasps who've mde a nest under a polystyrene freezer box.

            Now to see if next week's forecast of warmer weather helps with fruiting and ripening.

            Good tip about the MF @Allotment Boy I shall try that next year.
             
          • pete

            pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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            I don't rely on pollinators on tomato flowers, I just give the truss a tap as I walk by.
            It's almost turned into a reflex action and I do it without thinking.
             
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            • Obelix-Vendée

              Obelix-Vendée Total Gardener

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              Well! Never heard that tip on Beechgrove or GW! I'm off to try it. Thanks @pete
               
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              • pete

                pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                It works for peppers as well, I'm even doing it on the Aubergines, sometimes when the air is dry, around midday, you can actually see the pollen falling from the flowers as you tap.
                They are self fertile.
                 
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                • glosmike

                  glosmike Gardener

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                  I have plenty of fruits on my tumbling toms, can’t say they are anywhere near ripe yet though.
                  They are outside in a plastic planter about 2 feet above my patio.
                  What is also going well is a yellow courgette in a large pot … failed miserably last year !
                   
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                  • Obelix-Vendée

                    Obelix-Vendée Total Gardener

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                    I tried tumbling toms once @glosmike - dismal failure but that was years ago in a cooler Belgian garden and no greenhouse.

                    @pete - I've just been down to tap all our toms. One or two have grown teeny tomatoes since yesterday morning and Noire de Tula has produced one fat green tomato at about a foot high and then lost all the leaves above. I've given it a pep talk and checked but it doesn't seem to be due to thirst.
                     
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                    • pete

                      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                      A bit odd, a tomato plant losing leaves, not seen that happen.
                      It doesn't sound good for that one, are they outside, just wondering if its early blight, one of my potato pots has gone down with that.
                       
                    • glosmike

                      glosmike Gardener

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                      O-V I grew tumbling Tom last year in a patio planter and it was brilliant - I had around 300 fruits !
                      Hence my decision to get tt again. I also like bush toms as you don’t have to pinch em out or stake em
                       
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                      • Obelix-Vendée

                        Obelix-Vendée Total Gardener

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                        In a polytunnel @pete with both doors open at either end and a mesh across to stop the chooks getting in. However, that isn't foolproof and there's a feral tomcat who occasionally shelters in there - refuses to be fed, let alone adopted - and he panics if he thinks he's trapped.

                        It could just be that OH was in there "tidying" the toms and damaged a stem. As long as I get enough of a tomato to save some seed it'll be fine.
                         
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                        • JWK

                          JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                          The first of the bigger varieties has ripened, Honey Moon

                          20240723_132616.jpg
                           
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