Moneymaker

I suppose I really shouldn't complain - I got my 'Moneymaker' tomato plants in the Wilkinson's sale - fifty pence the lot! However, I really don't understand the continuing popularity of this variety. The fruit doesn't seem to taste of anything much. Is this just me? Or have others found the same thing?

 

The one I brought on indoors & then put the pot outside has only got small fruits on it but they do taste ok. Have been feeding it with homemade liquid compost & fish poo.

The ones planted straight out have got much bigger fruit (or is it a berry?) but are only just ripening, so will have to wait & see.

 

Funnily enough (and I thought perhaps it was just me), but I don't think my Moneymaker taste 'they way they used to'.... come to that, I'm thinking the same about the Gardener's Delight, both grown in the greenhouse. The fruits on both are of good size and well formed, but the flavour just doesn't seem to be there and, this year, I've also noticed the skins are tough, whereas those I've grown outdoors have a much better flavour.

I'm no scientist, but I did wonder whether it may (at least in part) have something to do with those very high temperatures we had in June and July when greenhouses got 'silly hot' ... just a thought.

 

I've always found Moneymaker tasteless. No better than supermarket toms. Don't bother any more.

Gardener's Delight is pretty bland too, but I still grow it for the high crops - good for salsa, sauces etc.

 

I find the whole concept of tomato taste to be based on growing conditions rather than variety.
Not sure feed has any bearing either, most are made of the same chemicals.

But as usual I'm probably on my own in this.

Anything grown in a greenhouse with gallons of water will be tasteless.

Grow it outside and it tastes totally different.
Its not just a tomato thing, it goes for most plants.

And the dryer and sunnier the summer, the better.

 

The problem is, you are growing them in a greenhouse. They are BOTH outdoor tomatoes and should be grown and treated as such. Gardeners Delight grown as they should be, in the open garden are very highly flavoured. I can`t comment on Moneymaker as I don`t grow them anymore. I much prefer the indoor tom, Shirley.

 

So Dai,

Whats the difference between an indoor and an outdoor tom?

Other than some grow better in our cooler climate than others?

 

Some are bred to be grown outdoors,Gardeners Delight, Moneymaker, using the nutrients and moisture in the soil. Others are bred for greenhouse growing, Shirley, Ailsa Craig. Which need the extra warmth and protection from a greenhouse enviroment. As a result outdoor toms tend to be thicker skinned than greenhouse plants.

 

OH thanks for that Dai.

So if I lived in say, Florida or Italy I'd still need to grow the greenhouse ones inside.
I think its all a bit UKish and even we get very different weather from one end of the country to the other.

Are you sure the thicker skin is not just as a result of outdoor growth?

Things tend to grow very soft under glass, ie long stems between leaf joints, grow the same plant outside and it grows stockier.

I find it gets too hot in a greenhouse in full sun to grow toms, even with shading.

I'm now thinking the ideal would be a covered area with open sides so that you can control watering and keep the rain off along with the blight.

 

Its too late now for me, i've got the blight.

Picked all the toms from one part of the plot, now have them wrapped up in brown paper with a bananana.

Have dug all adjacent spuds, got 25kg from the earlies, will keep my eye on the maincrop, supose its too late to spray with boardeux ?

 

bananana na na nanana
bananana na na nana
bananana na na nanana
nanana nanana na na na na :rotfl:

 

oh, btw bad luck about the blight:cry:

 

Lol, like granny weatherwax, I know how to start spelling banana, just don't know how to stop.

Just checked the maincrop & remaining toms, couple of suspect patches, will just keep my eye on them.

 

"i've got the blight"

Aghhh!

I've been spraying with Bordeaux mix since June. It's the only way for me. I seem to live in the national headquarters of Blight.