2013 Tomato Growing

I remember your challenging games of "chess" in the GH earlier this Summer when everything was growing apace. It used to amuse me but it has all paid off - you are a natural hunter/gatherer and that's good,
Jenny

 

Third year of failure for me, So I think I will quit the tomato scene now

They grow well but never get to the turn red stage

Sitrep
First to actually turn red, and only last week were the Maskotka, and these were outdoors
Though they are a bit small to call a crop of tomatoes
Next again outside RED ROBIN, nearly ditched them all as they were dark green/sludge brown
which I took to be a disease, but no, within a day they were really red and very sweet, again too small in size for a real tomato

Finally in the green house my Tigerellas have actually ripened, well a good few have, very tasty more acidic and juicy, but now the nights are around 8c I think that is my lot

Dozens literally of Angelinas Bulgarian beauties, six 15" ones on each truss, still dark green
along with the same Early Goliath, Big Boy, and Better Boy, along with money maker, Ailsa Craig, All not chance of turning now

I do not do chutney, so they are destined for the Heap
Thus in future I now have a good condition two year old glass shed, for my trash

As for the rest, Well Fife is renowned for Potato and root veg, and you can buy 1 CWT of Maris Piper at the roadside for £8

I will spend my new found time cutting the grass, and Photography again

Jack McH

 

Aaaww, that's sad Jack. I'm about to start draping banana skins over my trusses. The neighbours will probably think I've gone loopy...
I'll pick a few of Angelina's and keep them on the kitchen window sill with some more bananas. I want some of them to go RED !!

 

I recon you've done well with growing so close to the North Pole Jack

Maybe try something that doesn't need such a long growing season in the greenhouse next year, I brought some great strawberries on in mine.

 

For outdoor plum toms I have found Incas F1 to be pretty good.
Although its been a good year all round for anything that likes it warm.

I grew "Cossack"F1 for normal round toms, they cropped well and ripened early.
Seem to have tough skins though.

 

Hiya Jack.

Sorry to hear you're giving up on 'toms'. I must admit though, if there was a crop that repeatedly failed on me for three years, I'd probably give up on it too. How about just trying a couple of plants next year? Maybe try a variety that is quick to ripen, like 'Sungold' ? These have consistently been the first to ripen, for me. Just a thought

 

I would imagine Cossacks have tough skins

 

But I was quoting post #1442

 

My saved seed from shop tomatoes (3rd Year) have finally ripened and they taste fine - yet again. I assume that they were not originally hybrids - as is often the case with shop tomatoes - but since they were 'helpfully' just labelled 'Vine Tomatoes', I have no idea what variety they actually are. Anyway, I saved seed again for next year.

 

That's a bit odd??
Were they seeds that I sent you??
Can this happen with cross pollination then?
Jenny

 

I grew Ailsa Craig (and Moneymaker) when I first started growing greenhouse Toms. After a few years and trying other varieties I decided neither had anything like enough flavour.

But year-on-year they remain popular ... always lots of seed packets at garden centre, and they sell well (or the manager is removing a few each day and hiding them!!!)

If you can Jack I suggest you open the greenhouse late, and shut it early, to get some temperature into it during the day, and hold on to it a bit in the evenings.

Tomatoes that have started to turn will ripen indoors (put in a container with a banana or some other ripe fruit)

I think JWK normally starts a thread on that each year?

 

I've started a new thread for the Tomato Taste Test 2013:

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/tomato-taste-test-2013.54203/

 

thank you Kristen,
Jenny