2014 Tomato Growing

@nFrost...hows your Tumbling Toms doing?..mine have lost that poorly purple hue and picking up probably go blue again with the weather we're having it's a bit nippy today...

 

@lykewakewalker I'll have to search around to see if I've got a couple of spares to squeeze in a polytunnel for a comparison.

I tried Ferline (outdoors) for the first time last year (because T&M were selling the seeds so cheaply, 49p/pkt, multiple orders when free P&P, plus via cashback website for another 12% off http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/t-m-free-p-p-weekend.48339/#post-618409) and found them very slow to get cropping, but when they did we got a great crop of toms that were great for stuffing (Remoska/Slow Cooker) and were a feature of many, many breakfasts.

 

@Scrungee ...How's your F1's and F1 saved seed trial going? I'm trying Beefmaster F1 and saved seed and the plants look almost identical so far apart from the Saved seed is flowering well,I'm curious about this one

 

F1's & F2's (saved) planted out, but wont have anything meaningful until they will have cropped for a while and I compare colour, sugar content, acidity, size and taste.

 

You did well buying them at 49p even for bulk purchase. This year I paid £2.35 for 10 seeds. I don't mind though because we love the taste of them.
Because of your comment about them growing better outdoors I double checked the packet and they are for indoor/outdoor growing, the actual wording is:
"Superb quality standard sized fruit with a wonderful flavour and the added benefit of showing tolerance of blight, Fusarium and Verticillium. An indeterminate variety, for healthier crops outdoors or in a greenhouse."

 

Looking back to when I bought them, they were 49p/pkt, could be ordered during free P&P promotions, the £5 off vouchers sent out with plants/catalogues could also be used in conjunction with free P&P + 12.6% topcashback on the small amount left to pay - I bought about 60 packets!

Much bigger than what I expected (up to 200g each)



And the last outdoor ones I picked (green) before the first expected frosts were still ripening/being eaten at the very end of November and still had good flavour.

 

Doing great, put all six in a twelve inch hanging basket, now happy out the front of the house with maybe ten toms on and LOTS of flowers waiting. Well chuffed with them, thanks as always Loli.

 

Reminds me of your Pinks Woo

I expect you grow Pink Fir Apple potatoes too?

 

*update* @Sheal

Just to let you all know "Manx Marvel" are in there own greenhouse so all seed will be pure that I will produce over the summer months, I have set trusses on all 3 plants with MM pollen only.

Spruce

 

That's good to hear Spruce.

Mine are outside and looking very pathetic at the moment, they haven't got past the one foot marker yet!

 

Indigo rose in the garden:

Tomkin in the garden:


Um, and me with the Zapotec Pleated last week:

 

Over done it in the GH again..this weather is certainly bringing them on


Manx Marvel outside doing fine

 

Picked my first two today.

These are 'Rosella', a new introduction from King's, which they describe as a 'Unique deep pink, cherry tomato, tasting of a blend of raspberries, blackberries and other summer fruits'.



Haven't tasted them yet, but they're going in my lunch box for tomorrow.