2015 Tomato Growing

A few popping up there mind. hope I get same.

 

Thank you. I'll learn eventually :-) glad this forum exists or I'd be clueless.

 

Thank you very much John, so glad I found this forum or I'd of had no clue what to do lol

 

Jane, if you google the names of the varieties of tomato you're growing, or look at the seed packets if you've still got them, then it'll tell you what type of tomato you've got and so how it needs to be looked after. There are two main types of tomato plant: cordon and bush. Bush ones grow bushy and don't need the side shoots removing. Cordon ones are more common and usually they are grown as one long tall plant with all the side shoots removed. Cordon is sometimes called indeterminate (because it keeps growing forever...ish! In the UK tho the plants die off in autumn because of low light and temperature) and bush types are determinate because they tend to produce their tomatoes over a shorter season then die.

(I grow strong cordon types as 2 or 3 strong stems because it's easier to securely stake them. In many case, it's all about fun and experimentation to get the yield and appearance you want. All is not lost if you do the wrong thing and you should still get some fruit. I personally find that commercial production techniques for max. yield result in rather deprived looking tomato plants, rather than nice and green plants with plenty of leaves.)

All the best,

Cinnamon

 

I let a second stem grow on beefsteak tomatoes and stop it after one leaf beyond the first truss.

 

Can't post pictures of mine today...Been away for the weekend & they've taken on their own agenda!!
Will tidy them up before I let you see them lol!

 

Ok, so here were mine this morning...*takes cover*

This is them now...got a bit scissor happy, but they look better for it I reckon :-)

 

I didn't even realise there was as many tomatoes on them until I cut them!

 

Wonder if anybody knows if Garden Pearl is an F1 or not?. I can't find any info on the net. I am growing them this year from a packet of seed given to me and only have a very few seeds left for next year. I am very impressed with the way they stood up to cold temperatures we had in May (MUCH better than Sungold, Gardeners Delight and Money Maker which all acquired misshapen leaves and sulked for weeks). The Garden Pearl are also delicious and have had the thumbs up from the family. My only snag is that they should have been planted in hanging baskets but got planted in huge pots and some of the other varieties went in the hanging baskets....big mistake moron me. Note to self label better next year! I will definitely grow them again and was wondering if I should maybe save seed if it will come fairly true. If it's worth saving seed am I best to let a few Tomaotes go to the rotten stage before picking or pick them when ripe and leaves them on the greenhouse shelving before scooping out the seed and dry/clean? I was a bit dubious about growing these and wouldn't have if I hadn't been given the seed but am very pleasantly surprised. No pinching out/stringing, earlier to fruit than the other varieties I am growing and look pretty too. The only snag I've had is that a couple of the branches have snapped due to the weight of the trusses..... can't really complain too much about that "fault". Hope someone will be able to answer the question but if the worst comes to the worst I'll buy another packet of seed.