bubblewrap

If tomatoes are grown in a greenhouse that has bubble wrap insulation would this make a difference to the quality of the tomato as against just greenhouse glass I ask this question because it seems that most commercial growers use poly houses.
Tomhip

 

Might actually help as regarding problems such as blossom end rot and green back.
Although you would need to make sure there was adequate ventilation.

 

Pete I was thinking more in terms of the benefits of sunshine on the plants rather than the sunlight being filtered or would this not be an issue In your opinion

 

Filtered sunlight is better in mid summer than direct, under glass, for plants like Toms, most people use shading anyway.
Only things that survive under full sun in mid summer under glass are cacti and succulents and even some of them can burn.

 

Okay Armandii and Pete it seems that my thoughts are little to be concerned about
Tom

 

Most commercial growers produce tasteless balls of water so I would not use that as a guide.
In my opinion anything which reduces sunlight reduces flavour.
That is why tomatoes grown outdoors always taste better, photosynthesis is key to taste.
Ventilation is the key with a greenhouse not shading. every time I used shading people commented toms are not as good tasting.
People go to great lengths to reflect light back onto plants with plastic mulches, aluminium foil and even mirrors to get the best out of plants so why would you deliberately reduce light levels.
If you do a search and look at summers with low levels of sunlight you will see loads of complaints about poor tasting tomatoes.
Bubble wrap in my opinion is to conserve heat in the colder months.
You would not plant a tomato under a tree so why shade it.
Regards Alex

 

I was advised not to use bubble in a glass house as it encourages condensation and then algae and associated pest problems. Now if you put it up take it down rather than leave it for long periods, then maybe this would be less of a problem. I have tried it, found it did little to add to the temperature control, nor as a sun screen, so I just stopped using it.

 

I would think that bubblewrap is only good for a heated greenhouse (to reduce energy usage). Not much point to bubblewrap a cold greenhouse.

 

Different points of view on this one! each with some validity but I think I am erring towards taking down my bubble wrap with doors and windows wide open on warmer days got to get some tasty toms somehow, as I have stated previously tomato plants in the soil are almost always diseased in no time and it seems such a waste of time and effort.
Thanks blacktulip, Bernie and Alex for your input.
Tom

 

Bubble wrap is usually used in a greenhouse to conserve heat in the winter, and I must admit that is the main point of it.
But the original question was will it affect the toms grown if left in place during the summer and I still think it will act as shading as long as ventilation is allowed.

Toms grown in full sun under glass often suffer from green back and blossom end rot, the plant struggles to get enough water due to the sun scorching through the glass.
As to tasteless balls of water produced by commercial growers that is down to the growing method and if any, soil, most commercial growers use hydroculture so if you grow in water you get tasteless balls of water.
If you grow in grow bags, you also struggle to some extent because the small root system can't take up the water fast enough and the plant is, again, reliant on how much nutrient you give it.

I only grow outdoor toms these days, in proper "dirt", it's the only way to get flavour IMO.

 

Yes Pete I agree regarding the taste of outdoor grown tomatoes this is what I would like to achieve indoors and with all the benefits this brings! Probably ain't going to get there but going to try harder this year

 

Tomhip
If you feed properly and use good compost with the correct additions using proven varieties no reason you would not get great tasting tomatoes, I do.
Remember if you use compost it will not have the same elements as good soil that has been built up. Hence the need to give the compost everything it needs, worm compost will add valuable microherd, FBB will give a basic fertilizer, Calcified seaweed will give numerous minerals,
Mycorrhizal Fungi will give a Symbiotic root system better able to uptake requirements and give some protection against Disease.
Good organic fertilizer will boost flavour.
Remember everyone's taste is different and you will have to experiment with varieties ,
personally, and family and friends do not like the brown and black varieties.
This year I will be growing these tried and trusted varieties
Sungold small yellow cherry
Tigrella medium size 30grams
Flamingo small plum
Sweet Aperitif small red cherry
Juanne Flamme medium size 30 grams
Steak sandwich large red 400 grams (first year for this one replacing beefmaster)
I have tried hundreds of varieties over the years, I have kept a diary for the last couple of years and below is family and friends opinions of some varieties.
Varieties previously trailed

Sungold excellent
Amish gold excellent first year but subsequent seasons were very poor
Alacante so so
Juanne Flamme very good
Orance parouche good but not as good as sungold
Shirley ok good filler
Amish paste not great will not grow again
Beefmaster good first and second years not good after that
Ruth’s perfect rubbish spitter
Mandarin orange Rubbish spitter
Ailsa craig Fantastic crop but no taste
St Perrie Plants only produced two or three trusses mediocre tasting
Sakura ok but not as good as Sungold
Gardeners delight used to be my stand by but seems to have lost its way
Black cherry Spitter
Brown berry Spitter Do not care for dark varieties
Black krim spitter
Matina ok
Orange Wellington poor
Caro Rich Poor crop no taste
Sweet 100 ok not as good as sungold
Carmello so so
Carmello so so
Mortgage lifter so so
cherokee purple poor cropper so so taste

Regards Alex

 

Hi Alex what a list!! And out of those I have also grown
Cheroke purple same conclusion as yourself
Caro rich tasted like nothing
Gardeners delight doesn't taste as it used to
Shirley didn't rate it it reminded me of moneymaker
I grew sweet aperitif last year and I recommend it the fruit is quite acidic but also sweet well worth growing I saved seeds from last year.
I have purchased seeds from a heritage seed company for this year as follows
Black Russian salad
Gardeners delight (sugar lump?)
Red zebra striped salad
These are all certified organic

Also from a company called the The Real Seed company the following
Larger Dr Carolyn Pink
Gardeners ecstacy
And Latah.
I intend to follow your detailed instructions for 2quadgrows (8 pots) and use my other two quadgrows as intended with the feed that they supply with them my only little problem is that I can't follow your instructions 100 % the wormcast will have to be omitted unless it can be bought but I can't say that I've seen it around this will hold a lot of interest for me and probably you also I will keep you informed over the coming season
Regards
Ps I have made my first sowing
Tom

 

Hi Tom you need something to get the microherd going so use some home made compost or well rotted manure if you can not get worm compost
regards Alex