THE TOMATO GROWING THREAD 2018

I still have a few "alien" toms ripening in the kitchen, I'm almost certain they are from a stray "Big Zac" seed that got composted...... the maverick plant grew better than those I tended!

 

Hi,

Expect its been mentioned before but not seen it so far...

Was looking at ordering some Tumbling Tom Red, though there's a wide variety of prices for the seemingly same seed. eg Simply Seeds just 99p for 12 , T&M 3.99 FOR 15 , both ex p&p.

However have noticed that some call TTR lycopersicon lycopersicum while others list them as
Lycopersicon esculentum. ( do not have our original seed packet to compare)

Is there any real difference ?

We grew some for the first time this year and those in a garden soil bed were great though needed to lift them up with straw to protect the fruit.
It there an upright version of Tumbling Tom or can they actually be trained upright ?

 

Scientists have changed the nomenclature/classification, but some gardeners, seed houses, etc., still use the old names.


EDIT: N.B. Those names are for the species (tomato), and cover every single cultivar/variety of tomato, not just Tumbling Toms.

 

I forgot to post a pic



And weekend just past





This weekend's tiny picking wasn't worth weighing (so we 'bought' some toms from Tesco using the £2.70 overage from buying 2 free magnum ice creams using internet coupons which gave the full price off 2x £3.85 tubs as their tills don't see the 2 for £5 multisave.

 

Due to a household tomato shortage, my picking from the ripening green tomatoes was a day early this week.

Only about as much again left to ripen. Going to have to buy stuff now to satisfy our tomato habit.

 

Bit shrivelled but they will make a good addition to stew.

 

Everything gets used here, no matter how old and wrinkly. What doesn't get eaten in salads will go into pasta sauce, and Dog and Hens eat the rest.

 

I've still got Cherry Baby plus a few Green Zebras.
Tatiana's seed store is currently in business for one last time, so I'm going to splurge on a dozen more varieties.

 

I am looking at trying a couple of different tomatoes next year, normally grow cherry tomatoes but might branch out next year. Any recommendations ?

I grow 4 types last year Sungold 9.9/10 - Suncherry premium 10/10 - Sweet Million 5/10 - Rosala 7.5/10 ( scores are my opinion of taste )

Sungold and Suncherry premium are a must for me but Suncherry just pips it for me and it fruit earlier than SunGold both are brilliant though.

I am not going to bother with Sweet Million again disappointing with taste ( bland compare to SC - SG ) the yield wasn't as much as I was expecting , similar yield to SG - SC. Rosella were nice and probably had a higher yield than SC-SG but the fruit spilt like mad and contracted grey mould easily, I would grow it again though.

Thinking of trying Santonio F1 next year and maybe a heirloom variety.

 

Hi all,

Well just bought my first packet of 2019 toms seeds !

It's Tumbling Tom which we grew for the first time this year in open ground and were impressed with them, though had to treat them like Strawberries and place straw under the trusses.

Even the non tom growing neighbour was impressed , so going to get a few going next year in the ground and some tall pots for both of us.

As smaller plants they would seem easier to manage than cordons which readily grow up to the top of the 8ft back wall of our lean to.

So was wondering, how good do they grow in pots in the greenhouse, anyone tried ?

Could start greenhouse ones off early as have heating and now some led lights, but is it really worth it, better to wait until March ?

 

Never grown T Toms but I do have Led Lights so will start sowing most seeds in the 2nd/3rd week of Feb. Can't wait for the next 7 weeks to go by with light evening

 

I would not wait until March if you have heat and light you can extend your season and get many more tomatoes.

I start my first toms mid January for ripe toms From May
Mid February for ripe toms from June
Main crop in March to extend the season so I have loads of toms from May until October sometimes until November
regds Sandy

 

I've just bought a LED grow light, I don't know if it be any good I just wanted something to hang over the little propagator to give extra light for pesky seeds/seedlings like begonia etc .

Some seeds turned up yesterday got some santanio F1 and think of going with Brandywine Sudduth strain for my heritage variety.

I start my tomato off on my birthday in March along with other seeds. Not long off now seed sowing commences .

What do you think to the light ? its nowt special just a cheap light, its to overhang a small Stewart 38cm propagator . I have the propagator on the south facing windowsill I was just going to clip this on the windowsill edge and see how it goes.

 

That's ok if you heat your greenhouse but for those of us with unheated greenhouses January is too early for seed sowing. I 've tried really early sowing but the plants get too big to keep in the house. They don't get enough light and grow elongated. I aim to move my plants into the unheated greenhouse around mid-May so will sow mid to late February.