Tomato Competition 2014

Posted June 5th last year (on last year's competition thread http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/2013-biggest-tomato-competition.49988/ )

This year I've got 32 plants capable of producing giant tomatoes that are 280mm high and in 0.81 litre pots (Wilkos biggest square ones). They will be planted in poly tunnel borders in a couple of weeks (I want them to grow a bit taller so I have more stem to bury [1], and I've already been burying as much stem as possible at every potting up stage). I'm hoping my toms will be ready towards the end of September this year (last year they took until the first week of October, but I had problems getting the first flowers to set).

[1] I realise that I could achieve the same by putting a ring of pot around the stem above ground level, but think that might dry out if we're away for several days, where a tunnel border can have a 40 gall barrel feeding some perforated hose amongst the plants.

 

Got a mega bloom on my Omar Lebanese

 

Funky flower.

I'm new to serious tomato growing. My Zapotec Pleated tomato has produced a few megablooms and these seem to take an awfully long time to develop and open, much longer than normal flowers. Is this typical? Do the fruit of megablooms take longer to develop too? (Or am I just impatient?)

 

It does always seem that way (perhaps me also being impatient?). Tap the the canes to aid pollination or use the electric toothbrush method.

 

Is that OL from the Tomato Seedswap Loli?
Jenny

 

Yes it is Jenny....

 

! Looking promising so far.

 

I just lost my second megabloom Zapotec pleated. Dunno why, but it turned white with brown rot at the top.

 

@Cinnamon ,maybe it didn't get pollinated...I've been doing Bee impressions (including sound effects) tapping the canes...

A handy tip for supporting all these huuuuge fruits we're going to grow...Save the nets off any fruit you buy they'll make good hammocks

 

That's a spiffing idea Loli...
Jenny

 

Really ?

 

Yes,I thought that's what everyone did

 

No, you'm meant to go "POLLINATE" In a Darlek voice

 

I'll try that as well then