Tomato Growing 2024

That's interesting to dehydrate them, I love sundried tomatoes but they can be pricey. I've got a 'dehydrate' button on the airfryer, but maybe all airfryers can dehydrate if the temperature was lowered to 50C? Do you have a 'proper' dehydrator? I'm seriously thinking of getting one, if only for drying herbs and maybe fruit from the garden.

 

I don't try drying any excess, but I cook them if I have too many to eat raw. Then freeze in bags for adding to sauces later.
I think some people do it in a conventional oven @Jenny_Aster but perhaps that's pricey with the way utilities are just now.

 

Thanks @fairygirl, I guess the freezing option would lock in more nutrients. I need organising before everything kicks off in the garden. A few warm/hottish sunny days I feel the garden will just go 'PUFF'
.

 

I get loads of use from my dehydrator. All manor of excess veg to use in stock/soups etc, tomatoes, chillis, apples and many many foraged mushrooms. Also done things like fruit leathers and jerky. It's just a cheap Andrew James one but you can get better ones that are a bit more even.

 

I've only dehydrated slices of oranges and lemons in the airfryer for use as Christmas decorations to great effect. It took over 12 hours off and on, I stopped it a few times to cook something in the airfryer.

Been reading about the super preppers in America, they are the experts in preserving their produce. Amazing!

 

We stop ours when they get to the top of the twirly metal supports. I grow at least 20 plants a year of weveral varieties. One reason is to see which we lik ebest as the heirloom varieties here are so much more varied than when we lived in Belgium and couldn't grow them outdoors.

I bottle the suprlus and it gets us thru winter for sauces, soups and bolognese. Much better than tinned. I only have two jars left!

 

it'll be interesting if you taste the difference between the two Gardeners Delight, I've heard it's losing some of it's flavours.

 

@Jenny_Aster I do semi-dried cherry toms in the fan oven - cut in half, sprinkle with dried basil if desired, then bake till done. I then stuff them into sterilised jars and cover with olive oil, atpping to remove air bubbles. Seal and store.

The time needed depends on the size and juiciness. It's all too easy to get them dried a bit crispy so keep an eye.

 

Yum that appears rather delicious, will be trying this, sea salt might be nice sprinkled on top too. Roll on the tomato harvest.

 

It turned out to be a soggy day here so I stayed indoors and sowed this year's tomatoes, mostly cherry or medium size as they'll all be grown outside:

5 x Green Zebra (my favourite!)
3 x Gardener's Delight (2005 vintage)
2 x Aunt Madge's
1 x Jaune Flame
1 x Piglet Willie's French Black

The following six are new to me so just one of each to try them:

1 x Ron's Carbon Copy
1 x Derby Striped
1 x Michael Pollan
1 x Mango Lassi
1 x Gobstopper
1 x Santiam Sunrise

Looking forward to a bumper crop!

 

I'll probably start mine off on the 21st, as I do traditionally!

 

Went the laziest way Took the top side skin off the leaf, placed in the plate, made some cuts in the leaf and placed seeds in. Placed seeds in the order with labels placed in a row (1 seed per variety).