Tomato Growing 2024

Forecast saying rain and thunder till next thursday... I dont see us getting many more toms. I dont think we had more than 5 from "Sweet Million", that doesnt seem right!

even the last blackberries have rotten away

Was at rhs wisley yesterday, lovely weather by pure luck. They had amazing squashes and melons growing outdoors, huge things. No tom blight I could see but I guess they baby them. Lots of tamarillos/tree tomatoes too somehow, I think they dig the trees up in winter.

Believe it or not they had some tiny ripe basjoo Bananas growing outdoors, all skin and seeds though!


30 miles away and its like another planet! gardening masters

 

I found Sweet Million useless when I tried it, despite it's name and the info @Adam I , so I didn't bother again.
I've had a decent enough little crop, albeit a bit later, and the indoor ones should be ok for another week or so, and then I may have to bring them into the house. I left the remaining trusses on the single outdoor one this week as we had a lot of sun/warmth, but I brought them inside yesterday, as the temps are going to be far too low by the mid to end of next week.

 

I pulled out most of my Outdoor Girl tomatoes yesterday. I just left one pot, which isn't showing signs of blight yet and is in the sunniest part of the patio. It's still got some good trusses and a couple of fruits were just turning orange yesterday, so I'll leave that one for a day or two more.

I've been eating tomato soup for lunch every day and really enjoying it! It's a good way to use up the basil from the garden too. Still got enough ripe tomatoes left to make one more batch of soup, and plenty of green ones for some experiments.

 

I have just picked my first ripe tomato, Pink Grapefruit. Haven't tried it yet.
It is so frustrating, my tomato plants are just coming into full flower which I know will not produce anything, however, it looks as if the plant nearest the open door has blight so no fruit to eat on that one either. Aw shucks!

 

We’ve finally started harvesting from our tomatoes. A small punnet from my supermarket squished seeds with lots more starting to ripen plus 4 Burlesque ready to pick.

Squished (cherry variety) are a fab flavour this year, haven’t tried Burlesque yet.

Lots starting to ripen on my other beefsteak Costoluto fiorentino but they are very small, chicken nugget to meatball sized. Looking at how many are ripening, I think we will finally get quite a good harvest, for us, this year.

 

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During a Marcus Wearing chef/travel program he visited a Spanish market and bought some Spanish Tomatoes to cook with. They were described as a typical Spanish variety, good for storing up to 12months. They have thick skins, a sharp flavour and can be cut as trusses, hung up and used throughout the winter.
When I looked up the Pink Grapefruit I have just picked it was described as a thick skinned, sharp flavoured tomato good for storing so maybe I have happened on another Spanish variety. It would be brilliant if I have.It is described as in intermediate which if not side shooted? can grow into a very large plant. As I always remove side shoots my plants are large but not overly bushy, however, I have noticed a couple of the fruiting spurs have continued to grow and produce flower trusses along the length. The colour of the fruit is an attractive peachy orangy red and the fruit has a beef steak form.

 

I have finally decided that my Tumbling Tom isn’t going to oblige with any tomatoes this year. There must be at least 200 flowers but not one single, solitary fruit.
As a last desperate act I have relocated it to the greenhouse. Just in case you understand

 

"...Marcus Wearing / Spanish market and bought Spanish Tomatoes. They were described as a typical Spanish variety, good for storing for up to 12 months..."


Goldenlily. Can I suggest that you take a look at Italy for your 'storing' tomatoes?

Piennolo del Vesuvio

A favourite Italian cherry tomato that grows a bit like grapes, hanging in bunches. Pear-shaped with tipped ends and packed with the most amazing flavour.

Originally from the Mount Vesuvius region of Naples in around 1850s. The original seed had DPO (Protected Designation of Origin) rights. It’s said that its native volcanic soil gives it the flavour but I have found that even growing it here in Rutland, it's pretty impressive! For inside stop at the 5th truss, outside 3 trusses. Seeds of Italy for seeds.

 

It’s the end of my tomato journey for this year. I have had one bowl of cherry toms (mostly tumbling toms) and I have now cleared away all my pots, many plants still had flowers and small green toms but it was time to call it a day.

Was it worth it?? Well for the yield- no. For the pleasure - yes probably.

Well done to all who achieved a good harvest.

 

This is my current situation. Reds on the left will make a soup today, though I wish I'd thought to pick some herbs yesterday when it was sunny. I'm going to try a curry with the greens in the middle. And the tub on the right is all ripening nicely so I'll probably get one more soup. Still got a few to ripen on the last Outdoor Girl and the bush tomatoes outside. I've only been growing tomatoes for 3 years and this is my best year, mainly because I managed to raise so many plants from seed and keep them alive. Last year I had to give up and buy a couple of plants from B&Q.