Tomato Growing 2025

Hi @Alisa I have a strain from 2005 that has the proper tangy taste and is cherry sized. Happy to send you some now or next year.

 

@Allotment Boy @Alisa

Here is the thread from 2018 where we trialled Gardener's Delight seeds from old seed packets.

Gardener's Delight Tomato Seed Germination and Growing Thread

It's a long read, in summary an old packet from 2005 yielded the original taste and and size. I still grow this plus a strain from 2012 which has the same great taste but is much bigger.

All you can find these days in Garden centres are a bland none cherry type. The breeder has lost interest in maintaining it properly and it only sells because it was so popular for years. @Allotment Boy you are correct in that that the RHS rescinded Gardener's Delight AGM and were quite scathing about this modern imposter that has the family name but none of the good traits.

 

Too cold, they will go purple and stall. Might take weeks to recover.

If you have spare plants you could try it just to prove it for yourself.

 

In my experience they stall for a couple of weeks or more at temps below 5c. Getting even lower at 2c is tempting an air frost and that is fatal for young tomatoes.

Having said that I will probably put my spare plants in pots in the heated greenhouse today (frost free ). I intend to pot all mine on and keep the strongest of each variety in the house overnight and patio during the day. The spares take up too much room and are insurance in case the pampered ones fail. I have been known to damage them shifting indoors and out every day, plus occasionally a bird or slug will nip off the top.

By the time I plant my pampered ones in the unheated greenhouse in May they will be twice the size of the unlucky spares plus will be flowering.

Of course a lot depends on how sheltered your garden is, others may get away with it. Especially if your greenhouse is close to a south facing house wall for example.