Tomato Growing Thread 2022

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by JWK, Jan 1, 2022.

  1. Hanglow

    Hanglow Super Gardener

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    Was away for a few days, decent harvest to come back too. Also dehydrating them for the first time, what temperature is best? I was doing 45c, I think it goes up to 70c but that would cook them.

    Also picked the first ripe outside tomato, a crimson crush. Was extremely tasty and crunchy even though it tasted perfectly ripe. The plant is blight affected but seems to be battling on.

    Also last to ripen plant in the greenhouse, a dwarf parfait, a green beefsteak. Really low yield wont grow again IMG_20220819_161337042_HDR.jpg IMG_20220819_160430821_HDR.jpg IMG_20220819_183008119.jpg IMG_20220819_160018476_HDR.jpg
     
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    • SunnyGin

      SunnyGin Gardener

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        Last edited: Aug 19, 2022
      • Jenny namaste

        Jenny namaste Total Gardener

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        20220818_092927.jpg
        Yep - you'll need to put your teeth in @pete
        Jenny namaste
         
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        • JWK

          JWK Gardener Staff Member

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          I dehydrate at 60c, I guess it varies on the make model so I found my ideal setting by trial and error. It depends also on how you cut them up, I slice smaller cherry ones in half and bigger ones to match. Don't think mine is particularly accurate regarding its temperature display.
           
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          • JWK

            JWK Gardener Staff Member

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            Yes!
             
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            • SunnyGin

              SunnyGin Gardener

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              Some more new to me varieties.

              On the left, Delicious. This type once held the record for largest tomato at 7pounds I think. This has been broken by other varieties since then. Apparently the average weight is 1 pound, this one is nowhere near that and not many fruit per plant, I might give it another go next year but there will be other outside contenders. The other one is lucky Tiger, apparently tangy and very pretty with orange, green and gold colouring.

              IMG_20220820_081056.jpg
               
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              • burnie

                burnie Total Gardener

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                • SunnyGin

                  SunnyGin Gardener

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                  Today's haul is going to take some time. Glad things are now slowing down, freezer is full...

                  IMG_20220820_105931.jpg
                   
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                  • burnie

                    burnie Total Gardener

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                    Being up in the North East of Scotland I reckon I'm a week or two behind most of you, just hope we don't get an early frost, we had the Aurora Borealis last night, winter not far away!.
                     
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                    • Glynne Williams

                      Glynne Williams Keen Gardener

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                      This site has Tomato Borealis, multicolored!!!
                       
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                      • Ademission

                        Ademission Super Gardener

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                        JWK,

                        The freezer is full!.

                        There are still masses of tomatoes, both in the greenhouse and outside so we have decided to go ahead and buy a dehydrator to preserve the remaining tomatoes and chilis. Following on from the advice you gave in a previous dehydrator posting, we decided to follow your lead and buy the Andrew James dehydrator. I also ordered four more trays and twelve silicon sheets in case we have a go at fruit leather.

                        I just have a couple of questions: -

                        Do you salt your tomatoes before dehydration and do you add any herbs (Oregano, Thyme...)?

                        Any other tips would be appreciated.

                        Thanks in anticipation.

                        Ademission
                         
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                        • SunnyGin

                          SunnyGin Gardener

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                          @Ademission don't rule out making paste yet. I've done loads of dehydrated tomatoes, now filled my freezer with deseeded tomatoes in ziplock bags. So I am now making paste using up 10ib of tomatoes at a time. I'm reckoning I need to reduce the remainIng fruit down to the smallest size possible. Anyone got a spare black hole available...?
                           
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                          • burnie

                            burnie Total Gardener

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                            We've just had tomato and Anaheim pepper soup for lunch, that used up a lot of fruit and tasted delicious.
                             
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                            • JWK

                              JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                              @Ademission I don't salt or add anything but only because I've never thought about it. You could try doing so on one tray then rehydrate them to see. When I got mine I experimented with other things, bananas and other fruit are delicious dried but obviously not home grown.

                              I suppose you could add salt etc after rehydrating, depends what you like. I rehydrate half a cup at a time with a little boiling water, then add a little balsamic and sometimes olive oil to cover them. Leave overnight in the fridge.

                              I experimented with temperature and time settings. Towards the end of the 36 hours at 60c some are dried so I take them out and shuffle the remainder around onto fewer trays. I also swap the tray order a couple of times as the tray nearest the bottom dries quicker.

                              My daughter makes dried beef, siimilar to biltong, a very tasty snack.

                              Good luck with it.
                               
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                              • Balc

                                Balc Total Gardener

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                                I haven't been able to "harvest" enough tomatoes from my 10 remaining plants for a meal even! :gaah::cry3::cry3::cry3:
                                 
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