Topic: Strange flowers on tomatoes.

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

well yes, tho we did end up with enough chutney to feed a small Indian state

[Chris Graham]

As promised here is a photo of the bud on my Marmande plant.

It does have some flower buds too ;)

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

have you seen the film "Little Shop of Horrors"? Feed Me.........

[Larkspur]

Jeannine can I be clear on this. Are you saying that I should leave the three varieties of tomato I mentioned in the opening question alone, even if they stop at one truss which is what they appear to be doing? I am obviously unfamiliar with both these varieties and semi determinates in general having spent many years growing "normal" cordon varieties and find these new(to me) plants very confusing to deal with.

[Jeannine]

No I cannot truly say that as semis are the comics of the tomato world, but if it is a favourite tomato and you want to grow it regularly I would prune one and leave one so that you get a better picture of that particular tomato. I am not in a position to say as I have never grown this one. I have regularly grown Longkeeper and Celebrity which are semis and I pruned them according to the way I was taught but if I only had 1 flower truss I probably would follow T&M advice and remove it. It may be something that this tomato does. XX Jeannine

As an afterthough, the flower looks just like the last flower truss on a determinate tomato, it always ends with a flower truss up top after it has finished growing to it's full height,but this is odd if only very small.

[Marymary]

I am sooooooooooooo confused.  I have got lots of tomatoes & I have only ever removed the bit which grows between the stem & a leaf.  This year I have got some from the pass-the-parcel & they were labeled bush so I am planning on leaving them alone.  Is this right? I've also got loads of San Mazuno [?] cos I want to make passata.  What do I need to do with these? 

Help please.  :)

[Larkspur]

Thanks Jeannine. They do look to me as if they are terminal flowers. I currently have them in a greenhouse but I think I will transfer them to the lotty where they can do what they like without me having to worry about them and replace them in the greenhouse with some I understand ;) :D. At least it will be interesting ::)

[Larkspur]

San Marzano grow as cordons. They produce huge crops of very large fruit.

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

yes Jeannine - with Marmande the very first truss that forms is on the main stem when the plant is still small and is terminal, with one flower bud growing enormous and distorted. Using a new side shoot as a new stem it grows normally like a indeterminate. Costoluto may be the same. I'm growing it for the first time this year

[Marymary]

San Marzano grow as cordons. They produce huge crops of very large fruit.

I do hope so as i want loads.  Thanks for the reassurance.

[Jeannine]

I have just re read you first comment,I grow Cherokee Purple and 4 types of Brandywine  every year and have done for  a great many years now, I have never seen this on those,I am growing Couer De Bleu for the first time this year,my plants are about 20 inches with no sign of this funny flower, it gets stranger. I can think of absolutely no reason why your three toms should look like that.  I have periodically grown Costulato Genovese and Costulato Fiorentino without this as well.

This is very odd,

XX Jeannine

[Larkspur]

Hi again Jeannine. It is not just three plants it is every one of those three varieties.It will teach me to decide to be adventurous . The usual Gardeners Delight, San Marzano etc are all fine ::)

[Jeannine]

Are you absolutely certain that there are 3 types, could you have given some away and you have in fact got left with the three semis by accident. If I had three identical plants that had the same thing and 2 of them are indeterminates I would presume I had mixed them up. The other 2 never get a final flower at all,they go on till the frost gets them. The only other thing I could come up with is that something( I have no idea what) is maturing you plants far too early, and that would still not explain the Brandywine and Cherokee Purple.

Just for curiosity which Brandywine is it, some have potato leaf foliage, if it is one that should  and it hasn't then there is a mix up.

The other question I would be asking myself is if the seeds themselves got mixed up either by you,  the company or someone else if you got them in a trade.

If all this fails then I am stumped. Please tell me which Brandywine it is, at least I can answer that one for you. XX Jeannine

[Raisedbed]

Thanks for all the good advice.  My Marmandes are looking like ChrisG's at the moment so I shall be prepared to train another leader shoot if necessary.   

[Larkspur]

Hi jeannine. It is a potatoe leafed Brandywine. The seeds for the Brandywine and the Cherokee Purple came from a firm in France, the Cuor di Bue from a different source.  I am certain I have not mixed up either the plants or the seeds. Strange isn't it. 

[Jeannine]

So  the Brandywine that is growing ,does it have  potato leaves and the funny flower too? XX Jeannine

[Larkspur]

Yes.

[Jeannine]

Then I have no idea at all,sorry I have never heard of it ,it is bizarre XX Jeannine

[angle shades]

:)

I had this happen to a variety of tomato I grew last year called Big Rainbow, the tomato grew around the odd looking flower and  what I can only call mutant tomatoes appeared.

I didn't get one 'proper' tomato off this plant :(

In my humble experience Cherokee Purple is susceptible, but it doesn't seem to affect the whole plant, it's worth growing Larkspur (needs support as the fruits are heavy.... and very tasty :)) / shades x

[cleo]

That flower is weird!!-Something has damaged the plants. Insects?-some contamination from weedkiller?

I grow or have grown every variety mentioned and never seen this