Topic: Tomatoes - is there any point?

[earlypea]

When did everyone start their toms off?  Mine are still very green

First toms sown 20th March (airing cupboard), raised north facing, unsunny conservatory, planted outside on plot 21st May (as trees).

Aurora cropping mid July til now - just about finished.
Yellow Centriflor cropping in dribs and drabs since late July and looking set to continue for some time (but not v. nice)

[cornykev]

I sowed mine on the 31st of Jan, Tigerellas have been ripe for about 5 weeks now, the OH reckons they are better than sex, :-[  I'll be growing moneymaker next year.    :'( :'( :'(

[pigeonseed]

Oh Cornykev! How awful!  ;D

[1066]

Oh Cornykev! How awful!  ;D

But we do like you  ::)  :P

I think this is the worst year for me - been growing toms in pots in various gardens for about 15 years, and this year not only are they taking a looooong time to ripen the yields are well down.
Need to have a think about how to grow them next year - as well as getting some Tigerellas  ;D  ::)  :P

1066  :)

[non-stick]

There is certainly a point in having a go as the taste and range availble to the home grower is huge.

On the downside I've not had a decent crop indoors or out for a several years now. Too often blight gets the outdoor ones.

I was late planting mine out this year which probably hasn't help. Quite a few green ones but not that many red yet.

I need a change of tact, and probably variety, next year.

[tonybloke]

[attachment=1]

;)

[Duke Ellington]

Tony~are those little ones *sweet million*?

I grew sweet million this year and cant keep up with them.

Duke

[tonybloke]

Tony~are those little ones *sweet million*?

I grew sweet million this year and cant keep up with them.

Duke

they are Gardeners Delight.
you are right about the 'sweet millions' though!!

[electric landlady]

Mine are just beginning to go red. They've been green for ages but when they start ripening there's no stopping them, even in rubbish weather. I'm growing Gardeners Delight which never lets me down, plus Costuluto Fiorentino and Roma. They all have a reasonable number of toms on but the big question is - WILL THE BLIGHT STRIKE??? It's just appeared on my neighbour's toms which are about 20 feet away from mine. Eek. BUT I've been spraying mine with Bordeaux Mixture and they haven't.


So maybe, just maybe, for the first time in 4 years, I can get a ripe crop from my plants before they all turn black and fall over :)

[Gillysdad]

When did everyone start their toms off?  Mine are still very green

!st of February with Shirley in the heated greenhouse, then staggered the sowing of Hartmans Yellow and Sugar Pearl.
Sea Coal burns well in a Parkray fire, heating 5 radiators, no pump needed. Not totally eco-friendly, but does a lot less damage than a chinese power station. And its all for a good cause.....fresh toms. ;D

[electric landlady]

I usually start mine end of Feb, but this year owing to weather and one thing and another I didn't start them till end of March, and they didn't get planted outside till June. But they have caught up - the later start doesn't seem to have made any difference to size/amount of fruit/ripeness etc.

I tried Tigerella the last 2 years - the first year they were rubbish, the next very good. Never grown Roma before - they look good! Can't wait till they ripen. As to 'is there any point?' sometimes I wonder when blight appears, but I couldn't not grow them. I just love the way they smell. Oh and eating them of course.