Author Topic: Biggest tomato competition for 2013 , sign up here!! (Read 25467 times)

Jeannine · « **Reply #20 on:** April 18, 2013, 03:05:09 »

Well folks I am out. One thing and another I never did get my tomato seeds sown this year and I BOUGHT PLANTS yesterday, heirloom mostly but can't believe I didn't start my own...no biggies among the, though but I shall be watching you all with jealous interest.

XX Jeannine

Jayb · « **Reply #21 on:** May 02, 2013, 17:48:13 »

Quote from: Jeannine on April 18, 2013, 03:05:09

Well folks I am out. One thing and another I never did get my tomato seeds sown this year and I BOUGHT PLANTS yesterday, heirloom mostly but can't believe I didn't start my own...no biggies among the, though but I shall be watching you all with jealous interest.

XX Jeannine

Oh dear, that won't do. How's about you virtually have one of mine, take your pick and I'll grow it on and post updates and pictures for you

Giant PG (from Medwyn's) I think I have two of these
5.32 Lyons
4.29 Timm

All look pretty much on a par at the moment. I noticed yesterday, one has it's first flower truss just visible, looks to be a mega bloom

Not telling you which one yet!

royforster · « **Reply #22 on:** May 07, 2013, 20:31:18 »

Hi All
I'll have a go. I'm in SW France and have raised all my toms from seed in heated propagators and in a polytunnel. So despite the fairly cool spring, several of my toms have flower buds already.
The 2 varieties I hope will produce biggies are Coeur de Boeuf and Delicious. I'm also growing San Marzano, Rio Grande and Roma - all plum typs for sauces etc and Gardener's Delight as a cherry. I have 80 plants in all, and as you might guess we love toms - even making our own ketchup.
Good luck everyone.
Roy

Jayb · « **Reply #23 on:** May 16, 2013, 16:17:36 »

I planted my little babies up yesterday, a little too soon as they have not started flowering but just happened that way. I'm growing in pots hopefully being fed and watered from a tray below, which should supply their needs, though I think they might have done better if they had been planted in the greenhouse border?

Squash64 · « **Reply #24 on:** May 16, 2013, 18:26:58 »

Mine are planted in greenhouse and polytunnel borders. I'm growing
Delicious and Beefmaster. Also one that someone here sent me some
seeds of, but I don't know its name.

The fabric on my polytunnel disintegrated completely last year, but the
frame was still ok so my husband has covered it with something that looks
like it used to be a gazebo. There is no door, just the extra fabric hanging
over and kept in place by clips. I have to bend over almost double to
get in and out. It reminds me of a cave.

Jayb · « **Reply #25 on:** May 25, 2013, 22:19:26 »

They should do well Betty

I made a temporary poly-tunnel/hoop house last year, no doors either! Great you don't have to rush to open it up on the rare sunny days!

My plants look to be growing ok despite the low temperatures we have been having. Can't wait for the first flowers to open

Deb P · « **Reply #26 on:** May 29, 2013, 23:56:22 »

I am a bit behind, my plants are only just going into their final pots and growbags but most are flowering...

peanuts · « **Reply #27 on:** May 30, 2013, 05:21:36 »

What tomatoes? Down in SW France it has continued to rain and rain, and it is still very cold for the time of year. We have had snow on the mountains directly in front of us every day this week. Many gardeners are on the verge of giving up, particularly with tomatoes. The dozen or so I planted out over three weeks ago haven't moved or grown at all, just shivered. They are just about alive, but that is all. The rest haven't grown either, still in pots under cover, just waiting for a dry spell, which hasn't come. And today, after two days of torrential rain, we have an 'orange' alert, with extremely heavy rain forecast until tomorrow!

I'm also waiting to plant out sweetcorn, which at least is happy enough in root-trainers for the moment. All the climbing beans and French beans are up but haven't grown at all. Same with half a dozen Waltham Butternut squash, which would normally be romping away now in the warm sunshine (what is that?!). they still have just their first two leaves.
But it is far worse for farmers and market gardeners, whose livelihood depends on it. So we're not grumbling, just staying indoors with the heating on!

Jayb · « **Reply #28 on:** May 30, 2013, 06:58:12 »

Your weather sounds awful. Last year I spent most of my summer gardening in wellies as just so muddy with the constant rain and flooding plot, it's not nice and gets you down in the end. So really hope summer arrives for you soon

strawberry1 · « **Reply #29 on:** July 19, 2013, 22:01:22 »

just wondering how you are getting on with the tomatoes. I have been reading about temperatures above 29 degrees stopping lycopeine production in the fruits

goodlife · « **Reply #30 on:** July 19, 2013, 22:40:34 »

Wellllll...I've got ONE tomato that is looking VERY promising... and now it is receiving some special attention so it will swell up into a whopper

peanuts · « **Reply #31 on:** July 20, 2013, 07:33:37 »

I now at least have some tomatoes set on about a third of our plants, the rest starting to flower! So just a little behind normal time. Bit tomato? Hmmm! Very hot and dry here now, for three weeks. Usually I don't water tomatoes at all, but have given them a good soaking twice so far. Thankfully we have a well in the garden, (our water is metered and very expensive) so can water the other veg regularly and freely.

Jayb · « **Reply #32 on:** July 21, 2013, 10:29:35 »

I've a few which have the makings of make nice size toms, but nothing looking like a biggy- yet!

sunloving · « **Reply #33 on:** July 28, 2013, 08:00:02 »

Hello all , I was just popping in to see how the contest for this year was going!
Sadly I moved from my house this year and the 15ft greenhouse and so have aonly two weedy lookning plants in mini greenhouses.

Hows the defending champion Peanuts doing!!
Good luck with those newly swelling fruits come on august is the month for super toms!!
xSunloving

manicscousers · « **Reply #34 on:** July 28, 2013, 08:03:51 »

I'm nurturing a 'handbag' one but we're going to cornwall next weekend for a fortnight so I have to leave my baby all alone

peanuts · « **Reply #35 on:** July 28, 2013, 15:10:27 »

Sorry, sunloving, not much news from SW France yet! my Délice de Burpée haven't even set one fruit yet, although they are at least showing flowers now. The rest, various varieties, have fruit on them at last, and some of the cherry ones might even get red in a week or so if I'm lucky. Very hot here, very dry.

Jayb · « **Reply #36 on:** July 29, 2013, 21:10:42 »

My largest so far weighed 13oz, and boy is it ugly!

Jayb · « **Reply #37 on:** August 12, 2013, 15:31:47 »

Today I picked a 1lb 4oz tom, I don't think a winner but thought I'd start the ball rolling, picture to follow.
How is everyone else getting on with their 'champions'?

goodlife · « **Reply #38 on:** August 12, 2013, 17:15:40 »

Well...I'm taking my chances with just one plant that has just one tomato on. All others have been removed to give this single one all the energy to make BIIIG one.
Well..time will tell what happens, so far so good and I've given it tower of plant pots undernearth to support the weight (wishful thinking there) so no accidental breakages happen.
It is very good size already and still green so there is more growing to do...though I don't think it will make HUGE size..far too beautiful for that

What ever weight it will make, it has been truly fun to grow and I will definitely sacrifice plant space to do it again...just to challenge myself to do it better

No photos yet...early days...

Jayb · « **Reply #39 on:** August 16, 2013, 16:06:45 »

This was the one I picked the other day, sorry pictures not very good.

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Author Topic: Biggest tomato competition for 2013 , sign up here!! (Read 25467 times)