Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: lincsyokel2 on August 14, 2010, 12:00:38
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Well, the jet stream has dropped below us, so thats the end of summer, expect two months of grey wetness.
For the third year running, my tomatoes have got to a reasonable size, but still green. And with the lack of sun, there never going to ripen, and since i hate green chutney, It looks like the entire crop will end up on the compost, since they have been green for 4 weeks, and within another two weeks they will have skins like army boot leather.
I conclude its a waste of time trying to grow tomatoes in this country, There simply isnt enough sunlight for long enough to complete the ripening process, and the weather patterns we are settling into, as witnessed in the last three years, means there never will be a long bright summer. They need to develop tomatoes that go from seed to crop in at most 100 days
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mine were still green last week so i started hanging banana skins on the plants and now they ripening and i have had quite a few this week so it may be worth trying.
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Sometimes you have to try to work out another way around a problem eg mini polytunnel or greenhouse to lengthen the season. I suppose it depends on how important a particular vegetable is to you. My cherry toms have ripened before the beefsteak types so that might be another idea. My allotment neighbour has been hit by blight for the last three years and she has grown them again this year because she and her husband love their toms . This year she has beautiful tomatoes growing and ripening nicely.
Duke :)
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There is a tomato grower not to far from us & they sell a 6kg box of "seconds", wrong shape for supermarkets. They charge £3 for them & they are lovely but you can't beat the taste of a warm tomato fresh from the vine ;).
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It's the challenge of growing things that keeps me going. My tom's have been fine this year, the cabbage not so good, but the onions have excelled themselves.
Don't mention peas though. The mice/sqirrels maybe the rats :o have had a great time. :( The peas were netted to stop the pesky pigeons, but the other varmits got in. :-[
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i hate green chutney,
I do too!
It looks like the entire crop will end up on the compost,
Not at all!!
I put my green ones on a tray/s and put them somewhere cool and dark, in my case the cupboard under the stairs.
I look at them regularly colecting those that have turned red and eating them, and binning those that might have gone off!
Many times by using this method I have eaten my own tomatoes on christmas day.
Why not try it!
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It looks the same here for me, and I'm only growing cherry toms and a small plum!! Aaarrggghhhh!
But might try the banana trick, or failing that its the cupboard under the stairs - so thanks for the tips :)
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i'm coming to the same conclusion ???
the motto for this year for me is - "Man Proposes, God Disposes"............
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Sunlight is not at all necessary for the ripening of tomatoes, in fact too much sunshine can actually slow ripening, and the fruit will ripen just as satisfactorily, though sometimes a little more slowly, in a dark cupboard.
However, the presence of ethylene will speed the ripening process, and this is most easily obtained (for the amateur) by simply placing one or two ripe bananas (which emit ethylene) in close proximity, and this works equally well whether the bananas are hung on or close to the plants, or are simply placed in a dark cupboard or drawer with the fruit.
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Oh..I don't wanna sound too pleased for myself but....few weeks ago I put some lemonade bottles in my greenhouses filled with sugar,water, berries and yeast..few holes in caps and I let them bubble away...
And now I get plenty of ripe toms.. ;D ;D
Maybe I have to do some proper 'GH wine' and get the 'fumes' in use. ;D
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It really can depend on a combination of variety and location as much as anything else. My "Sunrise", on a west-facing balcony, are laden with green fruit but no sign of colour yet ... my downstairs neighbour has "Gardeners' Delight" and another variety in grow-bags on the patio against a south-facing wall and has been picking both for some weeks, though her plum tomatoes have yet to ripen. They'll get there ;)
I've picked the last of one year's crop in the February of the following year (in an unheated greenhouse), the seedlings for the next season were already a fortnight old !!
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Mine have only just started ripening, so its not too late. Not many make it past me to the kitchen though. ;D
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There is nothing so good as a tomato still warm form the greenhouse. Still at the end of the season some do finish up in the compost and I was amazed this year to see little clusters of tiny tomato plants coming up amngst the sweet peas (where I had distributed my homemade compost). They must have been whole tomatoes that germinated in a clump. Wish the seeds I plant would be as prolific.
Ellie
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Green tomatoes can be used for making a pie filling, they are after all a fruit, I do this quite often, trust me it is good XX
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yep, there is a point
[attachment=1][attachment=2][attachment=3][attachment=4]
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http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,62131.0.html
Been picking inside and out for weeks,with the exception of a couple of years and awful blight we've had splendid crops mainly outside for years :)
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Maybe because I am south east but I have been picking toms for weeks and I have even made some passata cos I have too many.
There is plenty of time yet for them to ripen as well - dont give up!
Maybe go for early varieties like Red Alert or Harbinger. Sungold are always good for some early pickings as well as being totally gorgeous!
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I feel quite relieved to hear you say that, Lincsyokel! I was coming to the same conclusion, but I've had a good year with Tigerella this year - very early.
The first ones, outdoors in a windy NW-facing coastal garden, were ripe in early July (or maybe even late June, I can't remember now) and so I was very surprised and pleased with them.
Can you give them any extra protection like a polytunnel or lean-to greenhouse? And have you tried the early varieties?
Of course, as some have said - if you're not that bothered about them, or can buy nice ones locally - you could just call it a day!
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Every point lincsyokel2. I'm south east and have only just started picking. Have patience and a bit of faith. ;D ;)
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Don't throw away your green tomatoes, ripen them in a cupboard and make tomato soup with them. Loads of recipes in cookbooks but my secret is to add a tin of spaghetti and half teaspoon of turmeric. It gives the soup that lovely orange look. I like mine spicy so I add chili, basil , Worcester sauce and a few drops of tabasco. I just taste it until I am satisfied. We still have some in the freezer from last year and it makes a lovely lunch with garlic bread.
I shall make loads again this year.
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Blight has driven me mad over the last few years but never one to give up and I do love homegrown toms I grew Sungold and Piccolo this year and have to say although totally different to the variety's I usually grow they have been/are brilliant. Both early and good croppers, have been freezing them which is a first for many a long time now.
So don't give up, do one more year and try different varieties.
I also suffer with clubroot so between the blight and that life ain't easy on the plot but have been successful with toms and brassica's so never give up where there's a will there's a way :)
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It's only my third year of growing tomatoes and I was totally put off by the first - I had some outrageously prolific tomato plants (beginner's luck, for sure) but they we're cruelly smitten as they started to ripen. Beyond that my parents seem to think it's my duty to supply them with oodles of toms before they go on holiday in mid-August ???
I had an OK year last year with realseeds early types; Latah and Aurora (the earth was a little poor so not very productive).
This year I skipped the latah because it's early but there aren't enough of them, but my Aurora has been gorgeous. Landscape view of my first one this year, much more generous proportions than realseeds pic for some reason. The majority have been like that.
(http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y308/earlypea/firsttom.jpg)
Couldn't plant out until late so first pickings on July 17th and bowlfuls regularly since then.
Everyone on the allotments has been asking me my secret because despite some bursts of good weather theirs are only starting to ripen now and we've just had blight warnings.
Gave a taste to one plotholder who grows masses of tomatoes every year. He's extremely down to earth so I was shocked when he said 'that's the sweetest tomato I ever tasted". I've promised seed to loads of people.
So, yes - I think grow early types on the allotments. I've got some other more exciting ones in pots in my mother's garden where I'm thinking they could, possibly avoid blight - we'll see....
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They need to develop tomatoes that go from seed to crop in at most 100 days
p.m. me your address for some 'quick' varieties of tomato (USA seed)
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I grow masses of tomatoes - 70 or 80 plants of different varieties. And every year has its problems. The last two years have been awful for blight, but I've still got sauce & puree in the freezer from last year!
This year looks brilliant so far - a re-run of '06 (when, as we having an extension, I was bereft of a kitchen at a vital time of year!!). I check Blightwatch twice daily, of course....
Never give up on tomatoes. They are the only crop it's impossible to buy, anywhere, that has a taste & texture anywhere remotely like home-grown. (Discuss - as no doubt you will....)
(I can even get asparagus, peas & courgettes from my local PYO - but not tomatoes!)
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but I've had a good year with Tigerella this year - very early.
The first ones, outdoors in a windy NW-facing coastal garden, were ripe in early July (or maybe even late June, I can't remember now) and so I was very surprised and pleased with them.
Now that's worth knowing, so thanks Pigeonseed :)
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Definitely!! Yesterday's harvest of Tumbler in a hanging basket.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4900526903_3e054ca000.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/caesarasj/4900526903/)
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/caesarasj/4900526903/)
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Tigarella did superbly for me last year. Seem to be struggling a bit this year, but that's almost certainly more down to my inattention and neglect than the weather!
The last few trusses of stubborn green ones from the end of the season last year ripened up a treat on the window sill in a brown paper bag with a banana or two inside. Got the house sitters to take out the ripe ones in October when we went on holiday.
Will second the opinion that it's one of the few crops where shop brought doesn't even come close. Nothing but nothing beats a ripe tom straight from the plant. The ones in the supermarkets are mainly water and never ripe.
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I find the supermarket variety amoroso is not bad but yes the home grown sun ripened ones are the best. I love sungold though the seed is becoming increasingly expensive. Ate another 10 today - delicious. They are lurking behind a wall of sweetcorn seems to be keeping the wind off them.
No sign of tigrella ripening yet.
I almost did not bother this year so mine are very late, but now glad I planted them.
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Digeroo - would it not be good to save some of your own seed?
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I couldn't find any Sungold seeds on sale either this year or last. Finally resorted to buying (!?!) a couple of plants from our local nursery this year, so I've just saved seed for next year.
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When did everyone start their toms off? Mine are still very green
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When did everyone start their toms off? Mine are still very green
mid march :(
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I think I might have started mine in mid-Feb in the house. Can't remember that far back!
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Toms killed by blight, managed to save a few green ones and ripen them on the window sill......
Well that was last year, this year is more like....
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs316.snc4/41123_1468556846703_1617031885_1180496_6299771_n.jpg)
Thats the second bowlfull like that so far, been picking then for ages before the glut started, must have had 10kg by now, and still going strong.
I started a few end of Jan to go in the greenhouse, the rest I started early March for outdoors.
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My tomato plants have loads and loads and loads of leaves. I grow them in the greenhouse border that I change every year putting in well rotted manure and then home made compost. Do you think it is too rich and should I remove my leaves. There aren't that many toms but loads of flowers
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My "Sunrise" were sown January 16th in a heated propagator on the coffee table in the lounge ... I live alone, I can get away with these things ;) ... they are now over 6ft tall with 6-7 trusses per stem, but no red ones yet.
I grow mine on my second floor balcony, which has pro's and con's. The con's are mostly the lack of sunlight. I get about 2 hours a day, between when the sun comes around the side of the building around noon and disappears behind a tree a little after two. The pro's are that the air seems just that little bit drier (or has more movement) than at ground level, so no blight in the last four years, though simialr plants in my little plot on the other side of the building have suffered to a greater or lesser extent every autumn !?!
lottie lou : if you've got "loads of flowers" the fruit will come, it's a little late but certainly not too late. As for removing the leaves, I can't see the point. Theoretically it encourages the fruit to ripen earlier ... but tomatoes will ripen in a brown paper bag in the drawer under the bed (and various other similar locations) so that concept seems to have little validity. My other concern is that (and I may be wrong here) leaves allow the plant to collect sunlight which is then converted to sugars by photosynthesis which are then stored in the fruit ... for me I'd rather sweeter fruit that ripened a little later ... but I may be in a minority.
Why not try removing the leaves from one/some plants and let the others alone then make a comparasion between the ripened fruit?
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The main problem is that I read something on the internet - was it Joyful tomato? The writer said that he removed certain leaves from his friend's plants and his friend had the best crop ever. I thought that the leaves were used for photosynthesis but .....
However I am still very envious of other people's crops. Unfortunately cannot ripen under bed - chucked that out when I got a skip - has done wonders for my back pretending we are Japanese. PS was an interesting experience in Tokyo when I shared a room with 3 young blokes.
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This is my best year so far for toms, last year i was quite happy with the amount but got hit badly with blight.
This year I have loads, only 9 plants were planted but the 3 Roma plants have produced loads of toms.
This picture was taken about 3 days ago and shows only two of the plants with all the toms on.
I've started removing all the leaves apart from the top (approx 10"). Hopefully i've not caused them any damage from doing so. One of my plot neighbours removes all the leaves as the fruit sets and he has loads on each plant.
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x296/nilly71/Resize_P1526_15-08-10100819060103.jpg)
Neil
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oh i have plenty of crop, just no ripe ones, there just sitting there green and going leathery.
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My first red tomato was rotten.....yuk :(
The rest are growing but very Green........ :(
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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)
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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. :'( :'( :'(
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Oh Cornykev! How awful! ;D
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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 :)
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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.
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[attachment=1]
;)
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Tony~are those little ones *sweet million*?
I grew sweet million this year and cant keep up with them.
Duke
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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!!
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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 :)
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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
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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.