Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Jeannine on February 16, 2013, 10:39:06
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Following the super turnout for the biggest tomato for 2012, here we go again folks, remember it is just for fun, only a couple of rules.
Open to anyone on the forum.
The comp will run from now till the end of the season.
Your prize winning darling must be displayed on a digital scales and a photograph posted.
It can be any shape or colour even green.
I presume everyone will help everyone else as they did last year if seeds are hard to find for biggies, we are all such good folks that we even help out fellow competitors. I have spares for sure.
So get cracking tomato growers and don't forget to keep sharing news with is from the get go about sowing, pricking out etc and of course which ones you will be growing, I will keep a list going as the info comes in.
I shall be growing Hoy this year for my main one but Rachel Sebastian's Ball Bag did so good for me last year that she will get another look in and I think I will grow Church.
New to tomatoes,not sure what to do, just ask, you are all welcome to join in
Perhaps Jayb could make this a sticky as we did last year .
Good Luck to us all.
XX Jeannine
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I have some saved seed from our Délice de Burpée (Delicious Burpee) which won me 1st and 2nd place in 2012! As it is available in UK I presume it will grow well there, as well as in SW France where we grow it outdoors, with minimal care and attention.
Following the discussion about it being better not to save seed from a truss with outsize tomatoes, I only kept seed from the less huge ones. I've not kept that much, but I could let people have 3 or four seeds perhaps if you send me a private message.
We've had rain every day here for more than 6 weeks, so I've not remotely got myself into thinking about sowing seeds. There has been well over 4m of snow in the mountains near us as well. Today has been a sunny warm day though, so I'm trying to work out whether I should plant shallots in saturated soil - probably best to leave them a week or two!
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Stickied and moved here from the Shed, hope you agree?
I'm just sorting out what Tom's I'm going to sow this year, I hope to add a couple of biggy types. I think I may try a PG selection although not much luck last season! I'll post back when when sown.
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Yes, please. I still have some 'handbag ' tomatoes if you'd like some, Jeannine. They haven't been grown on their own so, would they have crossed?
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i dont mind giving it a go shall be growing big zak and delicious
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I'd like to join in again please.
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Ohh....I'm very tempted...I need to do my tomato sowing plan soon to see what room I'm going to have in GH. :glasses9:
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No promises yet, but I will grow a big variety and we'll see what it does. :toothy10:
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seeds sown :blob7:
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Okee count me in.I will open my box of tomatoes to see witch one i will grow.I have some russians who did well last year.
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As it is snowing outside at the moment, it is nice to think about summer, and tomatoes! This week I sowed three different varieties - the Délice de Burpée from last year (but I won't enter that again this year, once is enough!), plus some San Pedro (from Daveylamp) which are fairly big I think, and some "Des Andes", a long cornet-shaped tomato, from a friend locally. I'll also buy just one grafted tomato plant, of an ordinary sort, and one cherry tomato plant. I was going to do my usual Sungold than found I hadn't any left, and you can't buy them here. I like them very much, but I'm happy to have a change this year. If I really miss them, I'll make sure I buy them next winter. But they are expensive!
Happy growing everyone!
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We have 3 handbag, 3 black krim and one I have labelled big challenge up today, happy days :toothy10: :blob7:
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I'm in then!!
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Yes please :blob7:
I've got 3 plants growing with about 4 leaves each so far,
Giant PG (from Medwyn's)
5.32 Lyons
4.29 Timm
(I'm not sure if I've written the last two correctly, seeds were gifted by Dandytown and Slyfox-mal - thankyou :toothy10:)
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count me in please.
Gazza
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I'd better get my name down, just in case.
I have no idea what variety I'll be using because after sowing my seeds and trying to be clever by using the computer to keep track of what's what, the file corrupted.
So, unknown variety, bags full of hope though. :-)
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So, unknown variety, bags full of hope though. :-)
Variety 'Bags full of Hope' has a lovely ring to it :wave:
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Variety 'Bags full of Hope' has a lovely ring to it :wave:
:wave.gif: That would be cool!
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I've got 1 'giant' tomato seedling growing and I shall enter to our comp with that :icon_cheers: Thanks to Dandytown for the seed last year :icon_thumleft:
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I must be mad, all my plants are way behind last year but go on then.......... :toothy4:
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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
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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 :happy7:
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 :icon_cheers: Not telling you which one yet!
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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
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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?
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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.
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They should do well Betty :toothy10:
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 :happy7:
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I am a bit behind, my plants are only just going into their final pots and growbags but most are flowering... :icon_cheers:
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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! :toothy2:
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!
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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 :wave:
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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
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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 :glasses9: :icon_cheers:
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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.
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I've a few which have the makings of make nice size toms, but nothing looking like a biggy- yet!
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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
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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 :toothy10:
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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.
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My largest so far weighed 13oz, and boy is it ugly!
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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'?
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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 :drunken_smilie:
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 :toothy10:
No photos yet...early days...
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This was the one I picked the other day, sorry pictures not very good.
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Goodlife, perhaps you have been getting tips?
Tuija, from Finland recently set a New European record for largest tomato http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=206617 Well done, what a monster :icon_cheers:
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I may have an entry if it ever ripens up - a Coeur de Boeuf which has gone a bit mental..
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This was the one I picked the other day, sorry pictures not very good.
Now that is not bad looking tomato at all :icon_cheers:...unlike that Finnish grower's one..it reminds me of those 'face twisting competition'..can't remember what they called (where they put their head through horse's 'what's its'.. :drunken_smilie:
Not a pretty tomato that one.
Mine is not going to be anywhere that big...it looks like its stopped growing now and it is 'on hold' before it start ripening up... :BangHead: If it reach 1.5 lb I'm happy.. :glasses9:
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it reminds me of those 'face twisting competition'..can't remember what they called (where they put their head through horse's 'what's its'.. :drunken_smilie:
Gurning !!!
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Gurning tomato! :icon_cheers: yes...that's the word I was looking for..
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My 'Country Taste' plant seems to be heading towards the largest fruit at the moment, but I stupidly didn't limit the fruits so although they are totally green and still growing it looks unlikely I'll be competing with the big boys and girls....
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not been a very good year for giants for me but here goes anyhow 1192g or 2.62lb
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g110/slyfox-mal/IMAG0054_zps82465bea.jpg) (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/slyfox-mal/media/IMAG0054_zps82465bea.jpg.html)
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What a corker :icon_cheers:
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My handbag has stopped growing and is now colouring up, looks good but not very big :toothy10:
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Whoaa...it is biggie :icon_cheers: Ho does the size compare to some object?...would be nice to get some idea of it :drunken_smilie:
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Here is another. This one is called Brandywine.
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh131/jazzbyrd/006a44082e1005674a4f3bb85e1bc74b_zps5a30fc54.jpg)
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh131/jazzbyrd/4ef296127113221f3efe9827735eb34e_zps5d5b8631.jpg)
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here you go goodlife some thing to compare it to i almost chopped it up and got the seeds befor seeing your coment and well done duke on yours
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g110/slyfox-mal/IMAG0057_zps850ec7e8.jpg) (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/slyfox-mal/media/IMAG0057_zps850ec7e8.jpg.html)
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I have to admire all you big tomato growers because I just can't do it!
I simply don't have the wherewithal to strip a healthy plant of all its fruits but one.
I'm growing, among several others, a couple of Terhune Tomatos from the seed swap and they have each thrown out a big-sized tomato, but also lots of secondarys and so on. I have stopped them at five trusses and the continue to grow, but I just can';t bring myself to do it! Soft eh? :angel11:
Tell ya what. I'll save some seed from the biggest fruit I get and use that next year in a proper attempt.
Honest. :tongue3:
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lol good on ye nigel i know its sounds daft doing it but i have the space to have a go i have around 70 plants in for eaters of maybe 15 different types including terhune and i have about 20 or so plants for giants of these are from three types big zac delicious and mega marv i shall be saving plenty of seed this year if anybody wants some later on
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here is my crop i brought home today apart from the big one in background near the apple i think it give a better perspective of its size i shall be busy making sauce later i think
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g110/slyfox-mal/IMAG0059_zpsa164adb6.jpg) (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/slyfox-mal/media/IMAG0059_zpsa164adb6.jpg.html)
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Huge disappointment here...it ripened already... :BangHead:
...but tasted very nice...cheese and THICK..bread slice size of tomato sarnie.. :icon_cheers:...YUM...
...until next year....practice makes perfect.. :glasses9:
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Mine only got to a lb before it ripened so ....We ate it :toothy10:
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I didnt grow any big tomatoes this year - but may do next year !!
Debs
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not been a very good year for giants for me but here goes anyhow 1192g or 2.62lb
Hi slyfox-ma.. what type of tom is this beauty?
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i grow three type of giant seed big zak delicious and megamarv that one was off megamarv
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i brought home a few more large toms today biggest 1074 g thats 2.36lb not big by giant standards but will do me for seed smallest is 1lb.8oz
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g110/slyfox-mal/IMAG0070_zpse03811f7.jpg) (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/slyfox-mal/media/IMAG0070_zpse03811f7.jpg.html)
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g110/slyfox-mal/IMAG0069_zpsd1329281.jpg) (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/slyfox-mal/media/IMAG0069_zpsd1329281.jpg.html)
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Gee sly you sure have some real beauties there... any chance of some seed?
Heres my biggest 673 g ... seed is Omars Lebanese. It started to signs of splitting so I picked it today.
(http://www.seedparade.co.uk/forum/attachments/competitions/2009d1378145285-biggest-tomato-2013-just-fun-comp-my-biggest-tom-673-g_rs.jpg)
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gavin i shall be offering some selected seed a little later on when i have saved and dried some regards mal
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Ooooo thank you.. I look forward to that..
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Just weighed one if my biggies, ......only 310g ! It looked so much bigger.... :BangHead:
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Big for a Coeur de boeuf but not quite up in there with the really big boys..
(http://i.imgur.com/BhqCjRB.jpg)
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gavin i shall be offering some selected seed a little later on when i have saved and dried some regards mal
Hmmm. Maybe that would give me half-a-chance after all Mal.
I should probably swallow my pride and ask to get a fair go...
So if I may put my name down.... :)
Nigel. Next-year's winner. ;)
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my largest so far was a yellow Oxheart at 475... and no other real contenders to come. :BangHead:
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here is another 2lb plus i found today on one of my plants
1118g 2.46lb i think
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g110/slyfox-mal/IMAG0084_zpsf005ca5e.jpg) (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/slyfox-mal/media/IMAG0084_zpsf005ca5e.jpg.html)
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That's me done too! - my biggest was an Old Wyandotte from a daisy type flower and weighed in at 1 pound 7 ounces. Told OH that there would only be one tomato for salad yesterday and he scoffed ' as if there is a shortage at the moment ............', but then he realised what I meant when he saw this one on the scales :happy7:
Still nowhere near good enough for this year's competition ................ :BangHead:
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I think you all did wonderful , well done and I am dead jealous..isn't that a sin? With one thing and another I didn't grow any at all this year. I bought a few plants as I didn't get the chance to sow any but they were terrible , all manner of ills so I chucked them. But oh boy you lot wait till next year cos I got a spanking new greenhouse and it is at home so I can tend and tend and .........
Seriously it is so much fun to see all your comments and your lovely pictures, and hope to be back in the gang next year.
XX Jeannine
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Haven't harvested my big tomatoes yet (I'll tell you the weight but I'm not competing this year, having won last year!) but I'm very satisfied with our Cornu des Andes, new for us this year, which have produced really heavy tomatoes that are breaking their tresses of 6 or 8 tomatoes. Most are weighing in at about 10oz, and they are brilliant for drying. In the past I've grown san Marzano, the traditional ones for drying, but these seem easier, are very fleshy with little juice, and they've dried really well. They also taste good too. Thoroughly recommend them.
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l543/peanuts46/IMG_0025_zpsb4ff1926.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/peanuts46/media/IMG_0025_zpsb4ff1926.jpg.html)
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probably my last pics of my toms this season im sure your getting bored of them by now here are five fruit all from the same plant in fact off the same truss all at or about 2lb nice single blooms
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g110/slyfox-mal/IMAG0101_zps992a2ac4.jpg) (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/slyfox-mal/media/IMAG0101_zps992a2ac4.jpg.html)
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Your haul is pretty fabulous, mal, well done on so many large tomatoes. What did you feed them?
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here is my biggest tomato this year, slightly smaller than my winner last year. But I'm NOT competing this year, just showing it here for interest! Again it is a Délice de Burpée. Although they don't look that big, they are incredibly solid.
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l543/peanuts46/IMG_0105_zps7b09f8da.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/peanuts46/media/IMG_0105_zps7b09f8da.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l543/peanuts46/IMG_0104_zps8f80ff03.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/peanuts46/media/IMG_0104_zps8f80ff03.jpg.html)
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They look really attractive. Bet they taste good too. And I am also quite taken with the look of the Cornu des Andes. Similar in shape to Amish Paste, but twice the size at least. You only need one for a tomato sauce by the looks of it - two at the most? :icon_cheers:
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1,285kg big tomato :old stanwell,staines,plot 3a-4a
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(http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/gallery/53663-270913165819.jpeg)
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Oh well done, crisralu!
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thank you very much ,its full organic and was not in the greenhouse! I don't know where I need to post for competition :)
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Well hello and welcome. Great tomato you have there. What part of the country are you in?
XX Jeannine
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North East, Stanwell,Staines,Surrey ,Allotment site,Spout Lane plot 3a-4a
thank you very much
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Oooh just popped in for a nosey , as left big garden behind last year and so didnt grow any bigjobs this time and wow. Just shows what a better year we've had this time. Some whoppers there.
Well done.
x Sunloving
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What happened to this competition - it has gone very quiet? And I asked about the veg competition this year, which never appeared? Didn't get any answer!
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What happened to this competition - it has gone very quiet? And I asked about the veg competition this year, which never appeared? Didn't get any answer!
Cris and Mal just trounced us :wave: Some super tomatoes here. There were a few near 2 pounders but most of us didn't get a look in :tongue3:
Good effort guys and a nice fun competition for all of us. Certainly better results than last year.
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Well done to all. A new thread has been started for 2014 competition. http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,77191.0.html