Gardeners Delight tomatoes

[Toadspawn]

I have been growing GD tomatoes for many years in the GH and they have always produced masses of small sweet tomatoes ideal for picking and eating whilst standing in the GH. However, this year in particular I have noticed that the trusses are not as long as in previous years and the flavour is not as good.
Has anyone else noticed this? Has the main stock of seed been 'allowed' to decline in quality? Is this a way to 'persuade' us grow the newer varieties which are better earners for the seed companies and the plant breeders?

[Toadspawn]

[macmac]

Grew some in the greenhouse as a defence against blight,the flavours not so good and they're huge ::)

[PurpleHeather]

I tried GD last year and was not impressed. This year it was a pack from either Aldi or Lidl which had 11 seeds in and cost less than 40p.

I took the side shoots off as cuttings and got 40 plants altogether which I shared out on the allotments for those who do not have greenhouses to start theirs off. They are the sweetest tomatoes I have ever tasted. Perfectly shaped like the shop ones. Every one is pleased with them.

I got some plants given to me which are beef steak and the guy who gave them to me had them given to him by a local he met in a bar when he went to Malta on holiday and they are doing well too.  Seems this guy just takes the seeds out of the tomatoes and uses them the following year.

If it is a ploy of seed producers, they wont make much from me.

[chriscross1966]

I grew GD this year and was reminded of why I love them so much.....a taste better than anything you can ever get in the shops.....might try other cherry toms every now and again but always seem to come back to it.....

chrisc

[RobinOfTheHood]

I got mine from Real Seeds this year, the 'Supersweet Irish Version - the sweetest tomatoes we've ever tasted'. They say that many different cherries are sold as Gardener's Delight and these are not the originals.

All I can say is that they've never tried Sungold! They're sweet, but not as sweet by a margin. They are probably the sweetest non-F1 toms I've had though, and I've grown GD for the last 4 years.

I don't think you would go wrong buying these next year.  (Sungold, buy Sungold!)

[Lizann]

My tomatoes are vile this year.  Both GD and cherry.  They are sour and horrible and it's really only the second year I've grown tomatoes.  Am wondering if it's worth all the bother.  Wonder if it could be the growbags I used.  Also, I used Toby Buckland's method this year, of cutting the grow bag in half and using it upright and open at the top rather than the using lying down flat growbag method, so wonder if that's got anything to do with it. 

[Deb P]

Peversely, my GD toms seem to be smaller, more like a currant type this year! I did grow them from different seed, so goodness knows what I'm growing..... ??? ::)

[saddad]

Persevere Lizann...

My tomatoes are vile this year.  Both GD and cherry.  They are sour and horrible

Light intensity (sunshine) helps and we haven't had a great deal for the last month...  :-\

[thifasmom]

i grew 'gardener's delight' last year and 'Christmas grapes' and GD won hands down in the red cherry catergory, this year in the yellow cherry catergory the winner is definitely 'broad ripple yellow current' its like eating sugar. my GD seems a poor second in its shadow :) but I'll grow GD again next year and trial another red cherry for comparison.

[cleo]

Interesting-I have grown GD for years and years but from saved seeds so I cannot comment.

Simpson`s seeds offer a variety of variations on GD called the `Del ` series.

I haven`t grown any for a couple of seasons now but only because I have limited space to keep my `regular` plants + new varieties-but they were very good.

Worth having a look?

http://www.simpsonsseeds.co.uk/shop/Del_Series_Seeds.html


Having looked myself the list is not what it was but ` Unidel` is good

[Barnowl]

My tomatoes are vile this year.  Both GD and cherry.  They are sour and horrible and it's really only the second year I've grown tomatoes.  Am wondering if it's worth all the bother.  Wonder if it could be the growbags I used.  Also, I used Toby Buckland's method this year, of cutting the grow bag in half and using it upright and open at the top rather than the using lying down flat growbag method, so wonder if that's got anything to do with it. 

As it's only the second year you've grown toms, I hope you won't mind my asking whether you feed them once the first fruits set? If you just water they tend to lack flavour.

[Nemesia]

It  seems to be a popular tomato to grow and I was going to try them next year.  This year I grew two cherry type, Sungold and Sweet Olive.  I find the Sungold far too sweet for my taste and my OH says the skin on the other one gave him awful indigestion.  They have both grown fast and produced a lot of fruit but not so with Ailsa Craig on which the skins have split  - something to do with the watering I suppose.

Absoluitely, definitely, I am going to grow fewer tom plants next year.

[chriscross1966]

It  seems to be a popular tomato to grow and I was going to try them next year.  This year I grew two cherry type, Sungold and Sweet Olive.  I find the Sungold far too sweet for my taste and my OH says the skin on the other one gave him awful indigestion.  They have both grown fast and produced a lot of fruit but not so with Ailsa Craig on which the skins have split  - something to do with the watering I suppose.

Absoluitely, definitely, I am going to grow fewer tom plants next year.

I fin f that drip-system watering is the way to go .... you need 1 2l per minute dripper per plant and a tank that will hold at least a gallon per plant.... fill it each morning, clean the filter out and then leave it dripping through the day. Every other day add a quarter tablespoon of tomato food per plant to the tank.....

chrisc

[RobinOfTheHood]

Mine are straight in the greenhouse borders, I watered them once or twice when they first went in in May, and never since. Plenty of rain and plenty of manure dug in, and Bob's your uncle..  ;)