So due to massive demand in my household I put loads of different tomato seeds in and they have all germinated and are happily growing - amazingly for me ;)
I usually plant them in pots on my patio as I have always been worried that down the lottie I will not water and feed them enough but obviously as I have a lottie I want to use it. Oh and the small problem of the chickens possibly eating them in the garden >:( Do you all grow yours in the ground at the lottie and how often do you water/feed them? :-\
I've put some Gardener's Delight (cherry) toms in rows next to the cold frame at the allotmenet. I have a few in the cold frame too so we'll see which does best!
I am growing Ferline, Brandywine, San Marzona, Alicante and Sungold outside this year in the ground. All spares from my greenhouse stock so will be interested to see how I get on, especially with the San Marzona and Brandywine.
Just hope the blight stays away long enough to get a crops though Ferline is meant to have some resistance!
Jerry
We do but its a battle with the blight!
We use our normal technique of planting much more than we need to offset the low yeilds due to inability / time. I try to water them once or twice a week - three times if I'm good.
Always grown our toms on the allotment This year its Sungold, Olivade (our favourites), Tigrella, Marmande & Gardeners Delight. Have always had excellent crops with little feeding & not much watering except 2002 & 2003 when we were badly hit by blight. Not a problem last year.
last year was first on lottie and first growing tomatoes. I did some in big pots at home on our covered southfacing veranda and some straight in ground at lottie.
The ones at home I fed, watered, pinched out their little side shoots and everything else you are supposed to do. Sure enough I got a lovely crop of Gardeners Delight.
The ones at the lottie got shoved in the ground (too close together) tied to a stake and left. I think I watered them a couple of times but that was it. and........ a lovely crop of Gardeners Delight. ;D ;D To be fair they were a bit later than the pampered things at home but all in all the quality was as good and I think they actually cropped heavier.
So this year I am doing the same but with the added part of the experiment which is one of those small plastic walk-in greenhouse things at the lottie. Just planted some in there and will plant lottie ones next week.
If you have loads of plants give it a go! ;D
Last year we lost the lot on the plot due to blight. Fortunately had a back up in the greenhouse at home. Had plenty of toms!
This year am taking precautions against the blight (everything very tightly crossed also!) and have planted a selection on the plot again. However, have 15 monsters in the greenhouse already with fruit on so if lotties ones fail, we should do okay.
EJ - what precautions did you take against blight?
I am dosing with bordeax mix - not a cure but a preventative (fingers crossed!), plus my darling Ava built me a structure with a plastic roof so keep the rain water off the plants which should reduce the humidity around the plants, which are also well spaced. It does mean I am having to water the plants individually, not easy as I don't have piped water on site, but even if I only get one truss from each plant, I will be a happy girl.
First year growing anything veg wise; had a 90% germination rate, so have shoved the spares on the allotment ... Gardener's Delight, Riesentraube, Yellow Pear, Black Russian.
So far they are still growing - which is a little surpising considering I put them out 36 hours before a cold snap.
I grew ferlines on the plot last year, and they got blighted just as the huge green fruits were forming >:( Am trying them again this year, plus I have some in the greenhouse (lost all those last year to blight too! :'(), and also have some scattered around the garden in growbags! Last year was the worse year ever for toms in the Pinks household, but hopefully should get some this year!
The ones on the plot don't get any extra care, poor things, they have to fend for themselves along with everything else!