Hello, just started eating my first crop of cherry tomatoes [Tumbler]. They are not as sweet as i had expected, just wondered what people do, eat them straight away, ripen on a windowsill, cut the whole truss off?
Were they completely ripened?
I haven't tried Tumbler - only Gardeners Delight, which have a fab taste.
Debs
I always leave mine to ripen on the plant. Wait until they are fire-engine red and then harvest quick before they go all squishy.
Warning ***This may be a how long is a piece of string questions***
I'm growing Red Alert tomatoes and have quite decent sized toms now - was wondering how long it takes for them to go red? Or is it completely random and dependent on weather et al?
PS: No, I am not hoping to enter a show ;D
Quote from: northener on July 07, 2005, 09:31:05
[Tumbler]. They are not as sweet as i had expected
We have grown Tumbler in a hanging basket for a number of years, this year we decided not to bother as we preferred the flavour of our allotment tomatoes much better. I tend to think they are a nice novelty but the taste leaves alot to be desired.
I agree that Tumbler is not as sweet as some others.
Let them get as red as poss, then eat.
How long? Once they are as full a size as they'll get, probably 1-2 weeks - to tell the truth, I've never noticed.
Don't despair over flavour - at least one out of three can be tasteless.
Thanks for that i'll scrub them off next years list.
Anyone got tasting notes on "totem" or "santa"? Ours are still green but being grown outdoors.
Santa are YUM! ;D Great in salads
And because they have thick skins and thick flesh they last for ages! I had some ripe ones last in my hot kitchen for at least a month, possibly more, before they went squidgy.
Always used to grow tumbler before I got the lottie this year. I found that weekly feeding with Tomorite gave a much sweeter fruit. Without I'd agree they were often tasteless.
Iain
I meant that flat taste can happen with any variety - possibly more so with the cherries.
Santa? Oh, yes! One of our standbys. All flesh, no squidge. Freezes well for cooking.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/photo04/santa03.jpg)
Whats them beutys Tim ? they look like strawberrys at first glance.
SANTA!!
I have a very sweet cherry-tom called texas wild,it is a native plant in texas,so it is a true variaty,one of the ancestors of all tomato variaties.
This year I'm growing an outdoor plum bush variety called Roma. They look really healthy and sturdy, there are about 20 on the plot, about 2ft high, no fruit of any size yet. I'm hoping they have fewer pips than, say, Red Alert or Gardeners Delight. Also growing Sungold (was good last year) and another one I haven't tried before, Craigella - but I've only got 2 plants that I got given - they've already got fruit, not ripe yet.
Does anyone have any experience of Roma or Craigella?
I actually like Tumbler, I have grown it every year for at least 6 years. I dont do the hanging basket thing with them as they get too large so I grow them in large 10 litre pots on a greenhouse bench. The pots are stood in a tray and watered from below with added tomrite twice a week at half strength.
The toms get to a good size and I like the flavour, they also dry very very well for use later in the winter.
Jerry
Roma is "just another plum" (I'm not a great fan of plums) and Craigella is quite tastey - I haven't tried either outdoors but they did well enough in my lean to
Phil
Marmande, anyone?
Got some inside and out, a few green ones on but nothing ripe for a couple of weeks I reckon.
What's the best thing to do with them?
Roma are good given plenty of water and nutrition. Let them fully ripen and watch out for tough stalky bits ;)
We're growing Roma, Golden Sunrise (yellow) beefsteak and shirleys this year, all fruiting well but nor ripe yet despite the sun dances.
Quote from: RobinOfTheHood on July 08, 2005, 12:36:49
Marmande, anyone?
Got some inside and out, a few green ones on but nothing ripe for a couple of weeks I reckon.
What's the best thing to do with them?
I grew marmande last year, both under cover and outside. Nice meaty type but it did suffer a little from greenback. It was good for slicing and cooking with, made some great roast tomato and pepper soup with it.
Jerry
Quote from: philcooper on July 08, 2005, 11:22:58
Roma is "just another plum" (I'm not a great fan of plums) and Craigella is quite tastey - I haven't tried either outdoors but they did well enough in my lean to
Phil
"Just another plum" indeed! Roma are a good reliable plum tomato, but don't make great eating raw. They are brill for boiling down into a passata sauce (we boil down to 1/3rd original volume with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in our biggest pan) and freezing for later use as a base for spag bol etc.. You can also use them chopped/whole in any recipe where you would otherwise be tempted to use tinned tomatoes.
Quote
made some great roast tomato and pepper soup with it.
Jerry
Got a recipe? ;D ;D
I grow Romas a lot as we eat loads of pasta. I wouldn't even bother eating them raw. But they do make a good sauce. Also got good yields, even last year which was an awful year!
I've found you do need to give the branches support (I tie them up). And I ripen them on the vine.
I was going to try San Marzano instead next year, which is supposed to be tastier, but I already have 19 different varieties of tomato, so maybe I'll leave it for a few years!
I'll let you know, i've 3 san marzano with first truss setting
Interesting stuff,just my views--Tumbler is OK,Red Alert can be good,and it is reliable and early outdoors,Santa is very good,Roma(and most of that type)-they are for cooking with and do not show their character raw. Marmande can be very good-not always easy to get fully ripened outside.
Re-arrange the following words into a well known phrase or saying--
`Crap moneymaker is-`-for new growers a ? mark is allowed.
Stephan
Thanks for info on Roma and Craigella. I am growing them to use in pickles and sauces so the info is good news.
Teehee Stephan!
Of the beefsteak varieties this year, not only am I doing Marmande but also Hungarian Giant, and the fruit on that are already vast, but way way off colouring up. My Romas look so pretty all hanging there. Tigerella are stripey already as well as green zebra. Last year the yellows ripened first so am keeping an eye on sungold and golden queen.
I fear there are signs of blight on our allotment so I have been bordeauxing regularly. Not ideal I know, but the plants are doing so so well, I really would like something from them this year!
:) I grew Roma last year, they grow well but you must water and feed. Not easy to train as they go a bit haywire so best left to do their own thing.
They are an excellent tom for pasta sauce, few seeds and lots of flesh. WATER WATER WATER or they get tough!!
I had tomato fever earlier (ebay) and am growing, Gardeners Delight*, Roma*, Marmande*, Allicante*, Black Prince, Brandywine, Nebraska Wedding, Prudens Purple, Mr Stripey*, Green Zebra, Thessalonika and Amish Paste. All grown from seed.
My friend feeling I did not have quite enough has given me a yellow plum* one, not named.
All those marked * are outside in very large tubs, 3 to a tub, in a 50/40/10 mix of compost and mushroom compost and vermiculite, with french and african marigolds. Some have peppers instead of the marigolds for company. All are growing like mad and all have fruit, so am now feeding twice weekly. AND no greenfly!
I know I have way too many but its great fun growing them and I and the neighbours are awaiting the taste test!!
I think Roma is the variety used to make the best tomato ketchup...given the demand for ketchup in this household it's a priority crop round here!