Allotments 4 All

I'm going to run out of space and I still have several toms to plant. These are all new to me, courtesy of swaps from here. They are

Blaby
Oregon Spring
Pantano
Giant Belgian
Black Cherry
Marglobe

I'll certainly grow one of each, but want to have about 3 each of the best 3. Any suggestions which ones to concentrate on?

Oregon Spring will do well in a pot if that helps, and it is a determinate medium sized tom, very short season cold tolerant one, OK tom, for an early start but I would rate flavour as  mild and OK.I have grown it for years as it is parthenocarpic and it is a good starter one with the Tumblers, but I pass it by when the later ones start to mature.

Treat Black Cherry as you would a Gardeners Delight, indeterminate and it start to fruit early too.Smashing flavour, it will grow in or out.


Giant Belguim is a late season one,indeterminate,can grow to 5 pounds, it will take a bit of maturing here in the UK if outside,but has a lovely sweet taste, you can make tomato wine from this one. I would give it your best shot if the weather is good ,it is a great tomato. I know this one well.


These are the three I know pretty well, Pantano and Marglobe I have grown but nothing springs to mind one way or another,I can fish out my log and look if no-one else knows,I put seeds of both these in the swaps as I wasn't growing them this year.

Blaby is very new to me so can't help with that one.

XX Jeannine

thanks Jeannine,

black Cherry was my choice too. Will try with the Belgian, tho I have lots of marmande. I may have enough space, I can't visualise things until the corn and the squashes go in. Didn't quite understand about the parthenocarpic mention although I know what it means. Oregon spring has grown very slowly for me, can't see it fruiting early, though you know how things change quickly when the weather warms up. I'm quite taken with determinate varieties now i'm trying them

Oregon Spring will  set fruit in cool weather before the flowers are pollinated, however there is a down side too, they actually need more heat than some others to ripen. They can be put outside when the temp is reliably above 7C, so they are good for short growing seasons that get  fairly warm weather but not for too long. They are practically seedless, a few develop  late summer.

Some years  they work really well and other years they don't. They are very popular in Canada as most tomatoes are grown outside.

I have few much better determinates if you want to try them next year, remind me if you remember and I will ship a few your way.

One I have and forgot to sow is Super Bush,grows to just about 3 feet and is loaded with fruit and Southern Nights is a good black one.


XX Jeannine

thanks jeannine, i'll remember! Ahh for the Good Old Days when I grew 3 varieties, and thought I was being ambitious!

Money Maker, Ailsa Craig and Alicante ?????

We will vote for Giant  Belgian but we find it room in the poly so it never lets us down...
Blaby a first for us too... as is Black Cherry, we have 5 allotments and are still wondering where to put everything!
;D

I read a  very good article on planting in bales of straw a few days ago, it was quite fascinating actually, and I have read another some time ago where you can plant upside down from hanging things,.The first one will be found on the net easily and it was written  by the gardener himself, the other one I am not sure I believe it as I have only heard it third hand.

XX Jeannine

We have lots of Whippersnapper for the sale which do great in a hanging basket!
8)

No not hanging baskets Saddad, these tomatoes came out of the bottom the recepticle and the long indeterminate plants hung down,XX Jeannine

Quote from: Jeannine on May 30, 2007, 22:43:54
Money Maker, Ailsa Craig and Alicante ?????

certainly not. It was g. delight, marmande and another one, the useless plum Ortigia. What's wrong with Ailsa Craig, btw. some people rate it very highly, tho i've never tried it?

Just teasing, doing a Cleo

Hi all

The upside down-thingy you mention is a topsy turvy:http://topsyturvys.com/10001.html

Looks rather spectacular, but I do not know it from experience.

Money Maker, Ailsa Craig and Alicante ??

And why not? ;D

I`m also growing Blaby -thanks to a kind poster. Just hope it tastes OK -it would be most unlike me to say if I didn`t much rate a tomato

Quote from: Jeannine on May 30, 2007, 23:06:02
I read a  very good article on planting in bales of straw a few days ago, it was quite fascinating actually ........
will be found on the net easily and it was written  by the gardener himself .......

XX Jeannine

we are going to give the Bale growing a try this year, I asked some questions on A4A some time ago and Tee Gee came back with a clear article on how to do it

looking forward to results with interest

Cleo, are you allright, you are not sick are you.

QuoteI asked some questions on A4A some time ago and Tee Gee came back with a clear article on how to do it

Here it is again for those that missed it.http://tinyurl.com/357b7r

Quote from: cleo on May 31, 2007, 12:28:47
Money Maker, Ailsa Craig and Alicante ??

And why not? ;D

I`m also growing Blaby -thanks to a kind poster. Just hope it tastes OK -it would be most unlike me to say if I didn`t much rate a tomato

seriously, what's wrong with Ailsa Craig? John Cushney(???) from GQT likes it I think

For me  it lacks taste,XX Jeannine