Allotments 4 All

The dreaded blight is all around us in the the lottie complex, now is the real test to see how resistant the Ferlines are. Even tho' our tomatoes were in the greenhouse, they still got it every year so we sow only Ferlines now, no sign of blight yet.
Because we plant them with the stem laying almost horizontally under the soil up to the top few leaves, the trusses start nice and low, so low that we have to keep some tomatoes off the soil like with melons. This way, we have plants with six trusses before they reached the roof and get chopped off.
On this picture you can see one plant that is growing suckers out of the root, need to chop these off.

Wonderfull Toms Ina!

I have problem this year of the trusses forming too high up the plant. Two or three sets of leaves at leat before the first truss! I did take your advice and plant them deeply up to the first leaves but still the problem persists.

Mind you it hasnt realy affected the crop which is looking good (and tasting good  ;D).

I just hope the blight doesnt arrive.  :(

Hi Richard,
Just to set the record straight, I wrote that I take all the leaves off except for the top few, then plant it almost up to the top leaves. Because the stem is often very long, you plant it not deep but at a slant so that the soil around the stem will warm up sooner than if you plant it deep. That's how I have been doing it and you can see the result.
Actually, I already start taking the first leaves off when I transplant the seedlings at home, from the module to a small pot, then a bigger pot and ending up with the plant in a tall yoghurt container before taking it to the greenhouse.
I'm glad you have a good crop anyway and that's the only important thing right?

Sorry about the misunderstanding

Good going, Ina - 6 trusses!

I'm finding our 1/2 bag planting, & high-setting fruit anyway, a boon this year - saves my back!! = Tim

Santa again. Bigger than usual, with Ina's help. But just wait for the 'beefs' to come along!

Hello Ina.

N o misunderstanding I assure you, I simply didnt read yourexplanation of what you did  properly.

All i did was plant verticaly up to the lowest leaves without removing any. Whilst this made the plant stronger, it clearly did not help produce better/lower trusses. Now you explain your method again i can see the benefit. Planting verticaly keeps the stem colder and somehow delays truss production in favour of vegetative growth. As you say planting at an angle warms the stem up more and somehow promotes better/lower truss formation. .

Back in May when my plants were young we had cold nights and warm days which made the plants grow tall, but without producing flowers. In spite of growing my plants in two seperate batches it happened to all of them not just the earlier ones (as has happened before). I can only conclude it was the weather at a critical time in the plants' development that caused the problem.

I shall endeavor to remember to try your system when i come to plant out next years plants.

Many Thanks and Happy growing!

I think I must have a complete selection of green varieties.  Do you know, not one, not even a hint of orange...nothing!  Every tom is still as green as the day it was born.  They are getting bigger and bigger and bigger - even the cherries!  Is there anything I can do to help them along?  :-\

Ina, as per your advice I put Ferlines on my lottie, and have to say, so far so good!! They look very healthy plants, so fingers crossed they shall stay that way, so thank you!
Ej mine are still green too! :'( Hopefully after this sunshine they will colour up!! You wait, we shall be moaning we have too many soon..........please!

Emma - they obviously want to be in the record books?

Just enjoy some fried green tomatoes now, instead of later. You'll have red ones when all ours are finished. Even with our showing, we have to search around to find enough truly red for 4. = Tim

as always lovely photos!
not quite understanding the concept of your planting but i am always a bit slow on the uptake!!
bEST WISHES
Jemma

Quote from: EJ - Emma Jane on August 02, 2004, 13:13:10
I think I must have a complete selection of green varieties.  Do you know, not one, not even a hint of orange...nothing!  Every tom is still as green as the day it was born.  They are getting bigger and bigger and bigger - even the cherries!  Is there anything I can do to help them along?  :-\

I had that problem too EJ, mine took ages to start ripening.

A good tip is to put some ripe fruit near your toms(doesnt have to be a tomato - any thing will do).

Ripe fruit gives off a gas which makes other fruit ripen, so putting one nearby will (hopefully) have the right efect on your toms. The once one starts they'll all start to ripen, and you'll wonder what you were worried about  ;D

Hope this helps  :)

'Morning, God - that means that we need a 30' row of bananas hanging amongst the toms?? I'm not sure I have the strength!! And the grandchildren hate overripe bananas. = Tim

Quote from: tim on August 03, 2004, 12:02:15
'Morning, God - that means that we need a 30' row of bananas hanging amongst the toms?? I'm not sure I have the strength!! And the grandchildren hate overripe bananas. = Tim

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Tim

Seriously though tim, I dont think you need THAT many to cover even a crop the size of yours. One every so many plants perhaps?

(About to resign God-status)