Tomato help - Think this might be for next year

[philo]

Hi there,
I've had a search for this but cant seem to find a solution, but Im sure there are people out there that will know what to do in about two seconds, so I apologies for my lack of knowledge.
I dont know anything about gardening.

A while back a friend of mine gave my kids a tomato plant (cherry tomatoes)
to get them to look after and grow. But it was only there in July

Anyway history over, its been in three grow bags
and I've watered it and fed it, put canes around it,
and it flowered a bit, and some tomatoes started to grow.

Then then weather changed
(I live in Dublin so its just raining at the minute),
so I put it in a growhouse because Im not going to give up at this
stage, even if I only get one tomato its a success
(never grown anything before).

It seems to be doing better in the growhouse with a good few small tomatoes on it. But its more like a big bush that keeps growing and growing and growing rather than the tomatoes coming out.

I therefore have two questions:
1. Is there anything I can do at this late stage in the year to help get some tomatoes off it.
and
2. What can I do next year to stop a tomato plant becoming a bush and actually being a tomato plant.

Thanks

Philo.

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Philo and welcome to the grapevine! Some tomato plants are bush plants and some are cordon (stem few leaves) plants. Best thing to do for next year is to buy either tomato seeds and start from scratch (easy) or buy named variety tomato plants. Then you can tell us what variety of tomatoes you have bought and the advice on how to grow them will fly in thick and fast!! Some of my favourite varieties are Ferline, Bloody Butcher and Inca (plum).

[philo]

Hi Lesley thanks for getting back so quickly.
I kind of thought that this would be the case seeing as I've no way to know the variety.

Next year I might grow a couple of varieties to see which I like.

I'll keep going with it and see what happens and let you know.

Philo

[philo]

Just had a read of something that I need to remember
Stopping and Sideshoots.

[nick the grief]

if you like small cherry type toms, I don't think you can beat Gardeners Delight. It will crop out side but most toms are better under cover. But that doesn't mean a greenhouse. A simple cover to just keep the worsed of the weather off is OK as they can suffer from blight as they are the same family as potaotes of course. If you can put your grow house agains a south facing wall/fence that will help no end and I find that they doo better in pots than growbags as there is a greater depth of "compost" for them to root in. They don't need to be huge pots 9" or 10 " are OK (black florist buckets are better still as they are deeper so you can top the pots off later in the year)

Also buy good quality grow bags (the ones from the supermarkets whilst only 99p aren't very good really) or supliment the grow bag with some John Innes No3 compost (mix it about 50:50) & you'll have better results.

Failing that, just ask they questions & I'm sure someone will be able to help you on here.

[Snadger]

I've got Gardeners Delight tomatoes growing outside in Newcastle

Plants are five foot high and have numerous trusses of tomatoes(agree with Nic they are the best tasting outdoor tomatoes & they also have thin skins)

My first job each time I visit the lottie is is to pinch out the sideshoots and pinch a few tomatoes to eat straight from the vine...delicious!

Probably need to rig some polythene over them soon unless we have an Indian summer

[philo]

Hi guys, Just touching base, put the plant into a growhouse, fed it took off side shoots, looooads of tomatoes. Its starting to die off now, but I reckon I'll get about 20 more before it does. Not bad for a first attempt. Thanks for all your tips. Philo.

[Lesley Jay]

Oh good Philo! Home grown tomatoes are gorgeous - did they taste good? Watch out for a frost because it will have your remaining tomatoes. So are you going to grow more next year?