Outdoor tomatoes suitable for the NW climate?

[MyWifesBrassicas]

This has probably been done before but does anyone grow outdoor tomatoes?
Each year, I fill my greenhouse with two or three varieties of cordon style tomatoes tied to canes and rarely consider other types that maybe suitable out of the greenhouse.

Has anyone tried growing outdoor tomatoes?
Is it best to grow cordon or bush varieties?
Do they reliably ripen?

[bramble]

Yes,in answer to your question..I grow tomatoes in my greenhouse and outdoors in buckets and the open ground.
Outdoor Girl, Alicante, Ferline, Gardeners Delight, Sweet Millions.
If it doesn't fit in the greenhouse it goes outdoors.
Having said that, I wouldn't grow late season or beefsteak outdoors as our season is too short.
I always get plenty of ripe tomatoes from an outdoor crop, just get them sown early.

[mcdood]

Gardeners delight worked great for me last year. Trying outdoor girl too this year.

[MyWifesBrassicas]

Is there an issue with blight when growing them outside?

[roitelet]

Could be, over here they grow them under some umbrella like structure to keep the leaves dry which reduces the opportunity for blight spores to develop.

[KevinM67]

All my tomato growing is outdoors.
Last year, I got a couple of packets free from another magazine (sorry )
Tomato Amateur - a bush tomato grown in tubs. Really early riper, and were the same size as a 'normal' tomato (i.e. not Cherry size), I'd really recommend it if your susceptible to blight.
I also grew a yellow tomato for the first time last year (yellow pear or delight - can't remember) - WOW !!! where have you been all my life ???? The sweetest, most beautiful thing that's ever entered my mouth. Gorgeous.
San Marzano (plum variety) again, an easy grow and a lovely taste.
I could go on, but beware - we had freakily, hot, dry weather last year, which was perfect for outside toms - fingers crossed for this year.
Best of luck.

[roitelet]

Just thought you might like to see the sort of thing the French use for outdoor tomatoes.

[KevinM67]

Is it supposed to lessen the threat of blight, roitelet ?

[roitelet]

Seems to as it protect the toms from direct rainfall on to the leaves it still gets to the ground.

[KevinM67]

Seems to as it protect the toms from direct rainfall on to the leaves it still gets to the ground.

Yeh, I wasn't too sure from the picture if it was plastic sheeting, or netting/mesh (I'm viewing on my tablet).

[rary]

I never had any great success with growing outside other than tomatoes in baskets, until I tried Mountain Magic got a good crop and it withstood some low temperatures, but wont be growing it this year as it is an F1 and I would like to collect my own seed

[MyWifesBrassicas]

Just thought you might like to see the sort of thing the French use for outdoor tomatoes.

Very impressive design, althought i don't think I've a great deal of time to construct something like that.
Then I suppose blight can't grow if the foliage is dry, assuming the idea fungal plant pathogens love moisture.

[roitelet]

Yeh, I wasn't too sure from the picture if it was plastic sheeting, or netting/mesh (I'm viewing on my tablet).

Plastic sheeting.

[MyWifesBrassicas]

Just thought you might like to see the sort of thing the French use for outdoor tomatoes.

Just thought of an idea, I have an old greenhouse frame that needs to be built (no glass), if i put horticultural polythene over the top, then maybe that'll do the same thing?
And I can grow climbers up the side of the greenhouse frame?

[roitelet]

Would have thought that would be ideal