Wishing on a Tomato

[JimineyC]

There we go, someone who has properly used the spraying water on tomato flowers. Forget what I said, andrewo is right.

[Jaxom]

I'm picking and eating my outdoor Gartenpearle. The toms in my greenhouse are at various stages but a lot have fruit on. I was thinking that everything was behind this year, but it seems as though I am having a better harvest than most?
Last year I only grew tomatoes so am a bit of a loss in respect of the other types of veg. Next year I am going to keep a diary and make sure I keep it up to date.

[Alice]

Hello Jaxom. yes I am eating the Gartenperle too, and tomatoes in greenhouse are at various stages. Also eating the potatoes(Charlotte and red rooster) courgettes, runner beans, carrots (parmex) turnip (milans) spring onions, Lettuce (little gem) various salad leaves,radish, spinach beet,andpeppers. The aubergines, cucumbers and squash (butternut sprinter) are well on their way. I'm very pleased with the whole performance.
I see you are going to make some notes for next year. What I did was make a chart with a column down the side for the names of the plants, and a row along the top for date of planting, date of germination, transplanting etc etc. It's very easy to fill in and you can see everything at a glance. I have learned so much from the chart which will be useful next year. Especially as I am planning to get a kitchen garden started. Will be doing some raised beds and some square foot gardening. Inspired by YOU. Thank you.

[Don Vincenzo]

Yes!!!!! I had my picking of the first outdoor tomatoes, not sure what variety are they. Funny thing is that my outdoor tomatoes are doing better than the ones in the greenhouse. This particular lot didn't got any attention as feeding /stopping / spraying as I like to experiment with plants.....sometime at my cost. My main outdoor tomatoes are stopped at three trusses as I found out that the later trusses of tomatoes do not taste very nice but usual I put two plants in the same spot supported by a cane. Results so far satisfatory. I use only comfrey liquid manure and nettles if available for feeding them.......the stench is beyond believe but it seems that the vegetables love it especially tomatoes and onions / garlic. I don't mist them only because I didn't know. Back in Sicily whole fields of tomatoes where left alone without watering / spraying / feeding / supporting etc and because it was so dry the tomatoes loved it producing fully flavoured fruits resulting in exceptional tomato sauce and sundried tomatoes.
Regards
Don Vincenzo

[Alice]

Hello Don, my outdoor tomatoes have done so well, the fruit is hanging in big bunches, that I think next year I can afford to experiment. I think I will set one aside to grow Sicilian style and give it nothing and note the difference from their molecoddled friends. Could be interesting. Will post the results.

[lyndap]

My toms not had a lot of attention this year up till now and you can tell not been doing my usual feeding regime!My sons other half has been feeding the plants I gave her twice a week for ages now and they are loaded with toms and flowers.Mine are ok but definatly not as good as hers.

[Mel]

I've grown all my tomatoes outside as I only have a plastic mini-greenhouse. Most of mine are Gardener's Delight but I'm also doing some Tumblers and Brandywine. All have thrived in my sheltered London garden. I've been feeding them every few days with New Horizon organic tomato food and spraying them every now and again with Growing Success bug killer (although I've not had any probs with bugs so this has been more preventative). I've got lots of tomatoes on all my plants and the first ones are just starting to ripen. The really hot weather has meant I've had to water them a bit more than I would have liked but hopefully I've not destroyed the flavour. My first ones should be ready to pick in the next couple of days. All the tomatoes have been grown in 12" pots. Next year, I'm going to experiment a bit with some of the varieties that are usually grown in greenhouses. My brandywines were supposed to be grown in a greenhouse but have been thriving outside.

[Hopalong]

Lush green growth,few flowers, frequent feeding = poor performance in respect of tomatoes for the table. I feed ONCE a week with cumfrey juice let down in water to the colour of weak tea at the rate of 1 and half litres per plant. Result, I'm not sure what we can do with all these tomatoes and I only have six plants but thet are truly loaded. They are Shirley F1, superb plants.

Hopalong

[JimineyC]

All my tomato plants are outside, some in the ground, some in pots. The first few fruit have begun to colour. I also have noticed that a tomato plant has taken up residence near the back door in the crack between the wall and the paving. I'm not doing anything to it nor did I plant it and that seems happy enough.

[JennieAtkinson]

I've still only got flowers on all mine, except one plant which is showing two tomatoes. Some were looking pretty poorly on my return from holiday, lots of yellow leaves, but I think I crammed so many things into the polytunnel they haven't had enough light. I have cut most of these off and the plants look pretty bare, but have given them all a good feed and fingers crossed they may pick up again.

[sewer rat]

Jennie
Don't panic - all my toms in the greenhouse still only setting flowers but have one brave Super Marmande beefsteak which is braving it outside and it has begun to set fruit.

[lyndap]

A week ago all I had was flowers but now the bushes are smothered in baby toms!

[JennieAtkinson]

Got my first fruits on the Sungold and Gartenperle. They look soooo sweet

[Squirrel]

Just been out to take a look at my toms (and give them a good water) and hiding under the leaves are loads of little cherry tomatoes. Havn't a clue what make they are, bought them off someon's table top and lost the labels! They are quite sweet tasing but not as tasty as I expected. The big ones are also starting to turn colour. Dead chuffed!