Best Year ever for Toms and Peppers despite the weather ??

[vegmandan]

Despite this year being the worst I can remember for sunshine I have had my best Tomatoes and Peppers ever in over ten years.

I have no idea why, as these generally require a good sunny Summer.

All I can put it down to is that for the first time this year I planted both in compost with added John Innes.

I used Westland multipurpose with added John Innes from Homebase.

Crazy I know but it must have made the difference.

Anyway here are a couple of pics which I wouldn't have imagined could be true given the hideous Summer this year.

Dan. ;D

[rana]

Hi VegmanDan

Looks like a superb crop considering the weather this summer. Were these grown in pots or growbags, and did you have the tomatoes outside or in a greenhouse? And don't you get blight in Yorkshire ????

[Two_Sheds]

Well done you. It's lovely to have a greenhouse.

[Bramble Lover]

I have also had a good crop which is brill seeing its my first year growing these kind of things in the greenhouse.

I have a question though............had plenty of green peppers and there are still some going strong on the plants as we speak. Is it too late to leave them to turn colour?

Not had any different coloured ones.

When is the best time to get them on the go next year ?

[Alison]

I sowed some of my peppers in January last year to give them a good start and then some more in early March. Both sets did well considering the rubbish summer, will probably go for Feb next year for sowing!

[sallym]

My Toms and Peppers did really well too. Bumper crops, will be eating chutney forever. They were all grown outside in growbags. Have an allotment this year, wonder if they will do as well in the ground?

[Comfreyfan]

I've been fighting blight and botritis in the greenhouse this year, snipping away at blackening leaves and stems twice a day until the tomato plants look very sad indeed, but the crops have been excellent, after the weather we've had I didn't expect anything much. Tomatoes are still ripening and the red and black cherry tomatoes seem to have a new lease of life and are flowering again, the chilli and sweet pepper plants are also flowering again.
But best of all for the first time ever I have had 3 full size sweet red peppers, which have ripened before they rotted, still more ripening as I type. Didn't do anything different this year, in fact I wasn't going to bother with sweet peppers at all but gained a pack of free seeds!

[vegmandan]

I've not managed to get one to go red yet this year

I know what you mean about them going rotten...last year I had a lot do that but this year not one for a change.