Tomatoes 2021

[Holly Daze]

Thanks Plot 70 and Nickdub. Perhaps I will put the greenhouse heater on.

[peanut]

I'm doing the hokey cokey with all mine, out when the greenhouse hits 10c in the morning then back in in the evenings. Stops them getting too leggy.

[Holly Daze]

Yes. I wimped out and transferred them all to the utility room for tonight. Some slightly warmer nights on the forecast soon.

[burnie]

My tommies are still in the conservatory, some of the larger chillies and peppers have been moved into the blowaway in the greenhouse, they seem to be doing ok, forecast is it is slowly supposed to be getting warmer, we will see.

[ameno]

Mine are still several seedlings to a pot on my bedroom windowsill. They are developing their first true leaves now, so I should probably prick them out into individual pots soon.

[Bren In Pots]

I'm doing the hokey cokey with all mine, out when the greenhouse hits 10c in the morning then back in in the evenings. Stops them getting too leggy.

I'm doing the same thing the pots are slowly getting larger and heavier.

[Vince G]

I'm growing, Giulietta (Italian plum), Apero (oval cherry), Fantasio and Crimson Crush, both normal size.

So when people talk about growing heritage varieties, I automatically think that these are old varieties - is this correct? People witter on about "that old fashioned flavour" but doesn't an old variety have less tolerance to disease and doesn't science continue to develop varieties with better flavour?

Crimson Crush is a prime example here. I had terrible trouble with blight 2 years ago so thought I'd give them a go last year as they claimed to be blight resistant....and they were indeed. I was concerned that in developing disease resistance to give a larger crop, the seed providers were maybe sacrificing flavour....incorrect! This variety has a proper mellow sharp/sweet tomato flavour which lends itself to being eaten fresh and also being grilled for breakfast. That old fashioned flavour...

[ameno]

I'm growing, Giulietta (Italian plum), Apero (oval cherry), Fantasio and Crimson Crush, both normal size.

So when people talk about growing heritage varieties, I automatically think that these are old varieties - is this correct? People witter on about "that old fashioned flavour" but doesn't an old variety have less tolerance to disease and doesn't science continue to develop varieties with better flavour

Old varieties certainly do generally have less disease tolerance.
As for flavour, it depends (both on the type of vegetable, and on the individual variety). Tomato varieties bred for selling in shops often don't have such good flavour, as they a bred primarily to sell based on appearance (good colour, uniform size and shape) and to have a good shelf life, and since it's usually impossible to breed a perfect variety which has everything, that often means sacrificing flavour. However there are plenty of modern tomato varieties that taste just as good as any heritage variety, and of course we forget that there were surely plenty of poor-tasting old varieties once upon a time, too, but the rubbish varieties have simply died out because they're not worth keeping.
With other crops, whether newer or older varieties taste better varies. Sweetcorn, for example, the new varieties are always better (sweeter and more tender), and the same goes for most carrots and brassicas, too.

[annie8]

I'm doing the same thing the pots are slowly getting larger and heavier.

not quite at that stage yet, but won’t be long. Greenhouse is rammed at moment because cold weather means I have held off planting things out. Once that is cleared a bit, hopefully this weekend, I’ll start taking tomatoes in and out during the day.

[SimpleSimon]

I'm growing, Giulietta (Italian plum), Apero (oval cherry), Fantasio and Crimson Crush, both normal size.

So when people talk about growing heritage varieties, I automatically think that these are old varieties - is this correct? People witter on about "that old fashioned flavour" but doesn't an old variety have less tolerance to disease and doesn't science continue to develop varieties with better flavour?

Crimson Crush is a prime example here. I had terrible trouble with blight 2 years ago so thought I'd give them a go last year as they claimed to be blight resistant....and they were indeed. I was concerned that in developing disease resistance to give a larger crop, the seed providers were maybe sacrificing flavour....incorrect! This variety has a proper mellow sharp/sweet tomato flavour which lends itself to being eaten fresh and also being grilled for breakfast. Tha old fashioned flavour...

I grow about 30 plants and mostly open pollinated / old / heritage types last year. You never know quite what the plants are going to do. I find f1s far more predictable. And shelf life of my favourite heritage ones is poor. Purple cherokee for example tastes great but goes mushy rapidly. Growing a few more hybrids this year as had good success with the couple I grew last year. Tomberry, crimson crush and mountain magic all sound great so looking forward to them.

[Sweet savory]

I also grew crimson crush last year which produced well and tasted good baked. This year am trying crimson cocktail as small but still supposedly blight resistant. I forgot to grow a bush type this year which I like to do as they are easy and seem to produce earlier. Have grown garden pearl the last couple of years. Maybe I can get a plug plant from the g centre to fill that gap.
Plants currently in the sunny front porch and I am not yet doing the Hokey Cokey as the wind is quite chill here for the last few days.

[Tripmeup]

Sowed my tomatoes back in February. I sowed a few miniatures foran early crop. Red Robin, Balcony Red and Tommy Toe. The Balcony Red has flower buds that are just opening.
My others for this year.
Salisaw Cafe.
Homose.
Father Frost.
Derby Stripe,
Blaby.
Black Icicle.
Sungold..
Sweet Aperitif.

I am growing Blaby Special this year too Bramble..we shall compare results

The seeds originally came from Blaby a town near Leicestershire I believe and was an important crop during War times

[Tripmeup]

I have 70 seedling plants..way too many as usual..shall list them tomorrow but they include perennial favourites such as
Black Cherry
Chocolate Cherry
Black Russian
Black Sea Man
Brown Sugar

[ameno]

Pricked out and potted on my tomato seedlings today.
I have an awful lot of spares on my saved Mountain Magic F3, so I guess I'll give some away.

[mothhawk]

I am growing Blaby Special this year too Bramble..we shall compare results
The seeds originally came from Blaby a town in Leicestershire I believe and was an important crop during War times

I grew up next to the village of Blaby, I wonder if that variety is connected to the place, not one I have come across before.

I live just 4 miles from Blaby There's a school where the tomato farm used to be.