Early Tomato Thread

[nomis]

I have plenty of early purple tigerella (I think that was their name) but they are all still green. We really need some more sunshine!

[gojiberry]

Some good sized cherry toms on the red alert with thousands of flowers but none ripe as yet, still must only be a couple of weeks, at most, before the first ripe ones are ready. Not doing so well with the cordons in the greenhouse although the plants are really strong looking the trusses and tome aren't appearing.

Ian

[bramble]

I know its still early in the season but this season (so far) has been the best for me by far.
My flowers are all well in bloom (sweet peas, trailing geraniums, roses, million bells and lilies, with a few dahlias beginning to open.
My cucumbers are growing like steam as are my peppers and tomatoes.
We have been eating some of out toms in for the past two weeks or so.
At the present time all are looking great, but fingers crossed because it can all change so quickly.

How is everyone else doing this season. ?

[Flummery]

We've had a couple of our Darby Striped (from a grape. Ta!) and today I tried the first of my home-bred tomato, a cross between Sungold and Tiger Tom. Absolutely fantastic! I've called this tomato Caitlin after my grand-daughter.

[bramble]

Well done Flum, you must have lots of patience to the pollination thing. Good luck with it and I hope you come up with a winner.

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

Still waiting for a ripe tom. Grushovka is seriously sulking as all of the toms are green. Only reddish one is on my Reisetomate but as the weather is now autumnal I think I've still got a bit of a wait.

[Flummery]

Getting dribs and drabs of cherry toms, one or two each day. Especially pleased with the one I bred from a cross between Tiger Tom and Sungold. Lovely mid-sized cherry. Had our first beefsteak a couple of days back too. Black Sea Man - pic on blog (and you can tell I don't water from below - it's got hard water marks on it!)

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

Will be waiting a few more weeks yet for a ripe tomato. The Reisetomate is covered in mould Greenhouse well ventilated but weather has been damp, damp, damp. Don't think I'll grow these again. The purple calabash and zapotec are not affected but are equally mutant shaped with lots of nooks for moisture to gather. Grushovka may be now just turning reddish or it could be wishful thinking

[Two_Sheds]

I've got a couple of ripe cherry toms in the g/h. Could be Sungold or Golden Gem, I haven't been out there today (been talking on the big white telephone instead )

[Incy]

I harvested my first ever ripe bloody butcher tomato yesterday and it's growing outdoors!
I've been eating alicantes for about 6 weeks but then they did sow themselves in October

[Welsh Wizard]

First ripe outdoor Gardeners Delight eaten by my darling daughter today. Her verdict "delicious"! Sown back in Feb, went outside in mid April IIRC. The extremely hot drought conditions in Northern Germany dont seem to be bothering the toms at all, I have trusses galore. I love growing toms! I do wonder why so many gardeners cram them into greenhouses when they grow so vigorously outside, with room to really spread out and thrive. Sure the yield per plant is supposedly less, but outside one can be less assiduous with the sideshooting, allow a few side shoots to continue to get a bigger plant; Fruit yield tends to be a function of total plant size. This his year I have trained the main shoot up a string to a bean pole row, and also left a side shoot or three on them: thus larger plants, more flowers and thus more trusses. You cant do that in a green house as they will over run it, but outside with space it works a treat. The plants seem pretty hardy as well, they took a bit of leaf damage in the cold in April, but being so vigorous they just shrug that off. Better cold than leggy, in my hands anyway.

[Flummery]

We grow them in greenhouses here because 5 years out of 6 there will be blight before the fruits ripen. Our usual warm/wet combination in summer is a Blight's Delight!

[ninjajane]

my tigerella's are definitely showing a slight colour change...soon, soon

[Two_Sheds]

The builders had a Sungold each today - actual undisguised delight at the flavour!

[Bren In Pots]

We've had a few Marmande ones and it looks like the Moneymaker wont be long either. Not sure about my Lemon tree toms they look a good size and shape but are still green.