Anyone grown marmande tomatoes before?

[deltz]

Ive now got the marmande tomatoes about 1 foot tall and going to transplant pretty soon.

Im going to transplant into a container (rougly 30 litres) and was wondering what sort of compost and slow release fertilizer to use? I was thinking miracle grow compost with a slow release fertilizer (I dont know of any so any products you have tired before).

Also what do you recommend I support my marmande with?

Many thanks in advanced.

(also do you think I've grown these to late to get a crop?)

[taff]

you may well have left it a bit late, beefsteaks take longer to grow and ripen, but the weathers been so unpredictable, that if there's an indian summer, they'll have chance to ripen.
Normal multi-purpose will do and feed it once or twice a week with tomorite or similar when it startes flowering will do the trick

[ginger ninger]

I have to agree with Taff, it could be too late to get any crop of your tomatoes at this late stage in the growing season...but ya never know. I grew these last year in multi purpose and home made compost mixed together. I supported them with a 5 foot cane and tied then in with string. Hope you manage to get a little crop of them. xx

[deltz]

Many thanks guys! Your the best

[Nicos]

This is a semi bush variety.

It may be worth restrcting their growth by nipping out some of the side shoots- which you'd normally leave.
Stop it at say 3 trusses so that the plant can concentrate of getting those large and ripened in time.
I'm on my second year - last year was pretty rubbish as my OH took out most of the side shoots by mistake- and then they got blight.
This year they are taking over the planet!!!
We feed with liquid seaweed once the fruit has set.

We have those twisty/spiral metal poles for the main support- then thick twine to support the side shoots ( although I think tape would be kinder on the plants)

It's a new variety to me too- so I'm up for any advice too!

[Patchninja]

Here, you can get bags that you put over tom plants to make a sort of individual greenhouse to speed up ripening. I bet you can get them in GB too. That might give you a better chance.

[Nicos]

Here, you can get bags that you put over tom plants to make a sort of individual greenhouse to speed up ripening.

ooo...where do you buy them from?????...sounds a fantastic idea!

[womble]

You need tomato fertiliser not miracle grow.

I agree I think it's too late, but you have nothing to lose now.

I tried growing them once and found them horrible plants, untidy, got blight easily and because the plants were so untidy blight is difficult to see and sort out.

Then when I finally got some ripe fruit, instead of the lovely flavour everyone talks about, they were bland and boring. I found out later they need LOTS of sun to get a good flavour.

I haven't grown them since

[Bren In Pots]

Like the others have said its a bit late, my seeds were sown in February first fruit set early May then last week we ate the first tomato.

I'd never seen such an ugly looking tom but it did taste nice.

[Patchninja]

ooo...where do you buy them from?????...sounds a fantastic idea!

They have them in the Magasin Vert and Jardiland.