Outdoor tomatoes

[Smuff]

The suggestions are coming in thick and fast!
I hadn't considered ferline and it may be one to try next year, assuming that this years outside growing experiment is a success.

Ailsa Craig and marmande are amongst my faves and I still have seed left from last year; unfortunately there's no more room left in the plot and there's still strawberries to fit in *somewhere*.

I may have to annex the patio....

[lyndap]

Gartenpearle grows really well out doors in buckets.This year also trying 'sub artic plenty'which had free packet of from wyvale.Supposed to be old popular 1940's bush tom which crops earlier than 'Gartenpearle'.Started the seeds of last week and have 100% germination in 7 days!

[rustylady]

I've given up growing tomatoes in the open - every year they get blight! Having said that, although my main planting will be in the greenhouse, I will probably put a few spare plants on the lottie and see what happens.

[il_cacciatore]

For what its worth, I live in Scotland and last year we had success growing San Marzano, a few bunches didn't ripen but half green are fantastic for salads. Most did ripen however.

[Alice]

Last year I grew Gartenperl outdoors in 12" pots. They were in a sheltered south facing position and I'm not 600" up. I had tomatoes by the bucket. I think they could do well for you Smuff.
I also had some Marmande. They grew well and made great big tomatoes, but they were nearly all spoiled with blossom end rot - both in the greenhouse and outdoors. My other tomatoes in the greenhouse were fine, so I think maybe that variety is prone to the problem.

[lyndap]

Have grown 'gartenpearle' toms in buckets on my lottie for at least 5 years and never had any problems at all with them.Would def recommened them for outdoor growing.

[HappyMouffe]

I grew Gartenperle last year - lots of toms, but I didn't find them as tasty as Tumbler, which I've grown outside for 5 or 6 year. When I went away at the beginning of July last year and there was a heat wave and they didn't get watered, the plants died but I still got a fantastic crop of tomatoes - the formed fruits all ripened beautifully. I wouldn't recommend this as a cultivation method though

[Alice]

My neighbour grew Tumbler and they were great. She knows nothing about gardening and the plant was well neglected (she won't mind me saying this) but it still made lovely tomatoes. I had to pick them and eat them for her as I think she even forgot to do that. I had forgotten about the Tumbler, but now that I remember I'm going to get some.

[Smuff]

For what its worth, I live in Scotland and last year we had success growing San Marzano, a few bunches didn't ripen but half green are fantastic for salads. Most did ripen however.

San Marzano, eh? Sounds a bit exotic for these here parts
This year is an experiment, if successful then I will branch out and try other varieties for next year.

[Smuff]

Last year I grew Gartenperl outdoors in 12" pots. They were in a sheltered south facing position and I'm not 600" up. I had tomatoes by the bucket. I think they could do well for you Smuff.
I also had some Marmande. They grew well and made great big tomatoes, but they were nearly all spoiled with blossom end rot - both in the greenhouse and outdoors. My other tomatoes in the greenhouse were fine, so I think maybe that variety is prone to the problem.

That's pretty much the growing method I was going to try, with lots of windbreak and fleece; it puts me in mind of a nature programme I saw on tv where emperor penguins in the antarctic were shuffling round in a large mass trying to keep warm....whatever the results it will be interesting.
Due to the recomendations in other posts I will extend my tomato range and grow tumbler.

[Smuff]

I grew Gartenperle last year - lots of toms, but I didn't find them as tasty as Tumbler, which I've grown outside for 5 or 6 year. When I went away at the beginning of July last year and there was a heat wave and they didn't get watered, the plants died but I still got a fantastic crop of tomatoes - the formed fruits all ripened beautifully. I wouldn't recommend this as a cultivation method though

Sounds familiar that horrible realisation that you've forgotten about that pot sheltering in a flower bed...

[Flummery]

I've grown Red Alert in Yorkshire with great success - it's a tasty little devil too!