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Hi, I have been given some italian tomato seeds, Rio Grande, trouble is I can't understand Italian. I have just started to germinate a few, there are loads of seeds in the packet- hundreds! My question is do I need a greenhouse or will they be okay out on my patio?
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Don Vincenzo where are you? I'll just try & get him for you Ian. Think they probably need to at least start off in a greenhouse though.Into every life a little rain must fall. -
Yes they will be indoors till end of april and then in the cold frame for may, oh and I live in Birmingham.Comment
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Tomatoes Rio Grande
Hello Sue and IanOriginally posted by SueA View Post
ok!! The word Rio Grande means or should mean that the tomatoes are of the large varieties like Cuor di bue, Beef steak etc and manly used in salads mainly beacause they would be to expensive to make tomato sauce. I presume that this particular variety originates from Latin America as the word itself means The large / big river. Just cultivate it as any steak tomatoes. In the last couple of years I have stopped growing tomatoes in the greenhouse as the weather as been very good ( not as good I wish ) in the eastern south of England. Just use your common sense and your avarage climate and try and try. Perhaps you could try some outdoors, some indoors and let us know!! The seeds properly stored will last at least ten years......if you have any to spare I am sure that some members will love to share your experience with you. By the way I have the same problem this year with tomatoes. A friend of my gave me several packets of tomatoes seeds...nice pictures but the instructions are in Russian.
My best regards
Don Vincenzo
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Hi Don, what varieties do you grow outdoors. My greenhouse will be packed out with chile, and sweet peppers, cucumbers and melons. I would put the whole lot of my toms outdoors if i thought they would be ok.
Some info on how they did outdoors would be a big help.
And when your back stops aching,
And your hands begin to harden.
You will find yourself a partner,
In the glory of the garden.
Rudyard Kipling.sigpicComment
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Hi, Don and Sue, thanks for your advice, I'll see how these work out, I have grown gardeners delight on the patio the last two years with a fair degree of success, going to also try a tumbling tom "F1 tornado" to try to get some toms a bit earlier in the summer. For sure if anyone wants to swap a few of these seeds or cadge a few I have plenty to spare.Comment
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I grew them last year they are determinate plum tomatoes, heavy croppers and delicious!!Comment
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I've been growing Rio Grande for a couple of years now (the wife's Italian) they are actually a narmal sized plum (despite the name grande). I do grow them outside - but it tends to be a bit warmer here, however if you are in the southern half of the UK you will be fine. As I now have a greenhouse I have started mine off earlier indoors, but previously have sown in pots outside with a fairly high success rate - my seeds are getting old now so not as good - it's still the original packet.
They are best for making salsa and sauce, but are OK to eat in salads as well.Comment
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Hello Bramble and many thanks for your question. I have only a small greenhouse. Now it is dedicated only for raising seedlings, in later spring and summer for chillies, basil, a prickly pear, cucumber. In autumn / winter for parsley, leaf salads, radishes or whatever needs or I like to be protected. No tomatoes at all!! ( maybe one or two ). The last two years I noticed that the outdoors tomatoes did ripe before the greenhouse ones and didn't suffer from club end rot. It is a gamble with outdoor tomatoes, soil preparation is a must, a spray or two with dithane is a must ( only one last year ). There is no point to leave five or six trusses as the later tomatoes will not ripe and not even fit for chutney. I leave my at 3 or 4 trusses, two plants to a cane. However there are no rules, unless you are a commercial grower where you can control (and afford) the whole life process of whatever plants my only answer is not to put all the eggs in the same basket. I came across to a small book ( 1920 ) about the soil and according to them the answer is in the soil and the weather.Originally posted by bramble View Post
Good luck
Don vincenzoComment
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Hi Don and thanks for the advice. I will let you know how I get on. Lets hope for a good summer then!
And when your back stops aching,
And your hands begin to harden.
You will find yourself a partner,
In the glory of the garden.
Rudyard Kipling.sigpicComment
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Hello BrambleOriginally posted by bramble View PostHi Don and thanks for the advice. I will let you know how I get on. Lets hope for a good summer then!
Summers are getting better thanks to climate change but not fast enough, I have been waiting since 1979 ( apparently I missed 1977 ) and I am running out of time but someone in the grapevine says LIVE LIKE YOU ARE GOING TO DIE TOMORROW, GARDEN AS YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE FOREVER. I have to say that the last couple of years the home made tomato sauce (of course with fresh garlic and fresh basil) has been excellent and when you taste / eat it in its own or in various dishes and we are showing that home made suntan ( from our allotment / garden...... then we know why we do it!!!.......only to discover that another season is going by and starting dreaming again for the next.
My best regards
Don VincenzoComment
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Originally posted by Don Vincenzo View Post
It's having dreams and amibitons that keeps you going Don Vincenzo. People who give up on life after retirement need to grow veg!
Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.
www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - SpringComment
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