Tomato reviews likes & dislikes 2015 - 2020

[annie8]

Anyone recommend a tomato about Shirley size to grow in pots in an unheated geeenhouse. My Shirley’s have been tasty enough but lot have split and the skin has been a bit rough if you know what I mean. Growing gd and sungold probably inside and in a bed. Maybe san marzano in the Gh.

[Yasai]

Your Black Russians look AMAZING Scarlet...nothing like mine...not even remotely. Mine are more the shape of doughnut peaches and have all split, to boot. They taste great though . When I ordered the seeds, I was under the impression I was ordering cherry tomatoes... I’d read that many tomato descriptions, I guess I got confused. Glad I did anyway because I’d never have bought them otherwise (having had no luck growing big tomatoes before, I had decided to give up trying). As it is, definitely gonna grow them again next year, God willing. They are all being grown outside with mixed results. Two plants have, I guess, around ten fruits each...whilst the third only has three. I’ll let it off though, seeing as the fruit tastes so good 😊

[HoneyChild]

Anyone recommend a tomato about Shirley size to grow in pots in an unheated geeenhouse. My Shirley’s have been tasty enough but lot have split and the skin has been a bit rough if you know what I mean. Growing gd and sungold probably inside and in a bed. Maybe san marzano in the Gh.

I've never grown shirley but I think they're the same size as money maker and I've been growing them with great success in my unheated greenhouse.

[Scarlet]

Your Black Russians look AMAZING Scarlet...nothing like mine...not even remotely. Mine are more the shape of doughnut peaches and have all split

I only take photos of the best ones!!!
Lots of mine have split - I think this is a weather problem for this year, I don’t often get lots of split tomatoes. Everything is drying out so quick.

Here’s a funny shaped one! ( one of my biggest!!)

[SalfordWhite]

I only take photos of the best ones!!!
Lots of mine have split - I think this is a weather problem for this year, I don’t often get lots of split tomatoes. Everything is drying out so quick.

Here’s a funny shaped one! ( one of my biggest!!)
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I have had more split ones as the season has progressed.
Funnily enough of the non cherries the Shirleys have split the most. My seeds are T&M's

[MarkPelican]

I must admit I grow mostly heritage and open pollinated because I love the story behind the variety and I can save seed and don't need to buy it again. For lots of people though, they aren't interested in saving seed, and some of the F1 hybrids offer resistance to blight, blossom end rot etc and for some that is a real bonus. I always grow F1 cucumbers inthe greenhouse - I had a nasty experience with an OP variety that produced hundred of male flowers and every cucumber was bitter. - they were disgusting - I even tricked my kids into eating them - they had to wash their mouths out in the sink.

I’m not sure I entirely agree. The supposedly “blight resistant” varieties I have grown have (crimson crush, mountain magic) had zilch flavour and got blight when blight was about - a bit later than others but still before they ripened. The ones supposedly resistant to BER didn’t get BER, but then neither did most of the varieties I grew as a comparison (this year has been a bad year for BER but even so only 4 cultivars have had BER out of 35).
I’d much rather encourage people to grow Heritage varieties rather than being fooled by fancy packaging.

[Scarlet]

I’m not sure I entirely agree. The supposedly “blight resistant” varieties I have grown have (crimson crush, mountain magic) had zilch flavour and got blight when blight was about

I was just giving reasons why some people will choose them over heritage varieties, I’ve not grown any F1 toms except Sun gold - because everyone raves about the taste - I’m not keen, it tastes artificial to me. Ive not bothered with any of the others and I’m a keen seed saver with too many heritage varieties to try and not enough space.

Although people who do get blight will often give them a go - I grow mostly undercover. Lots of growers don’t even know what an F1 is when they start to grow

[Scarlet]

I have had more split ones as the season has progressed.
Funnily enough of the non cherries the Shirleys have split the most. My seeds are T&M's

Possibly more to pick so they are getting over ripe before you get to them?

[geepee]

I'm picking the allotment tomatoes early as the snails are eating them if I let them get too red.

Further to your last 'Allotment ' quote , how do you rate your 'Red Alert'?????

[SalfordWhite]

I wouldn't say so. In fact there have been less to pick in the last fortnight.
It could be that the plant is knackered.

[robbra]

I'm firmly on the side of no F1 seeds in my box.
When I joined here in May I had six packets of tomato seeds but only grew Ailsa Craig.
Since then I now have 16 UK and 10 French, Italian and Spanish seeds, all heritage. To me if something has been good for many years why change unless you are in the business of supplying and making profits for your business. It's a merry go round to get you to part with more money, label it F1 and double or treble the price.
I also believe many varieties are so similar they could be the same with a different name.
I've bought some seeds that I remember from childhood and want them to survive, others just to see differences in habit and taste.
The most anticipated are Essex Wonder, Stonors Exhibition, Cavendish and Muchamiel Tardio. Next Year I will update.
Takes cover!
Rob

[Scarlet]

I’m firmly on the side of no F1 seeds in my seed box -Takes cover!

That’s probably the same as the most of the grapes on here - we all save seed and share - I have a huge collection of tomato seed. There’s many a discussion on F1s vs Open pollinated if you want to have a read through old threads.

[annie8]

Possibly more to pick so they are getting over ripe before you get to them?

My Shirley are splitting more than any of the rest of my tomatoes even when not really red.

[MarkPelican]

I'm firmly on the side of no F1 seeds in my box.
W
The most anticipated are Essex Wonder, Stonors Exhibition, Cavendish and Muchamiel Tardio. Next Year I will update.
Takes cover!
Rob

Tried Essex Wonder, sometimes there's a reason why cultivars go out of favour, particularly the commercial varieties.

[MarkPelican]

My Shirley are splitting more than any of the rest of my tomatoes even when not really red.

Don't water them once they're ripe.

I think tomatoes split because the skins "set" then if you add more water, the fruit try to swell still more but the skin has no "give". Once fruit have started to ripen, I try to water them only enough to stop the plants wilting too much. I think it also enhances the flavour as they are less watery.

The problem with the heat this year is that plants have needed more water to stop them wilting