Tomatoes

[roche]

Is it just us, or are tomatoes not doing so well this year? We don't even seem to have set fruit. Capsicums the same. On the other hand, peas are doing really well.

 

[susbees]

Tomatoes coming slowly...almost all came from greenhouse self-sown seeds though...the ones in the propagator were useless. Gave up on peppers. However, three chillis we dug up and overwintered and have been really badly treated are doing fine (again seeds didn't take this year). We have loads of mange tout. Courgettes in the greenhouse (after two bad years outside) are taking over . Lucky we have a biggish greenhouse .

 

[Cazza]

Hi Roche
Must be where you live. My tomatoes are unusually (for me) really good. Sungold are cropping already. Peppers and aubergines setting really well.
Tomatillos are fruiting like billyoh.
Cazza (smug g**)

 

[Brosville]

Down here in Sussex had my first ripe tomatoes yesterday (Harzfeur) - look like we're destined for really heavy crops of tomatoes both from the greenhouse and outdoors - beans doing well, shallots, onions, beetroot, sweetcorn and potatoes etc going like steamhammers - best crop ever of loganberries - apple trees absolutely bowed down with fruit...........

 

[MuswellMetro]

murmer, murmer mumble.......blight got mine already....down wind from a 300 plot allotment....no chance of Toms/...fourth year they have failed...giving up, even got the Toms in the greenhouse this year

 

[susbees]

Late blight here for the last two years. Just missed the tomatoes last year. Year before hammered the outdoor ones but inside ok. Potatoes will be later this year.....so probably BANG.

Bordeaux mix seems to help (organic) but many garden centres don't have it.

 

[BlidworthBees]

I have three varieties of Tomatoes on the go. Two up at the allotment in pots and one in the garden at home in gro bags. All flowering at the moment but they started at little plug plants so late to get going.

Had plenty of strawberries but ate the lot .

Have picked masses of blackcurrants. Can't get into the freezer for them at the moment - no time to jam them at present and still have blackcurrant licquer untouched from last year.

Overun with raspberries. Eat them. Freeze them. Jam them. Now making wine. Clever ploy this - if it all goes horribly wrong you have raspberry vinegar to use.

Blight always seems to hit the allotments but starts at the top end and works downwind. If I spot it advancing I shall move them home.
Ditto the potatoes in patio containers.

Gooseberries were a disaster this year. Virus hit after the first warm / wet spell and despite spraying fruit all damaged. Last year had bumper crop.

The pumpkins and squashes are going mad after all this rain. Looks like an excert from the Day of the Triffids the way they are advancing.

 

[Terrysbees]

I grew vandos from seed planted on window cill 14 march. now very tall plants 6 to 7 truss big even fruit, I strip the leaves to about half that grow and cut off over half the remainder as well a normal side shoots. my friend got ripe Beefeater he starts them the same way, 650 ft up in Shropshire, some tomato buy in bumble bee try a few hony bees, thats why I got my bees as we had none in our garden this yr, allso lots cucumbers started same way

 

[MuswellMetro]

The pumpkins and squashes are going mad after all this rain.

WHAT RAIN!! we had one short shower yesterday morning...dry as old bones here in london

 

[wightbees]

I use to work with Tom plants for a good 13 yrs, can't stand the things lol.

 

[MuswellMetro]

when young, i picked brussel sprouts as a student winter job.....still got the scars on my fingers...did not even feel the cut...dont eat then now, not even at christmas

 

[BlidworthBees]

Digressing slightly......

A local pensioner ( who is a keen gardener ) went to visit a friend ( non gardener) earlier in the year. She noticed a number of small plants sitting on the windowsill and was told by her friend that said friend's son was starting off his tomatoes indoors. She didn't think the leaves looked quite right.

Next time she visited they were much bigger and out in the green house. She was proudly shown the large healthy plants. No sign however of the usual yellow flowers or setting trusses.

"I'm sorry my dear but these aren't tomatoes. I think they are those plants I see the police seizing on TV programmes"

The next time she visited they were gone

 

[Queens59]

The toms on the allotment (East Devon), are doin soo well it is a jok - the ones in the rough in the front of the house are tall,tin and healthy...t ones around the back are dying happily and refuse to get better!!

 

[Incatatus]

blight again here

 

[milkermel]

green house doing well with my toms, and peppers coming on nicely. have been picking for a couple of weeks now the small cherry toms.

Leeks on the other hand are pants!! real problems down in cornwall with them, but it has been so dry

 

[providence wayne]

toms doing ok up here in the north west

 

[Brosville]

We're now in glut....... Most evenings there's the delicious smell of vast pans of chutney bubbling away - so far, Harzfeur have been typically teutonic in their efficiency, pumping out gazillions of sweet and tasty tomatoes, were earliest in the season, and look like going on the longest, Marmande were disappointing, Gardener's Delight ok, but not particularly delightful, and the tiny and dainty "Cerise" are only just getting round to ripening up........

(for anyone who wants a really good all-round tomato that is early, easy to grow, not prone to disease, produces loads, and is a really good eat, I'd unhesitatingly recommend "Harzfeur" (el cheapo seeds from Lidl!)

 

[roche]

Ours are just (only just) starting to turn colour. Finally put it down to being a little too cold after germination.

 

[Cazza]

I love my tomatoes, which have been really good from the greenhouse for months.
Tonight I will be stuffing down a plateful cooked with cheese and eaten with crusty bread.
Heaven.
Cazza