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When to focus on ripening tomatoes?

13

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  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Cherries

    I am growing three types of cherry toms - Sweet Million, Hundreds & Thousands and Tumbling Tom. I confused the labels so I don't know which is which. I lost so many to slugs that I did three separate sowings in order to have any at all. I foolishly assumed these were all 'patio' cherries (small, contained, good for hanging baskets), but some of the plants are bloomin' enormous 2-3 ft and counting. Should I be pruning anything? I understood not, but I clearly had no idea what would emerge.

    I think I will have to repot some as I was not expecting the size at all. Could I lop off some branches instead to try and contain the size?


  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731
    Do you think you can tell Alicante from money maker? All my labels got mixed up. They’re both medium sized round red tomatoes, but I’ve no idea which is which.

    Crikey, it's years since I grew either of them. In theory, I think Allicante should be a bit bigger. But they're very very similar varieties. 

  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731
    I am growing three types of cherry toms - Sweet Million, Hundreds & Thousands and Tumbling Tom. I confused the labels so I don't know which is which.

    The Sweet Million should be an indeterminate (cordon) variety. It's the one growing to a height. The other two are cascading varieties, the ones you would plant in hanging baskets. 

    The Sweet Million should either be in the ground or a decent-sized pot and staked for support.

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I pick tomatoes when they give to me, just hold the tomato, press your thumb on the little joint (don’t know what it’s called) and if it snaps, it’s ready, if it doesn’t leave it for another day. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Well @Womble54 you beat me. Mine are still not ripe yet! 
    Yes @Lyn thats how I choose too.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I use the same principal for anything in the garden, the seeds are ready when they give, not when I just take. Does gardening send us batty or have I always been like that😀😀
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    😁
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Italophile - thanks
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    Womble54 said:
    I’m resisting the temptation to pick them and wait till they darken up a bit.
    I failed and picked two. They are great, definitely ripe. Used them for dinner (see the recipe thread).
  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731
    Good stuff. If you're interested in the darker varieties, I can send you seeds for Cherokee Purple for next season. Not actually purple, obviously, a mixture of very dark red and very dark green, same colour combination that produces the Blacks. CP has a glorious complex flavour. 
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