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Help with two questions

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  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Had black cherry last year and I think ( rather hubby tells me) they taste better than sun gold. At the end of the season they were still flowering/ fruiting in October, the only ones left, so the final fruit I saved the seeds from for this year. They germinated well and have made huge plants, but I must admit they haven't the vigor of last years plants (GC bought , grafted? Maybe) so are prone to damage easily and have no strength to hold themselves upright . Hubby says they taste as good.
  • Obelixx, I was thinking about sun dried tomatoes but don't think we will get enough sun now to do that, looked on the internet and you can dry them in the oven so will try that and see how they turn out. That's a good idea making passata with surplus and slightly damaged tomatoes, how long does it keep for. I love tomato tart. I went into the market the other day and they were throwing out the plastic blue trays that have fruit and veg in. I asked if I could have a couple and he gave me ten and also took them to my car for me and said if you want more we,ve always got them just come and ask. I've got my onions drying in them as they are stackable.
  • Thanks purplerallim, I'll see if I can find them online and give them a try. How did you support them if they don't hold themselves upright, just on a cain. As I'm a beginner in the veg side of the garden I'll give anything a try and if I don't like it or there's a problem I can't solve then I'll try another variety, so I'll give them a try next year and see.

    Was going to do more in the garden but it chucking it down here and the wind has picked up. :'( 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    This year I decided to try something completely different for tomatoes rather than my usual Shirley, Sungold, Rosella and the like.
    I found Simpsons Seeds have some weird and wonderful varieties, so this year I'm growing 2 each of Pannovy, Rose de Berne, Nepal and Stupice.
    A couple of the Stupice I tried were very good, thin skin, no core and a really good tomato flavour. They also 'potato-leaved' tomatoes and seem to produce very few leaves. Not as many trusses as I'd usually expect, but I don't mind sacrificing quantity for quality.
    There are fruits ready on Rose de Berne and Pannovy which I'll be trying tomorrow, and some Nepal should be ready in a few days.



    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    In the greenhouse they have 6 foot canes and when they get above half way they are also fastened to the GH frame, keeps the weight from falling forward , and then if the trusses get heavy they are tied to cane and greenhouse too.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    @NannaBoo I put sndired in inverted commas because I do them in the oven.  Cut in half and place cut side up on non stick parchment lined trays.  Set the oven to 100C fan and leave for hours.   I do 3 trays at a time and yes, we do have solar panels so the oven can run all day if they're very juicy.

    I don't dry them comletely and, when happy, I pack them tightly in sterilied jars with a bit of gretd garlic or finely chopped basil or just some s&P depending on how I feel then pour over some good olive oil and tap to remove air bubbles.   Seal then boil, covered by the water, for 10 minutes then leave to cool.   Best eaten at room temperature.   Once opened, keep in the fridge.   We still have some from last year.  Delish.

    For the passata, I just chop the toms and put them, skins, juice, seeds and all in a deep preserving pot.  Sometimes I add onions/garlic/herbs as I see fit and then bring to a boil and simmer till reduced by about half.   Season to taste with S&P and a bit of sugar if needed then pot up and seal before doing the boiling process.   We finished all our red passata by February but still have some of the yellow.  I use it for pasta sauces, soups and stews.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    You do have some different ones there @Pete.8. The rose de burne sound nice. You will have to give us an update when you have tried them all.
  • Pet.8 Lets us know tomorrow when you've tried them as to what you think. I bought some Costoluto Fiorentino tomato seed and forgot to plant them, it says they are Big Italian flavour Ribbed Beefsteak fruit on large bushy plants. I know Beefsteak don't produce many fruits but will try them next year. I'll also pinch a few of your idea's as well as those others have suggested that way I'm bound to find some I like. 
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Costoluto Fiorentino are very tasty, NannaBoo.  Like Pete.8 I grow lots of varieties (about 8-12 in any given year) and change most of them every year, just for some extra variety.  As well as 'sun' varieties, my other regulars are Marmande (great for cooking) and more recently Country Taste, a well flavoured and reliable beefsteak type.  'Realseeds' do some excellent heritage varieties.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I certainly will - I'm having tomato mozzarella and basil salad tomorrow night, so will post an update on thurs.
    I recall that Monty Don often grows Costoluto Fiorentino - he rated them highly. A bit too big for me - one would last a week!

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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