Pomodorino tomato plants from fresh seed

Johnny Crosby · March 2023

In an idle moment, while making a sandwich, I scraped up the seeds from a Pomodorino tomato, and pushed them into some compost, and they have obligingly sprouted, so I intend to nurture them to see what fruit is produced. I know any fruit will not be true to type, but that is part of the fun. However, can anyone speculate as to the habit of the plant, whether free and bushy, or vine, or is it likely to grow tall and need pinching and thinning? My lean-to greenhouse is barely 5ft x 2ft so I don’t want to overcrowd it with an over rampant tomato plant.

war garden 572 · March 2023

most likely bushy and no tomatoes need pinching
that is an outdated technique.

Dovefromabove · March 2023

Outdated for commercial growers growing particular varieties for particular purposes, outside in climates with a long growing season or in large poly tunnels, very possibly 🤔

For home growers with limited space, growing in domestic greenhouses and aiming to get an optimum crop in a short growing season (as in the UK) pinching out is still a very valid gardening practice when growing indeterminate varieties.

It’s a case of ‘horses for courses’. 😊

Fairygirl · March 2023

@Johnny Crosby - do you think you could do two plants and try a different method for each? One pinched out and one left to do it's own thing.
I know what you mean about limited room, as I only have a tiny growhouse [4 x 2 feet ] for my toms as it's a bit too hit and miss here for outdoor growing. I can squeeze three cherry tom types in there

LunarSea · March 2023

The problem with seeds from supermarket-bought tomatoes is that most are grown hydroponically and are bred specifically for that purpose. It doesn't mean you can't grow them traditionally but it's hit & miss whether you get good fruit from them.

I've never grown 'Pomodorino' but twice now I've tried 'Piccolo' (both from UK-grown and Dutch-grown fruits from Sainsbury's) and the results have been terrible.

Interested to see how you go on

pinut · March 2023

That's funny because I've successfully grown tomatoes from seeds taken from supermarket tomatoes, including Piccolo, for the past ten years.

Commercial tomatoes are usually grown in long rows or blocks of identical varieties, each plant in close proximity to another plant of the same variety so the chances of their offspring coming true to type is very high.

I suspect that most failures are down to lack of diligence. If you think a plant might fail then do things that will increase your chances of success - aim for a big surplus by planting more than you intended and keep lots of backup seedlings just in case.

Regarding the pruning (or pinching out) of sucker shoots on vine type tomatoes - the yield according to weight is roughly the same for pruned vs unpruned plants. You will get a greater number of fruits but they will be smaller in size if left unpruned.

Myself, I favour pruning since it makes the plant easier to manage (training up strings, up bamboo poles etc), easier to harvest and you can plant them closer together yet still maintain good airflow and sun light between them.

Unless you have wire fence or column cage supports like some American seem to favour, growing vine tomatoes outdoors unchecked is not a good idea since trusses will develop on the secondary and tertiary sucker branches. A moderate gale will snap those branches weighed down by the developing fruit.

Johnny Crosby · March 2023

Thank you all for your interest and comments. The seedlings are not yet showing their first true leaves so there is a long way to go, but I will persevere. I think Fairygirl’s strategy of differentiating the care given to two plants is the way I shall go, and at the end of the year I will report back

Fairygirl · March 2023

Interesting @LunarSea - I've done the same as @pinut, in that I grew some plants from Piccolo seeds after my daughter bought some of the [ very overpriced ] toms. I had a brilliant crop the first year, from only two plants, but the 2nd year they were slightly different in shape, though still a great crop, and I put that down to the fact that they were a commercial variety and weren't going to be reliably true in subsequent years from. I also grew a third one from one of the nipped out side shoots too, and had it outdoors as we had a long spell of dry, hot weather in summer, so it was worth the risk.
Very interesting that you say they should be the opposite though @pinut, as I'd assumed they were done by constantly taking cutting and offshoots to get new material. I've not done any this year as I bought the Tumbling Tom one to try, and I have limited space. I'll sow some more now and see how they do this year.

Good luck with yours @Johnny Crosby - you've got rather a lot in that pot on the right though, so you might need to do a bit of thinning

Remember that you can bury them deeper each time you pot them on too

purplerallim · March 2023

I was thinking that @Fairygirl about @johnny Crosby numbers. But also they need to be nearer the light during the day, move the pictures, but away from the window at night, because of cold through the glass. In a week they will get true leaves, and then will be ready for potting on. 😁

Pomodorino tomato plants from fresh seed

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