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Talkback: Growing tomatoes: dos and don'ts

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
This is my first year of trying to grow tomatoes - will need to keep this blog and refer back to it. I do love this site, so great to just click the mouse and get so much free info!
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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Did get blight last year and ruined the plum toms and affected some others but still had a pretty good crop of mixed varieties. The bush toms were completely unaffected.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Haven't grown any toms for a few years but have been inundated with packets of seed, so will just have to grow some this year. Our patio faces South and gets very warm in Summer. Just have to keep up with the watering.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    my 1st time 2 years ago i brought 2 tomatoes beefeater and money maker put them in my front garden and my kids ate 1 each on the way to school lovely but last year all mine got blight its luck of the draw weather wise going to try a small net circle to block the cold wind from them this year see how that goes
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    This will be my third year of growing tomatoes. The first year I grew them inside my greenhouse and outside on my veggie plot, the ones outside got blight and then it was transferred into the greenhouse (probably by me), I lost about 30 plants. So last year after thoroughly disinfecting the greenhouse I only grew them inside in grow bags-12 plants of assorted varieties. I didn't pollinate them myself, but I did grow lots of marigold's with them, to stop whitefly and I left the door and window's open during the day so the bees could do the pollinating for me. I had such a huge crop that I had to give lots away even after making more tomato sauce than my freezer could cope with and having tomatoes with nearly every meal. My husband said he didn't want to look at another tomato, so I promised him I would cut down on the number of plants I grow this year - probably!! I keep telling him how good they are for you, full of cancer fighting Licopene.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Mmmm sounds good Dahlia Lover. I'd love to be able to grow so many tomatoes that I could make pasta sauce to freeze to use over the winter. I've got about 10 plants growing at the moment but am resisting the urge to sow more seeds as I really don't have the space. Hope you avoid blight this year!

    Whitevan I'm jealous of your south-facing patio - your tomatoes will love it!

    Good luck Laineyfaefife!

    Kate
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Cute. Hmmm. That's a very curious adjective Kate. I'll have a look through some of my shieldbug monographs, but I doubt I'll find that one used. I once, rather flippantly, dismissed the green shieldbug as a harmless garden ornament, and I was immediately harangued by some poor gardener who'd had her broadbeans ravaged by them. Oops.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Ha ha! Yes I remember that Richard. Oh come on, you've got to admit they're cute. When they're little babies and they run around on the plants and fall off? They're like little turtles. Brought me no end of amusement last summer. I hope I managed to bring some with me when I moved house. Kate
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    This is my third year of growing tomatoes. The first year I only grew gardeners delight and had a good crop. second year I grew gardeners delight and Alicante both indoors and outdoors and we had a bumper crop. We had tomatoes right up to October last year. eventually we got fed up with them and threw them in the compost bin. I must must say that the tomatoes were lovely and all the family and neighbours enjoyed them. hope to get a good crop this year.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Forgot to say that I always close the windows and door of the greenhouse when it rains because I understand that's how blight spreads?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Sorry also forgot to say that when I plant tomatoes in grow bags I put tall pots with the bottom cut out in the bags and plant the tomatoes into the pot, this gives you more soil to grow in and helps to retain water too. The pots are the type that you buy roses in.
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