[savbo]

Hi all - for about the  third year I've grown F1 tumbler and have found that they just seem to grow too big and the stem bends badly. (persevered until I finished the packet!). The fruit is OK but this year got a lot of greenback. Am thinking of going back to Tumbling Tom at a fraction of the price and I can save the seeds...

anyone else had different experiences?

savbo

[Fisherman]

I have tried Garden Pearl, Maskotka and F1 Tumbler over the last 3 years and none were what I would call good. All grew too big and the fruit were just about OK. Grew Maskotka this year which produced loads of fruit which have all been made into roasted tomato soup as they weren't fit for anything else.

Mine were grown in containers in a greenhouse. I even put in an automatic water system this year to eliminate the possibility of irregular watering / feeding.

I would be interested of knowing of a good quality container type cherry tomato, one that can be grown in a container on a greenhouse bench that doesn't get too big. Rate I'm going this may be the end of my tomato growing career

[stentman]

Alway been a bit of a traditionalist with toms, upright plant, staked, side shoots nipped out, etc, etc. But I swap plants with friends so this year for a change I have tried hanging basket toms, Tumbling Tomx4 and Balconi x2 and so far I am impressed firstly with Balconi started indoors now going great guns with fruits going red and edible now. No pests either as far as I know. Tumbling Tom masses of flowers and some set toms(still green) if all the flowers become toms then I shall have a glut by late August. I water the hanging baskets every morning and evening and feed once a week. Last week I removed at least half of lower leaf stems to allow in more light and breeze and try to persuade the plant to put more effort in to the actual toms.

[New shoot]

I've got Maskotka in hanging baskets this year.  I've grown then before and they are nice but they do sprawl a bit.  Probably worse than Tumbler, which I don't like much either.

Could you try a small bush tom instead of Tumblers Savbo?  Totem is quite a good one.  I'm growing one called Patio Prize from a seed swap (not sure whether it is widely available).  I've got no ripe fruits yet but if they are nice, I'll try saving some seeds and could swap you some 

The other thing that can make toms a bit tasteless is too much water.  I know it's difficult in hanging baskets and small containers to keep watering down as they dry out so fast, so I water with tomato feed once a fortnight and on the alternate week I use seaweed feed or liquid feed out of the wormery.  Does seem to improve the flavour.

[Growster...]

We gave up on 'Gartenperle', as the yield was pretty small, and although they tasted fine, they were a bit too 'precious' for our liking.

I'd like to persevere on these, as there's a chance we might try growing them in taller pots etc next year.

[arugula]

We had a massive crop of Gartenperle last year which is why we're growing them again this year along with 100s and 1000s.

[Growster...]

Where did you grow them Argyllie?

Ours were in hanging baskets, and received much more attention than we normally give toms...

I'm glad you got them going though, that's a good result!

[Scotch Thistle]

I'm growing two types this year, my first attempt at growing toms.
I am growing outside, against a south facing sheltered wall.
I have 6 x Gardeners delight cordon type, plants look healthy but very few of the flowers are setting, even though there are some nice big trusses there yield looks poor. The 3 others are a bush type, 'Megabite' and although they are only about a foot and a half high they are packed with golf ball size toms. All the plants look really healthy, but the small bush ones have really impressed me with how much fruit there is on such a small plant. Can't wait to start tasting taste them.  

[arugula]

Where did you grow them Argyllie?

In wall mounted hanging baskets. We identified the sunniest spots on the walls of the house and garage. Sunniest equates to all day sun as much as possible, as the ones getting only afternoon and evening sun albeit a long spell weren't nearly as strong as the ones which got early morning sun.

[Nobbie]

I buy a couple of Tumbler plants as soon as they are in the garden centre to get an early crop before the Sungold are ready. Planted in about a 10" pot and then as they get bigger I set them upon an upturned pot so that they can tumble without the fruit spoiling on the ground. Get a good crop of tasty toms