[Subversive_plot]

I must admit that this is the first year in quite a while that I have been able to grow tomatoes and my other vegetables (COVID has resulted in working at home and much less commuting, so I have time this year).
 
A local store had packets of Roma tomatoes, and other vegetables for a very low cost, so I said, why not?  I started the tomatoes all together in a community pot, transplanted them into larger nursery pots with good compost when they had 2 sets of leaves, watched those grow big enough to put into soil.  The deer grazed the leaves off of all but about 3 or 4 of my 20 plants, so the grazed ones were set back a lot, but I kept on with them, and they recovered.

I now have 20 plants in the ground in my haphazard woodland-edge plot.  I have trusses (at least) on all but 5 plants; 5 plants have green fruit on them, and today, I harvested my first two ripe Romas!  They will most likely be in our next dinner salad (they came from the plant with the least deer damage).  Something knocked one of my green Romas off the vine, so I will probably have a little fried green tomatoes to go with lunch tomorrow.

I think my "cheap" seeds are reflected in my tomatoes.  Some look like very good Romas, with fruits on a determinate-type (bush) plant.  I have a couple that are clearly growing in an indeterminate (cordon) growth pattern, one of which is 6 feet tall and still growing, bearing cherry tomato type fruit, clearly not Romas (I will buy better seed next year).  All in all, I'm having fun with them, and producing some tomatoes as well.

So, how are your tomatoes coming along?

[Growster...]

...Quite well, SP, they're in different areas of the garden, in pots of soil and compost in trays, so a regular drip-feed is the way we're handling feeding.

We started the Sun Gold over a fortnight ago, and the first Shirley are turning now. The San Marzano are getting bigger too, but I've noticed that some truss numbers are down, not deer (!), but just conditions I suppose!

Somewhere else here there are more posts on all this, which may describe more results from chums - it's usually a top subject about now, and everyone has an idea on what to do!

[Russell Atterbury]

My polyhouse ones are looking good just now, cherry and regular (don't know variety names). I've picked a half dozen or so nice red ones, a mix of both. There are a good number coming up to very ripe stage, but the last couple of days weather here has been changeable, with night time temps in single figures. Immediately I see small signs of possible problems if it continues, my first real year for it, so emotion makes me scream inside for a bit of luck.

[jambop]

Well some of my tomatoes are just starting to come to ripeness now. I have been getting some lovely sweet
 piccolo cherry plum for a few weeks but the bigger tomatoes are now starting to come. I have some beefmaster tomatoes ready that are going into a salad tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how they compare to last years. Last year was very wet and they grew to an enormous size 600g and more per tomato... but the flavour was poor. This year has been very dry and even though I have given them water they are half the size and less. Will the theory held by many here that you never water tomatoes be proved with a tastier tomato? I will be hit with a shed load of Roma and san marzano in a few weeks they are starting to ripen now and will do until the weather changes in mid/late September.
On the Piccolo F1 cherry plum I really do recommend these. I grow them as a bush even though they are normally a cordon the quantity of super sweet tomatoes is incredible although they do sprawl a bit this one plant has well over fifty trusses of lovely tomatoes on it!

[Russell Atterbury]

jambop, envy comes to my mind. For the life in southern France, does a better place exist anywhere on this planet, can't be many if there is?

[jambop]

jambop, envy comes to my mind. For the life in southern France, does a better place exist anywhere on this planet, can't be many if there is?

You may find it hard to believe but there are times I envy people who live in a climate that is not quite so hot, and certainly this year dry. I can grow many things very easily but thing which we actually like to eat are difficult in summer. I am thinking about things like peas, cabbage,cauliflower, turnips anything that actually likes a slightly cooler climate are difficult. We have had no rain for nearly six weeks now and daytime temps of  27 - 35C with drying winds... the ground is very dry and watering is a necessity.  I do grow them over the winter though because it is not quite so cold and we usually get very little frosts.

[mumofstig]

I seem to have quite a good set in the ones growing in the greenhouse soil, but as the name implies they are all green  They seem to have more foliage than usual this year as well - weird!
I have a few Gartenperles ripening, growing in pots on the bench, perhaps they catch a bit more sun and warmth, being higher 
The Crimson Crush on the allotment are carrying quite a lot of fruit, but they're stubbornly green, as well.

[Russell Atterbury]

mumofstig, I see you are in Kent and your problems with tomato, even in the greenhouse, well it makes me think about the vineyards of the region. Surely this year must be a living hell for them, or am I wrong again?

[JayG]

As ever, Red Alert the first to produce a ripe tomato despite being in a cold frame rather than the GH, but growth is well down on last year (and most previous years), so yield is bound to suffer.

2 of the usually dependable Gardener's Delight in the GH got severe leaf curl at the growing points which subsequently died off leaving the plants stunted - hard to choose between the many possible causes, but they seem to have recovered enough to produce at least a few toms.

Sweet Million going like the clappers after a very sickly looking start, Amish Paste - hard to see what's going on amongst the mass of foliage they've produced this year but I'm fairly sure I've glimpsed a few fruits in there somewhere.

Like most of my other crops this year, it's been challenging, (and still is!)

[mumofstig]

mumofstig, I see you are in Kent and your problems with tomato, even in the greenhouse, well it makes me think about the vineyards of the region. Surely this year must be a living hell for them, or am I wrong again?

I should imagine they've needed a lot of spraying since the weather turned cooler, mildew has been a problem.
Instead of a cool spring and hot dry summer, it's been the other way around. But now - back to tomatoes 

[Vagabond]

This is my first experience of growing tomatoes down here in south west Ireland. They're in growbags in my neighbour's greenhouse (using a gh is a first for me too).
I'm just beginning to harvest two cherry varieties: Sungold and Supersweet. My Sungolds are splitting so eating them promptly, but they're delicious. I've only picked half a dozen of the Supersweets and they're small but really are 'super sweet'!
I've been doing a bit of research regarding when to pick them. I'd always assumed it's best to let them ripen on the vine, but it now appears that I would be better off picking them sooner and letting them ripen in a bag! So thinking that I'd better keep an eye on the Shirleys and Golden Sunrise which are now coming on.

[/i]

[Aunt Sally]

Doing quite well.  The set seems good, just hope the weather holds to ripen them.

[Subversive_plot]

Sounds like many of you are already getting ripe tomatoes, or getting close!

As I select seed for next year, I am going to have to look for some of the varieties that all of you have mentioned.  Jambop, my climate is closer to yours in terms of temperature and rainfall.  Hot and dry sometimes, other times not.  I have to keep watering because the plants do wilt if I don't water, and the small fruit set while dry will split open if it suddenly starts raining a lot (I have seen this happen literally overnight).  For me, Celebrity is a variety that is adapted to the heat and resists splitting, though I didn't look for that this year.  I want to try finding seeds of that Piccolo F1 cherry plum if they are available here!

[hasbeans]

I only grow them outdoors and all the cordons are at least a foot shorter than previous years.  I've had a few ripe Blush Tigers with plenty to come, a couple of Orange Banana but they're suffering with BER as is the Green Zebra which is slow and I've pinched out the tips.  No ripe sunbabies but lots of fruit.  Two Romas that are doing their thing and a San Marzano which will no doubt bear lots of green tomatoes, I won't bother next year with it.  The Black Cherry got blight and was binned, I had one tomato of it 

[jambop]

"I want to try finding seeds of that Piccolo F1 cherry plum if they are available here"

I buy them here, they will probably send them out to you.
seedsofitaly.com