[poppie]

hi all,just been to my local farm shop for some toms,too many to choose from.
anyone got any advice on the best croppers or ones that do well in grow bags.
(outside that is however)

[sclarke624]

My Red alert is full of Toms, as is my Gold Nugget.  Doubt you'd find them as small plants in the shop though.  They are both early fruiters.  Gold nugget  best grown as a bush ut can cordon.  Red alert bush.  The gold nugget is lovely, cherry sized, tasted these as some ripened already.  The red alert is small toms, haven't tasted yet as waiting for to ripen.  Both outdoors.

I'm experimenting with the others so can't say what will be good yet.  I have done gardeners delight a cherry tom in a grow bag, this tom seems prolific fruiter.  Money maker is good for a bag as well but can't remember if yu get much fruit from it.

Steer clear if they have sub artic plenty horrible mushy tom.  I know some people liked it, but a more agreed with me.

You can cut a grow bag in half across one width and up end think saddle bags.  Or buy those pots that go into a growbag the pots have no bottom.  Gives more root room.  To be honest with you I hate grow bags but they serve a purpose for some, dry out too quick.  Just as easy to empty the grow bag into a 7 litre pot and grow tom in that.

Sorry if rambled on.

[Jodie A]

I guess the farmshop will just sell the standard varieties.

As you need to get them harvested and almost over by September if growing outside, I'd go for a smaller tom like Gardeners Delight.

PS. Am not a fan of growbags, if you must use them, cut them in half and give a tomato plant a bit of depth.  Laid on the ground they are nothing better than a rock hard pillow, even if you try to put a deeper pot around the hole.

[home made pie]

Yep I agree 'Gardeners Delight' are pretty good, prolific and tasty as the toms are only little, they do need a lot of support depending how high you let them grow (approx 4 feet high) so you would have to put a cane in which is trickier if the grow bags are on hard ground

For outside I'd be tempted with a bush variety such as 'Amature', no pinching out needed and easier to support.

I think all varieties would be fine in a grow bag, the nutrients are balanced to get you off to a good start and then just feed once they start showing toms

[Bernard]

Depends what you mean by 'best cropping'. If you want the heaviest crops go for some tasteless commercial variety like Moneymaker but for good flavour and a long succession of ripening fruit I agree with everyone who recommends Gardeners' Delight.

I used to grow Amateur outdoors and they were quite successful.

However, I did not use growbags and I have now stopped using them in the greenhouse. Watering/feeding problems are much reduced if you grow in the ground.

[Kristen]

"PS. Am not a fan of growbags, if you must use them, cut them in half and give a tomato plant a bit of depth.  Laid on the ground they are nothing better than a rock hard pillow, even if you try to put a deeper pot around the hole."

Amen to that!!

[poppie]

thankyou all so much for your helpful advice...