[TheWhiteRabbit]

I grew Latah last year and it whilst it wasn't the earliest, we liked the flavour. It was very prolific and very untidy! I grew them outside last year and they produced right up to the first frosts.

[Headgardener22]

At the moment I have a competition between Blooody Butcher, Quedlinger Fruhe Liebe, Nikolayev Yellow Cherry, Latah, Red Berry and Orange Berry. All have got reasonably sized fruit set so I'm hopeful that I'll get something ripe soon.

[tangojulie]

We've been easting Latah for 3 weeks ( hoped I'd get some in May but didn't quite make it). I've grown them for a few years now. Very early, very untidy, flavour not spectacular but masses better than anything you can buy at this time of year.

[Headgardener22]

We've been easting Latah for 3 weeks ( hoped I'd get some in May but didn't quite make it). I've grown them for a few years now. Very early, very untidy, flavour not spectacular but masses better than anything you can buy at this time of year.

Where are you? Is your greenhouse heated?

[mumofstig]

flavour not spectacular but masses better than anything you can buy at this time of year.

Same here - I've grown a couple of early sown Gartenperle (Garden pearl) plants for the last few years and have been eating them since the beginning of June. Some of the later varieties have better flavour, but the GPs make up for it by fruiting early 

[spuriousmonkey]

I have grown Stupice and it is a very nice tasting tomato, but not super early for me, but I did grow them outside.   This year I am trying Latah, which is supposed to be very early, again outside.  It is a bush variety.  It has flowers on it now, but so does my Maskotka.   Don't know about taste yet obviously.

Despite arctic weather here at the moment my tomato pants still managed to produce tomatoes (due to good weather earlier in the season).

This year I have a similar experience with Stupice. Stupice is actually lagging behind a lot this year from the real earlies. It is now one of the late ones.

Who is so far the winner then?

Once again it is Anna Russian for the indeterminates, and for the bush types the newcomer zaryanka is the clear winner.

It's not just an individual Anna Russian plant that is doing well. They are all doing well.

Of the dwarfs pygmy yellow is most advanced at the moment.



Nothing has ripened yet though. Too cold. No sun.

So the competition is still open. Let's see what will be the first eatable tomato.

[tangojulie]

We've been easting Latah for 3 weeks ( hoped I'd get some in May but didn't quite make it). I've grown them for a few years now. Very early, very untidy, flavour not spectacular but masses better than anything you can buy at this time of year.

Where are you? Is your greenhouse heated?

On the edge of the New Forest in a very mild area.

I don't have a heated greenhouse but I do have a kitchen extension with a glass roof, full height glass doors, and a tolerant husband. Also the greenhouse is attached to the house and has a brick wall at the back which catches the sun.

Normally I sow a few tomatoes in Jan/Feb with the intention of getting a head start by rooting any sideshoots.  I just grew the plants on this year as they all did so well - it doesn't always happen like that! They go into the greenhouse when it's warm enough out there and they go outside when they get too sprawling and take up too much space.

Incidentally I also grow a cross between Latah and Gardener's Delight (from Real Seeds). These have a better flavour than Latah but aren't quite so early. If anyone would like to try some next year I'm happy so save seed, it's still available from Real Seeds as far as I know but they have a massive minimum order if that's all you want.

[Headgardener22]

Envious:  , my polytunnel didn't get above 10C at night reliably until the end of May and whilst I hope I'll get fruit earlier than last year, I don't expect to get any tomatoes until ealy/mid July (last year it was 24th July).