[stompy]

Hi all,

When i had a GH i used to grow Gardeners delight, Sungold and Alicante as my 3 regulars, unfortunately i don't have a GH anymore and will be growing mainly in pots outside in the garden.
I want to grow tomatoes still but am concerned about ripening and blight!
Can anyone recomend a good variety for outdoor growing that still has good flavour?

Thanks Andy

[mumofstig]

Most of them, including those 3, will grow outside - in a good year when there's no blight 

There aren't any blight proof tomatoes although some are reputed to be better than others, but I've never noticed them actually being so

Depends if you are willing to spray them, I know DD does spray rather than lose them all to blight. this is the stuff to use
http://www.bayergarden.co.uk/en/data/Products/f/Fruit-and-Vegetable-Disease-Control.aspx

[DD.]

I grow most of my indoor varieties outside as well. Some of them even crop better and all have a better flavour!

Shirley is always my "must do" tomato as a standard one.

[stompy]

Thanks Mum, i grew them in a mini GH last year and lost them all (4 of them) to blight without even one tom 
It's a bit/lot of a come down from the 12ftx8ft GH i had when i had the plot.
It almost made me give up not having the space to grow anymore!

I'll replace my Alicante with Shirley this year then DD.
Is that spray organic or not?
Also can you still spray it when there are fruit on the plants, and how often do you spray?

Andy

[Ema]

I grew gardeners delight and golden sunrise last year. I started them off in a mini greenhouse and then put them into the big pots morrisons sells 5 for £1 outside agains a west facing wall. I had a good crop from them all but I won't be growing the golden sunrise again as I found them tasteless.

My garden spuds got blight late on but the toms were fine

[DD.]

Is that spray organic or not?
Also can you still spray it when there are fruit on the plants, and how often do you spray?

Andy

I'm not sure about the new stuff, with Dithane it was spray every 7-10 days, leave 7 before harvest. You can spray fruit, what I used to do was pick any that's turning, then spray the rest. You only need do it if there is a threat of blight.

Don't think it's organic, but there again, I didn't chuck all my tomatoes in the skip like everyone else.

[stompy]

Don't think it's organic, but there again, I didn't chuck all my tomatoes in the skip like everyone else.

Fair point!
I'll see about getting some.

Thanks
Andy

[DD.]

One of the OB's is not organic, but said he wouldn't pay the price of the stuff, as he tipped his tomatoes away!

1/4 of a sachet will make up loads and it lasts ages. I've still got a load of Dithane - it's been off the market for a couple of years now, but it's not banned for use!

[BabbyAnn]

How about trying out varieties that may be tolerant of cool growing conditions and/or have a shorter growing season - you may get a crop before and if blight strikes?  I've done a little research and the following come up as possibilities although it has been suggested in other topics that some of these may not be as tasty as those already recommended in this thread:

Alaskan Fancy
Black Prince
Glacier
Koralik Cherry
Stupice
Sub Arctic Plenty

[Growster...]

Which part of 'out doors' are you going to use?

Try bringing on plants on every wall you have - and a greenhouse if possible, as they all get the varied benefits of our summers!

We chucked seven plants down on the plot as they were spare and looked awful, and they flourished beyond compare!

Just talk to them, and say they're winners...

[stompy]

They will be on an East facing wall in pots in our tiny 20ft x 20ft walled garden, the walls are 7ft high.
I could have put them on a South facing wall if the ivy wasn't there, i kepp trying to get SWMBO to let me get rid of it but she won't budge!

We grow purely for flavour so that is paramount, we would just go to the local super market otherwise.

Andy

[tosca100]

I usually grow some in and some of the same out, where most of them stand away from a wall wherever OH has moved them to....he likes moving everything around all the time. Last year beefsteak did really well outside and sungold, I find, are better outside, the trusses are bigger and the plants are not as gangly. And the fruit is tastier.

So I would say, grow your favourite. Whatever you grow will be affected by the weather, hopefully we are due a good summer for a change.

[Growster...]

They will be on an East facing wall in pots in our tiny 20ft x 20ft walled garden, the walls are 7ft high.
I could have put them on a South facing wall if the ivy wasn't there, i kepp trying to get SWMBO to let me get rid of it but she won't budge!

We grow purely for flavour so that is paramount, we would just go to the local super market otherwise.

Andy

Try a few in pots on the ivy wall then Andy!

Give them names, and they'll flourish!

Promise!

[Growster...]

I usually grow some in and some of the same out, where most of them stand away from a wall wherever OH has moved them to....he likes moving everything around all the time. Last year beefsteak did really well outside and sungold, I find, are better outside, the trusses are bigger and the plants are not as gangly. And the fruit is tastier.

So I would say, grow your favourite. Whatever you grow will be affected by the weather, hopefully we are due a good summer for a change.

Nice up-market post, Toscs!

Just what we need when toms are concerned!

;0)

[Wychwood]

I've always had a good crop from Super Marmande and Red Alert. The former is a great Beefsteak variety, Red Alert is more a Cherry type, similar to Gardeners delight, very prolific fruiting.