[Kirpi]

Looking at what we eat by choice, we agreed my wife and I, that we eat more tomatoes, onions, peppers and garlic than potatoes, cabbage and swedes etc.

Has anyone grown tomatoes successfully outside on the allotment instead of potatoes. Would anyone recommend?

[JayG]

Despite being closely related, they're very different crops so it's not exactly a like-for-like swap, if only because you can start spuds off far earlier than outdoor toms (in fact, you could almost follow early spuds with tomatoes started off indoors.)

Because they're closely related, they both potentially suffer from the same blight, although you've probably got a better chance of salvaging spuds than tomatoes if it does strike.

Apologies if I'm taking your question too literally - plan to grow exactly what you want to eat, but bear in mind that outdoor tomatoes can fail spectacularly in a bad year (this one's not too bad so far!)

[Jackypam]

Gardeners delight, alicante and a small plum that I can't remember.  Have been going for 3 years.  This year best so far ( no blight), but only one tiny tomato so far too.  Plants look healthy though, and plenty more waiting for me to go on holiday.     Usually plant about 10 but never had enough to avoid buying them.  Very tasty though.

[Annen]

This year is the first year I have successfully grown tomatoes outside and this is an exceptional year. They are in a plastic growhouse open at the front day and night.  The ones on the plot outside proper, have produced a couple so far, but are very small compared to the growhouse and greenhouse ones.  Certainly this far north it unusual to be able to grow them outside, maybe in cornwall you might get away with it in most years.

[A Reyt Tayty]

I tried some in pots outside down the side of the green house where they get plenty of sun. 2 San Marzanos, Moneymaker, Gardeners Delight and Tigrella. Moneymaker is almost as good as greenhouse ones and the Marzanos aren't far behind either. The Tigrella is producing lots of fruit but smaller than ther GH ones. The G Delight is not quite giving the quantity or the size of the indoor ones. Overall very happy.

[RJR_38]

My Lizzano Toms are doing amazingly well the year. I grew tumbling toms on balcony last year as well. I haven't tried 'full size' Toms though

[devonbarmygardener]

It really does depend on the weather down here.
I personally don't grow them outside having failed 2 years ago.
Bell peppers this year however are doing ok - again probably the weather!

[ryetek]

We grow outdoor tomatoes but grow them in 10" pots. This means we can still have something else on the plot such as potatoes for example. As other have said this year has been exceptional for outdoor tomatoes.

Here's a photo of one of our outdoor Garden Pearl plants taken tonight:

[mumofstig]

Those toms look too big to be Garden Pearl   

[devonbarmygardener]

Some of my gartenperle have been a fair cherry size.
Others are teeny weeny

[Madame Cholet]

I've found it depends a lot on the variety. Latah have been bread for outside and are really good an some of the tumbling ones too.

[mumofstig]

As DD is away at the moment I'll mention that he always does some outside, but sprays so they don't get blight.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=105017.msg1176822#msg1176822

[Muls]

I normally grow toms in the greenhouses but this year I threw some "waste" plants in a corner, I thought they were not good enough to grow on ........I was mistaken, they are doing brilliantly and have a great crop, but this year is different than the normal!

[ryetek]

Those toms look too big to be Garden Pearl   

This is the thrid year we've grown Garden Pearl MoS. Last year was a dead loss as they got blight but in the year previous to last I'm sure they were smaller  I don't know why they appear bigger this year but I'm not complaining; they taste great 

[polly nator]

AS previously mentioned, my Moskatkas are definitely bigger this year too