[Dill The Dog]

Hi all,

I am after some advice/recommendations for tomato varieties. I haven't grown toms before, so treat me gently!

Variety 1 -
A crop of standard size fruit which I want to use for cooking only.
I am looking to store most of them in a freezer as chunks (or slightly pulped) for general
cooking use but would like to have a go at 'sun-drying' some too for storing in jars.

Variety 2
A crop of tiny-toms/cherry type for fresh eating. I am looking for flavour rather than quantity because there is only me to eat them! If I can get a 'hanging' variety, it would better.

Both crops will be grown in my un-heated greenhouse.

Many thanks in advance .....

Dill

[arugula]

Hi Dill the Dog,

Cool name  , I had a very cool guinea pig once called Dill . Re. your tomato question, funny that's what made me join here too, I'm going for Gartenperle this year for your variety 2. Its a hanging variety. Another one for max. flavour is Sungold, but that's a cordon. I'm sure plenty will advise you on a cooking variety too.

[DD.]

As regards a "standard" fruit, I've tried quite a few varieties, but always grow "Shirley" in case, as they've never let me down.

[Aidy]

My three flavours are Tigerella (nice and sharp acid) Sungold (sweet full flavoured) and Shirley, heavy crops of good sized toms, most excellent oven dried.

[goodegg]

last year in my cold greenhouse i grew karotina very nice flavour and the only tom ive found with a thin skin lovelly for cooking nice round shape very good

[DD.]

"Guernsey Alert!"

Your cold greenhouse is probably warmer than my heated one!

[lisa80]

im trying roma .ailsa craig and gardeners delight (cherry) this year the gardeners delight were fab last year but all my larger toms got blossom end rot and never ripened so im prepared this year with a good green tom chutney recipe

[savbo]

trying Craigella from Kings this year as well as Shirley, Tumbling Tom and F1 Tumbler (v pricey so be taking cuttings from that one!), also using up the San Marzano which is a cooker and the free Gardeners delight from DigIt...

[Kristen]

I too am growing Sungold (1st time) and Shirley (2nd time, we liked them last year), and Gardeners Delight (umpteenth time) for cherry-toms. Not sure if its the best choice, but cherry Toms aren't on the plant long enough to have many foibles!

I have stopped growing Ailsa Craig and Moneymaker.

(All in a cold greenhouse)

[DD.]

That's 4 mentions for Shirley so far.

I agree with Kristen, especially Moneymaker. Once you've grown something with flavour, you won't go back.

[Aidy]

Shirley is very popular on our site, I think pretty much everyone grows them.

[madcat]

I grow Gardeners Delight as a cherry and Roma or San Marzano for cooking, as I like the solid flesh for purees/sauces/casseroles.  If I had the room I would also grow Tigerella for salads - they are pretty and have a definite flavour.

[Ropster]

another vote for Shirley for me, I also grew garden pearl as a cherry, very nice until the blight killed them

[scabs]

As a first time grower last year, I did brilliantly with Tigrella - heavy crop, tasty and easy! Needless to say, it was first on my list for this year! 

[Dill The Dog]

Wow what a response !  Thanks

I've had a look at all your suggestions and had a dig around (sorry for the pun )
on the net and in a couple of catalogues and have decided to go with Gardeners Delight for the cherry tom and San Marzano for the main cooking crop.
I am also gonna try a Shirley or two because they seem so highly recommended.

Thanks again to all - you been a great help