first time tomatoes.

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Brassica Blaz

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first time tomatoes.
« on: March 10, 2010, 07:25 »
hi everyone.growing my first greenhouse toms this season.ive set 2 shirley f1 's 2 sungold 2 ailsa craig & 1 alicante ,will this amount provide enough toms for the season,for 2 people?.we eat about 6 or so a week ,more in the summer.i,m not sure how many i will get off each plant you see.i dont want to leave myself short,i could get a few more going if ive not set enough.whens the latest i could set some and still get some fruit?s it best to sow successionally to avoid a glut all in one go?.advice please. :unsure:

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madcat

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Re: first time tomatoes.
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2010, 08:27 »
If all you are doing is eating them raw in salads and sarnies, then that will be fine-ish.

But... once you have your own tomatoes you will find that you will eat more because they taste divine, get munched as snacks, used more generously (not just one sliced but a entire tomato salad with ripe tomatoes, a little olive or sesame oil and basil is the taste of summer), and find their way into cooked things (pasta, pizza, stuffed, grilled, soups etc etc) 

So if you have the room - I'd grow a few more.  There are two of us and 2 dozen plants (all mine are outdoor) set to go.   :D
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Kristen

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Re: first time tomatoes.
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2010, 08:37 »
whens the latest i could set some and still get some fruit?s

Plenty of time yet. If you sow now they will be a couple of feet tall when we get to early-mid May and you can safely move them to a cold greenhouse - so for me  the problem is more about how to look after them until then!

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it best to sow successionally to avoid a glut all in one go?.advice please. :unsure:

Tomatoes crop continuously until the frosts come, so that won't be a problem. However, most people "stop" them once they get to the roof - and that can limit the cropping season.

I grow 18 Tomato plants, we have large summer parties, make lots into Ratatouille, and give lots away. So I reckon 6 plants is enough for salads for two people. Also consider how big your greenhouse is - having more plants which are too close together won't work :(

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Brassica Blaz

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Re: first time tomatoes.
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2010, 12:35 »
thanks for the advice kristen&madcat.it was really helpful :) my greenhouse is only 6/6 and i wanted to grow a few cues&aubergines,so im probably pushed for space to grow any more toms.suppose i could try a few outside aswell(blight permitting!).how do you know when a sungold tom is ripe?is it smell,touch,taste?they dont go red do they? :unsure:

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JohnB47

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Re: first time tomatoes.
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2010, 13:54 »
Well, they start off small and green like most toms. Then they go green/yellow, then yellow then orange.

Don't worry, it's just as easy to spot when a sungold is ready as it is for a 'normal' tomato - it'll all become clear when you get to that stage. They're tasty anytime from yellow onwards I think but don't leave them at the orange stage for too long as they tend to go a bit soft.

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hamstergbert

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Re: first time tomatoes.
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2010, 14:23 »
Worth a punt on the outdoor ones - after all need lots and lots to make the rolling supply of Val's absolutely delish green tomato chutney (which although wonderful at the first jar, strangely seems to be getting better and better with each succeeding jar as it matures.  The law of 50D is that it will reach the ambrosial stage one jar after last year's brew runs out!) 

Also echo others' comments re increased consumption tracking increased production (says he who rarely ventures round to the greenhouse during ripe toms time without a full salt cellar concealed around his person).

Have you space for one of those plastic covered tomato house thingies BB - take up very little space and you can get three in there...
The Dales - probably fingerprint marks where God's hand touched the world


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