Shirley tomato plants

_{Good job I sowed some Black Cherry toms as well, my favourite so far}

Didn't sow any this year but were a favourite last year along with harliquin the baby plum toms.
Perhaps with the Shirleys its the weather conditions, it's been playing havoc with everything

Hi Mumofstig,

I'm growing Shirlies for the first time this year. Won't bother next...

Even under the conditions here (quite a lot of rain in June but otherwise reasonable for toms, as you'd expect), they're not particularly good. Taste only so-so and texture not marvellous. Ours have turned out kind of mushy inside and thick-skinned, like yours. Just as well we have our favourites too - Marmandes and Sungold cherries, which we are recent converts to.

And hi sclarke624. Do you remember which toms you got from Lidl? We have a store near us and their seeds are so cheap compared to everyone else's.

Shirley's are my staple & have been for years. Just starting to turn.

I grow Shirley in a very hot green house and they do really well.  The fruits are quite big on big trusses and OH says they are lovely.  I dont like toms raw but like them cooked but haven't cooked any yet this year.

No good for cooking but i can keep Sun Gold - OH's favourite - cropping in an unheated green house until January when i usually get fed up with looking after them and pull them out
I picked a bowl of Shirley on Boxing Day last year:happy: Not that I'm boasting

Mine are just starting to turn aswell. Im looking foward to trying these. Hope they good as the seeds where one of the most expensive.

I use Moles seeds, £5.90 for 50 seed, post free. By comparison T & M are £ 3.69 for just 10, plus postage.

This is enough seed for at least 2 years, on top of that I root the side shoots for outside planting later.

I got my packet of Sutton's seeds from flea bay 99p + 60p&p but only used a few, I may not be needing anymore at this rate

Moles take a lot of beating for seed you need a lot of, either using, sharing or storing, as they tend not to come in very small quantities!