[LilacSandy]

Hi! I have an allotment(s) at the Thornton Park site - are you talking about "garden grown" or do you have an allotment as well? I grew some tomatoes last year that were blighted and talking to my "neighbours" it was the fifth year in the row so I almost didn't bother! 
Mike
[/quote]

Hi Mike,  I have 2 10 pole plots in the Harleston Road site and last year I lost the lot to Blight so this year I have been on tenter hooks but we seem to have missed it, however next year I will try covering them when rain is forecast (it will be a pain watering) to see if I can stop it.

[hamstergbert]

I live in Spain (Almeria) and wonder if you suffer a problem I've had all spring and summer. A small grey/brown coloured moth lays eggs on my tomato plants and a tiny green Caterpillar hatches some days later.
It then goes on to eat young leaves mainly (leaves its poo on them too) and it is difficult to find as it hides during the day under a leaf somewhere!

Iv'e tried the recommended Bacillus Thuringiensis and they LOVE IT, cant seem to get enough. The Caterpillar cripples the plant and my results are about 25% of what they should be.

Anybody know a cure or if the beast is going to carry on into the autumn, we can often be picking our last toms around Christmas if the weather has been kind to us, we get no frosts anyway.

John.

The favourite (organic) method is to crouch down next to each plant and flick the middle finger briskly and firmly against the tomato plant stem a few times.  Watch carefully - the little green rascals drop off, many of them hanging on their silk abseil threads an inch or two below the leaves.  Grab them and squash between finger and thumb (all the while laughing maniacally).  Then look around the base of the plant for those that fell off without the safety line and do the same to them.  Repeat a few times, wipe the horrid green slime fron thumb and forefinger onto manky old corduroy gardening trousers then move on to the next tomato plant.

[Beachcomber_John]

Many thanks I'm going to try that except for the corduroys, its too hot here and I'll have to wipe by hands on my shorts, lol, John.

[Yorkie]

Many thanks I'm going to try that except for the corduroys, its too hot here and I'll have to wipe by hands on my shorts, lol, John.

John, please would you click your username to edit your forum profile to show your general location?  As this is a predominantly UK site, we won't remember and then we'll take your comments out of context and/or advise you incorrectly because we aren't taking climate and location into account.

Thanks.

[Beachcomber_John]

Good point Yorkie, done that and I'll try and remember to mention where I am if its appropriate, John.

[Yorkie]

Thanks, John. 

[Growster...]

"wipe the horrid green slime fron thumb and forefinger onto manky old corduroy gardening trousers then move on to the next tomato plant."

Blast! I was wearing the cavalry twill that day...

We had seven-hundred and forty-three tomato plants that year...;0)

[hamstergbert]

Never said it was quick, but it is certainly organic.....

Cavalry twill gardening trousers Growie? How very Brigade!  Best to keep those clean and let the Growster Towers corduroy be-trousered gardener's boy do it....

[Carollan]

dear oh dear,a lot of us whingeing eh......and with good cause.The ``tumbling toms``outdoors have been terrible,strange leaf colour,over grown,and tiny green toms that look like they won`t be worth putting in any chutney,all blown over by the gales we had and broken and looking very sorry.The ``koralik`` started off well,but have only given me squashed red fruit,I couldn`t pick them when they were past a light orange colour.
 ``Cherry falls`` have saved me outdoors,they are at last ripening and not all at once,so I`ve been able to eat some,cook some and freeze some,and they are a good size,not too tiny.
Greenhouse ``gardener`s delight`` have been pretty good,but they are a favourite for a reason I guess!

[NN2Blue]

Hi! I have an allotment(s) at the Thornton Park site - are you talking about "garden grown" or do you have an allotment as well? I grew some tomatoes last year that were blighted and talking to my "neighbours" it was the fifth year in the row so I almost didn't bother! 
Mike

Hi Mike,  I have 2 10 pole plots in the Harleston Road site and last year I lost the lot to Blight so this year I have been on tenter hooks but we seem to have missed it, however next year I will try covering them when rain is forecast (it will be a pain watering) to see if I can stop it.
[/quote]

Hi Sandy,
Good drenching last night!
I'm currently working two ten pole plots as well (in theory with the help of others!  )
I think Northampton has it's own special climate as the rain clouds tend to pass either side!
Mike

[LilacSandy]

Hi Sandy,
Good drenching last night!
I'm currently working two ten pole plots as well (in theory with the help of others!  )
I think Northampton has it's own special climate as the rain clouds tend to pass either side!
Mike
[/quote]

Hi Mike,
This season I think it has rained aproximatly twice each month, I am still trying to work the last 1/8th of my plot and have just cleared the brambles and the rain last night has at least let me get a fork into the compacted earth.  We will now get rain every other day until December when we will get snow and heavy frost so I cannot get on the plot and then we will be back to drought conditions.  That seems to be the Northampton climate. 

[Rsuggett]

My tomatoes where late this year dispute starting from seed early. However in the last few weeks I have harvested a few each day. Perserverance gets you everywhere.

[Optimistic Gardener]

Despite a slow start, my tomatoes are now coming into a glut.  Here's a photo of some that will need turning into sauce and freezing at the weekend.  :happy:

[Axe]

my first EVER attempt at growing Tomato's and i got 3 from my single plant lol...my wife keeps ribbing me about it but im like a proud father haha...i have even got 1 pepper coming along and i grew that plant from seed!...next year is gonna be expensive..its time i got a greenhouse and not use my porch lol and im also going to build my own potting shed.

i cant wait for spring! haha

[Growster...]

ChrissieB! You're marvellous!

You started this post by asking people not to talk to you about tomatoes, and have now got to page 4 (possibly 5 after this), of comments, so you've started a new craze!

If I do one which says, 'Please do talk to me about turnips', presumably nobody will answer!

Its always a big disappointment when things go wrong though, we lost five packets of onions and shallots this year, they all failed, and the first carrots and peas went south as well.

Next year, I'll look forward to seeing how many hundred-weight of tomatoes you'll be trying to give away...;0)