What tomatoes do you grow?

tootallulah

I grow all of mine outdoors against a south facing wall, in pots, and I have brilliant yield. I grow Roma, Gardeners Delight and Sun Gold. For me the smaller tomatoes work and ripen quickly. I freeze the glut, and last week made tomato soup with the last pack. Roll on the Spring I can't wait to get started!

royg_2

Sticking to 2 favourites on taste based on last 5 years trying a good 20 odd varieties -
Sungold - gorgeous taste and seems to ripen quickly and fairly trouble free in my greenhouse despite Scottish climate.
Floridity - great taste (neighbours all commented on the taste of this one over any other) and again grows well and ripens well.

So many homegrown varieties taste really good I am sure I will try a few others again in very small quantities. every year I promise to sow less as always end up with a full to bursting greenhouse! tigerella did well last year although was a little later than others to ripen but gave good yields.

unrecordings

Ailsa Craig for me - I'm only really a couple of years into this, but Ailsa Craig has worked both times for me and i love the taste. Alicante was pretty good too. I've tried San Marzano for plum tomatoes, but been a little disappointed. What I am looking for is a nice cherry tomato - Sweet Million was nice but they seemed to split too easily, I tried Christmas Grape but their skins seemed a little too thick. I tried Gardener's Delight (young plant from garden centre) but wasn't that impressed. Might give it another go when the San Marzano seeds run out. Also got some growpots to try this year, the science seems sound, have they made any difference to anyone here ?

<I grow in two decrepit greenhouses - i can't grow in the ground as the slugs are vicious round here>

wallbash

Which is the earliest tomato. Seem to have great BBQ 's/ al fresco dining eating shop bought toms. Then in September, the garden is losing the sun, the greenhouse is full of toms.
Determined to get the seeds off to a flying start this year. But which tom, ripens first.

Davesnave

wallbash wrote: »

Which is the earliest tomato.
Determined to get the seeds off to a flying start this year. But which tom, ripens first.

Something like the first one on this page, I think:

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/tomatoes_bush.html

I've been growing the early ancestors of this one for some years. The taste is OK, but it is untidy, and it gets ugly and diseased-looking later in the season, (though it's not blight) so I destroy mine once others come along.

I do these in relatively small pots, because they're not going to get large, just fill-in till others take over.

Davesnave

royg wrote: »

Floridity - great taste (neighbours all commented on the taste of this one over any other) and again grows well and ripens well..

I find them a little more demanding to grow well, but only 1/2 of ours make it out of the polytunnel, they're so good!

I tried F2s of these by sowing saved seed. Results were variable, with some just about as good as the originals, but others were judged inferior.

Arthog

Thanks for all these great suggestions!
I'll stick with Gardener's Delight for a small tomato, and try the larger types. Very helpful information - has meant I'll avoid mistakes!
Incidentally, San Marzano are liked by children because when you lay it down and slice, the slices are square! It is absolutely delicious grilled too. I've grown this one for years, though as others have said, it is not a huge cropper, and best in the greenhouse.


As with all crops, some years are good and some years bad. It's reassuring when an expert on TV says theirs didn't do so well that year either!

forgotmyname

Sungold... They ripen quickly when you finally remember what you planted and thought they are taking an age to ripen

sgun

Another vote for Sungold, unheated polytunnel in North East England, always a good crop always very tasty.

MissMoneypenny

tootallulah wrote: »

I grow all of mine outdoors against a south facing wall, in pots, and I have brilliant yield.

Ditto. Except I grow Supersweet 100 and Black Krim with my Sungolds. I tried a few others but for taste, I'm sticking with these again this year.