Tomato Growing 2025

Stuck the first eight plants outside on the South facing wall today. Bloody Butcher, Elf Tears, Copper Currant, Wow Cherry, 2x "Dwarf" Bloody Butcher, 2x Groovy Tunes Micro (-ish).

Tasted first Henry Harrington's. Hooray, Henry!

 

Posted this in the veg threadbut here's my toms and chillis in their final resting place. It'll open up when the garlic is harvested over the next 6 weeks

 

Anyone else as greedy as me? Ops...
I wanted Gartenperle (Garden Pearl) for the next season. It was mission impossible to order just one.

 

You’re already lol

 

Hello all - advice needed from some wise heads please!

Over the last week the majority of my tomato plants have developed twisted, shrivelled and overturned leaves at the top.
I initially noticed it when I left some of them in the polytunnel overnight and assumed it was due to night time temperatures, but I have since noticed it in some of the smaller plants that have so far remained indoors.

A google search suggests it could be viral, or perhaps weed killer in store bought compost that used green waste.

I am attaching a few of the photos here. I wondered if anyone had seen this before? I would hate to dispose of them as I only have a few plants which aren't affected, but at the same time, don't want it to spread if indeed it is viral.

FYI they are a wide variety - inc those that I know not to be wispy having grown them in previous years. I can't see any insects on them.

Any advice would be most appreciated!

 

@eatenbyweasels I noticed you mention Bloody Butcher . I've grown this variety for a couple of years. The first years from the new packet produced but had little resemblance to the fruit described. The 2nd year ( same packet ) did actually produce the correct fruit. I've given them a miss this year but wondered if you and others had found such disparity in a single seed packet.

 

I agree with JWK. One way to test soil for contamination is to plant Broad beans into pots containing the suspect compost. Apparently they are very sensitive to weedkiller. The issue with green waste is many people use weed and feed on their lawn and put the clippings in the green waste bin. The beans start off OK but soon show the signs of damage if the compost is contaminated.

 

It looks like maybe they were growing OK for a while, have you just repotted them in the last couple of weeks.

 

Thank you JWK.
But dammit!

I just potted on using one particular compost two-three weeks ago.

Thankfully I haven't transplanted them into the soil yet.

I fear it's too late to sow more seeds now? Or is there still time?
I do have a few plants seemingly unaffected, so that's something I guess.

 

Right, I'll try this with the remaining bag. Thanks.

 

Hi Pete, yes I think they were doing well.
I noticed all of this around a week ago, having potted on a week or two before.

 

If you still have some of the compost left I'd do the bean test and if it comes out bad take it back to where you bought it.
I've been using some compost this year and plants are just standing still, when I've looked they have hardly any roots.

 

Yes I will.
So annoying, all that work and then a dodgy bag of compost comes along.