Tomato Growing 2025

I've still got a fair few outside but the weather is against them ripening usually you can still get ripening in September but this year its just rubbish.

 

Problem is we have no freezer space left even if we mske sauce or soup. Might have to get some jars, and go the old fashioned way.

 

Right-ho! It was all a bit wet and squelchy at the Tomato Festival but we had a fascinating day out. My camera on my phone cannot convey the sheer vastness of the land they have dedicated to cultivating over 700 varieties of tomatoes. I hadn't planned on buying seed (at €7 per pack, after paying €8 to get in), but they were clearing the older seed at €3 so I did treat myself to three packs. Also, I aced the blind tasting so yah, boo, sucks!

 

What tom did you think was the most interesting/you want to grow the most? Or too many to make a decision?

 

It was overwhelming, to be honest. I couldn't pick out a short list.

 

I've still got lots of green tomatoes on my outside plants but little ripening now. It's been a good year though and I've been pleased with all 4 varieties I grew. I've got enough already picked to see me through the next couple of weeks.

 

Yeah I picked all outside ones that had a hint of blushing, they should ripen inside. Lots of green ones left.

Merrygold f1 plants still look really healthy, the nagina f1 don't, but they produced well.

 

Unfortunately, my self seeder is an orange job. It's bounteous but it's difficult to tell when the fruit is ripe. Rooting about in the back of the plant, I often end up with wet fingers!
If nature gives me another plant next year, I hope it's red.

 

About 90% of our tomato crop is on the kitchen windowsill. Two of them are showing signs of redness….we only had the one plant, variety Akoya.

 

I've picked all the useful ones.
Very disappointed by Gardener's Delight. Will not grow it again.
Tigerella was the most prolific and reliable cropper.
Can't decide on tomato and tamarind or tomato and Chipotle chutney.
Either way the bounty will be ready by Christmas

 

I believe G's Delight has deteriorated over the last 5 or 10 years @Penny_Forthem . I don't know all the ins and outs about it, but I've read quite a few reports about it not performing etc. There seems to be other varieties that have taken over from it.
I think I grew it when I grew toms for the first time - about 30 years ago, but I didn't know then that toms are better grown undercover here. I only do the cherry/plum toms now as it's easier, and they take up less room in the wee growhouse I have. I eat most of them as snacks when I'm out in the garden!

 

Yes @fairygirl and @Penny_Forthem, I've read about this too. In a trial several years ago now, the RHS withdrew the AGM status, the theory was that it had been over selected from too narrow a stock . Some seed suppliers now claim to have gone back to a better stock and restored the features that made it so popular.
The big difficulty with all seed now is so many "brands" are all owned by one or two companies and they all get their seed from the same few places. I think some of the smaller suppliers still grow and select their own stock but it's not always easy to find out the details of who does what. Maybe someone else has more inside information.

 

That's really useful for anyone thinking of trying it @JWK [I didn't read your link!] but it just shows how things can slowly change over time. I can't remember if I even liked it, as it was such a long time ago that I tried it, and I probably did what many people do when growing toms for the first time - bought seed or small plants from a GC or similar. I can't even remember what size it was, but it certainly wasn't a cherry tom size.
Great if you have seed for people to try too

Wot's his face on Beechgrove has been growing Garnet, and enjoying it, and found it similar in taste to what I mentioned recently. I moved my one outdoor plant of it into my little growhouse yesterday, as one of the other toms [Toddler] is pretty much finished, and that should help the ripening, as there's still a fair crop on it. Saves picking them and bringing them indoors.

 

I grew gardeners delight this year from seed that was very old, it grew fabulously outside and produced a great crop of quite large fruits. I cook with mine and like things spicy, so I don't know how it holds up with a taste test.
My outdoor tomatoes did really well, roma was the most prolific but indigo pear drops and tigrella also grew well.