Tomato Growing 2025

Yes, growing conditions, fertilizers, watering etc. and the weather very much affect the taste. Had 2 varieties last year, absolutely delicious, full of flavour and ... they tasted more bland this year, but compared to other varieties, still very yummy. As I test tens of varieties, I have a personal experience. Different varieties are for different use, large beefy tasty, or yellow, or some varieties with anthocyanin, some very sweet varieties for a fresh consumption, some longkeepers, some for preserving as marinated, some for drying (piennolo del vesuvio for example). I grow in the greenhouse in soil, I top up compost from my composter, add fertilizer, add trichoderma, sow phacelia not to let soil to become poor, lacking nutritients.
And variety matters. Moneymaker will never outcompete beefy demit de rosoy.

 

My Uncle had a smallholding in Selsdon South of Croydon. He too grew tomatoes in soil in a semi-mobile greenhouse. The main body was on rails, and the lower panels and ends could be removed so the rest of the structure could be rolled over to the other half of the plot. He grew the tomatoes and salads under them. He grew Chrysanthemums outside early in the year, then the structure was rolled over to cover the Chrysanthemums later in season to protect the flowers and extend the season. The two crops were grown on the opposite side alternate years to expose the soil to the frosts etc and prevent the build up of disease.
He sold the Tomatoes and salads to local restaurants and hotels. I'm not sure what market he sold the flowers to.

 

I had family who lived near Selsdon, used to go over there often in the 70s and 80s.

 

I love crhrysanthemums. I grow smallflowered in pots, budding now.

 

I agree, I would grow tomatoes outside but my climate is not conducive to doing this! That said this season would have been fine.However, the vast majority of my tomatoes are grown in “ dirt” with no artificial feed be they in a greenhouse. There is one snag about growing your own, I now really don’t go a bomb on shop bought tomatoes and positively dislike shop bought cucumbers which to me taste metallic and downright foul!

 

That's the same here @hailbopp , although the climate's slightly different on this side. Wet and cold, so the soil's slow to warm up, even undercover, and despite our record breaking temps and sun in spring, it didn't make a lot of difference. Then it gets too late in the year for them to ripen well, so you have to juggle the nipping out etc. It's also about the amount of daylight for toms - fewer daylight hours up here in late winter/early spring.
I start mine in the house, and they don't go out to the gr'house until about mid May. I kept one outside as I had too many, but they got moved into the gr'house once I'd taken off the toms in there. They're doing nothing so I'll have to chop them and bring them into the house.
I might try covering the soil next year to see if I can get it warmed up a bit earlier.

 

I'm planning to grow all our tomatoes outside next year and have been saving some seeds to sow my own as well as buying a few heritage tomatoes form a specialist next spring. All my own plants have now been pulled and processed either as meals or cooked down and bottled for winter soups and sauces.

Still 2 Roma types growing outside and ripening some fruit. These were swaps with a friend who took som eof my fancy sunflowers. They've been great so I'll grow them again next year. I have some green tomatoes ripening very slowly so I'll be trying green fried tomatoes tomorrow for our dinner - sliced, coated with herbs and spices and fried in bacon fat.

 

blight resistant toms still putting out good work. helps that its been fairly sunny

 

I pulled out the remaining plants on Friday. Still eating tomatoes and some green now ripening indoors. Now to enrich the soil in preparation for the next season. Decided not to wash the greenhouse this year.
Planting Shakespeare onion sets in the greenhouse once soil is ready.
Believe or not, but tomato varieties list is ready for the next year .

 

Well, it’s been bucketing it down, so I’m going out this morning to take down the last of the tomato plants. Wow Cherry is still producing like nobody’s business but I don’t want to finish a great growing year with a visit from the Blight Fairy.

 

My Honey Delight is really enjoying the cooler weather. Sungold still going strong and likewise Crokini altho both are suffering from skin split now. San Marino have virtually all ripened, had a huge crop. What a season, best ever, my freezer is jam packed with all sorts.Even my Carmen cucumbers are still producing but think there will only be another 2 worth picking. Incredible for me in a Scotland as we come to the end of October!

 

I'm totally fed up with making tomato sauce! There's a big bag in the freezer awaiting cooking.
I've taken to abandoning boxes of them on the pavement so that they'll be someone else's problem.
This glut all from one plant!

 

Merrygold still doing well, the honeymoon seems to have fallen to a disease that isnt blight, perhaps just not cold tolerant, so ive cut them out and pulled the fruit off. About 6 giant toms each, maybe some will ripen. Honeymoons habit wasnt as good either, not upright. Shame as quite tasty fruit.

The recent cold definately slows it all down.

 

Just removed last of gardener's ecstasy and purple Cherokee from greenhouse (and Padron peppers) yesterday.
Used green Cherokee to make fried green toms (coated in panko and cornmeal). Tasty!
I also make a pasta bake based on roasting the GE ones and feta in olive oil. But there's a lot...

 

Finally got round to cutting down the outdoor toms, picked the last handful from the gfreenhouse ones. All suddenly come to a dead stop, probably due to the temperature drop. I really should clear the greenhouse too and get the winter salad planted up.