Tomato Taste Test 2014

Interesting Silu! Mine like all my toms were grown in the greenhouse in pots, which proves it has made no difference where Gardener's Delight was grown or what soil. I think perhaps the seed producers may have had a hand in this. The sweetness has gone from them and this year, after growing them for the last eight years they were ripening as greenbacks and I don't think the weather has been an issue in that respect.

 

Seem to remember reading somewhere about inferior seed circulating for GD (previous seasons, rather than specifically this one). I suspect that a lot of the Big Name seed sellers all buy from the same source ...

Anyone growing self-saved seed that thinks that the flavour is inferior this year? That would blow my theory right out of the water!! (but lay the blame with the weather instead)

 

@JWK ...The seeds were saved from last years John....Although still not quite a good as previous years,they weren't far off.I'm still blaming this years weatherThey've been later cropping and ripening this year but they've managed it just in time

 

This really is quite strange and interesting to read other peoples' experiences. The plants I grew (15), I actually bought as plugs because I wasn't sure when my greenhouse was going to be built and didn't want to risk leaving it so late to sow my own that the Tomatoes wouldn't have time to ripen. It could well be mine did put too much energy into growing vast amounts of leaves despite me pinching out like a mad woman! The soil was very rich with plenty of well rotted "mare's best". The seed theory is interesting as a couple if the 15 plugs I had were much weaker looking than the rest. With TLC they did produce reasonable amounts of fruit and they were by far the tastiest of the lot.
I'm definitely going to grow Sungold next year as neighbour grew them and I thought they were really tasty and early ripening. Going to give Gardener's Delight a miss next year and will maybe go for Shirley? but open to suggestions as well out of date with Tomato varieties available these days Not sure with my climate that I would ever get Beef types to ripen despite the unheated greenhouse?

 

I find that odd, as they are (well, have been for me - what about you?) the first to ripen of all the ones I have ever grown. Can't remember what happened this year, mine were left in 1L pots way beyond when they should have been planted into the greenhouse border (greenhouse was still full of overwintering plants, as conservatory was being rebuilt)

I see them as being different - I like both to get the small GD ones and Shirley for when we want larger ones (to cut into slices for a salad, for example)

I grew Beefstake ones last year and resented how long they took up greenhouse space before cropping - I'm not going to bother again (or start them REALLY early, but I'm not sure even that would help - they grew to the roof at the same speed as the others, just took ages to get their fruit to size & ripened)

 

They were pretty quick to set but the ripening has taken an age compared to other years,now they're going for it...I'm still waffling on about these night time temoeratures I've had here all summer,stikes me they've been checking their growth

The Chocolate Cherry and Golden Sunrise I've grown for the first time this year have been OK but I won't be repeating them...It's just I have a problem with 'coloured' tomatoes

 

@Kristen I've been growing Beefmaster with some success for the past 3 years now.

I usually sow them around the first week in March and once potted on I keep them in the greenhouse with just enough heat to keep it frost free until planting out around late April.

I've just been checking back on old tomato threads on here and found I'd posted the date of my first Beefmaster picking on a couple of occasions:

25th July 2012
The first of my Beefmaster was picked today

14th July 2014
Picked my first Beefmaster today

Didn't record the date of my first picking last year, although it was probably later, as were most things after that long, cold spring of 2013. Did find this though:

25th August 2013
My Beefmaster are coming along very slowly this year, just a couple of average sized fruit so far

 

2 of my Minke Marvels have ripened up.

Will be having one for breakfast in the morning Looking forward to it, after saving the seed from it of course

 

Most of my tomatoes have been too tangy and sour. The first feline F1 (packet - not saved seed) was quite sweet but not a bounteous harvest outdoors and the blight put paid to any more ripening. Chocolate Cherry was quite sweet too. What I have harvested has gone into Indian chutney and a final gathering this week end will be the basis for a batch of soup which I will sweeten with sugar,
Jenny
not impressed this year with outdoor growing conditions. Weather too cold to start with and then too much rain.

 

The Manx Marvel is fantastic, really sweet and lovely

 

I'm glad you like it Zigs. I haven't got any this year, the plants died before the fruit got beyond the size of a 50P piece.