Vasquez Rich   10 #13 Posted August 16, 2018 First time I tried them, didn't expect them to take over that section of the garden so much and pinching off the male flowers has helped bring a goodly amount of female flowers. Need a few decent squash recipes now.  Peppers and Aubergines doing well also. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Marsaud   10 #14 Posted August 16, 2018 My aubergines are doing really well, for the first time in a long time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
snowyowl   10 #15 Posted September 7, 2018 I had blossom end rot this year in my outdoor bush tomatoes, could it be the dry weather?  Decided on a bush variety (Sub Arctic Plenty) because I got fed up with the Gardeners Delight going mad with side shoots last year, couldn't keep up with it!   Nick. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Marsaud   10 #16 Posted September 7, 2018 I had blossom end rot this year in my outdoor bush tomatoes, could it be the dry weather?  Decided on a bush variety (Sub Arctic Plenty) because I got fed up with the Gardeners Delight going mad with side shoots last year, couldn't keep up with it!   Nick.  It could just be intermittent watering, or maybe the variety.  I use Red Alert as my outdoor toms. A bush variety, so no problem with sideshoots. Loads of nice fruit too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Vasquez Rich   10 #17 Posted September 8, 2018 I have all "Moneymaker" in the garden, suffered massively last year with the very wet autumn and a lot of blight, this year staked them up a lot and took off many of the lower leaves to try and keep the lower parts dry after rain.  Got a decent crop and they are just starting to ripen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
steve68 Â Â 66 #18 Posted September 8, 2018 Shirley, money makers, and cherry toms have all done well this year, I didn't pick out side shoots on the cherry toms, but all have had very decent crops, they been ripening very well on the vine, we've had a good couple of kilos so far this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
iansheff   88 #19 Posted September 13, 2018 I always like to grow one beefsteak tomato, this year I was struggling to find one but saw that the allotments down from Crosspool towards Rivelin (Hagg Hill?) were having a plant sale, I got a Marmande tomato plant. The first tomato weighed about 12 ounces and was the weirdest shape. I don't think I have grown it correctly I missed some of the side shoots but it has a really good number of tomatoes on. I made a mistake of cooking most of them but tried one the other day, I can honestly say I think it was the sweetest most juicy tomato I have ever had. Next year I think I will grow some from seed. Just took 7.5lbs of plum and Money Maker out the greenhouse one of the MM weighs almost half a pound. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
phildog50 Â Â 10 #20 Posted September 28, 2018 Do you find the beefsteaks difficult to ripen ian? I always fancied growing some but I struggle to get regular tomatoes to ripen before October Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
iansheff   88 #21 Posted September 29, 2018 (edited) Do you find the beefsteaks difficult to ripen ian? I always fancied growing some but I struggle to get regular tomatoes to ripen before October  No they have all ripened fine, they are grown in a greenhouse though. I had about 8.5lbs off the one plant, the first one I had off was 11th August and the last one about a week ago. Next year I will probably grow several of the Marmande plants. It has been a good year, better than last few years, had about 80lbs off in total. The greenhouse is almost empty now just a few plants left with maybe 3 or 4 pounds left on with about half almost ripe. Edited September 29, 2018 by iansheff Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
MuddyBoots   10 #22 Posted October 1, 2018 I had slow ripening outside too, so I picked them all green a few weeks ago (to avoid the blight) and put them on the window sills inside - using all our tupperware. Just about keeping up with them ripening with making chutney and soup.  Already got next year's seeds, going to try Outdoor Girl for the first time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
sheffandy   29 #23 Posted October 3, 2018 We had 100's of cherry tomatoes this year. First real serious attempt, and it succeeded from about 18 plants in grow-bags & pots. Towards the end we had an absolute glut of them, and we were giving bowls of them away and making chutney! They've about done now, but it's been a brilliant growing year for toms. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
iansheff   88 #24 Posted October 5, 2018 I emptied the greenhouse last week and all the unripe tomatoes are in a drawer or boxes covered up to ripen, will then cook them and freeze them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...