tomato report

[julesjones]

Had the first fruit from the Siberia tomato in my lunch today. This is supposed to be a very early variety, but in fact it was 12 days behind the Patio Dwarf, and also behind the mystery tomato. 59g, although the first ripe fruit was one of the smaller ones on the plant and I expect the next couple to be a good deal heavier. A couple of small flaws that had to be cut out during preparation. Raw taste was mild and slightly sweet. Pleasant enough flavour if nothing outstanding, and it wasn't early as promised, but it's a heavy cropper as a patio pot plant, and so far has shown no tendency to get out of control and head for the eaves. On the showing so far, it wouldn't necessarily be my first choice, but I'd certainly grow it again.

Speaking of out of control tomato plants -- the Brandywine was planted under the flowering plum. It has now reached a height of six feet, and is merrily climbing into the tree...

ETA: pictures here: http://jules.jones.googlepages.com/tomatoporn -- click on a thumbnail to get a full-size version.

Comments

[desperance.livejournal.com]

the Brandywine was planted under the flowering plum. It has now reached a height of six feet, and is merrily climbing into the tree...

Do you not pinch out the growing-tips?

[julesjones]

Not in this climate. In a good year it's warm enough in the afternoon to keep ripening the hardiest varieties right through until December.

The reason why I was so keen to get a Yellow Pear is that if I grow it in a sheltered spot on the patio, I can be picking fruit in December. Not much fruit, granted, and it won't be as tasty as summer fruit, but if the winter's mild it will keep going that long.

The best one so far has been the species currant tomato, which did stop setting fruit, but kept going through one very light frost and didn't turn up its toes until a harder frost in February. It was in a trough under the eaves, so it was very protected, but that does give you an idea of how mild the winter is here.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Coo golly. It's lucky I don't do envy...

[julesjones]

You'd love gardening here. Even though we're in a frost pocket and do get some frosts, I can grow stuff outside that I couldn't in North East England. It took a couple of goes before I managed to nurse a pineapple sage through its first winter, but once I had one established, it drops its leaves over winter but comes back in spring perfectly happily. And there's a Cabernet Sauvignon vine on the other half of that fence, which is having its first year of being allowed to carry all the fruit its set.