Growing Tomatoes

[Cazz]

This is addressed to all those clever gardeners out there.

Can anyone recommend the best species of tomatoes to grow in a Gro-Bag in the East Dulwich Sunshine?

Alicante and Gardeners Delight have already been suggested but I would welcome any other ideas.

Thanks Cazz

[KidKruger]

I pick varieties at random every year and always get crops. Give 'em sun and they grow - otherwise I expect they wouldn't be sold here.

[wee quinnie]

Orange paruche is delicious, but the seeds are rather expensive.

[Michael Palaeologus]

Money Maker are good croppers (as the names suggests) but are a bit ..... tomatoey - round and red.

You can get all sorts of more interesting and colourful varieties.

Having said that, for your first time, buy some standard baby plants from a garden centre, next year, try from seed.

As KK says, plant them, give them sun, some canes to grow up and tomatrite fertiliser and they will grow. Trim back the excess foliage to encourage fruit production when flowers appear.

[Ginster]

The yellow ones did best for me last year. I think they're called Sungold?

[Blackcurrant]

I would grow one cherry tomato, one beef tomato and one standard size like Alicante in the same bag. It's much more fun to have the variety and all do well here. Stick to vine type tomatoes, not bush type. You'll need to tie them to canes and pinch out leafy side shoots. Water regularly but not excessively or they'll split.

[KidKruger]

Good suggestion Blackcurrant, I'm also growing cherry and usual size toms this year.

[LadyDeliah]

I got some Black Russian tomatoes once. They were nice. Can't remember where I got the seeds from though.

Also want to try out something I read. Get a bucket, put a hole in the bottom and plant the tomato in upside down, so it's coming out of the bottom of the bucket with the roots up inside. Then hang the bucket up from a hook and let the tomato plant grow downwards with all the fruit hanging on the plant.

[*Bob*]

Realistically assess three things:

Are they in a greenhouse? How many hours of sun will they actually get? How much care are you bovvered to give them?

Even at the least favourable end ('limited', 'outdoors' and 'not much') there will be a tomato that could succeed - like bushing, short season cherries 'Red Alert' for example.

The occasional years I've remembered (and been arsed) to grow from seed have always been better than bought plants, but that could just have been coincidence.

Onwards - to tomato glory.

[philosophie]

Gardener's delight and Sungold always do very well for me! Outside in a grow bag with a lot of afternoon sun.

[Loz]

These turned up in the Money Saving Expert newsletter today. Probably won't work in a growbag, but are pretty awesome.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24281192

[Seabag]

Do make sure you buy a blight resistant variety. I grew a whole bed of tomatoes a couple of years ago, oh they were just super duper near ready to pick. Then within 2-3 days BLIGHT STRUCK. Black mould crept all over my fruits, killing them dead and rotten