HowToGrowTomatoCard

 If you would like a pdf of this tomato or any of the How to Grow cards, please complete the contact form asking for the grow card you would like and we will email it to you.

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bean-slicer

Ingredients:

• 2lb runner beans
• 1lb ripe tomatoes
• 3 onions
• 1/2 pint olive oil
• 1/2 pint hot water
• 1 tbs sugar
• salt & pepper

Method:

• string & slice beans
• peel & chop tomatoes
• peel & grate onions
• heat oil in pan
• add onions and tomatoes & cook slowly till soft
• add beans, sugar, salt, pepper & hot water
• simmer till tender
• remove pan from heat & stand for 30 minutes before serving
• serve warm or cold

This green & tomato stew recipe is good for vegetarians.

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Lycopene:

• gives tomatoes their red colour
• reduces the risk of prostrate cancer

Moruno tomatoes were developed in Spain, but are now on sale in Tesco!  Moruno tomatoes are being dubbed superfoods because of their high cancer-fighting lycopene content.

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tomato-patio-planter

This tomato patio planter will hold quite a collection of tomatoes, providing delicious salads as well as a charming feature on the patio.

Teamed up with tomato seeds and tomato fertiliser, the tomato patio planter  makes a great gift for the gardener or a welcome Christmas present.

Click this link to buy the tomato patio planter, with seeds and fertiliser for £28.99.

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green-tomatoes

Ingredients for 5 or 6  500kg jars

• 1.5kg green tomatoes
• 1 kg cooking apple
• 450g shallots
• 450g sultanas
• 450g demerara sugar
• juice of 2 lemons
• 50g root ginger
• 50g salt
• 25g mustard seeds
• 1.75litres wine vinegar
• 2 red chillies

chutney-green-tomato

Method

• cut up the tomatoes
• peel, core and chop the apples
• peel and slice the shallots
• crush the ginger with a rolling pin
• halve the chillies
• place the ginger & chillies in a muslin bag, tie it securely & place in the preserving pan, & add all the other ingredients
• put the pan on a gentle heat & stir until the sugar has dissolved
• then simmer for about two hours without the lid on the pan
• when there is no more runny liquid, and the chutney is creamy and thick, remove the muslin bag
• pour into warm, sterilised jars, cover, seal and label
• keep for 2 months to allow the flavour to develop

This recipe for green tomato chutney will make a good Christmas gift.

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• Canes or strings can be used.

string-tomato-to-cane

• tie tomato stem each 30 cm

tie-tomato-stem-each-30cm

If canes are used as support, the main stem should be tied loosely to the cane as it grows. So there will be a string holding the stem to the cane every 30cm or so. Soft string should be used, so that it does not
cut into the stem

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The bunch of yellow tomato flowers is called a truss.

2-trusses-on-tomato

They will wither and drop off, leaving a little green tomatoes behind, and the truss is said to be set.

tomato-truss

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 Supporting Tomatoes
Bush types  require no supports.
The main stem of cordon types needs supporting to stop it falling over. Canes or strings can be used.

tie tomato stem each 30 cm

If canes are used to  support the tomato plants, the main stem should be tied loosely to the cane as it grows. So there will be a string holding the stem to the cane every 30cm or so. Soft string should be used, so that it does not cut into the stem.

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    * standard tomatoes – the common, red, round tomato
    * cherry – smaller, round, sweet & bite-size
    * plum – small, plum shape tomato often strongly flavoured
    * beef – large tomatoes, more common on the Continent
    * novelty – various colours & shapes

Tomato plants have several different habits:

*Cordon or vine type*

    * grow on a single stem
    * require support
    * grow several meters if not stopped
    * have a longer growing season
    * produce a regular supply of tomatoes
    * offer a larger range of colour, shape & size

*Bush Type*

   1. tall bush – 30-75cm high
   2. creeping bush, less than 25cm high, ideal for hanging baskets

Bush types:

    * do not require supporting, trimming or stopping
    * have a shorter season
    * tend to produce a glut
    * need straw or plastic sheets laid round the plants as many fruits
      are at ground level

*Indoors or Outside*

    * A greenhouse insures a constant supply of tomatoes regardless of  the weather. The greenhouse varieties are the cordon or vine type grown on a single stem
    * Outdoor tomatoes are grown in mild areas sheltered from cold winds.

Bush varieties & some cordon varieties are suitable for outside production. There are some dual purpose cordon varieties, which will grow in the greenhouse or outside, such as Ailsa Craig,  Alicante, Gardeners Delight & Moneymaker.

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Richard sent in this question:

I am in my fifth year growing tomatoes in an (unheated) greenhouse. I sow seed in a propagator at the beginning of April and they usually crop mid-August or about now this year, due to lack of sun in August. I have tried many varieties, from Gardeners Delight, Alicante through to Plum and Beefsteak type. Unfortunately the results are always the same, the plants crop copiously, but the fruits (although ripe)are mushy and never crisp. Any ideas what is wrong? I use rainwater & special tomato feed. Many thanks, Richard.

TopVeg replied

This is a difficult one! As you are getting copious amounts of fruit, I wonder if you are overdoing it?

Tomatoes do not reward excessive care!

Your problems could be due to:

temperature – high temperatures accelerate softening process

fertiliser – too much nitrogen causes puffy fruit
too little potassium leads to ripening problems, soft or mushy fruit texture, low acidity and puffiness

over-watering causes sloppy tomatoes with little taste

If anyone has any idea why Richard’s tomatoes are mushy and of poor quality, please let us know.

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