Posted by Grinch on February 1, 2004, 10:59 am
I would very much appreciate some advice from the various successful tomato
growers out there.
After 2 seasons of growing Alsa Craig & Alicante I am getting what I think
are virus problems compounded with a bit of botrytis.
Can anybody recommend a greenhouse tomato variety that is resistant to mould
& virus attacks.
I am aware that some F1 hybrids have some of these attributes but how does
this effect taste.
Ideally if anybody who has grown this type of variety and can give an idea
of taste / productivity it would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Glen
Posted by Tim on February 1, 2004, 1:52 pm
wrote:
>I would very much appreciate some advice from the various successful tomato
>growers out there.
>After 2 seasons of growing Alsa Craig & Alicante I am getting what I think
>are virus problems compounded with a bit of botrytis.
>Can anybody recommend a greenhouse tomato variety that is resistant to mould
>& virus attacks.
>I am aware that some F1 hybrids have some of these attributes but how does
>this effect taste.
>Ideally if anybody who has grown this type of variety and can give an idea
>of taste / productivity it would be greatly appreciated.
I can tell you how i do it, it works for me :0)
I grew Unwins "Sweet Million f1 Hybrid" cherry tomato last year, and
they were by far the best cherry toms i have grown.Ive grown Alicante
as well and have not had any problems at all (touch wood).
What i do at this time of year is to disinfect everything with Jeyes
fluid, the pollytunnel floor, walls and the soil, tools, pots and
canes (everything) .
Then a week or so before i move the tom plants from the propagator i
dig a 2 spade depth hole for each plant in the PT and mix the soil
back in with half as much pelleted chicken manure. I also sink a 6"
pot next to each plant (for watering). And then depending on how hot
the weather gets i will fill each pot with water once every day.
And then the normal stuff like pinching the side shoots out, bottom
stems off when about 4' high, misting the flowers and weeding :)
BTW... i didn't use any liquid tom food last year at all!
I got hundreds of sweet red toms on each plant up until the beginning
of Nov this way.
I'm doing Alicante again this year.
HTH
>Many thanks
>Glen
regards
Tim
Posted by Grinch on February 1, 2004, 2:53 pm
> >Ideally if anybody who has grown this type of variety and can give an
idea
> >of taste / productivity it would be greatly appreciated.
> I can tell you how i do it, it works for me :0)
> I grew Unwins "Sweet Million f1 Hybrid" cherry tomato last year, and
> they were by far the best cherry toms i have grown.Ive grown Alicante
> as well and have not had any problems at all (touch wood).
> What i do at this time of year is to disinfect everything with Jeyes
> fluid, the pollytunnel floor, walls and the soil, tools, pots and
> canes (everything) .
How long do you have to leave it before planting?
> Then a week or so before i move the tom plants from the propagator i
> dig a 2 spade depth hole for each plant in the PT and mix the soil
> back in with half as much pelleted chicken manure.
I must get some of that.
> I also sink a 6"
> pot next to each plant (for watering). And then depending on how hot
> the weather gets i will fill each pot with water once every day.
> And then the normal stuff like pinching the side shoots out, bottom
> stems off when about 4' high,
What does that mean??
>misting the flowers and weeding :)
> BTW... i didn't use any liquid tom food last year at all!
> I got hundreds of sweet red toms on each plant up until the beginning
> of Nov this way.
> I'm doing Alicante again this year.
> HTH
> >Many thanks
> >Glen
> regards
> Tim
Looks like you have got it sorted - I found that very interesting - thanks
Tim.
Posted by Tim on February 1, 2004, 4:34 pm
wrote:
<snip>
>> What i do at this time of year is to disinfect everything with Jeyes
>> fluid, the pollytunnel floor, walls and the soil, tools, pots and
>> canes (everything) .
>How long do you have to leave it before planting?
I am not sure Glen, i think the shortest time i've left it before
planting was two weeks, but i usually do it a month before.
>> Then a week or so before i move the tom plants from the propagator i
>> dig a 2 spade depth hole for each plant in the PT and mix the soil
>> back in with half as much pelleted chicken manure.
>I must get some of that.
I got mine from B&Q last year:
http://www.diy.com/bq/product/product.jhtml?PRODID 9373
>> And then the normal stuff like pinching the side shoots out, bottom
>> stems off when about 4' high,
>What does that mean??
Do you mean side shoots? (i dont think you do but) Its not easy to
explain (for me anyway) so i've just Googled this for you :
http://tinyurl.com/2wqkk
The bottom stems i should of maybe called bottom branches.
They usually get damaged and or drag on the ground at some stage,
which could introduce decease into the plant, so its best to take them
off. (when the plant is around 4' high, not the bottom branches :-).
>Looks like you have got it sorted
Now you've cursed it for sure! :-)
>I found that very interesting - thanks Tim.
No problem
regards
Tim
Posted by Robert E A Harvey on February 1, 2004, 4:39 pm
> I would very much appreciate some advice from the various successful tomato
> growers out there.
> After 2 seasons of growing Alsa Craig & Alicante I am getting what I think
> are virus problems compounded with a bit of botrytis.
> Can anybody recommend a greenhouse tomato variety that is resistant to mould
> & virus attacks.
My Grandad used to grow "Gardener?s Delight". I don't think it's
completely resisitant, but he reckoned it wasn't as susceptible.
Fruits variable size, very tasty.
>growers out there.
>After 2 seasons of growing Alsa Craig & Alicante I am getting what I think
>are virus problems compounded with a bit of botrytis.
>Can anybody recommend a greenhouse tomato variety that is resistant to mould
>& virus attacks.
>I am aware that some F1 hybrids have some of these attributes but how does
>this effect taste.
>Ideally if anybody who has grown this type of variety and can give an idea
>of taste / productivity it would be greatly appreciated.