Tomato Megablooms

Ananas Noire – MegabloomPantano (2014) MegabloomMortgage Lifter – MegabloomBlack Krim – MegabloomMany cultivars exhibit megablooms Megablooms are when two or more flowers fuse together to create a single bloom from which larger fruit can form. As they are independent flowers, they have to be individually pollinated and the resulting fruit will normally be misshapen and…… Continue reading Tomato Megablooms

Tomato Problems – Wilt

With September with us, I was hoping that the tomato season would be extended through this month and into (at least) next. I usually get tomatoes all the way through until mid-November with the late beefsteak varieties providing something all the way through. However, this year (2020) I don’t think its going to be like…… Continue reading Tomato Problems – Wilt

Guttation – Droplets on the Leaf Edges

Sometimes, usually overnight or when the weather is cool and damp, droplets of liquid form along the edges of the leaves of plants. This is “Guttation”. Not to be confused with the early morning dew, guttation is caused by the “water potential” in the roots of the plants. Because transpiration doesn’t occur at night or…… Continue reading Guttation – Droplets on the Leaf Edges

When should I sow my Tomato Seeds?

I ask myself this question every year. The seed packets say “sow in late winter” (when’s that?) or “late January to March” (more understandable) and, in different years, I’ve tried sowing from early January through until early April. I think the answer depends upon a lot of variables some of which you can control and…… Continue reading When should I sow my Tomato Seeds?

Tomatoes: Determinate, Indeterminate, Semi-Determinate, Cordon or Bush: Pruning & Harvesting

Over the years I’ve been growing tomatoes, I have learned more and more about them and have a better understanding about how they behave so I thought I would write what I know about the three different growth habits of tomatoes and how to grow them. There are three different types of tomato plants: Determinate;…… Continue reading Tomatoes: Determinate, Indeterminate, Semi-Determinate, Cordon or Bush: Pruning & Harvesting

Should you grow Multiple Stems on Indeterminate Tomatoes?

There are essentially three different types of tomatoes, Indeterminate, Semi-Determinate and Determinate. They are defined by their growth habits. In this article we are going to consider growing Indeterminate tomatoes on a non-commercial scale. Indeterminate tomatoes are usually grown in the UK as cordons.  A single stem is trained vertically upwards, either up a cane or…… Continue reading Should you grow Multiple Stems on Indeterminate Tomatoes?

Tomato Tar – Green Stains on your Towels

How do I stop green stains on towels when handling tomatoes? The problem and the solution When you handle tomato plants, you’re bound to get your hands coated with a yellow powder that causes stains on the towel even when you’ve washed your hands carefully with soap and water. The yellow powder is known as…… Continue reading Tomato Tar – Green Stains on your Towels