Tomato question

**Martin H** · 25-07-2015, 08:00 PM

Originally posted by Bill HH View Post

Second question, it seems pretty well accepted that outdoor toms taste better than indoor ones of the same variety. Why is this?

I think it was Monty said that it's because they get stronger sunshine. The glass (or polythene) filters out quite a lot of the sun's energy.

Of course he could have been talking rubbish again, or I could have misremembered. My own guess is that the outdoor ones are grown in the ground and get better access to trace elements, but I did just make that one up out of thin air.

**Thelma Sanders** · 25-07-2015, 08:01 PM

According to this site
Tomato - Rijk Zwaan RZ F1 (72-130)&his=c293LCwwO2hhcnYsLDA7cGxhbnQsLDA7cmFkaW9zY2hlZCxoYXJ2LDA7

they are f1

wrt outdoor tomatoes tasting better, some do some don't IMO. You have to try each variety in and out to find out.
My fav cherry tom, Black Cherry tastes better inside, I found.

**Martin H** · 25-07-2015, 08:09 PM

Having moaned for ages about how supermarket toms were completely tasteless, Mrs H one day came home with some "Piccolo" cherry toms from the Sa1nsbury's "taste the difference" range.

Her enthusiasm was such that I looked up the variety and discovered that it's an heirloom tom, so I saved the seeds from one of them. Next spring we'll see if they taste as good when I grow them!

**Bill HH** · 25-07-2015, 08:12 PM

Originally posted by Martin H View Post

I think it was Monty said that it's because they get stronger sunshine. The glass (or polythene) filters out quite a lot of the sun's energy.

Of course he could have been talking rubbish again, or I could have misremembered. My own guess is that the outdoor ones are grown in the ground and get better access to trace elements, but I did just make that one up out of thin air.

Like you I thought it may be that outdoor toms get better access to varius elements (Cat poo for one) but if that is the case then the likes of Tomorite are falling down on their job.

**maverick451** · 25-07-2015, 09:10 PM

Originally posted by Martin H View Post

Having moaned for ages about how supermarket toms were completely tasteless, Mrs H one day came home with some "Piccolo" cherry toms from the Sa1nsbury's "taste the difference" range.

Her enthusiasm was such that I looked up the variety and discovered that it's an heirloom tom, so I saved the seeds from one of them. Next spring we'll see if they taste as good when I grow them!

Is it really a heirloom? I didnt realise that

I was just looking for Piccolo seeds today to plan for next year and only place I found them was on ebay.

**Alison** · 25-07-2015, 10:51 PM

There seems some dispute about if they're heirloom, lots of sites have them as F1s and priced as such

**Martin H** · 25-07-2015, 11:09 PM

Originally posted by Alison View Post

There seems some dispute about if they're heirloom, lots of sites have them as F1s and priced as such

I see what you mean. A quick search found more open-pollinated than F1 suppliers but there are definitely both. I wonder if there are two different Piccolos? I'll be sure to let you know whether my couple of plants are any good or not a year from now!

**Shadylane** · 25-07-2015, 11:15 PM

Piccolo are lovely. I doubt they're F1 as I got my seeds from a Grape - VC I believe. I've saved seeds from them and they've come true.

**veggiechicken** · 25-07-2015, 11:25 PM

There are Piccolo seeds in the VSP.

**Hazel at the Hill** · 25-07-2015, 11:42 PM

Originally posted by Martin H View Post

Next spring we'll see if they taste as good when I grow them!

They are

- I have room in the courtyard for 6 tomatoes in 6 buckets (actually, I have invested in an extra 3 buckets this year, thus expanding my repertoire to nine) and out of the hundreds of varieties of tommies that I appear to have acquired over the years, the Piccolo (saved from Sains tomatoes) gets a guaranteed spot.

**Bill HH** · 26-07-2015, 09:33 AM

I discovered this site which has an awesome range of tomatoes, they only seem to sell them as plants however. It's worth a look if only to see the pictures of what is available.

Tomato Plants Direct Offers More Than 200 Varieties Of Heritage And Modern Tomatoes As Young Plants

Interestingly piccolo is listed as their top seller.

**SusieG** · 26-07-2015, 11:46 AM

May be only blagging but it sounds good! 😃

**Beso** · 28-07-2015, 12:28 AM

Originally posted by Bill HH View Post

Still waiting for my first ripe tom. In the meantime we are buying some supermarket vine tomatoes and you know what, they are delicious. The variety is brioso, this seems to be only available to commercial growers but I wondered if anyone sells the seeds to us yokels, or if anyone on here has grown them? Are they F1 type or could I save the seeds myself?

Second question, it seems pretty well accepted that outdoor toms taste better than indoor ones of the same variety. Why is this?

Interesting I was wondering about this, and then I was also wondering why tomato plants are hairy and I found something of interest.

Tomatoes can 'eat' insects
Garden vegetables such as tomatoes and potatoes have been found to be deadly killers on a par with Venus fly traps, according to research

Botanists have discovered for the first time that the plants are carnivorous predators who kill insects in order to "self-fertilise" themselves.

New research shows that they capture and kill small insects with sticky hairs on their stems and then absorb nutrients through their roots when the animals decay and fall to the ground.

It is thought that the technique was developed in the wild in order to supplement the nutrients in poor quality soil � but even domestic varieties grown in your vegetable patch retain the ability.

The killer plants have been identified as among a host of species that are thought to have been overlooked by botanists and explorers searching the world�s remotest regions for carnivorous species.

The number of carnivorous plants is thought to have been underestimated by up to 50 per cent and many of them have until now been regarded as among the most benign of plants.

So maybe the outdoor plants get to 'eat' more insects as a natural fertiliser?

There is more on the link.

I know you get insects in green houses too but not so much as outdoors I would imagine.

**Bill HH** · 28-07-2015, 09:47 AM

Originally posted by Beso View Post

Interesting I was wondering about this, and then I was also wondering why tomato plants are hairy and I found something of interest.

So maybe the outdoor plants get to 'eat' more insects as a natural fertiliser?

There is more on the link.

I know you get insects in green houses too but not so much as outdoors I would imagine.

That is interesting, so now I need to apply asprin(for health) Epsom salts(for magnesium) Tums indigestion tablets (for calcium) Tomorite (for food) and a lump of meat (dead insect substitute) in each pot for trace elements.

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