Tomato Photo Gallery and Info

[Scarlet]

I am picking them too early. Will wait until they turn more orangey to pass final judgement

I think tomatoes should be very ripe when picked. I like them to "give" a little when squeezed.

[toomanytommytoes]

Yep, I usually do the squeeze test but also am a bit impatient. The multi-coloured toms I generally find harder to judge in ripeness.

[Scarlet]

Black and Brown Boar

Another aggressive grower bred by wild boar farms and said to have been found in a row of "zebra" toms. Burgundy and green! Looks fab.
The stems are very thick. I've grown this with two stems, both are really strong and have large clusters of 4 or 5 fruits per truss. Toms are very large. I've grown this several times before but this year I have more fruit as I've trained the two stems.
Really rich meaty flavour.

[Scarlet]

Berkeley Tie-Dye

Another wild boar farm tomato.

I've not tasted this yet.....some have been eaten before I got to taste. Son says it's meaty and was a shame to eat in a sandwich!
These are larger than the black and brown boar but look very similar...these just have a more vibrant colour - similar markings

[toomanytommytoes]

Is that the same as Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye? It's been one of my favourites so far this year. Looks beautiful too. One of the first 'black' tomatoes I've ever had apart from Black Cherry.

[Scarlet]

Is that the same as Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye?

Interesting that you asked that! I've just been g@@gling the same question. I got the seed from Sparrow in the Tom circle....will check it out tomorrow. I didn't write pink on the label but that may because the name is long!

I've never grown this one before.
(I've grown black and brown boar several times but I find it doesn't produce many toms for the size of the plant - that's why I've trained two stems.)
But I love black tomatoes...I'm not a lover of those overly sweet ones ( I'm not a sungold fan) have you tried black icicle?

[Vegi potager]

See, I knew there was a reason I shouldn't like you lot, (not really )
But now I have a major problem from reading all this.

I NEED A BIGGER GARDEN!

I am already growing 10 types of toms, and even if I keep the 5 I really like I only really have room for 3 of the above suggestions. Otherwise bed and rotation plans are out the window. And that is just with tomatoes! (next will be, cucumbers, courgettes and collards...)

[Scarlet]

Well if I was only growing one large black tomato variety it would be black icicle all the way. "Beefsteak" varieties often only have a few fruit per truss. Black icicle has loads - though looks like a plum - is fabulous to eat fresh. They get lots of fruit compared to the other ones I've grown.

This truss is over 5ft up the stem....so still fruiting strongly.

[Vegi potager]

Summer Cider, Pantano, Black Icicle, Berkeley tie dye, Blush
have made the want to try list list, below are the list of toms I am growing this year and will have to decide what ones will be cut from next year

Sweet Aperitif- first to ripen and keeps me in sweet cherry toms all summer (keeper)
Sungold- I know some of you don't like overly sweet toms but this works for me (keeper)
Idli- the yellow tom of the mixed coloured little uns. Massive trusses (keeper)
Red pear- free seeds which is why they got grown, good yield, later than the cherries, not as sweet so good when in a mixed tom salad with the rest. (Lose)
Chocolate cherry- first year, looks like a good amount on trusses, none ripe yet to taste test. (?)
Big Mama 4- large cooking plum, good yield, awaiting taste test (possible keeper)
San Marzano, first year, not very many trusses/toms set, none ripe yet to taste test. (lose)
Marmande- Grown the last 3 years, will have to make way for one of the above (lose)
? another large marmande type for salads and slicing. Has a reasonable yields and more pink in appearance will be taste testing today for lunch (possible keeper)

[Scarlet]

You could join the tomato seed circle if you fancy saving seed?

[Vegi potager]

? another large marmande type for salads and slicing. Has a reasonable yields and more pink in appearance will be taste testing today for lunch (possible keeper)

It is Cour di Bue. will try to post a picture but it keeps failing to load...

[bario1]

Maskotka

Not a very exotic variety i'm afraid, but I'm a bit limited as to what I can grow up here!

Maskotka, a good bush type tom, great for hanging baskets, not as prolific as Tumbler, but slightly larger fruit and better flavour.

[Scarlet]

It is Cour di Bue. will try to post a picture but it keeps failing to load...

Your photos are too large - you can upload to this photo resizer and save back to your phone/computer and then try again - honestly sound like a long process but takes seconds.

https://tinypng.com/

Crop it to reduce file size or email to yourself and this will also reduce image size.

[Vegi potager]

Thanks for the advice Scarlet,

Cour di bue, not particularly attractive and have to cut a few bits out but very tasty in a salad with red onion, olive oil, vinegar, S&P and basil

Have just under a kilo of mixed cherries, they will be slow roasted in the oven with plenty of garlic and olive oil for pasta. (Freezes well like this.)

[Scarlet]

Gardeners Delight

Not a very exotic variety i'm afraid, but I'm a bit limited as to what I can grow up here

Haha! I grow lots of the unexotic too! They just don't look so good in a photo ( Those varieties are always welcome in our seed circle??)

Gardeners delight is a must grow. Taste is sweet, grows well and has tons of fruit - my staple tomato

Photo is a bit muddled cos I've got a dahlia growing accidentally up through it and I want to keep the tuber