Anyone grown Ferline F1 tomatoes?

[quanglewangle]

Looking for variety to grow next year. Thinking of Ferline F1

Will be grown in frost-free greenhouse, sown very early in the season. Lights available early in year before they are moved to aubergines.

Only going to grow three or four plants so I have to get this right.

[Nicos]

I grew them for a couple of years as outdoor tomatoes when we lived in the uk. ( I’m presuming they were also F1back then?)
I don’t actually recall them as ‘outstanding’ and they did still get blight but not as badly as other varieties.
Sungold were my final choice of greenhouse/ outdoor toms at the time.

Dont let me put you off though as it’s years since I last tried them

[quanglewangle]

My reasons for looking at Ferline are:

• F1 so I know what I am getting. Predictable
• Red - not keen on non-red tomatoes
• Medium size - neither cherry nor monster
• I read somewhere they used to be grown commercially - always attracted by following the practice of folks who have money in the game.

Happy to be talked out of this variety for something else that fits criteria above

[Snoop Puss]

No, but I've had an interesting year with toms this year.

Grew a few varieties never tried before. One was absolutely outstanding: Rose de Berne. Not an F1 but extremely good. Medium size though tending towards small now. Bright red, lots of really good flesh (not too many seeds or watery stuff) and an extremely small core that doesn't extend into the tomato flesh. Early to harvest and late to harvest by the look of it. And fantastic flavour. Don't pick till fully red. They've coped better than any of my other tom plants with the odd weather we've had this year (a string of nights at 6-8 ºC in July, 44 ºC heat for several days, with really hot wind, in August. And bucketing rain. Will grow it in place of Gardener's Delight and Marmande next year. I grow outdoors, by the way.

[nick the grief]

Ferline used to be popular with the exhibition growers as they're reasonably consistant. then they were super-seeded by things like Cedrico. Nicos is right, theyre blight tolerant rather than resistant I think but the latest craze seems to be Crimson Crush also an F1. but many of these F1's come and go but one that has lasted the course is Shirley an F1 that my dad grew some 50 years ago along with his Ailsa Craig and Moneymaker two others that have stood the test of time.

Don't let the fact is a commercial variety influence you, don't forget that Growers are interested in yield i.e. having stuff cropping all together not the odd one here and there. the average amateur grower wants a few regularly and tasty (something i find shop bought lacks) but each to their own thats the beauty of this hobby theres something for everyone.

[quanglewangle]

super-seeded

Oh dear...

[quanglewangle]

Thanks - as usual with this forum, helpful discussion.

[nick the grief]

Oh dear...

sorry I'd only had 2 mugs of tea

[Snoop Puss]

Sorry, qw, missed off the fact that Rose de Berne outdid any of the new F1 toms I tried this year.

[Penellype]

I grow Ferline as one of my "must have" varieties (the others are Shirley and Sungold). Given good conditions they will produce large beefsteak type tomatoes alongside smaller ones. In my opinion they have an exceptional flavour and are my No 1 choice for salads. The blight resistance is minimal - mine got blight this year. The downside is that they really do not keep - once they are ripe you need to eat them or they will start to rot from the stalk end within a couple of days (Shirley for comparison will stand several days without rotting once properly ripe).

[goosander]

Grew Ferline this past season but my Ailsa Craig was far better as usual. The one that was the best for me first try was Old Ivory Egg [yellow] which just kept on giving all summer and had a good to me taste. Gave loads away and all remarked how good they tasted. Another that done well but not so generous was Chinese Black Pearl. Had tumbling red tom in a very big hanging basket and was fed up trying to use all them up. Picked my first tom on the first of June [Alaskan Fancy] which is about a month early for me.
I am just learning how to grow things.
Bob.

[quanglewangle]

This post from nick the grief started a train of thought...

Ferline used to be popular with the exhibition growers as they're reasonably consistant. then they were super-seeded by things like Cedrico ...

so I looked at Cedrico and discovered that they in turn had been superseded by Cappricia F1 (not to be confused with Capriccio) so I may go with those.

[nick the grief]

This post from nick the grief started a train of thought...



so I looked at Cedrico and discovered that they in turn had been superseded by Cappricia F1 (not to be confused with Capriccio) so I may go with those.

the cynical amongst us might say theyre possibly the same thing with a new name

[quanglewangle]

^^^

The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.

George Bernard Shaw

You are easily led

Mrs quanglewangle (of me)