on the subject of tomatos....

[Socks]

could someone explain to me the difference between bush and cordon tomatoes?


normally i use the the philistine method (you know, just plant and go!) but if someone could explain the differences id most appreciate it.

last year i grew gardeners delight and moneymaker, this year im being a tad more adventerous with beams yellow pear, black krim and a big beefsteak variety which i cant remember.

cheers

chris

[Geordie]

Hi Socks,

Seed packets or catalogues will list tomato types by the following terms:

Indeterminate - these are grown as cordons, single stemmed plants supported with a cane or string. Any side shoots are removed and the plants are 'stopped' (by pinching out the growing tip) after five or six trusses of fruit have formed

Determinate - these are grown as a bush and there is no need to support them or pinch out the side shoots

Semi Determinate - these varieties make a vigorous bush which will require some trimming

Other terms - you may also find these terms used:

beefsteak - simply a big tomato
basket - a bush type grown in a hanging basket or planter etc.
cherry - a small tomato
heirloom - an old variety

(sorry if this is too simple!)

[nick the grief]

Hi Socks,

Cordons are the ones you take the side shoots out of and grow 1 or 2 stems per plant (Gardeners delight I grow this way) Bush varieties do just that bush I guess some thing like Tumbler. Gardeners Delight are one of my favourites, I don't eat many in salads but load when I'm in the grenhouse ... my wife thinks we've just had a bad crop I'm trying White Beauty this year which is a bit differnt from my norm.

[Socks]

cheers guys, thanks for the swift replys!

i now know sort of what im doing.

cheers!

ps. keep us updated on your tom progress, id like to hear how you get on.

chris

[Nicos]

Toms

Hi Socks,
I'd recommend Red Alert as a decent and pretty trouble free bush variety. It produces a mass of small and very tasty toms with thin skins, over a long period of time....but it can be prone to blight which can be a bit of a bugger if you are in a blight area.
Nicos

[Socks]

cheers for that, what areas are prone to blight then?

cold and windy?

damp?

i live in leicestershire and have only grown major varieties, but im branching out this year so would i be advised to be on my guard in the midlands?

chris

[Nicos]

I have no idea! But we are certainly damp. We grow on a peat based allotment and it is really bad. Our previous allotments were clay based and only got a small amount of blight on the spuds, and never on the tomatoes! If you are growing in your garden (have I got that right?) I would imagine you would be less exposed to to spores than on an open patch of land.I suppose you just have to give it a go. The nice thing about this variety is that it is now available at some garden centres as plants and other than light weeding and watering(and feeding) it needs very little attention.

[Nicos]

Forgot to mention this is an out door varity which can be grown indoors (we don't). Outside it will grow to about knee height.

[Lesley Jay]

If you are bothered by blight try growing Ferline tomatoes. They are blight resistant and are grown as a cordon. We grew them last year and got a fantastic crop. This year we will be growing them again along with a few other varieties (I do like tomatoes) and a new blight resistant tomato of which I can't remember the name. I will have to look it up in the seed catalogue. Ferline is available from Thompson and Morgan and if you search on google I know somewhere else is also selling it.

[Nicos]

Just seen this on the Vegan News - Crop Review 2005

I thought you might be interested to know that:

* The Red Alert tomatoes I tested this year produced a bumper crop of early ripening, cherry-sized fruits and remained completely disease free. The Ferline tomato plants produced many somewhat odd shaped tomatoes, some of which reached a bumper size and had a truly remarkable flavour that was deliciously sweet. However, when I brought the remaining Ferline tomatoes indoors to ripen at the end of the season, it soon became apparent that these tomatoes where diseased. They quickly went brown and developed patches of white fungus at the top. Most disappointing really, as Ferline is often said to have impressive resistence to diseases such as blight, fusarium and verticilium wilt. Unfortunately, because of this I had to dispose of over two thirds of an otherwise excellent crop.
Interesting and confusing eh?

[Jayneylass]

Hi socks

I've has a bit of experience with tomatoes, but not extensive. Just about 5 seasons so far. They are my must-grow crop every year.


Cordon tomatoes will grow upwards forever and the tops need pinching out when they are at your desired height, otherwise they will reach for the sky. They also need fairly strong staking.

Cordons are also more work intensive because you need to remove the leaf growth that occurs between the main stem and branches. Otherwise, you will have lots of leaf growth and your fruit production will be reduced. If you are able to spend a bit of time on them and they are in your backgarden, then cordons are just fine.

Bush types don't need so much staking, just keep the fruit off the ground. These can grow in tubs, hanging baskets etc. They are great for the allotment because they are less labour intensive as there is no pinching out required as with cordons.

I haven't grown bush types before and will be trying "Tumbling Tom" and a few other new varieties for the first time. I prefer cherry and plum toms, but some of the Russian black types look good fun and will look great on a plate. Good luck!

Jayneylass

[JennieAtkinson]

Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets

I grew tumbling toms last year in hanging baskets, but didn't get a good crop (probably due to the poor summer), however, I had a lot of problems watering and feeding the hanging basket, as the water just poured out, I couldn't seem to retain it in the basket. The parsley underneath grew to massive proportions!
Any advice on toms in hanging baskets???
Jennie

[Lesley Jay]

The Ferline tomatoes we grew were excellent as I said. Good sized and regular in shape. I didn't bring mine indoors to ripen I left them on the plants to ripen and I was still picking tomatoes in November. Maybe it has something to do with the quality of the seeds. I get mine from Thompson and Morgan and I always find their seeds reliable. Everybody looks after their plants differently so I suppose that you will get varying results for all vegetables.

[Nicos]

Thanks Lesley- we thought we'd give them a try but that article took me by surprise! They sound lovely!

[nick the grief]

Hi Jennie,

When you do your hanging baskets, put a plastic pot saucer in the botom to act as a reservoir. The excess will run out. or another trick I've used is to put some Ice cubes on them at night and they'll melt slowly and water the basket enough for you to be able to get a bit more in.