Catherine Mansley

Monty Don's Tomatoes

Hello Dee 4, In the September 2012 issue, Monty recommended six varieties: 'Costoluto Fiorentino', 'Costoluto Genovese', 'Cuor di Bue', 'Golden Sunrise', 'Merveille des Marches' and 'Rose de Berne'. Hope that helps.

Tomato growing tips

Italophile wrote (see)

Dovefromabove wrote (see)

Didn't Monty Don lose a greenhouse-full of toms to blight this year?

If he did, it further underlines the connection betwixt greenhouses and fungal problems. I wish I'd seen that episode. I'd love to know exactly which disease(s) the plants had. If he "lost" all the plants it probably wasn't one of the common ones. Unless he was negligent.

Thanks for your comments Italophile. Monty Don did indeed lose his greenhouse tomatoes to late blight this year. My feature is specifically about late blight on tomatoes, rather than other fungal diseases. And RHS advice remains that tomatoes are less likely to suffer from late blight if they are grown in a greenhouse.  Of course, Monty's experience shows they are far from immune!

Tomato growing tips

Thanks for the tips Busy-Lizzie and Geraldineb. Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse certainly makes them less likely to catch blight, as the blight spores are airborne. Covering outdoor tomatoes with a polythene sheet, draped over supports, should have a similar effect.

Do keep those suggestions coming in. 

Tomato growing tips

Hi, I'm features co-ordinator on Gardeners' World Magazine and I’m writing a feature about the best ways to beat tomato blight and the best tasting tomatoes. I’d like your input. Growing very early-ripening tomatoes, like ‘Red Alert’, can often mean they ripen before blight strikes. But what are your tips for beating blight?

• What do you do to help your tomatoes survive blight-free?
• If you were hit by blight this year, is there anything you’re planning to do differently next year?
• Which variety do you think is the tastiest tomato? 

So get in touch, with your tips for great tomatoes.

Catherine Mansley

Features Co-ordinator, Gardeners' World Magazine

Tomato growing tips