BBC Gardeners' World

Comments

• 08 January 2008, 01.54PM

  If you can get hold of seeds for Buffalo Tomatoes you will not be disappointed with the crop, flavour, size or disease resistance. I have grown them for the last several years. The problem is now that Suttons have stopped selling the seeds, but will let you order plants (which are a darn sight more expensive) I haven't tried the plants because I cannot afford them. I haven't found another supplier yet.

  I don't like the Beefeater, Marmande or any of the other large tomatoes either.

• gridgardener

  09 January 2008, 12.09AM

  there several reason for your growing problem in you green house.

  1. you pot size probally to small beefsteaks need at least a pot size of a half meter or greater.

  2. you soil is not in right ballance

  3. you are watering irregularly

  4. gardener delight is not tomato it is just an excuse that bad tomato grower use to claim they are growing tomatoes

  5. tomato plants in pot need to be fertized more often then those grown in ground.

  6. the temp of the water used to water the plant should at least 24 c.

  I would continue but I don't want to embarrass you a more then I all ready have.

• Adam Pasco

  09 January 2008, 01.37PM

  Happy to disagree with you gridgardener. 'Gardener's Delight' is one of the finest tomatoes there is. That's why it's a firm favourite with so many for its outstanding flavour. No problem with my pot size, compost balance (not soil in my case) or feeding and watering, as the plants are strong and healthy. I just don't find beefsteak varieties productive, but will consider the recommendation above for Buffalo.

• greenfingers

  10 January 2008, 05.12PM

  Lets not be critical, lets have fun growing tomatoes and probably with a little trial and error and of course the garden gurus' help we might get lucky. So good luck and lets hope your beef, jumbo, pumkin tomatoes whatever you may call them lets share all our experiences and enjoy the fruits.

• gridgardener

  11 January 2008, 12.21AM

  Adam Pasco another reason you don't get good production is you are starting to late.

  gardener delight is not worth growing. I usualy get 9 to 15 kg's of beefsteak and other large tomato varieties I grow. but then again i grow in the ground and I really high quality soil.

• gridgardener

  11 January 2008, 12.26AM

  If you would like to learn to properly grow beefsteak tomatoes I will glady tell have so you can learn the proper way no matter how the summer weather is.

• gridgardener

  11 January 2008, 08.08AM

  It is very easy to find alot people with no sense of taste.

• sweatpea

  11 January 2008, 06.32PM

  I love Gardeners Delight tomatoes. The bigger the tomato the less sweet and juicy it seems to be. I have such huge crops of Gardeners Delight that the branches are near to snapping with the weight. They may be easy to grow, but what are you proving by growing something more difficult only to be disappointed. (I will, however be growing other cherry types this year)

• KlGal

  12 January 2008, 04.10PM

  I think that the tomatoes are very nice it's just a shame you couldn't eat any this year Adam.

• AgainstGridGardener

  12 January 2008, 04.13PM

  I like the taste of the tomatoes but I normally only eat tomatoes cooked. They are the nicest in tomato sauces. I like these kind of tomatoes. Plum tomatoes are the main ones I eat.

• CuteGardener

  12 January 2008, 04.21PM

  I have problems growing tomatoes do you have any tips? Thank you Adam

• Nick

  16 January 2008, 04.38PM

  I briefly met Bob Flowerdew last October on the M6 services. He also said that last year was a bad year for tomatoes as there simply was not enough light. Toms also do better in the ground not grow bags.(disagree?). I too had a bad year, not enough green toms for my chutney recipe. Also got blight and that dreaded end rot malarky. What a disaster! Hope '08 is better! I think irregular watering was my problem. Ah well, live & learn...

• omnipotentgardeningguru

  17 January 2008, 10.51PM

  Request to gridgardener: could you please give preparation and recipe for squirrel with tomatoes, onions, artichokes, and chilli peppers? Would this recipe do for wood pigeons as well? Would you bake these?

• Rhoda Dendron

  18 January 2008, 12.34PM

  I always grow sungold but can only do them in gro bags in my small garden - no greenhouse. They are normally very tasty and a good cropper but last year they were poor. I think we had just enough to roast them on the barbecue with some sausages in the end.

• Obelixx

  16 January 2008, 10.41PM

  Wasn't last year just a generally bad year for all tomatoes whatever their breeding? So much rain and grey skies and lack of heat and sun is bound to affect flavour and productivity whatever the variety.

  All my tomatoes got blight but I had very good salad leaves and soft fruits and excellent, tasty broad beans.

• Exmoor Surviver

  21 January 2008, 12.26PM

  I grew Sungold in my greenhouse last year using ring culture on a gravel bed. I had more than enough delicious tomatoes - though not a huge amount made it out of the greenhouse! That is one of the pleasures of small toms - pick and eat immediately whilst doing more mundane everyday tasks.

  I tend to agree with Adam re beefsteaks. I have grown Costaluto for the last 2 years - disappointing both in flavour and quantity. Maybe I'll try Buffalo this year. Anyone got any recommendations for the best variety to grow for making green tomato chutney?

• Adam Pasco

  23 January 2008, 12.08PM

  No one has yet convinced me that beefsteak tomatoes are indispensable... but there's still time before I have to sow them. Can anyone recommend the very best varieties to cook and use for making pasta sauces? I've tried some of the fleshy Italian plum varieties, but which one is best?

• gridgardener

  25 January 2008, 01.13AM

  Adam Pasco the best varieties of tomatoes for making sauce is san marzano and san marzano redota.

  If you really want to learn how to grow beefsteak tomatoes I suggest you contact colin bowcock since he grew one of biggest tomato ever in uk or get copy of his book on how to grow giant vegetables the beefsteak tomato is indispensable in making one of the best sandwiches in the world. The BLT the bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.

  But again you really do not need good tomatoes in the UK. Since you all would only make bad food from them any way.

• gridgardener X

  02 February 2008, 01.45PM

  gridgardener will you ever speak the truth and stop going against everything Adam Pasco says? I think that the Beefsteak tomatoes are one of the nicest. I love tomatoes and think you are wrong. Tomatoes go well in sauces, in salads, sandwiches and loads more! They are the best fruit to go in main meals and I am sure everyone would agree.

• Yakram

  02 February 2008, 10.05PM

  Peter Seabrook recommends the beefsteak variety 'Country Taste' F1, "just one fruit of which will fill a man's hand and a single slice is enough to fill a sandwich!"

• gaynorthegardener

  26 February 2008, 06.13PM

  Hey gridgardener,Why are you so nasty, If you have a way of letting people know the best way of growing toms.(or anything come to that) WHY not let everyone know. All the books say you should sow toms. indoors in Feb, you say you have yours outdoors and Feb is to late. Well why not let us all into your secrets!!!then maybe we'll all be as good as you?!!!

• Grandcolumbus

  29 February 2008, 09.00AM

  "But again you really do not need good tomatoes in the UK. Since you all would only make bad food from them any way."

  These comments from Gridgardener...You can't comment on the "bad food" until you have tasted my chutney mate.

• motorcycle

  01 March 2008, 01.31AM

  i've never grown anything before this years a first,if anyone has got a few spare seeds for me to try I would be greatful

• Fennel

  04 March 2008, 02.39PM

  I grew Gardeners' Delight in a greenhouse first time 2006 and lost about a quarter fruit which split, it was suggested eratic watering, hold my hand up, probably was. 2007, watered regularly to within an hour - lost about two thirds fruit which split. What am I doing wrong, can somebody help before I put effort into this years crop.

• Adam Pasco

  07 March 2008, 12.11PM

  If it's free seeds you're after, Motorcycle, then check out the April issue of Gardeners' World Magazine (on sale from March 26) which comes with free packets of tomato, chilli, basil and spicy salad seeds.

  Fennel, you don't say what you're growing your greenhouse tomatoes in. It it's growing bags then it's often hard keeping up with the watering on these. Splitting fruit is a clear sign that the compost has been allowed to dry out at some stage.

• brett.landers

  26 March 2008, 07.12AM

  motorcycle i got loads of seeds i would be happy to share with you mate no probs hit me back with a comment and i'll sort summit out

• nikky

  12 April 2008, 04.50PM

  Phew its better than watching eastenders reading this column , everyones obviously entitled to their opinion some are particular willing to express it a bit to much, u know who u are!!

  Some of us unfortunately haven't the room for a greenhouse, I do my best with the use of windowsills to start off , then transfer seedlings to a plastic coldframe in individual pots before placing them in their final positions, I had alot of success last year with Gardeners' Delight - my kids really enjoyed them, I had surplus plants so relatives ended up with my spares, I am trying both sweet olive as it looks so tasty and am also trying a beefsteak purely because I've never had a go.

  Everybody has different tastes where their veg is concerned - how about just enjoy the benefits of growing... keep up the good work Adam !!

• Andy Hilton

  26 April 2008, 07.48AM

  Hi, I set my tomato seeds a few weeks ago and having been in a cold frame they germinated but have grown very leggy. can I pinch out the extended growth or do I just have to wait and let them thicken up? They are all around 30cm long and very thin and do not support themselves.

• allotmentlady

  27 April 2008, 10.01PM

  A bad year last year for tomatoes, all our allotment friends and us lost our crops to blight, I was lucky, I planted 5 Gardeners Delight in among flowers in south west facing garden, which is surrounded by hedges and bushes, I got a bumper crop with no sign of blight, I also grew sweet corn in there and the cobs were delicious, we ate 2 straight from the plant, not cooked. we lost a lot of the potatoes too to blight on the allotment and in tubs at home, hope we get a better year this year which is our 2nd year on the allotment. I must say though we had a bumper crop of runner beans, we are still eating frozen ones,good luck all for this year.

• lilgardner

  03 May 2008, 01.51AM

  I have just started planting some beefsteak tomatoes in little dixie cups and some of them are just now sprouting up and i was wondering what type of pot they should go into next or should I just plant them in the ground when they get to be about 3" tall? I'm very new at planting fruits and veggies. So any advice would be great! Thanks.

• Dave

  11 May 2008, 03.30PM

  Adam I planted some beefsteak toms seeds in garden that was heavy with mushroom compost and they went mad had tons of fruit hope this helps.

• Adam Pasco - reply to Dave

  12 May 2008, 01.32PM

  Thanks Dave. I haven't tried growing them outside due to annual problems with blight, but interesting to hear you've had good results. Not sure what part of the country you live in, or the variety you grew, so do share with everyone.

• friendlyamerican

  27 May 2008, 01.20AM

  Dear Brits: Pay no attention to gridgardener. He posts on several American garden sites using many nicknames but always the worst English and never a friendly or civil thing to say. Please accept my apologies for what we here in the States refer to as white trash.

• 01 January 2008, 12.00AM

• nonothingboutgardening

  05 August 2008, 03.28PM

  last year toms not very good only thing ive ever grown. this year ive grown sweetcorn cucumber carrots curly cale and raspberrys and buffalo all in pots in me garden from seed and very pleased. i water 3 to 4 times a day add the growmore food and tomarite liqiud evry so offten.i read up on tomatoes on the net i found the secret was keeping 3 branch leaves on it at all times choose the right 1s to remove producing between 8 to 12 in a bunch very pleased

• Jan

  09 August 2008, 04.36PM

  We grew Super Marmande - which I guess are classed as beefsteak tomatoes - and unfortunately they don't have a lot of flavour, nor are there many to a plant. Two plants are in Growbags, one in a pot in the greenhouse and one in the garden - all have similar results. Gardeners Delight are doing well and taste good - ditto Tigerella, which have an excellent flavour - all in the greenhouse. I was advised to remove most of the leaves once the flowers were showing on all the tomato plants - is this a good idea, and if so when is the best time to defoliate?

• ken

  16 August 2008, 01.46PM

  this is my first year growing beef i have one plant with only three tomatoes on it is this right

• Jeangenie

  24 August 2008, 04.03PM

  Perhaps Nick could let us have the recipe for green tomato chutney as I have loads of beef tomatoes, perfect size and shape, just will not ripen. Any suggestions, have tried putting ripe banana skins close to them but with no success. They are all either in pots or in the ground outside, would they do better in a greenhouse? I'd be grateful for suggestions.

• Frankie Sheppeck

  09 October 2008, 07.05PM

  Hi Jeangenie I too would love the green tomato chutney recipe 'cos like you I have loads of beef tomatoes, perfect but not ripening. All mine are growing outside but will try some inside my greenhouse next year (just hung them up in greenhouse to see if that'll ripen them off!) I've also Gardeners Delight inside and out that are delicious (even when split!).

  Hi Obelixx Shame about your tomatoes but like you I had great salad greens (red and green cut-and-come again), soft fruit (eaten off the bush but now in the freezer)and the best ever broad beans.

  Hi Gridgardener Thanks for making me laugh but your talents are wasted on this site. Your acerbic nature obviously needs vital ingestion of manure - but just make sure it's organic.