Please can any one help? We grow small Nectar F1 tomatoes each year
(about a dozen plants) in a South facing spot against a six ft high
brick wall. The site seems Ideal. The fruit are delicious, being both
tender and sweet. Two years ago the crop was badly affected by mildew
and so on the advice of friends we have grown our tomatoes in grow bags
for the last two years.

With the exception of the mildew year we have always had an excellent
crop and this year has been no exception, but there is a worry. Many
of the tomatoes have yellow tops around the area where the tomato is
connected to the calyx. We have kept the plants well watered (each
evening) and have fed them with a tomato feed on a couple of occasions
as some of the leaves were going yellow. We waited expecting the
affected tomatoes to go red all over as they ripened but these tomatoes
are beginning to drop off.

Can anyone suggest a reason for this, should we worry about it and what
should we do to prevent it happening in the future? We are assuming
that they are fit to eat as there is no noticeable difference in taste.

Hope you can help, many thanks.
--
Don

Don Phillips wrote in message ...
[...]
With the exception of the mildew year we have always had an excellent
crop and this year has been no exception, but there is a worry. Many
of the tomatoes have yellow tops around the area where the tomato is
connected to the calyx. [...]

Sounds like greenback to me: it isn't always green! Exceptional
amounts of sunshine can cause it, I believe; and maybe they aren't
getting enough potassium if you've only fed them twice -- they've used
up the nutrients in the growbags by now.

I've heard of a variety which is very prone to greenback, whatever you
do, but the red parts of whose fruits are so good that it's worth the
trouble of cutting the green bit off each one: needless to say, I
haven't a clue which variety it is! Anyhow, the fruits can do you no
harm that I've ever heard of.

Mike.

in article , Mike Lyle at
wrote on 24/8/03 8:33 pm:

Don Phillips wrote in message
...
[...]
With the exception of the mildew year we have always had an excellent
crop and this year has been no exception, but there is a worry. Many
of the tomatoes have yellow tops around the area where the tomato is
connected to the calyx. [...]

Sounds like greenback to me: it isn't always green! Exceptional
amounts of sunshine can cause it, I believe; and maybe they aren't
getting enough potassium if you've only fed them twice -- they've used
up the nutrients in the growbags by now.

I've heard of a variety which is very prone to greenback, whatever you
do, but the red parts of whose fruits are so good that it's worth the
trouble of cutting the green bit off each one: needless to say, I
haven't a clue which variety it is! Anyhow, the fruits can do you no
harm that I've ever heard of.

Mike.

Our tomatoes are doing this, too. The variety most prone to it that we have
is the heritage type, Jersey Sunrise. They taste wonderful beyond words and
the last thing I'd worry about is a greeny yallery top to the fruit.
Ours are watered every day, along with all the other plants that need it in
that house and the water contains nutrients. I'll have to find out just
what they are. But starved, they are not!
--

Sacha
(remove the 'x' to email me)

in article , Sacha at
wrote on 24/8/03 10:09 pm:

in article , Mike Lyle at
wrote on 24/8/03 8:33 pm:
snip

I've heard of a variety which is very prone to greenback, whatever you
do, but the red parts of whose fruits are so good that it's worth the
trouble of cutting the green bit off each one: needless to say, I
haven't a clue which variety it is! Anyhow, the fruits can do you no
harm that I've ever heard of.

Mike.

Our tomatoes are doing this, too. The variety most prone to it that we have
is the heritage type, Jersey Sunrise. They taste wonderful beyond words and
the last thing I'd worry about is a greeny yallery top to the fruit.
Ours are watered every day, along with all the other plants that need it in
that house and the water contains nutrients. I'll have to find out just
what they are. But starved, they are not!

Sorry to top my own post but I've just had a word with my husband about
this. He used to grow tomatoes commercially. He confirms what I said above
but says that it's the older varieties that are most prone to 'green back'.
He also says it's nothing to worry about and won't harm you when you eat
them.
--

Sacha
(remove the 'x' to email me)

In message , Sacha
writes
in article , Sacha at
wrote on 24/8/03 10:09 pm:

in article , Mike Lyle at
wrote on 24/8/03 8:33 pm:
snip

I've heard of a variety which is very prone to greenback, whatever you
do, but the red parts of whose fruits are so good that it's worth the
trouble of cutting the green bit off each one: needless to say, I
haven't a clue which variety it is! Anyhow, the fruits can do you no
harm that I've ever heard of.

Mike.

Our tomatoes are doing this, too. The variety most prone to it that we have
is the heritage type, Jersey Sunrise. They taste wonderful beyond words and
the last thing I'd worry about is a greeny yallery top to the fruit.
Ours are watered every day, along with all the other plants that need it in
that house and the water contains nutrients. I'll have to find out just
what they are. But starved, they are not!

Sorry to top my own post but I've just had a word with my husband about
this. He used to grow tomatoes commercially. He confirms what I said above
but says that it's the older varieties that are most prone to 'green back'.
He also says it's nothing to worry about and won't harm you when you eat
them.

Thank you to everyone for your interesting and useful replies. We are
eating the tomatoes and thoroughly enjoying them in spite of the yellow
markings. In fact with storage the tomatoes are continuing to ripen and
the yellow is being replaced with red to make beautiful looking fruit.
This year we are getting an even better crop than usual and are making
tomato juice which is delicious - so much sweeter and better than the
commercially manufactured variety. I must get some vodka and try making
a Bloody Mary.

Thanks again for your comments. Best wishes
--
Don