I would very much appreciate some advice from the various successful tomato
growers out there.
After 2 seasons of growing Alsa Craig & Alicante I am getting what I think
are virus problems compounded with a bit of botrytis.
Can anybody recommend a greenhouse tomato variety that is resistant to mould
& virus attacks.
I am aware that some F1 hybrids have some of these attributes but how does
this effect taste.
Ideally if anybody who has grown this type of variety and can give an idea
of taste / productivity it would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

Glen

On Sun, 1 Feb 2004 15:59:31 -0000, "Grinch"
wrote:

I would very much appreciate some advice from the various successful tomato
growers out there.
After 2 seasons of growing Alsa Craig & Alicante I am getting what I think
are virus problems compounded with a bit of botrytis.
Can anybody recommend a greenhouse tomato variety that is resistant to mould
& virus attacks.
I am aware that some F1 hybrids have some of these attributes but how does
this effect taste.
Ideally if anybody who has grown this type of variety and can give an idea
of taste / productivity it would be greatly appreciated.

I can tell you how i do it, it works for me :0)

I grew Unwins "Sweet Million f1 Hybrid" cherry tomato last year, and
they were by far the best cherry toms i have grown.Ive grown Alicante
as well and have not had any problems at all (touch wood).

What i do at this time of year is to disinfect everything with Jeyes
fluid, the pollytunnel floor, walls and the soil, tools, pots and
canes (everything) .

Then a week or so before i move the tom plants from the propagator i
dig a 2 spade depth hole for each plant in the PT and mix the soil
back in with half as much pelleted chicken manure. I also sink a 6"
pot next to each plant (for watering). And then depending on how hot
the weather gets i will fill each pot with water once every day.

And then the normal stuff like pinching the side shoots out, bottom
stems off when about 4' high, misting the flowers and weeding

BTW... i didn't use any liquid tom food last year at all!
I got hundreds of sweet red toms on each plant up until the beginning
of Nov this way.

I'm doing Alicante again this year.

HTH

Many thanks
Glen

regards
Tim

On Sun, 1 Feb 2004 15:59:31 -0000, "Grinch"
wrote:

I would very much appreciate some advice from the various successful tomato
growers out there.
After 2 seasons of growing Alsa Craig & Alicante I am getting what I think
are virus problems compounded with a bit of botrytis.
Can anybody recommend a greenhouse tomato variety that is resistant to mould
& virus attacks.
I am aware that some F1 hybrids have some of these attributes but how does
this effect taste.
Ideally if anybody who has grown this type of variety and can give an idea
of taste / productivity it would be greatly appreciated.

I can tell you how i do it, it works for me :0)

I grew Unwins "Sweet Million f1 Hybrid" cherry tomato last year, and
they were by far the best cherry toms i have grown.Ive grown Alicante
as well and have not had any problems at all (touch wood).

What i do at this time of year is to disinfect everything with Jeyes
fluid, the pollytunnel floor, walls and the soil, tools, pots and
canes (everything) .

Then a week or so before i move the tom plants from the propagator i
dig a 2 spade depth hole for each plant in the PT and mix the soil
back in with half as much pelleted chicken manure. I also sink a 6"
pot next to each plant (for watering). And then depending on how hot
the weather gets i will fill each pot with water once every day.

And then the normal stuff like pinching the side shoots out, bottom
stems off when about 4' high, misting the flowers and weeding

BTW... i didn't use any liquid tom food last year at all!
I got hundreds of sweet red toms on each plant up until the beginning
of Nov this way.

I'm doing Alicante again this year.

HTH

Many thanks
Glen

regards
Tim

Ideally if anybody who has grown this type of variety and can give an
idea
of taste / productivity it would be greatly appreciated.

I can tell you how i do it, it works for me :0)

I grew Unwins "Sweet Million f1 Hybrid" cherry tomato last year, and
they were by far the best cherry toms i have grown.Ive grown Alicante
as well and have not had any problems at all (touch wood).

What i do at this time of year is to disinfect everything with Jeyes
fluid, the pollytunnel floor, walls and the soil, tools, pots and
canes (everything) .
How long do you have to leave it before planting?

Then a week or so before i move the tom plants from the propagator i
dig a 2 spade depth hole for each plant in the PT and mix the soil
back in with half as much pelleted chicken manure.

I must get some of that.

I also sink a 6"
pot next to each plant (for watering). And then depending on how hot
the weather gets i will fill each pot with water once every day.

And then the normal stuff like pinching the side shoots out, bottom
stems off when about 4' high,

What does that mean??


misting the flowers and weeding

BTW... i didn't use any liquid tom food last year at all!
I got hundreds of sweet red toms on each plant up until the beginning
of Nov this way.

I'm doing Alicante again this year.

HTH

Many thanks
Glen

regards
Tim

Looks like you have got it sorted - I found that very interesting - thanks
Tim.

Ideally if anybody who has grown this type of variety and can give an
idea
of taste / productivity it would be greatly appreciated.

I can tell you how i do it, it works for me :0)

I grew Unwins "Sweet Million f1 Hybrid" cherry tomato last year, and
they were by far the best cherry toms i have grown.Ive grown Alicante
as well and have not had any problems at all (touch wood).

What i do at this time of year is to disinfect everything with Jeyes
fluid, the pollytunnel floor, walls and the soil, tools, pots and
canes (everything) .
How long do you have to leave it before planting?

Then a week or so before i move the tom plants from the propagator i
dig a 2 spade depth hole for each plant in the PT and mix the soil
back in with half as much pelleted chicken manure.

I must get some of that.

I also sink a 6"
pot next to each plant (for watering). And then depending on how hot
the weather gets i will fill each pot with water once every day.

And then the normal stuff like pinching the side shoots out, bottom
stems off when about 4' high,

What does that mean??


misting the flowers and weeding

BTW... i didn't use any liquid tom food last year at all!
I got hundreds of sweet red toms on each plant up until the beginning
of Nov this way.

I'm doing Alicante again this year.

HTH

Many thanks
Glen

regards
Tim

Looks like you have got it sorted - I found that very interesting - thanks
Tim.

On Sun, 1 Feb 2004 19:53:23 -0000, "Grinch"
wrote:

snip
What i do at this time of year is to disinfect everything with Jeyes
fluid, the pollytunnel floor, walls and the soil, tools, pots and
canes (everything) .

How long do you have to leave it before planting?

I am not sure Glen, i think the shortest time i've left it before
planting was two weeks, but i usually do it a month before.

Then a week or so before i move the tom plants from the propagator i
dig a 2 spade depth hole for each plant in the PT and mix the soil
back in with half as much pelleted chicken manure.

I must get some of that.

I got mine from B&Q last year:
http://www.diy.com/bq/product/produc...?PRODID=139373


And then the normal stuff like pinching the side shoots out, bottom
stems off when about 4' high,

What does that mean??

Do you mean side shoots? (i dont think you do but) Its not easy to
explain (for me anyway) so i've just Googled this for you :
http://tinyurl.com/2wqkk

The bottom stems i should of maybe called bottom branches.
They usually get damaged and or drag on the ground at some stage,
which could introduce decease into the plant, so its best to take them
off. (when the plant is around 4' high, not the bottom branches :-).

Looks like you have got it sorted

Now you've cursed it for sure! :-)

I found that very interesting - thanks Tim.

No problem

regards
Tim

"Grinch" wrote in message m...
I would very much appreciate some advice from the various successful tomato
growers out there.
After 2 seasons of growing Alsa Craig & Alicante I am getting what I think
are virus problems compounded with a bit of botrytis.
Can anybody recommend a greenhouse tomato variety that is resistant to mould
& virus attacks.

My Grandad used to grow "Gardener?s Delight". I don't think it's
completely resisitant, but he reckoned it wasn't as susceptible.
Fruits variable size, very tasty.

On Sun, 1 Feb 2004 19:53:23 -0000, "Grinch"
wrote:

snip
What i do at this time of year is to disinfect everything with Jeyes
fluid, the pollytunnel floor, walls and the soil, tools, pots and
canes (everything) .

How long do you have to leave it before planting?

I am not sure Glen, i think the shortest time i've left it before
planting was two weeks, but i usually do it a month before.

Then a week or so before i move the tom plants from the propagator i
dig a 2 spade depth hole for each plant in the PT and mix the soil
back in with half as much pelleted chicken manure.

I must get some of that.

I got mine from B&Q last year:
http://www.diy.com/bq/product/produc...?PRODID=139373


And then the normal stuff like pinching the side shoots out, bottom
stems off when about 4' high,

What does that mean??

Do you mean side shoots? (i dont think you do but) Its not easy to
explain (for me anyway) so i've just Googled this for you :
http://tinyurl.com/2wqkk

The bottom stems i should of maybe called bottom branches.
They usually get damaged and or drag on the ground at some stage,
which could introduce decease into the plant, so its best to take them
off. (when the plant is around 4' high, not the bottom branches :-).

Looks like you have got it sorted

Now you've cursed it for sure! :-)

I found that very interesting - thanks Tim.

No problem

regards
Tim

"Grinch" wrote in message m...
I would very much appreciate some advice from the various successful tomato
growers out there.
After 2 seasons of growing Alsa Craig & Alicante I am getting what I think
are virus problems compounded with a bit of botrytis.
Can anybody recommend a greenhouse tomato variety that is resistant to mould
& virus attacks.

My Grandad used to grow "Gardener?s Delight". I don't think it's
completely resisitant, but he reckoned it wasn't as susceptible.
Fruits variable size, very tasty.

"Robert E A Harvey" wrote in message
m...
"Grinch" wrote in message
m...
I would very much appreciate some advice from the various successful
tomato
growers out there.
After 2 seasons of growing Alsa Craig & Alicante I am getting what I
think
are virus problems compounded with a bit of botrytis.
Can anybody recommend a greenhouse tomato variety that is resistant to
mould
& virus attacks.

My Grandad used to grow "Gardener?s Delight". I don't think it's
completely resisitant, but he reckoned it wasn't as susceptible.
Fruits variable size, very tasty.

I'd agree with that, I tend to grow the tom and cuc's etc al in one
greenhouse, I know, not the best plan, but it's all I've got. I've found
Shirley, Sweet Million, and GD to be very good.

If there really is a virus problem it might be as well to not grow tom's in
the Ghouse for a year, or to change the topsoil in there. Might help.
Duncan