As ever with tomatoes, I skip by the indeterminates (those tall chaps) of which I've moaned a plenty about and last year I grew mainly bush varieties. I like them they work in containers and baskets and boxes and window boxes and crop heavily - I just like the no fuss element of them. Mine were grown this year in a polytunnel, but windowsills/cold frames and greenhouses work grand too. I'd be disinclined to grow them outdoors in Scotland, I've seen tom's in some sheltered gardens but with the season so short - I'd personally stick to cossetting them in warm cosy love.
Six to a fish box was too many, four was plenty. (Fish box equates to 2 grow bags worth of substrate)
A cane is helpful to support the prolific yields of some of the varieties, whilst self supporting - the fruit is a step to far for them. They are quite frankly a victim of their own fortune.
A bit of feeding is good but they're no where near as hungry as indeterminates
Czech bush - heavy cropper, solid plant - oddly coloured red dull tomatoes but plenty flavour - best for cooking I'd say as they were a bit grainy.
Glacier - early robust plant heavy fruits, they said plant it outside, I kept my nerve and planted it INSIDE and it did really well. Could I ever be brave enough to plant outside............?? Verdict is out.
Tumbling Tom - dwarf habit suits not only fish boxes but window boxes - LOVE it.
Yellow (? - lost the label......doh must check the planting diary) - kind of a half way house a bit too sprawly and not-making-its-mind-up, if you ask me.
All in all if I had a greenhouse with restricted space I think I might change my mind, but otherwise, I'm a bush tom kinda gal it has to be said. Easy, unfussy, bountiful. And, if I'm telling you that in ORKNEY then in sunnier climes I'm sure.
Which reminds me its tomato sowing time again.
Will I or wont I this year. Not sure how they'll cope with the 300 mile journey south to himself's hoose........
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