Tomatoes
We’ve never had much success with tomatoes, but we tried again this year. We’re not proper gardeners, so bought a couple of plants and after a very slow start they started producing flowers and then fruits.
We have had more ripe tomatoes from the dwarf ‘Veranda Red,’ while ‘Sungold’ has grown tall and stately and was later in ripening its fruit. Both of them produce cherry tomatoes. Veranda Red has tomatoes ranging from cherry to marble to blueberry-sized tomatoes. Naturally, the very smallest have little or no taste, but they amuse me.
I like the colour of Sungold tomatoes and they taste delicious. I don’t think all the tomatoes will ripen now, but I’ll keep them going for a little while longer while I look up recipes for green tomato chutney, which I will probably never make.
Now you are speaking my language :) I've never had a problem growing fruit and vegetables in the back yard, except for tomatoes. The very product I use most in the kitchen is the one that failed each year.
ReplyDeleteWhen you succeed with full sized tomatoes, do let us know!!
I don't want to push my luck . . .
DeleteYou can pick the remaining green tomatoes and let them ripen inside, some will and some might not. My mum used to make green tomato chutney. I never liked it but others did.
ReplyDeleteI will try ripening them indoors, but again, it's something that's never worked for me before. We'd starve if we had to rely on what we grow.
DeleteThey look strong and they will ripen, there's lots of recipes for green tomatoes, we made green tomato cake one year.
ReplyDeleteGreen tomato cake sounds interesting!
DeleteWe grow cherry tomatoes in our greenhouse. This year the chipmunks decided it all belonged to them. (This has happened before.) Occasionally we score a handful but they definitely have the upper hands.
ReplyDeleteHappy chipmunks!
DeleteTake your time as you consider making green tomato chutney, and by then the fruit will be spoiled and you attend a nice market stall and buy a jar.
ReplyDeleteI only buy cocktail tomatoes, which are larger than cherry tomatoes and ours are so nice, especially compared to normal bought tomatoes, which are not nice at all.
That sounds like a good plan and something I frequently do, though not the market stall bit.
DeleteNice to know you've had success with your tomatoes this year! It's always rewarding to grow your own food, even if you're not a seasoned gardener.
ReplyDelete. . . and even if you don't get a huge harvest :-)
DeleteMy sungolds are very good this year after not such a good year last year. I think they are arguably the very tastiest of the cherry tomatoes . Mine are still ripening - you may be surprised how long they keep going. The main 'danger' is an early frost really. xx
ReplyDeleteMaybe next year I'll branch out and get two plants ;-)
DeleteI always pop my green tomatoes in a paper bag with a red one, they slowly ripen, and extend your fresh homegrown season. Ours failed in the greenhouse, and the huge beef ones in a pot outside are being nibble as soon as they turn, so I've picked the green ones.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good tip, thank you.
DeleteThe cherry tomatoes look so exquisite.
ReplyDeleteThey are sweet and delicious.
DeleteIf you put green tomatoes in a bag with a banana it will give off a gas and turn them red. Green tomato and onion soup is worth trying.
ReplyDeleteBananas are good at ripening other fruits, too, even when you don't want them to! The soup sounds most interesting.
DeleteYour tomatoes look great. If you eat a lot of chutney it might be worth doing. I'm finding that one jar lasts us so long these days that a cupboard full sits around for literally years ........some folk like a jar as a gift but some eye it with suspicion and you just know it's going to end up in the food recycling bin 🙄🤣😳😆😉
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
We don't eat a lot of chutney, really, so it remains to be seen whether I will make any. 😎
DeleteNorthsider's green tomato and onion soup sounds tasty.
We have always grown Sungold. They ripen late, often not until late August, but this year we left 2 plants in the greenhouse and watered them regularly, and have had a steady supply of fruit since July. Now the ones outside are producing lots too. They are truly delicious. When they stop growing and it gets cold, put the green ones in a paper bag indoors in a warm place and check on them each day. Most will ripen. One other thing, don't try to keep the seeds because they won't grow true as they are F1 hybrids. You have to buy new seeds, expensive as they are with only around 10 per packet, but they do all germinate.
ReplyDeleteWe should really try growing our own from seed, but we always seem to come late to the table, so to speak. A paper bag seems to be the way to go, as three people have mentioned it . . . 😃
DeleteI forgot to mention I wrote about Sungold 3 years ago.
Deletehttps://taskerdunham.blogspot.com/2021/04/sungold.html
I looked for your post, but it's not there (for me, anyway!)
DeleteWe are surely have an abundance here of tomatoes. I love starting the morning with my coffee and a tomato sandwich on toast.
ReplyDeleteI love tomatoes on toast - very more-ish.
DeleteBeautiful tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteFull of vitamin C and flavour - gorgeous.
DeleteI loved the pictures of your tomatoes. I would say that you did quite well. We went a farmers' market yesterday and bought three varieties of tomatoes. When choosing cherry tomatoes, we chose the yellow rather than orange or red, as someone said they were sweeter. But one thing is certain, there is nothing like fresh tomatoes. And THIS is the season!
ReplyDeleteYellow tomatoes are lovely. Actually, I like all tomatoes.
DeleteI love tomatoes and yours look fab! Mind you, growing them can be frustrating and I’ve not grown them this year. But I do recommend that you persevere with the chutney making! You could give some jars as Christmas presents! 😁
ReplyDeleteThis is the first year we have had any success at all. Hope it's not the last. 😏
DeleteNothing tastes better than a home-grown tomato! We have grown Sungold in the past and I can attest that they are indeed delicious.
ReplyDeleteSweet with a sharp tang - wonderful.
DeleteWe've been fortunate in being able to grow tomatoes successfully in the several parts of the United States we've lived in. What a delicious time ripe tomato season is. We have had some success in wrapping green tomatoes picked right before frost in newspaper and ripening them inside, but the taste is never the same. I'm not fond of green tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely going to try ripening them indoors, provided I get to them before the frost does. We have a few weeks before that, hopefully.
DeleteWe got a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a good year for some. 😁
DeleteIf you do an internet search for green tomato recipes you will be amazed how many options there are.
ReplyDeleteSpoilt for choice, eh?
DeleteI think a good way to ripen tomatoes is to place them in a closed paper bag and store them in a warm location. The ethylene they emit will promote ripening. Adding a ripe banana or apple can speed up the process...happy tomato ripening :)
ReplyDeleteIf you should be in the mood to make a 'green tomato cake' this looks a nice recipe (but it isn't a low carb one). The mix of spices must make it very flavourful, although I must just say I haven't tried it!
All the best Jan
Thank you, Jan. If I make one, it will be blogged, you may be sure. 😉
ReplyDeleteLovely tomatoes like little red pearly jewels.
ReplyDeleteSo delicious!
DeleteI think it must be a good year for tomatoes. My stepdaughter has urged us to pick the bounty provided by her tomato plants while she is away on holiday! xxx
ReplyDeleteLucky you. Fresh tomatoes are such a delight.
DeleteI would love to grow tomatoes, and yes I would like that recipe also please :)
ReplyDeleteYour chipmunks would steal the tomatoes, I expect 🤣
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love fresh off the vine tomatoes. I didn't grow any this year but I am definitely going to next year. This year has gone by so fast!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, Sharon! 2024 seems to be hurtling past.
DeleteThat's some very nice crops of tomatoes. I used to grow lovely ones on my allotment, when I gave it up I grew cherry ones in hanging baskets, but I buy them now.
ReplyDeleteHanging baskets are all very well, but they're a pain to keep watering.
DeleteHi Janice - fresh tomatoes ... nothing like them ... well it's good to try and that ripening in a brown paper bag I'm sure works - yet green chutney sounds good ... enjoy! Cheers Hilary
ReplyDelete