This year we grew, amongst others, some Indigo Rose tomatoes out on our
allotment. What a waste of time and effort. Despite daily watering they
suffered badly from Blossom End Rot, a bit of rain and then they
started splitting, took ages to ripen too. Finally got to taste a
decent one and just no taste at all certainly compared to Ferline. A
failed experiment.


--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On Wed, 19 Sep 2018 17:30:55 +0100, Bob Hobden wrote:

This year we grew, amongst others, some Indigo Rose tomatoes out on our
allotment. What a waste of time and effort. Despite daily watering they
suffered badly from Blossom End Rot, a bit of rain and then they
started splitting, took ages to ripen too. Finally got to taste a
decent one and just no taste at all certainly compared to Ferline. A
failed experiment.

In the greenhouse, they have an interesting, slightly smoky, taste just before
they're fully ripe, but they do seem to get bland once they are ripe to the
point of softness. They do seem to be a late-ripening variety. I've grown them
for her indoors, who has a slight reaction to raw tomatoes.

I had a lot of blossom end rot on one San Marzano plant, but not the other,
they were in pots filled from different bags of compost. Adding a bit of
slaked lime to the water managed to control it, after a fashion. Next year,
the compost will be home made, including the local limy-clay soil.

I grew the Indigo Rose for the second and last year, San Marzano plum tomatoes
and Sweet Million cherry tomatoes for the first time. The Sweet Million have,
and are, out cropping the others even with the small fruits. The San Marzano
were later and tasteless until completely ripe, but going well now. The Indigo
Rose have only been ripening over the last four weeks, but nit the single
plant has collapsed under it's own weight because some idiot didn't tie it in
properly...

Mark Rand
--
RTFM

On 19 Sep 2018 22:38, Mark Rand wrote:
On Wed, 19 Sep 2018 17:30:55 +0100, Bob Hobden wrote:

This year we grew, amongst others, some Indigo Rose tomatoes out on our
allotment. What a waste of time and effort. Despite daily watering they
suffered badly from Blossom End Rot, a bit of rain and then they
started splitting, took ages to ripen too. Finally got to taste a
decent one and just no taste at all certainly compared to Ferline. A
failed experiment.

In the greenhouse, they have an interesting, slightly smoky, taste just before
they're fully ripe, but they do seem to get bland once they are ripe to the
point of softness. They do seem to be a late-ripening variety. I've grown them
for her indoors, who has a slight reaction to raw tomatoes.

I had a lot of blossom end rot on one San Marzano plant, but not the other,
they were in pots filled from different bags of compost. Adding a bit of
slaked lime to the water managed to control it, after a fashion. Next year,
the compost will be home made, including the local limy-clay soil.

I grew the Indigo Rose for the second and last year, San Marzano plum tomatoes
and Sweet Million cherry tomatoes for the first time. The Sweet Million have,
and are, out cropping the others even with the small fruits. The San Marzano
were later and tasteless until completely ripe, but going well now. The Indigo
Rose have only been ripening over the last four weeks, but nit the single
plant has collapsed under it's own weight because some idiot didn't tie it in
properly...

Grown Ferline for years and it's a good doer producing decent large
tomatoes with some flavour also blight resistant which helps when
outdoor growing. .
Also grown Old Brooks and will be using them for cooking, first time
tomorrow. They have not suffered with Blossom End Rot despite being
next to IR and are very large fruit.
Our favourite tomato was Brigade but T & M took it off the market both
here and the USA and we can no longer get the seed. Normal sized fruit
with a good flavour, deep red flesh and solid, excellent for sandwiches
and cooking.



--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On Wed, 19 Sep 2018 17:30:55 +0100, Bob Hobden wrote:

This year we grew, amongst others, some Indigo Rose tomatoes out on our
allotment. What a waste of time and effort. Despite daily watering they
suffered badly from Blossom End Rot, a bit of rain and then they started
splitting, took ages to ripen too. Finally got to taste a decent one and
just no taste at all certainly compared to Ferline. A failed experiment.


I usually grow Sungold tomatoes which are excellent apart from the skins
being slightly tough. I usually feed them with Tomorite. A friend has
suggested watering with Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulphate) once a week.

Any views?

On 20 Sep 2018 12:53, Judith in England wrote:
On Wed, 19 Sep 2018 17:30:55 +0100, Bob Hobden wrote:

This year we grew, amongst others, some Indigo Rose tomatoes out on our
allotment. What a waste of time and effort. Despite daily watering they
suffered badly from Blossom End Rot, a bit of rain and then they started
splitting, took ages to ripen too. Finally got to taste a decent one and
just no taste at all certainly compared to Ferline. A failed experiment.


I usually grow Sungold tomatoes which are excellent apart from the skins
being slightly tough. I usually feed them with Tomorite. A friend has
suggested watering with Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulphate) once a week.

Any views?


We like to also use our Tomatoes for cooking, not sure a yellow fruit
would make a nice looking sauce. But I have heard they are tasty.
The Old Brooks did make a superb sauce tonight so will give that one
another go.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On Thu, 20 Sep 2018 23:10:31 +0100, Bob Hobden
wrote:

We like to also use our Tomatoes for cooking, not sure a yellow fruit
would make a nice looking sauce. But I have heard they are tasty.

SWMBO really likes sauce made from "Golden Jubilee;" good flavor and a
little sweeter/lower acid than San Marzano.

BTW, I read here about "Blaby Special" being rediscovered, and got
seeds from the Seed Saver's Exchange (U.S. based but members
worldwide). Don't know if they hated emigrating to colonial
soil/weather, but insipid (like off-season tomatos from the market).
Didn't grow them again.

Semi-unrelated: If you really like a variety commercial seedsmen are
dropping and it's not a hybrid, save the seeds. Dead easy.

Cheers!


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On 20 Sep 2018 22:13, R. Daneel Olivaw wrote:
On Thu, 20 Sep 2018 23:10:31 +0100, Bob Hobden
wrote:

We like to also use our Tomatoes for cooking, not sure a yellow fruit
would make a nice looking sauce. But I have heard they are tasty.

SWMBO really likes sauce made from "Golden Jubilee;" good flavor and a
little sweeter/lower acid than San Marzano.

BTW, I read here about "Blaby Special" being rediscovered, and got
seeds from the Seed Saver's Exchange (U.S. based but members
worldwide). Don't know if they hated emigrating to colonial
soil/weather, but insipid (like off-season tomatos from the market).
Didn't grow them again.

Semi-unrelated: If you really like a variety commercial seedsmen are
dropping and it's not a hybrid, save the seeds. Dead easy.


Only problem was that Brigade was an F1 so won't come true from
saved seed. Besides the fact we grow more than one variety so cross
pollination is a distinct possibility.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On 19/09/2018 17:30, Bob Hobden wrote:
This year we grew, amongst others, some Indigo Rose tomatoes out on our
allotment. What a waste of time and effort. Despite daily watering they
suffered badly from Blossom End Rot, a bit of rain and then they
started splitting, took ages to ripen too. Finally got to taste a
decent one and just no taste at all certainly compared to Ferline. A
failed experiment.


Similar here, despite daily watering my plum tomatoes got blossom end
rot, the ones that didn't haven't ripened. However my cherry tomatoes,
"black cherry" haven been a huge success. Two out of three plants anyway.
I wouldn't necessarily blame your Indigo Rose. It's been a very hot
summer, unusual. I'd try them again next year.

On Fri, 21 Sep 2018 17:40:37 +0100, Bob Hobden
wrote:

Only problem was that Brigade was an F1 so won't come true from
saved seed. Besides the fact we grow more than one variety so cross
pollination is a distinct possibility.

Oops! As for crossing, tomato flowers are mostly self-fertile, so you
don't need a lot of separation to avoid crossing. I understand the
potato-leaved types (mostly older heirloom) have more exposed flower
parts and are more likely to cross. I seem to do OK with 4 or more
meters of spacing; at least after several genrations, new plants look
like their parents. I take pictures, mostly so buyers at our garden
club's annual spring plant sale know what to expect.

(and sorry about the different .sig; it's just me, increasingly
non-anon).


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On 19/09/2018 17:30, Bob Hobden wrote:
This year we grew, amongst others, some Indigo Rose tomatoes out on our
allotment. What a waste of time and effort. Despite daily watering they
suffered badly from Blossom End Rot, a bit of rain and then they
started splitting, took ages to ripen too. Finally got to taste a
decent one and just no taste at all certainly compared to Ferline. A
failed experiment.


I think it's due to the extreme hot weather we had. I watered my
tomatoes very carefully and still got blossom end rot.

On Tue, 25 Sep 2018 20:20:07 +0100, Tina wrote:

On 19/09/2018 17:30, Bob Hobden wrote:
This year we grew, amongst others, some Indigo Rose tomatoes out on our
allotment. What a waste of time and effort. Despite daily watering they
suffered badly from Blossom End Rot, a bit of rain and then they
started splitting, took ages to ripen too. Finally got to taste a
decent one and just no taste at all certainly compared to Ferline. A
failed experiment.


I think it's due to the extreme hot weather we had. I watered my
tomatoes very carefully and still got blossom end rot.


I've actually saved seeds from mine this year. Mostly because of poor
germination from the commercial ones. I hope to get more successes from 50
seeds than I did from 6 :-). While doing some tidying up in the greenhouse
today, I found a couple of Sweet Million cherry tomatoes that had come to rest
in a puddle of water for a week or three. Darn things had about 20 seedlings
sprouting out of each. Pity that Winter's coming on.

Mark Rand

On Wed, 19 Sep 2018 17:30:55 +0100, Bob Hobden wrote:

This year we grew, amongst others, some Indigo Rose tomatoes out on our
allotment. What a waste of time and effort. Despite daily watering they
suffered badly from Blossom End Rot, a bit of rain and then they started
splitting, took ages to ripen too. Finally got to taste a decent one and
just no taste at all certainly compared to Ferline. A failed experiment.

Gave up on all but cherry tomatoes years ago because by the time they were
producing the shops had a glut.

This year I bought two Sungold Cherry tomatoes and potted them up on the
veranda under cover to avoid blight (but South facing so loads of sun) and
they are still going great guns.

Potted up two offshoots and gave them to friends, and those are producing
massively as well.

The tomatoes are acid but sweet with loads more flavour than anything from
the shops.

They do tend to split on picking if you aren't careful, but they cook well
if you can't eat them all the same day.

Growing lots of small tomatoes which fruit over an extended period means
that a short term blip in the weather has minimal effect, whereas it can
ruin a crop of large tomatoes where you grow a limited number of fruit.

Hopefully we will grow them again next year.

Cheers



Dave R


--
AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 7 Pro x64

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