Growing Tomatoes. Week 30.

I was hoping the dark shadows and bright sunlight might obscure the fact that nothing but nothing has happened in the garden this week.

Well nothing that requires my input. If there’s any growing going on it’s in spite of, not because of any hand I’ve had in it. And no picking either.

The few plants left, have got a few fruit on them as I want to see how long they survive as a guideline for next year.

Talking of next year I’ve had my first 2010 seed catalogue land on the doormat.  It’s from Kings Seeds who looking back at my records, I bought F1 Sungold and Red Robin from. Which as it turned out were respectively my most and least favourite varieties from this year ! 

Kings have over 30 tomato varieties and categorize them into outdoor, undercover and bush.

They take an interesting position in their editorial. Whilst stating the unarguable case that ‘nothing tastes quite like a tomato freshly picked from your own garden‘ they are not from the school of thought which says tomato plants are indestructable; the school that advocate stick them in the ground, remember to water and feed and all will be well.  Rather, their description of them is as ‘very delicate‘.

It’s been interesting as I’ve done my research and reading to see how much opinion varies on how robust or not the tomato plant is.  Delicate, demanding diva or a strong, silent stalwart  ?

This year I count myself as blessed with beginner’s luck. With most of my plants surviving my inept ministerings I’m more inclined to the robust view. On the other hand it may have been only through having so many plants, I achieved a sizeable crop.

And of course if blight had taken hold then that would have given me a very different experience and outcome.

Where do you sit on the delicate to indestructable scale ?