Decisions Decisions

I am going to grow Crete, Cypriot, Santorini and Rainy's Maltese this year plus 6 others - THAT'S IT!!!! I know Rainy's Maltese is fabulous - grew it last year, opinions on the Greeks and Cypriots appreciated. I mainly process my tomatoes into sauces etc so good colour, solid varieties suit me. I haven't found the Roma types of processing tomatoes doing well here. Poor crops, maybe too cool or short a season. What do you reckon? I'm a chuck 'em in the pot together type of cook and am world famous (only in this house of grandchildren) for my sauces
Help yourselves to the list I've posted elsewhere - it will reduce my choices!

I am so sick of this rain - never thought I'd say that!!!!!!

hi blossom so very glad you liked rainys , yeps its a goody I have sent you a pm too ok
wasnt sure if you had tried it or not , and still have lots of seeds ,

yeah cold and drizzly here to

Thanks rainy,

It is p***ing it down here - all night and all day - Bob has gone to Launceston with Carmen and two other little girl soccer players to see the soccer. He says it is dry there, so it seems like there is this bloody big rain ( 45ml in 12 hours) just over this area. It's been like this for 3 weeks, and I am expecting the house to lift and float away! It's 6 degrees outside, topped at 9 today. I blame the Pope!

Hi Blossom,

Thanks again for the tomato seeds you sent me a while ago - I'm going to have a tough time choosing which to grow - I've been told by my other half that I must plant at least some Grosse Lisse (for eating) and Romas (for sauce), so I probably only have room for half a dozen additional plants.

I'm just wondering when to start germinating my seeds of choice. I've never grown tomatoes from seed before. I have an unheated glasshouse and am debating whether to start them in the glasshouse or on top of my fridge for warmth. I generally use normal premium potting mix for germinating seeds, but thought I might lash out and get a bag of proper seedraising mix to make sure I'm successful!

I'd start them indoors early September. I did all mine last year in the hothouse but I heated it. This was because I wanted to bring them on early as we were going away in October. I use plastic storage containers upside down over punnets to create mini hothouses. Just dampen the soil and put the seeds on top, no need to bury them. Nearer to time we tomato freaks will be able to help. Gnome starts all hers indoors and has some pictures on her blog. I'll fish out some of my pictures too. Are you back? Hope you had a good trip. Snow down to 300m tonight by the forecast.

Blossom wrote: Are you back? Hope you had a good trip. Snow down to 300m tonight by the forecast.

Thanks. We had a great trip - everything is so green in South Australia! Visited lots of wineries in Clare and the Barossa (even got a tasting of Henschke's Hill of Grace - $485/bottle!) and thoroughly enjoyed our night at the opera. It was fun to visit Lucky's garden and menagerie - gardeners are always so welcoming!

Pouring down rain at the moment - I couldn't see the mountain this morning so not sure if we got the snow or not. I'm happy to have the rain as we just planting 3 melaleucas yesterday as a front hedge and they needed a good watering in.

Oh, no! Tomato talk already!?! I'm not ready.

I admire your courage and determination, Blossom. Are you sure you can stick to these few varieties?

When are you going to start your seeds?

Probably not until October if we go away in September, otherwise September. Not doing sales this year, just trying to get rational about this tomato thing, I still have a freezer full despite using them at least 4 times a week!

Blossom wrote:... just trying to get rational about this tomato thing...

I don't believe the words rational and tomato belong in the same sentence!
Having said that, I've cut down dramatically this year. I'm in the process of sowing now and am down to less than 50 varieties this year. With the changes to import regulations though, I may have to up that number just to get fresh seed of some of my older holdings!

I too have lots of tommy seeds to choose from, a lot have been given to me or sent to me by beautiful gardeners

So have to love a kind hearted gardener don't you???

I now have my mini hot house (last year I didn't have one) and now I can grow different to what is being sold in the shops.

So I can't wait to start my selection off this year.