Year round tomatoes ?

[Odsox]

Last year while wandering through the depths of the Internet I came across an article claiming that it is possible to produce tomatoes all the year round at home. The poster was an American and lived in the northern part of the US, not anywhere subtropical.
Now I enjoy a challenge and it spurred me into trying and seeing if it was indeed possible to harvest tomatoes all year round in northern Europe.
If you choose your varieties carefully I think it is definitely possible, although I don't think I will quite manage it this time.
Last January I sowed seed of Microtom variety and had ripe fruit on my windowsill by March 1st ...

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They lasted until the first greenhouse plants of Sub Arctic Plenty started ripening and then continued all summer, with Gigante Liscio taking over until the early December.
I then had Storage tomatoes through the Christmas period and still have quite a few left, but it's now back to the windowsill Microtom that have now taken over again....

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They may well last until March, completing the 12 months, but I have my doubts. But it's not the fault of the tomatoes, if I had sown some more in early December then I could have easily done it.
Also the Storage tomatoes were severely blighted this year where last year I had 3 times as many to store and ate the last one on 14th February from a November picking.
It's all good fun and keeps me out of mischief

[MuddyWitch]

I'm seriously impressed Tony. Maybe you could have a word with the supermarket, to stop 'em shipping thier toms from all over the world!

MW

[Ellendra]

With a greenhouse or a sunny window, its possible to keep the same tomato plant producing for several years. They're actually a tropical perrenial, its only in non-tropical climates that they behave as an annual.

I've got some I hoped would produce during the winter, but they need more light, you can almost hear them begging for it.

[Rod in Japan]

That's most inspiring. I'll have to try that next year.

I note that the tomatoes in your pics aren't going upwards much. Doesn't that mean that you're getting a very limited crop?
Also, how are the flowers pollinated? I assume that tomatoes need insects to do that, or do you do it for them?

I tried to do year round tomatoes by sun-drying the excess and by cooking them in winter. To be truly successful at this, I need a much larger surplus.

[Green Aura]

Do they taste good all year though Tony? I'd love to have a go at this if they're going to taste like summer toms, but if they get that nothing taste - like out of season toms that you buy - then I won't bother.

[Odsox]

That's most inspiring. I'll have to try that next year.

I note that the tomatoes in your pics aren't going upwards much. Doesn't that mean that you're getting a very limited crop?
Also, how are the flowers pollinated? I assume that tomatoes need insects to do that, or do you do it for them?

I tried to do year round tomatoes by sun-drying the excess and by cooking them in winter. To be truly successful at this, I need a much larger surplus.

The idea Rod is to have FRESH tomatoes for salads all year, otherwise ordinary bottled or frozen ones would fit the bill
The Micro Tom variety in the pics is ideal for growing on a window sill, they only grow about 10cm tall by about 20cm wide and never go leggy.
I pollinate them myself with an artists paintbrush every now and again, and as they are a true species, not F1, I can save the seed.
If you want more info, take a look at this ..http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS225
This year I'm going to experiment with a larger variety that has been bred for growing in pots on a patio, but I don't think that one will grow too well this early .. maybe best to use it to bridge the gap between April and the first greenhouse ones.

Green Aura, they taste very much like a Gardeners Delight cherry tomato with a refreshing sweet/acid taste, possibly not quite as tasty as a summer ripened one but far superior to any shop bought one (in January)

[Green Aura]

Sounds like a plan then!

[Odsox]

Slightly different but you can get heritage types of toms in the US and Spain which are particularly good for storing. Seeds are available online or plug plants can be bought in Spain.

Yes, I grew these as well (see my original post) but they got a bad dose of blight, although I do still have some in my larder.
Can't say that they taste of anything in particular though, perhaps you can recommend a tastier variety ?
Mine were named De Colgar (storage tomato) from Real Seeds (UK) and last year they kept until mid February.

[Shutsumon]

Where can I get seeds for those Microtoms? They look really good for windowsill growing and I don't really have space for a greenhouse, but the only place I've found online is out of stock. :-(

[Odsox]

Where can I get seeds for those Microtoms? They look really good for windowsill growing and I don't really have space for a greenhouse, but the only place I've found online is out of stock. :-(

Try here .... http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/veg5aa.htm
They are a bit expensive but once you have some you can save your own seed.