New tomato variety

Cat Woman

Hi

Growing toms for the first time this year. Set some seeds I got from a newspaper ad they are called Costoluto Fiorentino. Pack said these are really easy to grow and care for. Anyone ever grown these before? Got any tips?

Victor

We used to grow tomatoes at home in a 20 x 30 foot greenhouse. I think you are starting a little late in the year.

Germinate the seeds in a box (50% potting compost / 50% soil) and then when the are 2-3 inches high, put 2-3 healthy ones in a number of small tubs (the bottom half of a milk carton is handy). Keep the soil quite damp, but not sodden.

Dig plenty of manure into the ground. Plant out in green house (about 12-18 inches between plants) when they are about 10 inches high. Expect to cull quite a few (my father would start with maybe 1000 and whittle it down to 100-150).

Train the plants with some twine or wire, as soon as the head starts drooping, twist it around the twine again.

Keep an eye on weeds. You might want to use some proprietary tomato fertiliser during the summer.

Cull some of the leaves / branches if they get unwieldy. Limit individual branches to 10-12 fruit (perhaps 8 fully grown fruit). Otherwise, you are at risk of losing them to bruising or the branch breaking. Limit plants to 5-8 fruit branches (this is where the twine comes into it’s element).

Water at ground level in the evening to prevent damaging the fruit / leaves. Make sure you water evenly everyday or the fruit can end up splitting.

Try to moderate the temperature in the greenhouse - ventilate during the day and close up in the evening. Remember tomatoes are a sub-tropical plant.