Solitary chicken - need advice

[poachedegg]

We have 3 tumbling tomato plants in baskets with loads of tomatoes on. Only a few have turned red - we waited until they went really red and picked to taste, however the middle where the seeds are is still hard and not nice to taste.

 

Have we done something wrong or are we just a little impatient?

[whittlewitch]

Im guessing they have ripened a little early, I'm no expert, but I know that my dad's tomato glut normally arrives in August. I mean what can you have done wrong, in fact being in the lovely north, I'm amazed you managed to ripen any at all!!

[Lesley]

Sometimes a lack of water will make the fruits hard and thick skinned - and the taste isn't nice. Perhaps that's a problem?.....with them being in a basket?

[chickencam]

They will sit on the plant for quite a while ripening as they go, I find that Tumbling Tom is not as nice as Tumbler which isn't available this year.

 

I have a few red ones but I haven't tried any yet. I think that you need good sunshine to make them really sweet.

[poachedegg]

Sometimes a lack of water will make the fruits hard and thick skinned - and the taste isn't nice. Perhaps that's a problem?.....with them being in a basket?

 

I do water them religiously every morning (in my dressing gown!) - so I wouldn't have thought that to be the problem.

 

They do taste as if they would be nice - just the texture in the centre - if that makes sense!?

[chickencam]

have you also been feeding them regularly?

[poachedegg]

in fact being in the lovely north, I'm amazed you managed to ripen any at all!!

 

I hope the others ripen - there are loads and loads of green ones of various sizes!!

[poachedegg]

have you also been feeding them regularly?

I feed them once a week - is that enough?

[poachedegg]

I have a few red ones but I haven't tried any yet. I think that you need good sunshine to make them really sweet.

Not much chance of that here at the moment!!

Edited July 18, 2008 by Guest

[chickencam]

I try to feed my tomato baskets at each watering if I remember but in pratice it is often only once a week so that should be ok.

[poachedegg]

I will leave them longer then and see how I get on - thanks for all your replies

[AJuff]

Can they be fed with fermented nettle water? I heard it was full of something good? Smells awful though!

[chickencam]

Probably is high potash but I don't think that I would want to put it on something that I was going to eat any time soon, because some may splash oto the fruits