Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Tomato Library - Part 2

At last my Cream Sausage tomatoes have ripened! I wasn't sure what to look for because they have been hanging around on the plant just looking green for ages. These have been fun to grow, I was hoping that they might look a bit more 'sausage like' but we'll see what the rest do. Great flavour too. These are Black Cherry tomatoes . The seed was sent to me in the Spring from Kath at Veg Heaven. I love the size of these tomatoes - two bites! The flavour doesn't disappoint either. They look specacular in a bowl with other coloured tomatoes. Definitely a keeper!
I just love the colour of these Golden Gem tomatoes. This seed was liberated from West Dean gardens last Autumn. This photograph almost doesn't do the colour justice, it is more vibrant than you can imagine. I have grown this as a bush in a hanging basket and as a straight cordon. It swings both ways!
I just have to show you how the Ildi tomatoes grow. Each of the trusses must have at least 100 tomatoes on it. The fruit are about the size of a gooseberry.
I am lucky enough to be able to compare different varieties of tomatoes in a 'taste test'. I put a pile of different coloured tomatoes in a bowl and we compare notes. In my mind, these are every bit as good as Sungold!! That is saying something because everyone raves about Sungold. The taste of these Ildi tomatoes is fantastic - but you get loads more for your money!
The Royal Horticultural Society must agree with this verdict as they have awarded Ildi a prestigious Award of Garden Merit - AGM.

11 Comments:

At 3:53 PM, Blogger miss m said...

They're all lovely ! (Part 1 & 2)
But the Ildi is simply amazing. It's on next year's list.

 
At 6:44 PM, Anonymous Sally said...

Thank you for starting your tomato gallery. It's great to get pictures and tasting notes.
Today was the day I got to pick and post on Cream Sausage! I too wasn't sure what it was meant to look like ripe! The one I picked was beginning to look more clotted cream than cream so I decided it was time!
I really like Sungold so will add Ildi to next yrs list which is already growing scarily long !)

 
At 7:34 PM, Blogger Matron said...

Sally, yes the Sungold are very tall! Mine has had to have a second bamboo cane as it is more than 6ft tall. I need to pinch the top out now so that it puts its energy into tomatoes and not leaves.

 
At 8:05 PM, Blogger Kath said...

My tomatoes are a week or two behind yours Matron - no Black Cherry to eat yet. I have some seeds of Ildi but I haven't grown any yet. I will go by your recommendation!

 
At 11:55 PM, Blogger Dan said...

I really like those Cream Sausage tomatoes. I have heard they are determinate? Do they grow into a short bushy plant?

 
At 3:55 AM, Blogger Toni said...

So yummy!

Ah... soon I'll have some!! My plants are loaded up with fruit!

 
At 5:05 AM, Blogger Matron said...

Dan - I grow mine up a single cordon, they are fairly bushy though.

 
At 1:12 PM, Blogger Peggy said...

Matron, congratulations your name came out of the box to host Bilbo!Please email me your postal address and I will get him in the post immediately.I look forward to reading about his Royal Tour.
Best wishes

 
At 1:47 PM, Blogger Carrie said...

Oh dear more fabulous photos of tomatoes (and they do look utterly fab!) and lovely saliva-inducing write ups. Plus my hubby raving about one he had at the lotties last night from our friend Ronnie. We're getting a greenhouse now for the second half plot - I know what it will be filled with! Andrew won't be able to help himself. Must keep him away from the laptop of he'll see all these!

 
At 6:03 PM, Blogger Matron said...

Peggy, I've replied with my home address. Look forward to showing him my home town!

 
At 12:49 PM, Anonymous Margaret Roach said...

I am fascinated by the productivity of that 'Ildi' tomato (which I have never heard of...and am now searching for seed of). Our tomatoes here in the Northeast US have been a mess this year, as you undoubtedly know, but my onions look good, as do the beans and potatoes (though yes, some foliage has been tinged by issues, too).

Thanks for a really informative visit. Now if I can just find that tomato...

 

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