Potting On the Tomatoes

 

It was extremely cold this afternoon but I took the Crimson range of tomatoes that I have been growing outside to pot them up into vending machine cups. 

• Tomato 'Crimson Crush' - The fruits are particularly large for a salad variety, with an exceptional flavour.
• Tomato 'Crimson Plum' - Good crops of ‘Roma’ style plum tomatoes throughout the summer.
• Tomato 'Crimson Cherry' - The small cherry fruits have glossy, red skins and a sweet, juicy flesh with a superb flavour.
• Tomato 'Crimson Blush' - Large beefsteak fruits with the sweet flavour of a cherry Tomato!
• Tomato 'Crimson Cocktail' - small cocktail-sized fruit with an excellent flavour that has a good balance of sweetness and acidity.

Blight Resistant Tomatoes

This post was updated on the 13th February 2024

On the 21st May 2015 I was one of the lucky few that got a couple of the then new variety of what was announced as the first completely blight-resistant tomato called 'Crimson Crush' at this stage there were no seeds only a limited quantity of plants.  Seeds followed the following year. 

'Crimson Crush' was developed as collaboration between legendary British tomato breeder Simon Crawford, who developed 'Red Alert', the first bush tomato worth growing, and a PhD student at Bangor University. It was first spotted in a glasshouse in Yorkshire but then in a trials field in North Wales it stood out as a shining green and red beacon surrounded by blight infested tomato plants.

Since 2016 further Blight Resistant F1 Tomato seeds for outdoor cropping with the Crimson name have been developed however the description as to the degree of blight resistance has been down graded and the note below appeared as other forms of Crimson plants arrived.

Please note: With regards to the nature of the blight resistance, plants can still show infection (up to 10-15%) of leaves, stems etc. without effecting fruit quality or yield. The plants having the resistance to be able to grow away from the attack.

The crimson collection includes:-

• Tomato 'Crimson Crush' - The fruits are particularly large for a salad variety, with an exceptional flavour.
• Tomato 'Crimson Plum' - Good crops of ‘Roma’ style plum tomatoes throughout the summer.
• Tomato 'Crimson Cherry' - The small cherry fruits have glossy, red skins and a sweet, juicy flesh with a superb flavour.
• Tomato 'Crimson Blush' - Large beefsteak fruits with the sweet flavour of a cherry Tomato!
• Tomato 'Crimson Cocktail' - small cocktail-sized fruit with an excellent flavour that has a good balance of sweetness and acidity.

Instructions

Pot up, and grow tomato plants on in warm frost free conditions until large enough to plant outdoors. When all risk of frost has passed, gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over a period of 7 to 10 days. 

Choose a sheltered position in full sun on fertile, reliably moist, well drained soil, and transplant at a distance of 60cm (24") apart. Alternatively grow tomatoes in patio bags and containers in good quality compost such as John Innes No. 2. Drive a (5') cane into the soil adjacent to each plant to support them as they grow, and tie each main stem to its support with soft garden twine.

These cordon varieties are perfect for containers or planters outdoors or in the greenhouse, and cope well with periods of wet weather. Height: 200cm (79"). Spread: 50cm (20")    

Crimson Crush 

As well as its ability to shrug off even the worst blight, Crimson Crush will provide great yields of exceptionally fine tasting, large, round tomatoes (each weighing up to 200g). 

Bred for outdoor growing, it's the tomato that everyone should be planting this year. (Cordon variety - one stem grown by pinching off side-shoots as they appear, needs staking and tying in.)

Crimson Plum F1 

The Crimson Plum is the first blight-resistant plum tomato from seed. Great for both indoor and outdoor growing, it is the ideal tomato variety to be grown outside in the UK. 

This remarkable fruit is ideal for pots, baskets or any containers, reaching heights of 150-200cm (59-79"); spread 40-50cm (16-20").

Support with a cane and remove side shoots regularly. Feed regularly with tomato food 

The Crimson Cherry

The Crimson Cherry is the first blight-resistant cherry sized tomato, making it the perfect variety to be grown outside in the UK. This remarkable tomato variety is ideal for small pots, baskets, or any containers, reaching heights of 151-200cm (59-79"); spread 41-50cm (16-20"). 

Extremely versatile, this tomato plant shows good resistance to Fusarium, Verticillium, and both early and late blight! Crimson Cherry tomatoes are deliciously sweet (9 Brix). Its fruits have a satisfying 'tang' which makes you want more. These tomato plants will keep cropping until the first frosts outside and longer if grown in a greenhouse or tunnel.

Crimson Blush

Exclusive to Suttons, this blight resistant beefsteak tomato is sweeter than other beefsteak varieties. In fact, it tastes more like a cherry tomato.

This tomato variety has been bred for growing outside and is able to stand up to periods of wet weather. Expect an abundance of stunning large, crimson fruit. Harvest July-October. Height 150-200cm (59-79"); spread 40-50cm (16-20"). 

Crimson Cocktail is the first small tomato that's resistant to early and late blight. A new addition to the 'Crimson Family' producing cocktail-sized fruit with an excellent flavour that has a good balance of sweetness and acidity. 

Suttons £4.49 for a pack with 10 seeds in 

Green shoulders which fade to red as the fruit ripen. Ideal to grow outside or in a tunnel/greenhouse. A cordon variety. Harvest July-October. Height 150-200cm (59-79"); spread 30-40cm (12-16").

Growing Information

Sow March/April for greenhouse growing (or April for outdoors) in a propagator on a windowsill or pots or trays in a greenhouse at 18-21°C (65-70°F) using a quality compost. Cover seeds with 6mm (¼") sieved compost. (Germination 7-14 days). Transplant seedlings singly into 75mm (3") pots. Grow on, finally planting into large pots, grow bags or direct into the greenhouse border; or outdoors 45cm (18") apart when frost risk has passed. Feed regularly and side-shoot as is necessary.

Sowing Information

Sow March/April for greenhouse growing (or April for outdoors) in a propagator on a windowsill or pots or trays in a greenhouse at 18-21°C (65-70°F) using a quality compost. Cover seeds with 6mm (¼") sieved compost. (Germination 7-14 days). Transplant seedlings singly into 75mm (3") pots. Grow on, finally planting into large pots, grow bags or direct into the greenhouse border; or outdoors 45cm (18") apart when frost risk has passed.

Feed regularly and side-shoot as necessary.

Following on from the success of the Crimson Collection of tomatoes other Blight Resistant tomatoes have been developed these include:-  

Tomato Merrygold F1 - Mr Fothergill's

The world’s first blight resistant orange fruited variety. Plants are high yielding, producing a mass of brightly, rich orange toms.

Taste is sweet with a slight tangy flavour, making them perfect for summer salads. Indeterminate.

10 Seeds £2.80

Crokini F1 - Dobies - 5 Seeds - £3.88 On Sale for 89p packed year End 2024 Sow By Year End 2027

Cordon/Indeterminate Each plant of this award-winning variety yields up to 300 deliciously sweet cherry tomatoes. Winner of the All America Selections Edible Winner 2020, Tomato ‘Crokini’ was recognised for its higher yields, with its in-bred resistance to Late Blight allowing harvesting to continue well into September. 

Fruit is evenly distributed, with up to 10-12 fruits in each cluster, and is a lovely red colour on harvesting. The small, firm fruits have a sweet, slightly acidic taste with a Brix of 8.5, a crunchy texture and good resistance to splitting. 

Height: 180cm-200cm (70-79in). Width: 50cm (20in).

Covid & Sowing Tomatoes

My Daughter Kelly caught Covid and moved out and into her sisters place as they were away to try and isolate herself away from us on Friday, but I swiftly followed with the cold and flu type symptoms on Saturday and my good lady wife became positive on Sunday. 

With the weather being so nice I took the opportunity to get out of the house and into the fresh air and sow the tomatoes for this year, outside of the Joe Mills Grow With Me 2022 varieties, that are quite established.

Blight Resistant Tomatoes 

Tomato Merrygold F1 - Mr Fothergill's

The world’s first blight resistant orange fruited variety. Plants are high yielding, producing a mass of brightly, rich orange toms.

Taste is sweet with a slight tangy flavour, making them perfect for summer salads. Indeterminate.

10 Seeds £2.80  

Crimson Crush (F4) - Suttons F1 

As well as its ability to shrug off even the worst blight, Crimson Crush will provide great yields of exceptionally fine tasting, large, round tomatoes (each weighing up to 200g). Bred for outdoor growing, it's the tomato that everyone should be planting this year. (Cordon variety - one stem grown by pinching off side-shoots as they appear, needs staking and tying in.)

Ideal for the home or the allotment

Please note: With regards to the nature of the blight resistance, plants can still show infection (up to 10-15%) of leaves, stems etc. without effecting fruit quality or yield. The plants having the resistance to be able to grow away from the attack.

Crimson Plum F1 - Suttons 

The Crimson Plum is the first blight-resistant plum tomato from seed. Great for both indoor and outdoor growing, it is the ideal tomato variety to be grown outside in the UK. 

This remarkable fruit is ideal for pots, baskets or any containers, reaching heights of 150-200cm (59-79"); spread 40-50cm (16-20").

Support with a cane and remove side shoots regularly. Feed regularly with tomato food.

Crimson Cherry - Suttons 

The Crimson Cherry is the first blight-resistant cherry sized tomato, making it the perfect variety to be grown outside in the UK. This remarkable tomato variety is ideal for small pots, baskets, or any containers, reaching heights of 151-200cm (59-79"); spread 41-50cm (16-20"). Extremely versatile, this tomato plant shows good resistance to Fusarium, Verticillium, and both early and late blight!

Crimson Cherry tomatoes are deliciously sweet (9 Brix). Its fruits have a satisfying 'tang' which makes you want more. These tomato plants will keep cropping until the first frosts outside and longer if grown in a greenhouse or tunnel.

Mini, Micro & Mini-Dwarf Varieties 

Hahms Gelbe Topftomate

Variety released by Reinhard Kraft, Germany. Golden yellow, cherry sized fruits.Good taste, juicy with an mild acid bite.

Determinate micro dwarf plants from around 1ft / 30 cm. Huge yields from small plants. Regular rugosa foliage.

Perfect pot variety, all year round.

I got the seeds from a seed circle. 

Micro Tom

Probably the smallest tomato plant ever! Micro can be grown in a 6" pot or window box, growing only 4-5" high, but still managing to produce dozens of tiny fruit. Suitable for people with no growing space, and an astonishing conversation piece. 

A small percentage of these seeds can occasionally revert to produce a larger plant, so please select the smallest, dwarfest seedlings and reject the larger ones. (Bush) Few seeds produced.

Cute, super short and perfectly formed – that just about sums up Micro Tom.

Released in 1989 by the University of Florida, this variety is often touted as the world’s tiniest tomato plant. The plants are about 8cm in height, and can be grown in window boxes, small troughs and pots. The plants fit inside the smallest of cold frames, and they are worth a try outdoors.

The small fruit turn red as they mature, and though the flavour isn’t the best, it is decent enough to give Micro Tom a try. Your kids will love them!

Determinate (miniature bush) growth habit.

Tiny Tim - Plant World Seeds 

This is a great little tomato in all senses of the word. Open pollinated, heritage (heirloom) variety. A true dwarf variety that will grow to around just 12" (30 cm) tall and produces masses of sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes - that are proper cherry tomato size!

In order to keep its dwarf habit, good light is essential. In low light levels the plants will grow larger and have a more lax habit. 

This is a determinate variety and best grown as a bush. 

There is no need to side-shoot though thinning excessive growth to allow light and air in can prove beneficial. 

A tiny dwarf variety that will happily live on a windowsill and fruit at no more than 12" or 300mm tall. 

Totem - Just Seeds 

This variety has been bred for growing in pots or window boxes. It is an ideal variety to grow on the patio. It has a compact habit producing medium sized fruits, which ripen very early in the season.

Pot on after first true leaves appear. At about the time of last frost, set out into grow bags. Do not allow the plants to get too cold. Plants need staking but there is no need to remove the side shoots.

Other Tomatoes 

Rapunzel - Simply Seeds

Indeterminate variety best grown in the greenhouse. it produces long, cascading trusses, each with up to 40 tasty sweet, bright red cherry tomatoes that rival the sweetness of Sungold.

The long trusses are impressive when loaded with glossy red fruit, and this variety has the flavour to match with a 10% Brix rating for sweetness.

Harvesting time will depend on sowing time and growing conditions, Fruits when mature weigh about 20 grams.

Burlesque F1 (Indeterminate) - Suttons 

These 'Burlesque' tomatoes are certainly big and beautiful! They produce an abundance of large (400g) beefsteak tomatoes with a sweet and tangy taste (Brix 6%). These whopping tomatoes are perfect to grow in a greenhouse or outside further South as they are also blight tolerant! The flavoursome fruits grow in masses and should yield 40-50 tomatoes per plant during peak season.

These tomatoes are thick in size with a thin layer of skin, but don't fret because these fruits certainly won't crack or burst! The meaty, juicy and tender flesh of this Cordon variety is scrumptious when served in a sandwich, or on a home baked pizza with mozzarella cheese and basil.

Sow March/April for greenhouse growing (or April for outdoor growing) in a propagator on a windowsill or pots or trays in a greenhouse at 18-21C using a good quality compost. Cover seeds with 6mm compost (Germination 7-14 days). Transplant seedlings singly into 7.5cm pots. Grow on, finally planting into large pots, or direct into a greenhouse border; or outdoors 45cm apart when the risk of frost has passed. Support with a cane and remove side shoots regularly. Feed regularly with tomato food.

Gigantomo - Simply Seeds

Produces world beating extra large fruits up to a huge 700g - 1kg in size. The fruits have good flavour and one can be sliced to feed a family of four!!

Best grown in a greenhouse.

Harvesting time will depend on sowing time and growing conditions.

Tomato Crimson Plum F1

I have to agree with the Dobie web site, in that the new member of the Crimson family Crimson Plum F1 launched this year is delicious and I have to say when all the tomatoes out on plots on our little allotment site turned their toes up at the beginning of last month due to blight, the Crimson Plum F1 just kept growing and so far has not shown any indication of blight.  I've had a few harvests of red tomatoes from it in the last couple of weeks. 

I did have to remove the Crimson Crush and the new Crimson Cherry because of Blight out on the plot. I still have all three however in my plot 1 greenhouse in Quadgrows. 

Note to self Take the photo before harvesting all the red tomatoes next time!

This remarkable fruit is ideal for pots, baskets or any containers, reaching heights of 150-200cm (59-79"); spread 40-50cm (16-20"). On my plot I only had 1.2m bamboo but have bought some longer poles for next year as I will be growing these outside again. In fact they have done better outside on the plot than they have in the greenhouse so far. 

The Crimson Plum will harvest from July through to October, a 'Roma' style plum with a rich, deep flavour. It has solid, meaty flesh with few seeds and is good for cooking and using in sauces, but with tomatoes at a shortage this year because of the blight on the allotment and home I have been eating these with my lunch for the last week. 

Dobies - Tomato Crimson Plum F1 -  Code 435194 - 10 Seeds - £3.99