Abertomato: the results

Back in the spring we set ourselves the challenge of testing various tomato varieties to see which did best in the Aberystwyth area.

Between us we had quite a range of varieties, from established favourites like Gardener’s Delight to heritage varieties like Latah (right, from Real Seeds) and Whippersnapper (below, from the Heritage Seeds Library), and a few F1 hybrids as well. We grew them in outdoor beds, in pots, in hanging baskets, in conservatories and polytunnels. We posted photos on Facebook, chatted in person, and some of us wrote in at the end with our results. It was a cross between citizen science and a virtual community garden.

So how did we do? Here is the anecdotal evidence.

At Penglais Community Garden we grew so many varieties that we lost track of them (and some of the labels) and failed to keep any records. However I do remember that Whippersnapper (left) was first to flower in my garden at home (600ft, mid May) and fruit (mid June) and also had a lot of fruit again in September.

Cape Teaser was pretty with tiny orange fruit but rather fiddly. I liked Imun, with its matte skin and stocky habit, and it cooked well. Latah was early and reasonably productive, and Black Cherry had a good flavour but looked weird. Gardener's Ecstasy was a feeble plant to begin with but picked up and did have tasty fruit.

It was interesting to see how vigorous the F1 hybrids were. Consuelo and Honeybee dominated production at Penglais, and Sungold and Romello did well elsewhere. They seemed to be on steroids, putting the others literally in the shade. But of course they are no good for seed sharing because you have to buy them every year.

Meanwhile, in Waunfawr, Aberystwyth:

“Cape Teaser sprawled everywhere and the birds ended up eating most of the fruit (didn’t know they liked tomatoes!) because I also found them fiddly to pick….Galina was tasty, pretty and productive. I also liked Imun – didn’t sprawl, productive, good size for cooking. So, I would grow Galina and Imun again next year.”

From Goginan Community Garden:

"Cape Teaser was prolific, delicious and a real faff to pick as the fruit was so small. It's still bearing fruit now [November]! Stupice was a strong, healthy plant with big fruits, but a very boring taste. Galina was again a strong plant, but didn't have quite so many fruits, but they tasted nice…Apart from the never-ending Cape Teaser, none of our plants had a huge amount of fruit, but that was probably to be expected in our rather poor soil."

From a polytunnel in the mountains somewhere near Bala:

“[Gardeners Delight and Gardeners Ecstasy] grew well and strong, but due to the cold and lack of water/ feeding, they didn't get going that fast….Having said this I still got a great crop of very nicely flavoured large cherry toms, I would definitely grow these again….The Cape Teaser was interesting as it went a bit mad.... I ended up with a massive sprawling plant that then produced lots and lots of blueberry size but incredibly tasty tomatoes!...they made amazing pickled tomatoes and were lovely with little mozzarella pearl balls. Very fun and I would definitely try it again.”

Our most scientific results came from Llanfarian:

• Aurora was not worth growing, late to flower (had first flowers by 26/6 whereas most others had set fruit by then), very few fruit set and none ripened.

• Imun I rather liked, though not entirely sure why! It set good crops of large fruit for a bush variety. Not much ripened on the plant, but I did notice blight in time and took fruiting branches off and hung them in shed to finish ripening.

• Latah I like. It does ripen more quickly than most. Smaller fruit than I remembered it having.

• Koralik was ok but nothing special. Just as susceptible to blight as my other varieties. Lots of typical cherry size red fruit.

• Cape Teaser I wouldn't bother with again as fruit were too small for me…. There were lots of them on v long trusses and they looked nice though.

• Whippersnapper…grew nicely early in season but didn't set fruit till relatively late…One for pot or hanging basket not veg bed.

• Gardeners Delight and Gardeners Ecstasy were very similar. GE looked feeble fir ages but did eventually catch up and became a vigorous plant. It ripened slightly earlier than GD.

• Black Cherry was ok but nothing special. Pleasant taste but I didn't like the look of the fruit. I wouldn't bother growing it again. I think it was the first of all to succumb to blight .

• Galina I do like still. Bright yellow fruit looked nice in a mixed salad. Trusses short - only 4 or 5 fruit.

• Sungold (F1) was easily my best variety. First to ripen, long trusses, v vigorous plant, heaviest overall crop. Good flavour.

• Stupice was my biggest disappointment. I had high hopes after reading Sarah Raven's recommendation of it. Flavour was insipid, and it was very slow to ripen. I suspect it just needs more warmth and sunshine. Heavy crop but most stayed green.

• Alicante was pretty good. Heavy crop but didn't ripen till September.

Below, L to R: Sungold, Galina, Koralik.

Galina

Sad news from Cwm Rheidol:

“This is the second year in a row I have had no tomatoes! I’m wondering if there is a problem with my site as the leaves and fruit went brown and rotten both years, the first year I grew in the poly tunnel and this year I grew them outside in a patch, and they got big and looked fab, but before ripening everything turned brown, very disappointing! Especially as other things seem to be fine and unaffected by this brown/rotten problem…it was all the tomato varieties!”

And in Bow Street:

“I have only Consuela left growing at present [late October]. It has no leaves but the fruit are still ripening happily despite blight and cooler temps. The Galina, Stupice, Matina also went well for me. And despite flowering first my Whipper Snappers were some of the last still bearing fruit… Lastly, I can't decide what I think of Cape Teaser. That massive plant I had bore loads of fruit, but it always seemed to be the last ones we would pick or eat given a choice. I might try it again, but in a place it can tumble…”

Obviously there is more to tomatoes than choosing the right variety, and I think all of us learnt from our mistakes. Growing in pots or soil, spacing (bush varieties need a lot), which growing medium, how to feed them (comfrey juice or Tomorite?), protection from birds, transplanting date – all these made quite a difference, as well as the weather of course. I think next year I will go for fewer plants, better cared for.

Below: one of the Penglais beds after blight had struck in late September. We probably planted them too close together.

So much for the 2021 tomato experiment. Several of us saved seed of our favourites and will be offering seed and seedlings next spring, so do get in touch if you would like to try some. The great thing about gardening is that there’s always next year!