Kitchen Garden Forum

I've been given a Tumbling Tom tomato plant with lots of sideshoots on it. As I've never grown a tumbling variety before and have no spare growing space:
1. What is the smallest size pot I can grow it in?
2. Are sideshoots removed in tumbling varieties or left to grow and bush up?

Thanks.

I grow these in a pot on the patio - 14" or 16" but quite shallow. They seem to do fine!
I don't cut side-shoots - just let them produce and enjoy.
I'm hoping this year to grow Hundreds & Thousands (Suttons) if Suttons ever get round to sending them - in hanging baskets on a "hanging basket tree" - should be fun!
cheers
Salimandre

Thanks Salimandre. I saw the Hundreds & Thousands plants advertised by Suttons & thought they would be fun to try but they seemed very expensive when you compare the cost of growing them from seed and I haven't seen any packets of these available yet. However, when they are I'll give them a try. (Or creep by your house at night, nick a tomato and save the seed !!)
Does anybody know if these are an F1 variety, in which case possibly any saved seed might produce rather different results if sown?

Hi Primrose,
Tumbling Tom is NOT an F1 variety. It is meant for hanging baskets and containers and they are really sweet. Just the right size to nick as you are going about your daily chores!
JB.

But what about the Hundreds and Thousands, are they an F1? I must admit I've not heard of them

I'm doing Sweet Millions!! Sub Arctic Plenty, something Pearl and Marmande. I tried Marmande last year but got blight so they are outside this year. Out of five seeds sown only one came up. I really wanted to do more for the freezer but next year I will do more research into different varieties to see which will be the better tomatoe to freeze. Any suggestions anyone.

I've got three Sweet Million plants, but got interrupted when planting them out so now can't remember which are Sweet Million and which are Gardeners Delight! Am hoping that once they fruit I'll be able to recognise them as Gardeners Delight now seem to produce much bigger fruit than they did years ago when I first started growing them when they seemed to be cherry sized.

Hi Chantal,
I suspect that 'Hundreds and Thousands' tomatoes are supplied as plants only. I can find no source of seed supply.
There are certain supermarket tomatoes that are very tasty but when you look into the varieties mentioned there is no source of seed.
I would think that they are supplied as plants only and the plants are produced from cuttings only or micro propagation.
The only thing that I can suggest is to grow some of the seeds as an experiment and keep your fingers crossed with regards to the result.
JB.

I checked Suttons website and can certainly find no mention of Hundreds & Thousands seeds in their catalogue.

Looks like we'll all be creeping round Salimandre's garden after to dark to "borrow" a tomato, if ever her plants arrive!

Primrose I got interrupted when planting my toms and am having the same problem. So we will have to wait and see which is which. Though they dont seem to be growing very quickly.

I've just Googled and found them

http://www.nationaltrust-shop.co.uk/pro ... s_micro_/2

Yup those are they!!
Heavily advertised this year through the magazines - I ordered a month ago and guess they have had to grow a load more micro-plants as they have still not arrived (sigh).
I'll try saving seed this year (first time) and will let you know! (as you said, assuming they actually do arrive...)
cheers
S

I have a tumbling tom in my lean to conservatory, and picked my first small tomatoe of the year today - incredibly sweet. Looking forward to the other hundred baby ones ripening.

This one is in a large hanging basket 18" or so across, grown on from a 3" pot I boughtback in early April.

They are here - and huge!!! Already got over 20 flowers each - and probably 15" high in very small pots!!! so definitely value for money, especially if the seeds stay true <grin>
cheers
Salimandre

Well worth the frustrating wait then? Keep us posted.