Have I sold 16 people a pig in a poke?

[PiggyPokkyFool]

Name changed as this is very outing.
The facts: Saw YouTube video about growing tomatoes from a slice of tomato, had some v tasty cherry ones from supermarket so planted 3 slices with low expectations. 3 weeks later, 54 seedlings, transferred to larger pots expecting to lose half, 52 survived - nearly all grew looking super healthy - had 49 tomato plants. Couldn't possibly use all so planted some, gave away some and had 28 tomato plants left. Got the bright idea of selling them on our local group for 50p each - sold all bar 3 which I offered some to my much older, much wiser chum and he said " Oh, no thanks as they are probably F1s so won't produce anything". Have I sold 16 people a pig in a poke? Never mind friends who think I am a great grower

Beautiful budding! Octo that is a beast of a tomato, wow!

My word @Octothorpe - I picked another 70 odd yesterday but your tomato is the size of 20 of mine put together! Very impressive.
Welcome newbies - come one, come all - everyone welcome on this thread.
Excellent foraging - I have never picked rosehips or sloes though I used to pick lbs of blackberries before we got our own bushes and I should again.
Looking at the temperatures for the next 14 days we have another two weeks of good growing here in london and it is pouring rain today so saves watering.
Would love to keep the thread going into the next year.

Would love to be on the pig in a poke cont./ threads!

It takes time, these growing seasons. Always something to report/discuss/compare, even!

With the rosehips, I did wonder if I could grow my own wild roses from these hips?

It is a bit of a monster!

I used to grow Costeluto Florentino (big Italian beef tomatoes) because they're good for making sauce, but then I found this one. It's a variety called Brandy Boy. Huge fruits but also really nice flavour. The only problem is that the trusses get so heavy you end up with a headache trying to support them.

Incidentally, has anyone tried the trick of making new plants by rooting the side-shoots you nip out and normally throw away? I haven't, but I'm told it works really well.

Costeluto Fiorentino I should have said

I know the side-shoot rooting is a real thing because I subsequently heard Monty Don talking about it on GW once! I really must try it next year. My only query is whether the side shoot plants are going to be less advanced than the main plant, or whether they catch up. But at worst I suppose you'd just have a slightly staggered crop - perhaps no bad thing.

I think wild roses are rather like brambles in vigour and space requirements... At least they don't root from the branch tip like brambles do!

ooh bob that's interesting! Having a read.

I love the look of those brandy boy tomatoes, my DD has been begging me to grow some big ones. Can you grow them outside or does it have to be under glass?

You can overwinter them?? Mind. Blown

Thanks Bob - I think I’ll try this! The plants are still desperately putting out side shoots and the seeds are expensive so it would be a good trick.

mustbetimeforachange I’m not sure tbh but if you’ve got a good sunny spot outdoors I don’t see why not? I just grow them inside because I’ve got a greenhouse and find it easier that way. They do need a LOT of support though - physically, I mean! - as the plants are v vigorous and the trusses extremely heavy.

Thank you, might not be great for my growbags then. I do have frames around them, but there would be nowehere to put extra support. I guess I've got time to persude DH to build a greenhouse think about it.

Oh no BobTheDuvet ! What a shame, especially as they can take a while to gather.

I have yet to gather my last ones to make the full kilo the recipe requires. I need to make a trip out as part of my lunch break to grab some more.

They only need a short simmer once up to boiling point, but I'm going to be hovvering when I do mine

Yes, I was thinking it must be nice toffee! I have now gathered my remaining amount to add to the pile and can start my boiling. Just have to pick all the sloes out,which seem to be in abundance at the moment too!

Finally tally 1kg rosehips 1lb8oz sloes

Done for now!

I've now got some rather nice but not at all what I wanted rosehip toffee... sigh Try adding some more water and boiling it up so the toffee dissolves in the water.

Same principle as making caramel sauce, where you boil the sugar till you get the brown caramel colour, then quickly add water and stir so you have a sauce rather than a brittle slab of caramel.

I've done it. Rosehip syrup virgin. I large bottle of rosehip syrup, currently cooling.

I did all the rosehip boiling before adding the sugar. Double strained, through double-muslin, got a good syrupy mixture out. Then added less sugar than recipe asked for, but I would add even less next time. I know, its syrup, but, the taste and smell is divine and I prefer that to the taste of sugar. I reboiled it slowly to dissolve the sugar and let it aimmer for a few mins then decanted into a litre bottle. ⅔ full.

My syrup