Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Product tests

Here's where users test and review products and give their feedback. If you'd like to run a product test please email [email protected].

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

MNHQ

Dolmio Tomato Growing Seeds - progress reporting thread

471 replies

AnnMumsnet · 06/05/2011 09:26

This thread is for the MNers who are growing tomato plants from seed courtsey of Dolmio (well at least they are hoping to Grin). The project is designed to highlight the fact that 100% of Dolmio tomatoes are grown outdoors in the sun (not in greenhouses). For more info on Dolmio please click here

If you are a tomato grower and part of this project please add your updates below - we'd love to know about the plants at each stage - from humble seedlings to the fully grown fruit! Do let us know how, if at all, your children are getting involved as well. If you are not so succesful don't worry please also let us know here. If you need any advice please ask and if you can offer advice please do so!

Details for sending in photos is on the email sent.

Everyone who takes part in this project and who adds their feedback and sends in at least one photo will be entered into a prize draw to win one of two £200 John Lewis vouchers and a Dolmio hamper (to be mailed out in September).

Thanks and best of luck
MNHQ

OP posts:
LaVitaBellissima · 13/08/2011 22:13

Mine are looking a bit ropey, flowers but no fruit as yet!

gazzalw · 14/08/2011 11:17

Have finally uploaded photos of the tomatoes onto the PC but now can't find info (i.e. the original email) on how to upload them to the website - HELP PLEASE

gazzalw · 14/08/2011 11:19

the less robust looking pot of tomato plants is actually the one producing the green tomatoes (albeit very, very small ones)! Am also adding used coffee grounds to help nourish the compost in which they are growing.

lisad123 · 14/08/2011 14:53

We have yellow flowers! Grin when are we likely to get a tomato? It seems to take agggees! (not that its requirred much imput from me of course)

gazzalw · 14/08/2011 18:43

Our flowers came out about 10 days ago and now have baby green tomatoes
Help! Still not had any information on how to upload the photos - would be much appreciated!

llynnnn · 14/08/2011 23:10

I have had lots of little green tomatoes for well over a week now but they aren't showing any signs of turning red yet? How long does this take?

Also, I've lost the original email telling me how to upload my photo, if any mn chief's see this would you mind forwarding on to me again? Thank You :)

TheMonster · 15/08/2011 10:20

If you scroll back through the thread, I think there is an email to send them to.

Actually, I might still have the email...

TheMonster · 15/08/2011 10:21

Here's the bit about photos
We'd also like to see photos of your tomato plants. Please send your photo to [email protected] - however - as we said before - we do have quite a number of MNers taking part in this project and are conscious that we could well be overwhelmed by photos - which would be great but there will be a limit as to how many we can use. So please can we politely ask that you send us a max of about 3 photos over the course of this project? The photos will be used on the Dolmio pages on Mumsnet (www.mumsnet.com/microsites/dolmio). Photos could be of seedlings sprouting through, your child watering them, the first green buds, the yellowing fruits and also the final product - or even of how you used the tomatoes at the end!

gazzalw · 15/08/2011 18:55

Thank you for info on uploading the photos! Done!

TheMonster · 15/08/2011 19:48

We go away for a week on Sunday. Has anyone got any ideas about watering?
(does it show that we don't usually go away?)

missorinoco · 16/08/2011 13:52

I have a gazillion green tomatoes, well, 42 to be precise, but they don't seem to be aware of the convention to go red.

We have taken some of them inside onto the windowsill after one went rotten on the vine. Then we snuggled them up with the apples as per my grow-your-own-fruit-and-veg-book I bought after getting the seeds. Still green. They've already had that tomato feed stuff.

I ate my inch long courgettes with pasta yesterday, but I draw the line at green tomatoes.

Any hints before I head off to get the red paint out?

FannyFifer · 16/08/2011 15:54

I got the packet of tomato seeds but they didn't survive, I did try,unfortunately plants and I do not get on. Sad

LaVitaBellissima · 16/08/2011 17:46

I HAVE GREEN TOMATOES!!!!!!

LaVitaBellissima · 16/08/2011 17:47

Apologies for shouting, but i'm a bit excited Grin

AlmaMartyr · 16/08/2011 17:55

Mine are growing very happily in my main bed now although no tomatoes yet. They look pretty happy but I have been neglecting of them late so maybe I should go and check on them soon.

TheMonster · 17/08/2011 11:38

My plants have got rather rangy looking but in the past I have had massive bushy plants and only got a few measly fruit, so I feel hopeful.
Has anyone got any signs of ripening?

RepressedBodyOfEeyore · 17/08/2011 21:34

I've watered and pruned this evening. I have quite a few green toms Smile

ouryve · 19/08/2011 17:05

We have the teensiest, tiniest green tomatoes. No need for any more green tomato envy Envy

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 21/08/2011 00:49

I spent an hour hacking away at the side shoots of my tomato plants as they have gone ballistic and were so overgrown that the sun (ha ha) couldn't reach the green tomatoes. My allotment is now a tourist attraction so I was hacking away trying to ignore people staring at me wondering what on earth I was doing as great lumps of tomato plant went on the compost pile. Don't have stakes for them so they are growing sort of along the ground.

Went to see them today and found my friend spraying her's with Bordeaux Mixture. Think unfortunately our site has blight and I can see the beginnings on my plants. Will keep an eye on them the next few days but think it will be Green Tomato Chutney for me. Shame but we did have them late in the season so there it was always pretty likely blight would be an issue.

welliesandpyjamas · 21/08/2011 08:35

So behind everyone. Plants are only half height still but on the plus side they are now potted outside and no longer in windows indoors, and they are looking very happy in their new lush soil Grin The only down side is that I can't see them all the time as they are in a communal garden...and in order to give them the best sun and shelter they are out of my line of vision upstairs. I had my doubts that they would grow enough to fruit before the temperatures started dropping again but am now feeling more positive and think we're in with a fair chance :) Fingers crossed.

SpeedyGonzalez · 22/08/2011 00:03

Well in characteristic SpeedyGonzalez fashion I planted the seeds about a month too late...but I'm delighted that in the past week we have seen our first flowers! The plants themselves are growing beautifully and even if we'd had no flowers/ fruit appear it has been such a pleasure to inhale that distinctively rich tomato plant smell which takes me back to my childhood. My green-fingered mother would be so proud if she could see me growing my own...Grin

ConfessionsOfAnAchingMind · 22/08/2011 17:08

I have teeny tiny green tomatos!!! At last.

gazzalw · 22/08/2011 17:23

We might all be eating fried green tomatoes as the Americans do at this rate.....Presume the lack of heat and sunshine combined is the reason why we all still have tiddler green ones. I think I've only counted seven baby green tomatoes and yet I've got lots of yellow flowers. But sure that by this time last year we had fully-fledged and yummy red ones ready to pick off the vines!

BehindLockNumberNine · 22/08/2011 17:47

Teeny tiny green tomatoes spotted here...
Am trying very hard not to compare them to the orangy-almost-red ones in next door's greenhouse....

BehindLockNumberNine · 22/08/2011 17:48

Aaaaah yes, the smell... Lovely!

Even dd who recently declared tomatoes the food of the devil admitted yesterday that 'the plants smell nice mum'