Dolmio Tomato Growing Seeds - progress reporting thread

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the MNers who are growing tomato plants from seed courtsey of Dolmio (well at least they are hoping to ). 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

I've picked two orange ones this morning. A couple more look like they are trying to ripen.
I've grown tomatoes before, but these plants were the spinliest, ugliest and most poorly producing ones ever. They did, however, smell nice when I watered them.

My plants are not looking healthy at all :( i have many tiny green toms but i dont think they they will grow or ripen! I do have 2 or 3 big green toms that i mite pick them and put them on the window sill ans see if they will ripen!

Green tomatoes here too, DP is going to make green tomatoes in olive oil for Christmas antipasti

If anyone is interested in the recipe, halve the tomatoes, put on a little salt (season & works as a preservative) and leave for 2 hours, then drain put some vinegar on them, leave again for 2 hours, drain again then put in jars, cover with olive oil and you can also add peppercorns, chilli, chopped garlic too if you like. Very tasty

Sending a photo of my dying plants now mumsnet, am leaving one healthy one outside to see if the few tomatoes on it eventually turn red but I'm not holding out any hope!

Agree that we've had rubbish weather, also my garden isn't sunny all day and I think I could of planted them earlier, will try again next year though!

Have moved mine into the conservatory to take full advantage of the week's forecast hot weather.... have two red ones - hurrah! Maybe more to follow
Oh me of little faith
LaVitaBellisima your recipe sounds delish....

DD ate her first ripe tomato this morning and we adults shared the other ripe one - small but perfectly formed and so sweet - yum! So much nicer tasting than the shop-bought ones. Let's just hope the green ones all get time to ripen!

My plants are covered in green tomatoes, but I can't find a single one that's gone even slightly red yet. Hopefully there's still a chance for that to change, with the heatwave due towards the end of the week!

How's tomato ripening progress? We've had a couple more red ones but a few are going rather gnarled looking (almost a bit shrivelled) as if they might have caught the frost or are slightly malformed...hmmm. Anyway this lovely weather is helping the others and have a few orange ones too - hardly a bumper crop though even if all the remaining ones do ripen...probably 1 1/2 lbs maximum! They are little as well - were they supposed to be cherry tomatoes???

PS When is this thread going to wrap up?

My plants look like they're on their last legs, probably because I keep forgetting about them . We do have some red tomatoes on them though and we've had some green ones that have ripened in the fruit bowl. We're quite pleased actually and dd has been v excited about eating tomatoes she's grown.

You are never going to believe this - but I have two, small, green tomatoes! I had given up, but with all this sun I have been rewarded. I might actually upload a photo or two now. Hooray!

AnnMumsnet - I sent a couple of pics on 30th Sept and just wanted to check you received them? They were quite big files so worried they may not have reached you...

DS and I have been eating our ripe tomatoes and they are YUM :)

Right. I have sent my picture of my one and only ripe tomato. I am quite chuffed really as I had given up on ever getting one that was red amoungst the green ones.

I still have a little truss of

Our little heatwave wasn't enough, it seems. Will probably have to resort to the windowsill, by the end of the week.

Have just harvested the ripe 1/3 of our tomato crop - it's only a small bowl full but....DD enjoys going into the conservatory and picking off to eat at a whim!

Just to add (probably final words from this tomato grower) that DD, DW and self have been enjoying our (small) crop very much. Haven't done anything exciting with them other than enjoy in their natural state with oat cakes and Barber's cheddar cheese - scrummy! They are so sweet too - all I need now is a glass of

Am wrapping this one up now...thank you so so so much for all the feedback and amazing photos!

DoodleAlley and smokinaces have been selected from all those who sent in pictures as the winners of the JL vouchers and Dolmio hampers. Am emailing you now to check addresses with you.

I am absolutely shocked, and so so grateful. I am on such a strict budget that this voucher is going to mean I can buy my mum and nephews and sisters presents this year without sticking to my £5 limit. And my two boys are going to have the best stocking fillers they have ever had!! I am so excited I am almost in tears, thank you so so much Mumsnet and Dolmio!

Congrats both :)

I've really enjoyed the experience - am definitely going to get into proper growing next year and learn from my mistakes - was so chuffed to get two small green tomatoes even though I made such a mess of it :o

Just wanted to echo the thanks. On Sunday we were just talking about how it seemed impossible to get things above the day-in-day-out stuff. This us such a blessing. Thank you.

Not yet decided how to spent it but it will be a massive treat and it's really exciting.

We should have an online reunion next year - now we're seasoned tomato growers!!! I've been inspired to try a pot of winter potatoes which they assure me will be ready for Christmas!

Congratulations to both of you . It's so nice that the prizes will make such a big difference to both of you.

I have enjoyed the tomato growing although they did end up a bit neglected. Will probably try again next year but maybe plant them a bit earlier in the year and do a few at a time (I shoved all the seeds in at once cos I thought most would die ).

Thought I would update this. (Tis Paperview in halloween frock)

Well, it turns out that i didn't have placebo seeds as 6 started to grow - woo!

Plants 1-3 have some sort of growth disorder and stopped growing - or doing anything in fact at about 40 cms and 1 stalk , plant 4 got annihilated by a slug, plant 5 got chopped down by over enthusiastic football playing children and plant six got 1 flower before before it got drowned by the "summer drizzle".

My control plant however, grew tomatoes without flowering - or at least i didn't notice the flowers before a fox decided it was having That Space as it's bed and squished all but one which DS3 decided was "growed".

It was a small but very green tomato sauce