I enjoy growing tomatoes. This presents a challenge as I live in the far south of New Zealand. Summer weather is rather variable, with frosts occurring as late as December, and beginning again in January some years. The climate is cool and cloudy, with about 1200 sunshine hours per year. Each year I have been able to grow a modest crop of tomatoes by choosing varieties carefully, and giving the plants some protection from the cold and wind. Varieties tried so far.
Russian Red This was recommended to me by Fred Foote, a very experienced home gardener, who gardened by the sea in Blaketown, Greymouth. I have grown this one for 15 years, in Greymouth and Invercargill. Russian Red is said to be cold hardy, and I have had modest outdoor crops. It produces better in a plastic shelter or greenhouse. Medium height, small to medium fruit size.
Yellow Pear This seed came from Kings Herb Seed in Auckland. I first tried it outdoors in Greymouth. The leaves curled up, and I pulled the plants out as I thought they had a virus infection. I have found that Yellow Pear will grow into a tall vigorous plant if given a very sheltered outdoor site, against a North facing wall. It produces better in a greenhouse. Last year I tried growing 4 plants in containers of scoria, in Hydroponic solution. The fruit on these plants was double the size of the soil grown plants. We love the small pear shaped tomatoes. Yellow Pear needs to be started early, as it takes about a month longer to get to the fruiting stage, than other types I have grown.
Gold Nugget I read about this small fruited bush tomato in American catalogues. I obtained it from Kings. I have tried it for 2 seasons and have found it to perform well in part protected outdoor conditions. A friend commented that it was less acidic than other tomatoes. This year I will trial it in the hydroponic pots. Sweet 100 I have always purchased plants of this one. One year a Sweet 100 Supertom in my Greymouth greenhouse produced hundreds of small tasty fruits. It has also done well in a cold greenhouse here in Invercargill.
Amateur This was recommended as a good tomato for the South, by the Cook’s Garden (N.Z. )authors. I obtained my seed from the Christchurch agent of Sutton’s, the English seed firm. I have had modest yields growing this type outdoors. When I tried it in my new plastic greenhouse last summer, it sulked. I think the daytime temperature got too hot.
Further experiments. In autumn I obtained some new packets of tomato seed. In July, I hauled out my heated propagator and planted seeds of "Manitoba" from McKenzie of Canada. In August I will plant seed of "Starfire Improved", also from McKenzie. From Digger’s Australia I have a packet of "Mortgage Lifter" There is also a packet of Yates "Quick Pick" which I will plant in containers in the greenhouse. I have also tried Sweet Million from Kings. It produced very poorly outdoors. I will try it again in the greenhouse. I have been reading U.S. catalogues from Johnny’s Selected Seeds, and Thompson and Morgan. I would like to try the cold hardy, short season tomatoes available in the U.S.A and Canada. Does anyone know of a New Zealand source for these varieties? Sub Arctic Plenty, Siberia, Arctic, or Gem State , to name just a few.
Tomato varieties to exchange. Russian Red, Amateur, Gold Nugget, Patio, Quick Pick, Manitoba, Pink Ponderosa, Starfire Improved. Within New Zealand, I am happy to swap these for seeds of cold hardy or minature plant types. Because of NZ’s strict plant protection laws it is difficult to import seed. Seed from outside N.Z needs to be in a sealed commercial packet, with the botanical name written on it. I am happy to exchange my seed for new stamps from U.S., U.K., Canada or Australia. Email for arrangements if you have something to swap.
