Ailsa Craig DTM

[Milan HP]

Hello everyone,
I have just received seeds of Ailsa Craig. My plan is to grow them in containers on my balcony. How early is it? What level of disease resistance or tolerance? And I'd really appreciate any comments from those who have grown it.

Thank you.
Milan HP

[kevrow73]

Hello,

I haven't grown Ailsa Craig for few years mainly due to trying many new varieties. But your question raises many fond memories of my late father who would always grow Ailsa Craig. It is an early medium tomato with a very good deep tomato taste.
Here were I live in the Uk they are best grown under glass due to the cool climate, but hopefully in the Czech Republic I would imagine that your balcony should be ok, but you will need to support the plant as it is an indeterminate.
Just talked myself into getting some Ailsa Craig seeds for next year, they won't be as good as my Dad's though, I'm fairly sure of that.

regards

Kevin

[Milan HP]

Hello Kevin,
thanks a lot for the info.
One thing I understand quite well: all the tomatoes we ate in our youth were better than the same varieties grown today.Probably because our taste buds were fresh and so were our brains.
My friend, I got the seeds from her, grows them outdoors in Slovakia and says they are quite hardy. So I am almost sure they'll be fine here.

Milan HP

[kevrow73]

Hello Milan,

Your probably correct about the taste buds and defininitly correct about my brain (something to do with Alcohol I'm told).
I've grown some tomatoes from Eastern Europe over the last few of years but not from the Czech Republic, out of interest would you recommend any local varieties that I might like to try to grow some time in the future?

Kevin

[Milan HP]

Hello Kevin,
sure I could. But first about alcohol: You're told completely wrong, that is unless you consume half a liter of whisky(ey?) a day (did Winston Churchill drink that much?). That equals 10 units of alcohol. And I'm almost sure you don't. My regular dose is 4 units (beer or wine), not every day but almost, and I feel my brain works better for that, not worse. Let's face reality: it's the age of our brain cells that really matters.
As to the special Czech varieties, I can recommend (and also provide) two really early cultivars: Start F1 and Stupice (OP). I believe they could grow well in Wales. The only problem with them is that they aren't late blight resistant. Which won't matter if you grow them in a greenhouse (as you said you your father had done with Aisla Craig).

Milan HP

[kevrow73]

Hello Milan,

Definitely not a big whiskey drinker more carlsberg. I'm 52 now so my brain cells are getting on a bit as well as the rest of me.
I'm fairly sure I tried to grow Stupice in 2016 but the seeds didn't germinate DOH, the startF1 looks very good and highly recomended on tatiana's website.
If you could supply some seeds for me I would be very grateful.
Perhaps I could return your kindness and send some seeds to you. My favourate variety for taste is Orange Paruche F1, it is very difficult to source the seeds for this in the UK as the main seed suppliers don't sell it any more but I found a new supplier recently and now have some spare I could give you.
Not sure what else you would like, but I could dig out some other tomato seeds that grow widely in the Uk such as Alicante, Gardeners Delight and Moneymaker.

Kevin

[Milan HP]

Hello Kevin,
is a pack of each enough? 60 seeds of Start and 15 of Stupice? I'll get them and post them asap. Just PM your address.
As to seeds from Britain, I have a big problem in my garden: late blight. It comes every year and that's why I can only grow lb resistant varieties. Is Orange Paruche one of them? Actually, I buy quite a few seeds from Sutton's Seeds, but I am fully saturated for the next season. They've enlarged their lb resistant series and I managed to get the seeds through a friend's daughter who lives in the UK. But I promise to remember you when I need anything, okay?

Milan HP

[asmx91]

Hello Milan,
I had Ailsa Craig a few years ago in cultivation, but in the greenhouse.
For me it was a very good variety. I love all kinds from Great Britain.
2021 I grew " Outdoor Girl" on my balcony. Very, very good and resistant.
Than "Scabtitha" was 2021 very good, too and resistant! (Greenhouse)
Milan, you must make seeds from your tomatoes, which you grow. Than take this seeds and you see, that they are more resistant than the bought seeds.
Send me your adress in an a PM and I will send you seeds.
Anneliese

[Milan HP]

Hello Anneliese,
that's a very kind offer. Thank you a million. However, I'd like to ask you for waiting a bit. My grow plans for next year are full to the brim, maybe a bit brimming over. I have got 10 new lb resistant varieties to test and I don't know yet if I'll be able to squeeze them in.

Of course I store seeds from all open pollinated varieties that I have grown so far. But there haven't been so many as I focus on lb resistant ones - it's a must - and they are mostly hybrids. Yes, my plan is to grow some non-resistant cultivars on my balcony, too, but there's very limited space there.

In return I can send you Mountaineer Pride and Mountaineer Delight seeds (resistant beefsteaks), Koralik (semi-wild cherry), Sophie's Choice (det.), Arctic Rose (beefsteak dwarf), Mongolian Karlik (det. beefsteak) and Matt's Wild Cherry. And that's it, plus Start F1 and Stupice. These are all the OP varieties I have grown so far. I am still just a rookie.

I'd like to tell you that you were perfectly right saying earlier this year that I would have plenty of toms. Now that the season is over I can sum it up:
Initial number of plants: 46
First late blight symptoms: 23.7.
First plants gone: 3.8.
Final number of plants: 21 (all lb resistant)
Healthy ripe tomatoes: "adults" 126,227 kg
clones/cuts 15,588 kg
Final number of clones: 23
Unripe green tomatoes for indoor ripening: "adults" 15,742 kg
clones 9,108 kg
Total: 166,685 kg

Not a bad result after all. I was a bit disappointed with their taste though. At least 15 - 20% down compared to my best year which was 2018.

How was your season (or has been)?

Milan HP

[asmx91]

My season was not good.
I had and have problems with my knee, than the cold weather...
but it was enough for eating.
From your open polinated kinds I had almost all in cultiavtion. Not: Mountaineer Pride and Mountaineer Delight.
You mustn't send me back seeds because I only make my old Spanish kinds.
Than - I must get a new knee, I don't know if I can do my garden next year.
Anneliese

[Milan HP]

Hello Anneliese,
I am very sorry to hear about your knee that can affect your next season. I really hope you'll be fine after the operation. I do keep my fingers crossed for you.

And the typical sigh of the ones that were "born earlier": if only our organs could be replaced. I have a long wish-list: the back, the heart and the lungs. Perhaps the liver, too. If I had these, I'd be young again.
Milan HP

[asmx91]

Thanks