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Annual Biennial

Solanum lycopersicum 'Shimmer'

tomato 'Shimmer'

'Shimmer' is a cordon tomato grown as an annual either in an unheated greenhouse or outdoors. The small, conical, red-green fruits with gold streaks are a little larger than cherry tomatoes andproduced in abundance throughout the summer

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

1 year

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1C

Botanical details

Family: Solanaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Semi evergreen
Habit: Bushy, Climbing
Genus: Solanum can be annuals, perennials, evergreen or deciduous shrubs or twining climbers, with simple or pinnnately lobed leaves and star- or bowl-shaped, 5-lobed flowers with prominent stamens, followed by fleshy fruits
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Start from seed or buy as small plants and grow on in a heated greenhouse or on a warm windowsill. Move to an unheated greenhouse or outside once all risk of frost has passed. Water regularly to keep the growing media evenly moist, feed every 10-14 days with a balanced liquid fertiliser before switching to a high potassium liquid feed once the first fruits have set. Provide support for cordon tomatoes

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds or sowing seeds indoors for further advice

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants

Pruning

Remove all side shoots and pinch out the growing tip when the plant has reached the top of the greenhouse or have set seven trusses indoors or four trusses outdoors

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly and tomato moth

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), potato blight, tomato blight, tomato leaf mould, tomato viruses, magnesium deficiency and blossom end rot. See Tomatoes: leaf problems

Get involved

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