Tomato talk 2009
- Thread starter POTAWIE
- Start date
wordwiz said:
I grow a lot of tomatoes but I could probably grow 10+ times more and still never have enough to sell. Most of my extras goes into sauces, both hotsauce and pasta sauce(& tom paste) and most is frozen but I also go through a lot of salsa.
Cherry toms on the other hand always grow out of control for me. Often 1 plant is enough for me and my neighborhood.
I am trying First Ladies, Husky Red, Totem , Jetison, Opalka, White Queen, and Early Wonders this year. I had bought the first 5 from Totally Tomatoes and the last 2 are from Chiliac -- The First Ladies and Husky red are from their best flavor collection (?) I havent grown these before.
POTAWIE said:
Potawie,
If I grew 10 times what I do now - that would be about 450 plants - I would have lots to sell. I would also have to plant them on my roof, in the driveway, in hanging baskets along the house!
Two years ago, had the heat wave and drought not happened, I would have been able to sell maybe a couple two or three bushels. But I don't think I collected more than about 20 pounds of ripe fruit from the middle of August on.
Last year, my excuse was totally different, I tried about 12-14 different varieties. Most of them were worthless. Maybe 11 out of 42 plants actually produced more than a handful of ripe fruit.
This year, I'm going back to only five kinds, mostly known producers with between 8-12 plants of each. The Red Zebra and Green Sausage do not take near the room other types do and I don't think the Siletz gets large either, though it is the one plant I haven't tried.
Mike
AlabamaJack
eXtreme
I haven't found a variety yet that produces a lot for me yet....maybe I just don't know how to grow tomato's...
so....I decided to use number eight birdshot this year on the varieties...
Ambers Organics:
Thessaliniki
Homestead 24
Arkansas Travelor
Pink Accordian
Costoluto Genovese
Henderson Ponderosa Pink
Brandywine
Thompson and Morgan:
Money Maker
Seed Savers Exchange:
Large Red Cherry
Plum Lemon
Cherokee Purple
Tommy Toe
German Pink
Opalka
Burpee:
Sweet Seedless Hybrid
THP Member:
Kosavo
Tomato Growers:
Solar Fire VFFF Hybrid #5036
Solar Set VFF Hybrid #3567
Sunmaster VFFA Hybrid #3216
and another one I can't find right now...
so....I decided to use number eight birdshot this year on the varieties...
Ambers Organics:
Thessaliniki
Homestead 24
Arkansas Travelor
Pink Accordian
Costoluto Genovese
Henderson Ponderosa Pink
Brandywine
Thompson and Morgan:
Money Maker
Seed Savers Exchange:
Large Red Cherry
Plum Lemon
Cherokee Purple
Tommy Toe
German Pink
Opalka
Burpee:
Sweet Seedless Hybrid
THP Member:
Kosavo
Tomato Growers:
Solar Fire VFFF Hybrid #5036
Solar Set VFF Hybrid #3567
Sunmaster VFFA Hybrid #3216
and another one I can't find right now...
AlabamaJack
eXtreme
POTAWIE said:Didn't you also buy some seeds from amishseedland? Sorry for being nosey eh
not being nosey....I only bought peppers from her...
Does anybody have a favorite black tomato. I've recieved a lot of different seeds and am still trying to decide which ones to grow. I'm going to try the black cherry again, but am deciding between: Carbon, Black Krim, Black sea man and several others. I also want to grow the black plum but I'll see if I have room.
Any recommendations for a black tom with great flavor and decent size?
Anybody try the Paul Robeson?
Any recommendations for a black tom with great flavor and decent size?
Anybody try the Paul Robeson?
Ciao all-
How did I miss this thread?
Wordwiz, you are not kidding about Red Zebra. That thing was crazy productive for me in 2007. It also has far superiour flavour over Tigerella, which looks a lot like it. I found your comments about Green Sausage very interesting. I haven't grown it, mainly based on opinions and bad reviews from other growers, but I really ought to give it a go, basing it more on my own growing practices, climate, soil, yadda yadda.
Pam, it's interesting you heard that New Big Dwarf is considered an early variety. It certainly would never fall into that category in my garden. I'm keen to see how your DTM is with it. For what it's worth, I've heard Coyote is a spitter. I've not grown it myself. Snow White Cherry is an excellent white cherry, sweet but not cloying.
Potawie, I'm another huge fan of Opalka. It's my all-time favourite tomato. I use it for so many things, both fresh and for cooking, mostly for cooking/canning. I have a gardening friend in Mississippi who grew Summer Cider last year and loved it but I've not grown that one myself. KBX is merely a potato-leaf cross of Kellogg's Breakfast. They are essentially the same tomato with different leaf types. Kellogg's Breakfast is very good, but a little too juicy for my taste. I prefer Orange Strawberry for a large orange tomato, dense and meaty. My favourite black is Black From Tula, bar none. It's not going to wow you with production, but the ones you get should be outstanding. Paul Robeson was bland and mealy for me in 2005. I've got a different seed source for it and will probably give it another go at some point. Black Cherry is stupid productive, will grow to 12 ft even in our short season, and has good flavour, but for me, the deal breaker is the skins..skins are too thick and chewy. Chocolate Cherry is better, at least to my taste buds.
Hotpeppa and Moyboy, San Marzano Redorta is a very good Italian paste tomato and easy to source. Other ones for sauce would be again Opalka, Uncle Steve's Italian Plum, Prue, and Franchi Pear. I grew Brandywine Landis Valley which is a red strain of Brandywine and it was good, but it didn't match Brandywine Sudduth for flavour.
Josh, I've grown Cherokee Purple, Brandywine Sudduth, Black Krim, and Aunt Gertie's Gold of the ones you mentioned, all good. I've heard good things about Soldaki but I've not grown it myself. Just a word about Brandywine Sudduth. If you're looking for production, don't bother with this one. It's not going to wow you in that department. But for a BLT or a burger, there are few tomatoes out there to match it for flavour. Also, Aunt Gertie's Gold is VERY late. I only got 3 tomatoes off of it in 2006. Hopefully your season is longer than mine. It does well in the American South. I'm growing Neve's Azorean Red for the first time this year on rave reviews from other growers. I'm very much looking forward to it and pray for an outstanding season comparable to 2006 or 2007. I grew it for a Portuguese friend from the Azores and she talks about it to this day. She and her husband saved seeds from it and will grow it every year now.
AJ, if you're looking for crazy production, here are a few for you: Thessoloniki, which is on your list, you've been warned. This thing likes to take over. Costoluto Genovese was also crazy productive for me in 2006. King Humbert is the craziest of any tomato I've grown for production except for the cherries. It's a roma-type and will have you harvesting buckets for weeks wondering what else you can do with them. It also gets crazy huge, topping 12 ft in my Toronto garden. Reif Red Heart was nuts as well, and it's an oxheart, not known to be productive tomato plants. They're also HUGE, most in the 2 lb range.
Whew, that was fun..anyone else?
How did I miss this thread?
Wordwiz, you are not kidding about Red Zebra. That thing was crazy productive for me in 2007. It also has far superiour flavour over Tigerella, which looks a lot like it. I found your comments about Green Sausage very interesting. I haven't grown it, mainly based on opinions and bad reviews from other growers, but I really ought to give it a go, basing it more on my own growing practices, climate, soil, yadda yadda.
Pam, it's interesting you heard that New Big Dwarf is considered an early variety. It certainly would never fall into that category in my garden. I'm keen to see how your DTM is with it. For what it's worth, I've heard Coyote is a spitter. I've not grown it myself. Snow White Cherry is an excellent white cherry, sweet but not cloying.
Potawie, I'm another huge fan of Opalka. It's my all-time favourite tomato. I use it for so many things, both fresh and for cooking, mostly for cooking/canning. I have a gardening friend in Mississippi who grew Summer Cider last year and loved it but I've not grown that one myself. KBX is merely a potato-leaf cross of Kellogg's Breakfast. They are essentially the same tomato with different leaf types. Kellogg's Breakfast is very good, but a little too juicy for my taste. I prefer Orange Strawberry for a large orange tomato, dense and meaty. My favourite black is Black From Tula, bar none. It's not going to wow you with production, but the ones you get should be outstanding. Paul Robeson was bland and mealy for me in 2005. I've got a different seed source for it and will probably give it another go at some point. Black Cherry is stupid productive, will grow to 12 ft even in our short season, and has good flavour, but for me, the deal breaker is the skins..skins are too thick and chewy. Chocolate Cherry is better, at least to my taste buds.
Hotpeppa and Moyboy, San Marzano Redorta is a very good Italian paste tomato and easy to source. Other ones for sauce would be again Opalka, Uncle Steve's Italian Plum, Prue, and Franchi Pear. I grew Brandywine Landis Valley which is a red strain of Brandywine and it was good, but it didn't match Brandywine Sudduth for flavour.
Josh, I've grown Cherokee Purple, Brandywine Sudduth, Black Krim, and Aunt Gertie's Gold of the ones you mentioned, all good. I've heard good things about Soldaki but I've not grown it myself. Just a word about Brandywine Sudduth. If you're looking for production, don't bother with this one. It's not going to wow you in that department. But for a BLT or a burger, there are few tomatoes out there to match it for flavour. Also, Aunt Gertie's Gold is VERY late. I only got 3 tomatoes off of it in 2006. Hopefully your season is longer than mine. It does well in the American South. I'm growing Neve's Azorean Red for the first time this year on rave reviews from other growers. I'm very much looking forward to it and pray for an outstanding season comparable to 2006 or 2007. I grew it for a Portuguese friend from the Azores and she talks about it to this day. She and her husband saved seeds from it and will grow it every year now.
AJ, if you're looking for crazy production, here are a few for you: Thessoloniki, which is on your list, you've been warned. This thing likes to take over. Costoluto Genovese was also crazy productive for me in 2006. King Humbert is the craziest of any tomato I've grown for production except for the cherries. It's a roma-type and will have you harvesting buckets for weeks wondering what else you can do with them. It also gets crazy huge, topping 12 ft in my Toronto garden. Reif Red Heart was nuts as well, and it's an oxheart, not known to be productive tomato plants. They're also HUGE, most in the 2 lb range.
Whew, that was fun..anyone else?
Its so nice to have the tomato lady back
I wasn't a big fan of the black cherry, but it was incredibly productice. I've got a new seed source this year and will now have to try the Chocolate Cherry next year for sure.
Thanks for the Black from Tula recommendation, I will definitely start some seeds soon.
Have you grown the German red strawberry Sorellina? It was a huge favorite for taste last year in the Potawie garden but not very productive, at least not with last years terrible growing season. Lets just hope for a great sunny season this year
I wasn't a big fan of the black cherry, but it was incredibly productice. I've got a new seed source this year and will now have to try the Chocolate Cherry next year for sure.
Thanks for the Black from Tula recommendation, I will definitely start some seeds soon.
Have you grown the German red strawberry Sorellina? It was a huge favorite for taste last year in the Potawie garden but not very productive, at least not with last years terrible growing season. Lets just hope for a great sunny season this year
Ciao Potawie-
Yes, I've grown German Red Strawberry and love it. Oxhearts are normally not going to be monster producers, that's why Reif Red Heart is such a freak. I had, can you believe it, too many large tomatoes in 2007, mostly because of Reif Red Heart, Thessoloniki, and Cosmonaut Volkov. Here I was in October thinking the season was winding down and those 3 had me harvesting until the snow started. Just grow a few plants of GRS if you want more of them. In my opinion, moderate production is a small price to pay for an outstanding tomato.
Yes, I've grown German Red Strawberry and love it. Oxhearts are normally not going to be monster producers, that's why Reif Red Heart is such a freak. I had, can you believe it, too many large tomatoes in 2007, mostly because of Reif Red Heart, Thessoloniki, and Cosmonaut Volkov. Here I was in October thinking the season was winding down and those 3 had me harvesting until the snow started. Just grow a few plants of GRS if you want more of them. In my opinion, moderate production is a small price to pay for an outstanding tomato.
The bulk of my tomatoes came from Baker Creek. I will have Amish Paste , San Marzano and a general all purpose tomato Rutgers. I have other tomatoes too.Listed them in another thread.This is the first year I will be growing Amish Paste and Rutgers. San Marzano is one that I have grown before with great results.
Kevin
Kevin
Does anyone know if there's good white paste out there?
So far this is what I have, but ya'll are taking me into a few others.
Sprite - Grape
Chocolate - Cherry
Spoon - Cherry
Purple Russian - Paste
Powers Heirloom - Yellow Paste
Orange Banana - Paste
Roma Red - Paste
Rose - Pink Globe
Giant Belgium - Globe
Black from Tulia - Globe
Kellogg's Breakfast Beefsteak - Orange Globe
White Queen - Globe
Wapsipinicon Peach - Globe
Park's Whopper
Cherokee Chocolate - Globe
Better Boy - Red Globe
Emerald Evergreen - Globe
Lemon Boy - Yellow Globe
Nebraska Wedding - Orange Globe
Burgess Stuffing - Red
So far this is what I have, but ya'll are taking me into a few others.
Sprite - Grape
Chocolate - Cherry
Spoon - Cherry
Purple Russian - Paste
Powers Heirloom - Yellow Paste
Orange Banana - Paste
Roma Red - Paste
Rose - Pink Globe
Giant Belgium - Globe
Black from Tulia - Globe
Kellogg's Breakfast Beefsteak - Orange Globe
White Queen - Globe
Wapsipinicon Peach - Globe
Park's Whopper
Cherokee Chocolate - Globe
Better Boy - Red Globe
Emerald Evergreen - Globe
Lemon Boy - Yellow Globe
Nebraska Wedding - Orange Globe
Burgess Stuffing - Red
I just wanted to drop my 2 cents in this conversation...
Last year I grew lots of different Tomatos...
Black Krim - Produced Decent..
Striped Stuffing Tomato (Yellow/Red) - Good taste and excellent Stuffer!
Italian Goliath Hybrid, Big tomatos...not fond of the taste myself.
Dixie Golden Giant - Turns Yellow instead of red, had some problems with
Blossom end rot, but these tasted excellent!
Green Zebra, I could take or leave these...
(above seeds were from totally tomatos)
I also did some Cherry Tomatos..
Early Cherry - from territorial seed, not a bad cherry, Grew in 5 gallon
buckets and it got to be about 4 ft. and produced excellent
for a cherry size tomato they were a big large.
I had a total of 86 tomato plants last year, and we ate tons all summer gave lots away to friends and family...and then in the end I still cooked down 6 gallons of tomatos to freeze in freezer bags for use over the winter... I just ran out in Feb..
This year I have a whole new line up of tomatos plannted...
Early types...
Glacier
Soldacki
Stupice
Bloody Butcher
Sauce Types...
Costoluto Genovese
San Marzano
Roma
Sandwich Tomatos-
Hillbilly
Brandywine Pink and maybe red too...
Belgian Pink
Last year I grew lots of different Tomatos...
Black Krim - Produced Decent..
Striped Stuffing Tomato (Yellow/Red) - Good taste and excellent Stuffer!
Italian Goliath Hybrid, Big tomatos...not fond of the taste myself.
Dixie Golden Giant - Turns Yellow instead of red, had some problems with
Blossom end rot, but these tasted excellent!
Green Zebra, I could take or leave these...
(above seeds were from totally tomatos)
I also did some Cherry Tomatos..
Early Cherry - from territorial seed, not a bad cherry, Grew in 5 gallon
buckets and it got to be about 4 ft. and produced excellent
for a cherry size tomato they were a big large.
I had a total of 86 tomato plants last year, and we ate tons all summer gave lots away to friends and family...and then in the end I still cooked down 6 gallons of tomatos to freeze in freezer bags for use over the winter... I just ran out in Feb..
This year I have a whole new line up of tomatos plannted...
Early types...
Glacier
Soldacki
Stupice
Bloody Butcher
Sauce Types...
Costoluto Genovese
San Marzano
Roma
Sandwich Tomatos-
Hillbilly
Brandywine Pink and maybe red too...
Belgian Pink