I fell in love with Cherokee Purple tomatoes this year. It was a trooper plant and put out very large, tasty tomatoes.
I will not be hosting Ace 55 in the garden again as it tasted slightly tart/bitter and was the first to succumb to the mites.
Other tomatoes I grew: Pink Brandywine (very good), Adelia (kept producing through heat), and Caspian Pink (tasted, to me, like supermarket tomato but hubby kept sneaking off and eating them!! He loved 'em!)
My crop of tomatoes was great this year. In fact we are just finishing them, amazing since it is the end of October . I had trouble finding heirloom tomatoes to grow, so I was left with seeds from last year and a few new ones from Home Depot. The ones that did the best were my grape tomatoes that I grew from seeds. They were plentiful and sweet. The roma-grape from H.D. were also very good, many red delicious small tomatoes. The larger varieties took a while to turn red (Rutgers and Big Beef) but we had so many that I made sauce, soup and relish (pepper and tomato relish, yum) and still had so many to share with neighbors. All in all it was a terrific season and hope that next year will do as well. I hope to find a few heirloom varieties to try.
I planted the beefsteak type of tomato called "Basket Vee" in my greenhouse this year. They did so well I'm planning on planting the same ones next year again.
I've made tomato sauce, salsa and canned tomatoes,still waiting for some green ones to turn then I'll be making pizza sauce. Most of all they were so delicious to eat right off the vine, my family ate more then their share this year for sure.
Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
My tomatoes were a victim of the diseased soil I had this year. So I don't have any recommendations. I did not care for the Sweet Williams.
It sounds like I'll be looking for the Brandywine (pink), I have the regular brandywine, and possible some grape tomatoes. I like the sweet tasting tomatoes the best.
MRW, I can't believe you still have tomatoes. Mine were completely gone by mid-august. I envy you!!
Rosepetal, boy, sounds like you canned a lot. I canned a few quarts of crushed tomatoes but wasn't sure I wanted to tackle tomato sauce. Seemed like a lot of work!
Tammy, I have quite a few varieties that I will be working with next year. Although I only have smaller quantities, I'd be happy to share with you. Most of them are heirlooms. I have what MAY have been a pink brandywine, except it came from a pack that I got in a trade marked 'ace 55', so god only knows what it is. I saved the seeds from them because the plant was very hardy, grew well, and gave me a pretty good fruit yield. Fruits were large, pink, and suspeciously brandywine in about every aspect except yield, it yielded a little heavy for a brandywine. They were sweeter than regular tomatoes. I do have some extra black tomatoes too, they are soooo sweet. Cherokee purple is the best sweet tomato ever, IMHO. Let me know if you'd like to try any of them.
Sarah, If you have any of the cherokee purple seeds I would love to try them. I have grape, and roma grape as well as the larger beef type tomato seeds if you would like any. The roma grape grew very well. I had many green tomatoes left towards the end of October, and hated to lose them to a frost. So I picked them , have had some ripen in the basement, still have some down there turning red.They are more acid than the vine ripened ones, but still better than the supermarket variety. I also made 8 large jars of green tomato relish for the first time and was surprised at how good it is. Mariruth
How about you keep me in mind for the 2008 seed harvest. I think the 2008 planting will be minor or possibly not at all. If someone else wants the seeds send them there. I could end up on the northside of a building with no patio for all I know at this point lol.
Although I lost several plants early to hail and then mid summer to TSWV from mid August till October 10th was as good if not better than any year I've had in the plus 40 years I've been growing tomatoes. I found several new ones that did well and tasted great here. At least in 07. Kellog's Breakfast was at the top. Even my fellow employees at work who know nothing about op's would stand and beg for one. Most said the best they had ever ate. Close behind were Chapman, Indian Stripe, Cherokee Green, Lucky Cross(only 3 fruit) but better than Brandywine has ever tasted in my garden, Florida Pink, Pineapple, Juane Flammee' and Adelia. Had several like Caspian Pink I lost so they aren't included but it has always done well here. Had several that will be back because they tasted decent and produced tons. Among those would be Mr Bruno and Vintage Wine Striped. I have a list of 60 op's for 08 and hope to prune it to 40 then will plant my reliable 6 hybrid standy by's. Sarah was interested in your results as our climates are similar but have been away from this forum for awhile. What is everyone planting for 08? Happy gardening Jay
I usually just plant some Better Boy and Early Girl down in my raised bed but I decided this year to let the soil have a break so I can amend it a bit.
I bought an upside down tomato kit from my neighbors child the other day, he was doing a school fundraiser and of course I was so happy when I found that and some bulbs....
Not sure how the upside down plant thing will work but if it does work it should help keep bugs out of it some........I guess I'll hang it off the back porch so if I'm cooking dinner I can just step outside and pick a few.
And if it doesn't grow too well I can always eat my dads. He grows a lot and always has a ton....
Our season isn't long enough to ripen tomatoes on the vine so I always have to plant the cherry tomatoes. I should plant some larger tomatoes in pots in the house earlier though in my southern window, maybe I'd get big tomatoes then.
I lost all my tomatoes this past year from a storm.
~~Tam~ You can bury all your troubles by digging in the dirt.
The Better Boy & Early Girl are my dad's favorite Tomato to grow here in Il--I love the taste, but with just me eating them for the most part. They are a bit big.--I prefer something smaller like the "jolly"--but I have not been able to find it the last 3 years.-- Last year I Planted Cherokee purple and rutgers. Then I planted a giant cherry plant in a large pot on my deck. The CP would grow big and then go rotten--and the rutgers did not bear well, although they tasted good.
I may return to what I know works well this year and plant the Better boy and/ or early girl--but I prefer to start with small plants--
what was someone saying about having a plant bear into the late fall??? (October) wht zone are you in?? I am in 6 --(B I think)
________
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
It wasn't me, but I'm in 6A and I had a Roma tomato pop up over in one of my flowerbeds last summer, it was bearing fruit into October. Not sure where that plant came from. Had some nice toms on it though.
JunieGirl if you were talking about me I'm in 5b/6a. On the line. The last few years we have had late frosts. My best tomatoes have been those planted around June 1st and they really start producing mid August and are going strong yet when frost hits. But even the earlier ones kept right on going in 07. They didn't set well during the extreme hit but picked up when it broke. But we had 90 degree days into the first week of October. I'm in extreme southwest Kansas 100 miles are the crow flies north of Amarillo,TX. Jay
It really breaks my heart to hear that early girl and better boy are "favorites". There are just so many other tomato varieties that are so far superior in taste to those bland, run-of-the-mill hybrids.
Well, those opinions come as a result of not knowing there's much better out there. 99 out of 100 people would choose, say, a brandywine fruit in a blind taste test over any better boy or early girl fruit. But they wouldn't know that because all they've experienced is supermarket fruit a big box store plants.
Tamara, starting from seed is not as difficult as you think. seed turns into seedlings and is much more rewarding and you can actually grow what YOU want rather than what is sold locally.
I think Tamaras growing season in Canada is too short for her to plant from seed.
John you are obviously very passionate about your tomatoes, which is great ---I like them but I just don't have the passion about them you do. I'm happy with a Better Boy or Early Girl--they taste fine to me. It's nice that you have such passion though as long as your not putting others down about what they like and choose to grow. To each their own--we all like different things and should be respectful of that. BTW, I grow mine from seed.....not store plants or supermarket bought. Last year I had Early Girl, Better Boy, and Roma.
I didn't say you were....just as long as you weren't putting down others for their choices of tomatoes that they grow.... Differences are what make the world beautiful.
I guess Tam could start some seeds inside early but with her wedding coming I'd imagine she won't have the time for that this year. Where she lives in Canada she has a very short growing season.
I could never plant directly in the ground, We got frost here last year the first week of July. I always buy plants since I have no room to grow my own seedlings. Even with the plants, there isn't enough time to ripen or grow any of the larger wonderful tomatoes.
~~Tam~ You can bury all your troubles by digging in the dirt.
If you guys are good with buying your plants and seeds off the racks, that's all good, no worries. I know John really well and yes, he can be a pain in the tush at times with his opinions, but he's got a huge, very generous heart and I think what he's trying to do here is open people's eyes to all the options that are out there with tomato varieties. He and I talk a lot about ones we haven't tried yet, ones that we've heard are great from other growers we talk to, ones we want to actually create ourselves, it IS a passion, very much so. But we've also been able to introduce varieties to folks like yourselves who may not have known what's actually out there besides the tried and true hybrids of old. It's not a put-down thing, it's an invitation to open one's mind and expand one's horizons thing.
Go ahead and spank him silly about his political views, though, I'm down with that. Oh wait, he'd probably like that...
BTW, I'm in Toronto and I start my seeds myself. There are quite a few early varieties that will even do well in tunderiffic places like Manitoba and Alberta.
I could never plant directly in the ground, We got frost here last year the first week of July. I always buy plants since I have no room to grow my own seedlings. Even with the plants, there isn't enough time to ripen or grow any of the larger wonderful tomatoes.
Tamara: have you ever tried one of those upside-down, soil-less indoor tomato plants. Emily was going to buy one lastyear--as they were in an apartment (on the 14th floor)--I really don't know if she did or not-- ??
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
Hey Loz, maybe John just likes giving you a hard time like I do! Heh, I happen to know he doesn't even care for the taste of tomatoes that much! We're gonna work on you to grow some other 'maters eventually, though...and give up Dominoes pizza too, while we're at it! You knew I'd be back to cause trouble around here eventually. I never pass up a chance to talk tomatoes...or cause trouble!
Peppereater haven't seen you around in awhile. How did your season go last year? What do you plan to plant this year? I have a list of about 50 op's and then still a few hybrids. So will end up with 75-80 plants again I'm sure. John have you made your list for 08? I always like reading what others are growing. But have found after 40 plus years what grows and tastes well in my garden don't necessarily elsewher. Also what does the best one year may not the next. So I never put all my eggs in one basket. Have you grown KBX? I'm going to grow it next to KB this year for comparison. Several say it is better. Will be hard to beat KB last year though. Happy gardening to all. Jay
KBX...I'm forgetting what that is. KB...Kellogg's Breakfast? One of my most productive ever. I didn't grow it last year, but I decided it was a must grow for this year. I'm digging new beds to make room for more types this year.
Dave KBX is a Kellogg's Breakfast cross that several like better than KB. Yes KB was great for me last year also. Very productive and good taste till the cold spell the 1st week of Oct. and then the flavor went south. Chapman was another that did very well for me. Both of these did as well as any of the hybrids. So they will both be back. Jay
My tomatoes did very well this past season. I particularly like Black Krim, Cherokee Purple and Mortgage Lifter, though I plant lots of different varieties. New to me this time were Orange Banana Tomatoes. Those were fabulous dried. My family ate them like candy. :-)
Orange Bananas on the vine:
For a while we had tomatoes running out our ears. I love it!!! Fresh garden tomatoes are my favourite food.
Becky - Zone 6b/7a
"She was not quite what you would call refined. She was not quite what you would call unrefined. She was the kind of person that keeps a parrot." -- Mark Twain
Hmmm. Not exactly sure. Either Costoluto Florentino or the old Goliath, I think.
John, your tomatoes are beautiful. I am so ready for it to get time to plant!
Last edited by decolady; Feb 18th, 2008 at 06:11 PM.
Becky - Zone 6b/7a
"She was not quite what you would call refined. She was not quite what you would call unrefined. She was the kind of person that keeps a parrot." -- Mark Twain
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