Best big hybrid for sweet taste, Best big Heirloom disease resist

Chrysos · April 19, 2021

I've been a member of this group for years, but this is my first post. I have discovered so much great information here. So terribly sorry to read of Carolyn's death in 2019, she shared a wealth of knowledge to so many here.
I've been growing tomatoes in my yard here in Vancouver WA (Portland suburb) for over 30 years. The last 10 years has been in raised beds which are so helpful as I get older and my back gets arthritic. I can't rotate my tomatoes, I have 2 12" raised beds, my other 3 beds are 2 ft high, all permanent structures. After this many years gardening in the same spot I have problems with disease. So I'm looking to try some hybrids that are disease resistant to add to my old reliable heirlooms.
My mainstay tomatoes that do well despite disease are Bloody Butcher and Sungold. They always do well and taste great to me, I prefer a sweeter tasting tomato. I'm taking a chance on Amish Paste this year, I love the flavor but sometimes it doesn't do well here.

I'm growing Brandy Boy this year, it has performed well for me in the past and has a great flavor. Black Krim is also a favorite, already in the ground.
Any suggestions for larger hybrid tomatoes, taste on the sweeter side with disease resistance? For taste reference Early Girl is my least favorite tomato, Pineapple is my favorite of all time but production and disease have taken it off my list. I've had moderate success with Striped German as a replacement for Pineapple but it isn't reliable here in the Northwest.
I'm looking for a variety that is usually available in nurseries for this year. Looked at Super Fantastic and Big beef but when no one mentions their sweet flavor, I'm suspicious that they are a more tart tomato.

I know I'm asking for the impossible but hoping this amazing group will have some ideas.

Thank you in advance for your recommendations!

Chrysos

Labradors2 · April 19, 2021

I'm not much help with your specific question, but I just discovered that Bloody Butcher also comes in a "bush" type which can be grown in a container! I'm thinking that perhaps it might be an option for you to grow it in a container with fresh potting mix every season to help resist disease.

Linda

rnewste · April 19, 2021

Chrysos,

For a non-tart Hybrid tomato I favor Momotaro. Nice sweet taste and mid to large in size.

Other large Hybrids I like are Better Boy and Big Daddy from Burpee.

Raybo

Yak54 · April 19, 2021

Odoriko is similar to Momotaro but tends to be slightly larger. Good taste, slightly sweet and productive.

Milan HP · April 19, 2021

Hello Chrysos,
you said "disease resistant". I am afraid that isn't specific enough. I've been looking for them for years and the result is that no hybrid or OP is resistant to all of them.

I know of one variety though that's resistant as much as possible and definitely on the "sweet side" in taste. Not American, but I believe available in the USA. It's Mountain Magic. Or, if you prefer beefsteak toms, Crimson Crush. They are both almost totally resistant to late blight. And very likely early blight too.
Milan HP

AKmark · April 19, 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysos

I've been a member of this group for years, but this is my first post. I have discovered so much great information here. So terribly sorry to read of Carolyn's death in 2019, she shared a wealth of knowledge to so many here.
I've been growing tomatoes in my yard here in Vancouver WA (Portland suburb) for over 30 years. The last 10 years has been in raised beds which are so helpful as I get older and my back gets arthritic. I can't rotate my tomatoes, I have 2 12" raised beds, my other 3 beds are 2 ft high, all permanent structures. After this many years gardening in the same spot I have problems with disease. So I'm looking to try some hybrids that are disease resistant to add to my old reliable heirlooms.
My mainstay tomatoes that do well despite disease are Bloody Butcher and Sungold. They always do well and taste great to me, I prefer a sweeter tasting tomato. I'm taking a chance on Amish Paste this year, I love the flavor but sometimes it doesn't do well here.

I'm growing Brandy Boy this year, it has performed well for me in the past and has a great flavor. Black Krim is also a favorite, already in the ground.
Any suggestions for larger hybrid tomatoes, taste on the sweeter side with disease resistance? For taste reference Early Girl is my least favorite tomato, Pineapple is my favorite of all time but production and disease have taken it off my list. I've had moderate success with Striped German as a replacement for Pineapple but it isn't reliable here in the Northwest.
I'm looking for a variety that is usually available in nurseries for this year. Looked at Super Fantastic and Big beef but when no one mentions their sweet flavor, I'm suspicious that they are a more tart tomato.

I know I'm asking for the impossible but hoping this amazing group will have some ideas.

Thank you in advance for your recommendations!

Chrysos

If you like the taste of Brandyboy, you will love Damsel. Its a bit smaller, but the taste is excellent.

zipcode · April 20, 2021

Hybrid does not mean disease resistant. They really are not made with foliar disease resistance in mind. They do have often more vigor (often due to less flower/fruit load per truss) which translates to better growth under pressure, but not all.
Mountain Magic (bred in USA), but became popular in Europe for the open garden, has been really quite disease resistant to many things, that and Plum Regal are must trys for the disease prone gardens.

Chrysos · April 20, 2021

Thank you for your input! Much appreciated! Mountain Magic sounds interesting, I think I have seen it in a nursery here. Linda, did not know that there was a bush Bloody Butcher, but I grow it in a container now and it does great. It's the one tomato I can count on, doesn't get any of our common diseases here and it's the earliest tomato as well as the last tomato in the fall. I love it!

I have 3 very large tomato barrels that I fill with new bagged dirt every year, at the beginning of every year I empty that soil into my raised beds to raise the level. I've been using Harvest Supreme and a raised bed mixture for years in my pots and raised beds. Wonderful stuff. https://www.kellogggarden.com/produc...oil-amendment/
I created a website years ago when I build my raised beds, I haven't updated in for too long but it chronicles my gardening journey http://lazytomatoes.com/its-all-about-the-dirt/

Chrysos · April 20, 2021

Damsel sounds great! I will keep an eye out for it!

FarmerShawn · April 20, 2021

I wouldn't call Big Beef tart; it's just a good, reliable tomato flavor. Big Boy is also a reliable hybrid that may be a bit sweeter than Big Beef. I've grown both every year for a long time. Straying from hybrids, have you tried hearts? I think many of them tend toward sweet, but often are meaty and just delicious. My first one and still a favorite is Pink Honey, and Wes has been our favorite for flavor for a few years now. (And I grow around 350 varieties each year!)

PaulF · April 20, 2021

For me in my area, disease resistance is more cultural than it is in the breeding. Over the years the more attention paid to mulching programs, garden clean-up, disinfection of pots and cages and proper watering from the bottom rather than overhead, the better disease control.

Being far from the Pacific Northwest and not a hybrid grower the other parts I cannot help with.

Milan HP · April 20, 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by zipcode

Hybrid does not mean disease resistant. They really are not made with foliar disease resistance in mind. They do have often more vigor (often due to less flower/fruit load per truss) which translates to better growth under pressure, but not all.
Mountain Magic (bred in USA), but became popular in Europe for the open garden, has been really quite disease resistant to many things, that and Plum Regal are must trys for the disease prone gardens.

Hello Zipcode,
are you sure that Mountain Magic was crossbred in the USA? I've always been under the impression it's Thompson&Morgan's product. Am I completely wrong?
I fully agree that they aren't among the champions in yield, there's no free lunch, but their late blight resistance more than fully compensates for that. Actually, if I compare it to the most productive variety in our country, Tornado F1, in the long run, MMs came out the winner last year when blight was rampant. And in terms of taste there's no competition. MM is the king.

Milan HP

PaulF · April 21, 2021

The Mountain Series of hybrid market tomatoes is an effort by Dr. Randy Gardner and the University of North Carolina. There are at least ten different varieties in the series, maybe more. Several vendors sell the seeds. I have grown three or four and none were particularly special. Nice looking, fairly productive, red without much flavor in my garden.

zipcode · April 21, 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milan HP

Hello Zipcode,
are you sure that Mountain Magic was crossbred in the USA? I've always been under the impression it's Thompson&Morgan's product. Am I completely wrong?
I fully agree that they aren't among the champions in yield, there's no free lunch, but their late blight resistance more than fully compensates for that. Actually, if I compare it to the most productive variety in our country, Tornado F1, in the long run, MMs came out the winner last year when blight was rampant. And in terms of taste there's no competition. MM is the king.

Milan HP

As PaulF said, north carolina. Plum Regal is Mountain Magic's 'brother'. Supposedly even more disease resistant and massively productive, I haven't tried it. It's a paste type and determinate however, so I guess the retailers don't think it would be popular with the home gardener.

Greatgardens · April 21, 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labradors2

I'm not much help with your specific question, but I just discovered that Bloody Butcher also comes in a "bush" type which can be grown in a container! I'm thinking that perhaps it might be an option for you to grow it in a container with fresh potting mix every season to help resist disease.
Linda

Hi Linda-
Do you have any info or link about the bush type Bloody Butcher? Sounds interesting.

April 19, 2021	#1
Chrysos Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 12	Best big hybrid for sweet taste, Best big Heirloom disease resist I've been a member of this group for years, but this is my first post. I have discovered so much great information here. So terribly sorry to read of Carolyn's death in 2019, she shared a wealth of knowledge to so many here. I've been growing tomatoes in my yard here in Vancouver WA (Portland suburb) for over 30 years. The last 10 years has been in raised beds which are so helpful as I get older and my back gets arthritic. I can't rotate my tomatoes, I have 2 12" raised beds, my other 3 beds are 2 ft high, all permanent structures. After this many years gardening in the same spot I have problems with disease. So I'm looking to try some hybrids that are disease resistant to add to my old reliable heirlooms. My mainstay tomatoes that do well despite disease are Bloody Butcher and Sungold. They always do well and taste great to me, I prefer a sweeter tasting tomato. I'm taking a chance on Amish Paste this year, I love the flavor but sometimes it doesn't do well here. I'm growing Brandy Boy this year, it has performed well for me in the past and has a great flavor. Black Krim is also a favorite, already in the ground. Any suggestions for larger hybrid tomatoes, taste on the sweeter side with disease resistance? For taste reference Early Girl is my least favorite tomato, Pineapple is my favorite of all time but production and disease have taken it off my list. I've had moderate success with Striped German as a replacement for Pineapple but it isn't reliable here in the Northwest. I'm looking for a variety that is usually available in nurseries for this year. Looked at Super Fantastic and Big beef but when no one mentions their sweet flavor, I'm suspicious that they are a more tart tomato. I know I'm asking for the impossible but hoping this amazing group will have some ideas. Thank you in advance for your recommendations! Chrysos Last edited by Chrysos; April 19, 2021 at 03:57 PM.

April 19, 2021	#5
Milan HP Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Ústí nad Labem in the north of the Czech Republic Posts: 332	Hello Chrysos, you said "disease resistant". I am afraid that isn't specific enough. I've been looking for them for years and the result is that no hybrid or OP is resistant to all of them. I know of one variety though that's resistant as much as possible and definitely on the "sweet side" in taste. Not American, but I believe available in the USA. It's Mountain Magic. Or, if you prefer beefsteak toms, Crimson Crush. They are both almost totally resistant to late blight. And very likely early blight too. Milan HP Last edited by Milan HP; April 20, 2021 at 06:58 PM.

April 20, 2021	#10
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	I wouldn't call Big Beef tart; it's just a good, reliable tomato flavor. Big Boy is also a reliable hybrid that may be a bit sweeter than Big Beef. I've grown both every year for a long time. Straying from hybrids, have you tried hearts? I think many of them tend toward sweet, but often are meaty and just delicious. My first one and still a favorite is Pink Honey, and Wes has been our favorite for flavor for a few years now. (And I grow around 350 varieties each year!) __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

April 20, 2021	#11
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	For me in my area, disease resistance is more cultural than it is in the breeding. Over the years the more attention paid to mulching programs, garden clean-up, disinfection of pots and cages and proper watering from the bottom rather than overhead, the better disease control. Being far from the Pacific Northwest and not a hybrid grower the other parts I cannot help with. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

April 21, 2021	#13
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	The Mountain Series of hybrid market tomatoes is an effort by Dr. Randy Gardner and the University of North Carolina. There are at least ten different varieties in the series, maybe more. Several vendors sell the seeds. I have grown three or four and none were particularly special. Nice looking, fairly productive, red without much flavor in my garden. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

April 19, 2021	#2
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,898	I'm not much help with your specific question, but I just discovered that Bloody Butcher also comes in a "bush" type which can be grown in a container! I'm thinking that perhaps it might be an option for you to grow it in a container with fresh potting mix every season to help resist disease. Linda

April 19, 2021	#3
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Chrysos, For a non-tart Hybrid tomato I favor Momotaro. Nice sweet taste and mid to large in size. Other large Hybrids I like are Better Boy and Big Daddy from Burpee. Raybo

April 19, 2021	#4
Yak54 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Madison, OH, zone 6 Posts: 475	Odoriko is similar to Momotaro but tends to be slightly larger. Good taste, slightly sweet and productive.

April 20, 2021	#7
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Hybrid does not mean disease resistant. They really are not made with foliar disease resistance in mind. They do have often more vigor (often due to less flower/fruit load per truss) which translates to better growth under pressure, but not all. Mountain Magic (bred in USA), but became popular in Europe for the open garden, has been really quite disease resistant to many things, that and Plum Regal are must trys for the disease prone gardens.