JDs Special C-Tex

[TomatoDon]

I am just curious how JDs Special C-Tex evaluated in 2007 for its growers here. I've heard a lot of good and interesting things about it. What's the report?

Also...can anyone give an idea of the size, color, and shape of it? I have no clue about this one. And flavor? Tangy? Sweet? Production?

A must grow, or just a nice try? How did JDs Special C-Tex do in 2007?

Don

[feldon30]

If you mean anyone from Tomatoville, then I'll say it was my favorite at SETTFest and my favorite when I got to try it again at Suze's. I've sent out seeds to 25 people and I'm certain there will be another seed offer in a month or so.

I believe it is a cross of Cherokee Purple. It tastes very much like Cherokee Purple or Paul Robeson but even more pronounced. Incredibly rich and sweet for me. A 9.75-10 tomato. If I had an acre, I'd plant an entire row of JD's.

[TomatoDon]

Feldon comes through again! Nice reply, and I thank you.

I have tried to research it on the web, but I depend on what I hear at T'ville more than that. I read that it is a black tomato? Medium size? And sweet, as you say? For some reason I had it different in my mind.

Obviously it sounds like a Texas originated tomato. Any word on how it came to be?

Thanks Fel...always a nice guy.

Don

[duajones]

Don, if you do a google search for Grow JD's Special C-Tex, you can find a couple of pictures of the fruit. And Suze or Morgan can probably fill you in on details of the variety but I believe it was developed by a guy named JD in Conroe,Tx. Hence the name. I am growing it this fall for the first time thanks to Suze.

[Suze]

Don, this is all I know about it, just a copy/paste from what I've entered in PlantFiles:

Informally rated the best tasting variety at the 2007 South East Texas Tomato Fest (SETTFest), out of ~90 varieties tasted.

Exact history is not known for certain, but it is thought to be a cross between Brandywine and an unknown black, based on information that was passed on when seeds were shared with a fellow tomato grower about three years ago.

Developed by a JD in Conroe, Texas. Transplants for this variety can sometimes be found in the spring at better nurseries in the South Texas area. At the time of this entry, seeds are not commercially available.


JD's Special C-Tex Black (click for full sized pic)

It's a medium to med-lg sized pink-black (clear skinned) and oblate/standard shaped, excellent flavor.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by don06

And flavor? Tangy? Sweet? Production?

It was moderately productive for me in a good growing season. I only had one plant in 2007, and there will definitely be three or more in my 2008 garden.

I am not that good at describing flavors, but JD's is a nice balance of sweet/tangy, and is rich, complex, excellent. Texture is good -- it was never mealy even it poured cats and dogs. To me, a must grow.

[Rena]

OH NO ....PICTURES.....
Ok I have to grow it!! She throws her hands over her eyes Off to send some pms

[Fusion_power]

J.D.'s was the top rated tomato in my garden for 2007. This was compared to over 100 other varieties, some of which are long term favorites. I plan on growing at least 100 plants next year and will have about 20 of them in the garden to produce seed.

Though I did not grow it in my garden, a neighbor who grew one of my Purple Haze plants had the very best tasting tomatoes I've ever tasted.

J.D.'s rated 9.5 against the nearest competition with 9.25.
Purple Haze was about 9.75 though I have to kick myself for not just being done with it and saying it is a 10. Guess I'm still hung up on saying that when it comes to a 10, there ain't no such animal. lol

Fusion

[Suze]

Darrel, do you know anything else about the history other than what I've already posted?

[feldon30]

It looks unassuming in this picture (kind of pale) but that may be the lighting:

Click for Larger Size

[BVGardener]

JD's Special C-Tex is one of my favorite varieties for flavor. Not the best yielding variety but it does have excellent flavor. How I first came upon this one was at a local farmers market. I made a quick stop to see what the local folks were harvesting in their gardens and this lady had a nice selection of OP's available. I purchased some fruit and while she was bagging them up, I noticed a single tomato that looked very similar to Cherokee Purple. I asked her about it and she just gave me that fruit and said it was JD's Special C-Tex and that it was a cross between Brandywine and some other variety. Like an idiot, I took it home sliced it open and enjoyed it while realizing later that I had not saved seed. A few months later, I was able to obtain plants locally, grew it out and saved a good stock of seed. This was a few years ago.

As far as new information regarding the development and origins of this variety, what others have already posted here is all the information that I have.

Here is a photo of JD's fruit on the vine but not yet fully ripe.


Here is a photo of a ripe fruit


And here is a photo of some slices next to the variety Great White

[duajones]

That last picture made my mouth water. I cant wait to try the variety.

[MikeInCypress]

I seem to remember hearing that the J.D.'s Special C-Tex was named by JD Whittaker who had a nursery in the North Harris Southern Montgomery County area. I wish some of the old Houston posters at GW like Shelly & Roy were on here because they might know as well.

MikeInCypress

[Suze]

Originally Posted by MikeInCypress

I seem to remember hearing that the J.D.'s Special C-Tex was named by JD Whittaker who had a nursery in the North Harris Southern Montgomery County area. I wish some of the old Houston posters at GW like Shelly & Roy were on here because they might know as well.

Mike, I just sent S&R an e-mail at the only address I could find for them (hope it's still valid), and I would definitely like to see them posting here too. Sure hope they didn't get lost in the shuffle! They have a lot of knowledge and experience to offer in terms of growing tomatoes, especially here in Texas.

Thanks for the additional possible info on JD.

[jdwhitaker]

Not this JD Whitaker! I first heard of JD's Special C-Tex a couple of years ago when gardeners in southeast Texas were finding the variety at local nurseries. I believe ScottInTexas, who used to post at GW, was the first to bring attention to the variety.