Head to Head in South Louisiana

Keiththibodeaux · January 21, 2012

I live in an agricultural community. More gardens than you can shake a stick at. Here, amongst the populace, three varieties rule, Creole, Celebrity, and Amelia. So this year, on one row intermingled one to one, I am gonna do the side by side trials.

What varieties do you suggest?

Note - Size is a bragging matter down here.

Big Hutch · January 21, 2012

From my experience as a gardener and a cook I believe that taste wins over size in Louisiana most of the time.

With that said none of the varieties you mentioned really qualify as beefsteaks. I have been experimenting with different varieties. I will do so again this year. I have grown Cherokee Purple and Arkansas Traveler with great success for years. Liz Birt and Yoder's German Yellow both did well in 2011.

I will be trying several new varities in 2012. Some of the varities I will be growing will be:

Stump of the World
Aker's West Virginia
J. D.'s Special C-Tex
1884
Gary O'Sena
KBX
Tidwell German
Teffon Mennonite

I will keep you posted on my results.

frankkj · January 21, 2012

I grow about 35 different tomatoes each year. That said, I always include Creole, Gulf States Market, and Ark. Traveler in the mix. Recently, Big Beef, Chapman, Indian Stripe, and Sophies Choice are included each year.

Never had much luck with the BIG beefsteaks, but I grow in containers and that may have something to do with it.

Frank

Big Hutch · January 21, 2012

Thank you for the information. Indian Stripe is on my possibilities list for 2012 along with a few others not mentioned above. Big Beef is on my planned list for 2013.

I grow in containers and in beds. You are right. Hot humid summers here don't lend themselves to the really huge varieties.

I'm glad to know that there are others in Louisiana who are "experimenting"...

Thanks.
Robbie

Keiththibodeaux · January 21, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Hutch

Thank you for the information. Indian Stripe is on my possibilities list for 2012 along with a few others not mentioned above. Big Beef is on my planned list for 2013.

I grow in containers and in beds. You are right. Hot humid summers here don't lend themselves to the really huge varieties.

I'm glad to know that there are others in Louisiana who are "experimenting"...

Thanks.
Robbie

I tried Big Beef in the fall. It never got off the ground and went down in flames with intense heat at the end of the summer. I'll try it again, but my first impression was not great.

b54red · January 21, 2012

I have been growing in similar conditions and it can be very trying. Last year we reached 100 by May and hovered near it until late October. With humidity hovering near 100% diseases and pests are a constant.

The varieties that do best in the heat of summer are usually the blacks and some of the medium reds. Most of the large pink beefsteaks are usually fading fast by mid June or early July. No variety can be counted on every year but of the hybrids Big Beef has surpassed all the others including the newer hybrids and it has a much better taste than most of the red hybrids. Indian Stripe has proven itself to be a very reliable tomato in the heat and humidity.

Other than the two mentioned above the ones below have proven themselves somewhat more tolerant of our climate and pest problems.

Reds: Neves Azorean Red, Druzba, Zogola, Red Barn(makes huge toms), Old Virginia, and Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red, Lumpy Red, Frank's Large Red

Pinks: Stump of the World, Terhune, Eva Purple Ball, Brandy Boy(hybrid), Marianna's Peace

Bi-color: Berkely Tie Dye Pink, Lucky Cross, and Pineapple

Gold: Dr. Wyches Yellow, KBX

Blacks: Spudakee, Big Cheef, Gary O' Sena, Dana's Dusky Rose, JDs Special C Tex, and Black Krim

Green: Grubs Mystery Green

Hearts: Kosovo, Fish Lake Oxheart, Linnie's Oxheart, Oleyers German

As you can see there aren't a lot of the large pink beefsteaks. They can do very well in the early part of the season but fade fast once the steamy weather moves in. Most of the really large varieties need early planting so they can develop some size before it gets too hot. I sometimes make some really large toms during the summer heat but most are only successful in the cooler spring months.

The biggest problem for me is foliage diseases and fusarium. I keep the foliage diseases under control early in the season with Daconil but when that fails I switch to a dilute bleach spray which works wonders if applied before the diseases get too bad.

Keiththibodeaux · January 21, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Hutch

From my experience as a gardener and a cook I believe that taste wins over size in Louisiana most of the time.

With that said none of the varieties you mentioned really qualify as beefsteaks. I have been experimenting with different varieties. I will do so again this year. I have grown Cherokee Purple and Arkansas Traveler with great success for years. Liz Birt and Yoder's German Yellow both did well in 2011.

I will be trying several new varities in 2012. Some of the varities I will be growing will be:

Stump of the World
Aker's West Virginia
J. D.'s Special C-Tex
1884
Gary O'Sena
KBX
Tidwell German
Teffon Mennonite

I will keep you posted on my results.

Yes, taste wins over size, but in my opinion the 3 tomatoes I listed do not top the ranks in taste by any means, so I think it will be easy to top them in both taste and size. That is the reason for the side by side. All conditions and care will be identical. The third factor here will be disease resistance. I am down in Iberia Parish with a strong coastal humidity influence. Some years it can be really unbelievable with insect and disease pressure

On this year's grow out list, for the first time I will be trying Arkansas Traveler, Stump of the World, and Gary O'Sena. This will be third year for Cherokee Purple, I love the taste, but each year it has succumbed early to disease as opposed to my other tomatoes.

doublehelix · January 22, 2012

I also have quite similar growing conditions with triple digits hitting in May and high humidity.

I have a difficult time growing large pink potato leaf tomatoes. You might try this little trick for large pink PL's. Start the seeds two weeks earlier than normal and have them growing in 1 gallon nursery containers by the time you plant them out. That little bit of extra growth gets them setting fruit before the sauna hits.

Liz Birt and Stump of the World over any of the Brandywines.

For hybrids I have had good luck with Jet Star, Solar Set, and Spitfire.

Bradley needs to be in there for sure. Traveler, Ozark Pink, and Homestead 24 will all have decent production in the South.

Out of all the black tomatoes, Black From Tula and Mikado Black did well for me last year in the heat. Heavy early production then they just sort of hung on until a big crop in the fall. But they DID hang on.

My best yellow was a new one called Nugget. I got a lot of tomatoes out of those. Nothing else was even close.

Tsar Kolokol did surprisingly well here in the humidity and heat if you want to grow a heart. Still somewhat low production compared to the ones above, but it is a very good tasting heart that will do well in the South.

Don't forget Sungold. Longest season of any tomato I have ever grown.

If I had to just pick 3 to go up against the ones you listed, then I would have to go with Liz Birt, Spitfire, and Bradley.

I hope you keep us updated with the results.

b54red · January 22, 2012

Dr. Wyches was more dependable than KBX over the last couple of seasons. The largest KBX I grew was slightly over 2 lbs and the largest Dr. Wyches was about 1 1/2 lbs.

mysidx · January 22, 2012

Last year, I had success with JD's Special Tex, and Indian Stripe. I took a lot of suggestions since I've joined this site, and this is my grow list for this year...which many are new to me.

Black From Tula
Aunt Ruby's Green
Berkley Tie Dye Pink
BrandyWine Cowlick
BrandyWine Sudduth
BrandyWine Croatia
Lucky Cross
Little Lucky
Indian Stipe
JD'S Special Tex
KBX
Azoychka Russian
Sandul Moldovan
Rosalie's Early Orange
Amazon Chocolate
Ledoux Special
Purple Dog Creek
Liz Birt
Earls' Faux
West Virginia Straw
Neves Azorian red
Terhune
Red Barn
Marriannas' Peace
Stump of the World

I hope it is a good one

January 21, 2012	#1
Keiththibodeaux Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Louisiana Posts: 587	Head to Head in South Louisiana I live in an agricultural community. More gardens than you can shake a stick at. Here, amongst the populace, three varieties rule, Creole, Celebrity, and Amelia. So this year, on one row intermingled one to one, I am gonna do the side by side trials. What varieties do you suggest? Note - Size is a bragging matter down here.

January 21, 2012	#2
Big Hutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oakdale, Louisiana Posts: 18	South Louisiana Taste From my experience as a gardener and a cook I believe that taste wins over size in Louisiana most of the time. With that said none of the varieties you mentioned really qualify as beefsteaks. I have been experimenting with different varieties. I will do so again this year. I have grown Cherokee Purple and Arkansas Traveler with great success for years. Liz Birt and Yoder's German Yellow both did well in 2011. I will be trying several new varities in 2012. Some of the varities I will be growing will be: Stump of the World Aker's West Virginia J. D.'s Special C-Tex 1884 Gary O'Sena KBX Tidwell German Teffon Mennonite I will keep you posted on my results.

January 21, 2012	#3
frankkj Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 90	I grow about 35 different tomatoes each year. That said, I always include Creole, Gulf States Market, and Ark. Traveler in the mix. Recently, Big Beef, Chapman, Indian Stripe, and Sophies Choice are included each year. Never had much luck with the BIG beefsteaks, but I grow in containers and that may have something to do with it. Frank __________________ Old and Wise? Or maybe just getting old?

January 21, 2012	#4
Big Hutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oakdale, Louisiana Posts: 18	Head to Head in Louisiana Thank you for the information. Indian Stripe is on my possibilities list for 2012 along with a few others not mentioned above. Big Beef is on my planned list for 2013. I grow in containers and in beds. You are right. Hot humid summers here don't lend themselves to the really huge varieties. I'm glad to know that there are others in Louisiana who are "experimenting"... Thanks. Robbie

January 21, 2012	#6
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I have been growing in similar conditions and it can be very trying. Last year we reached 100 by May and hovered near it until late October. With humidity hovering near 100% diseases and pests are a constant. The varieties that do best in the heat of summer are usually the blacks and some of the medium reds. Most of the large pink beefsteaks are usually fading fast by mid June or early July. No variety can be counted on every year but of the hybrids Big Beef has surpassed all the others including the newer hybrids and it has a much better taste than most of the red hybrids. Indian Stripe has proven itself to be a very reliable tomato in the heat and humidity. Other than the two mentioned above the ones below have proven themselves somewhat more tolerant of our climate and pest problems. Reds: Neves Azorean Red, Druzba, Zogola, Red Barn(makes huge toms), Old Virginia, and Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red, Lumpy Red, Frank's Large Red Pinks: Stump of the World, Terhune, Eva Purple Ball, Brandy Boy(hybrid), Marianna's Peace Bi-color: Berkely Tie Dye Pink, Lucky Cross, and Pineapple Gold: Dr. Wyches Yellow, KBX Blacks: Spudakee, Big Cheef, Gary O' Sena, Dana's Dusky Rose, JDs Special C Tex, and Black Krim Green: Grubs Mystery Green Hearts: Kosovo, Fish Lake Oxheart, Linnie's Oxheart, Oleyers German As you can see there aren't a lot of the large pink beefsteaks. They can do very well in the early part of the season but fade fast once the steamy weather moves in. Most of the really large varieties need early planting so they can develop some size before it gets too hot. I sometimes make some really large toms during the summer heat but most are only successful in the cooler spring months. The biggest problem for me is foliage diseases and fusarium. I keep the foliage diseases under control early in the season with Daconil but when that fails I switch to a dilute bleach spray which works wonders if applied before the diseases get too bad.

January 22, 2012	#8
doublehelix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 190	I also have quite similar growing conditions with triple digits hitting in May and high humidity. I have a difficult time growing large pink potato leaf tomatoes. You might try this little trick for large pink PL's. Start the seeds two weeks earlier than normal and have them growing in 1 gallon nursery containers by the time you plant them out. That little bit of extra growth gets them setting fruit before the sauna hits. Liz Birt and Stump of the World over any of the Brandywines. For hybrids I have had good luck with Jet Star, Solar Set, and Spitfire. Bradley needs to be in there for sure. Traveler, Ozark Pink, and Homestead 24 will all have decent production in the South. Out of all the black tomatoes, Black From Tula and Mikado Black did well for me last year in the heat. Heavy early production then they just sort of hung on until a big crop in the fall. But they DID hang on. My best yellow was a new one called Nugget. I got a lot of tomatoes out of those. Nothing else was even close. Tsar Kolokol did surprisingly well here in the humidity and heat if you want to grow a heart. Still somewhat low production compared to the ones above, but it is a very good tasting heart that will do well in the South. Don't forget Sungold. Longest season of any tomato I have ever grown. If I had to just pick 3 to go up against the ones you listed, then I would have to go with Liz Birt, Spitfire, and Bradley. I hope you keep us updated with the results.

January 22, 2012	#10
mysidx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Baton Rouge,Louisiana Zone 8b Posts: 340	Last year, I had success with JD's Special Tex, and Indian Stripe. I took a lot of suggestions since I've joined this site, and this is my grow list for this year...which many are new to me. Black From Tula Aunt Ruby's Green Berkley Tie Dye Pink BrandyWine Cowlick BrandyWine Sudduth BrandyWine Croatia Lucky Cross Little Lucky Indian Stipe JD'S Special Tex KBX Azoychka Russian Sandul Moldovan Rosalie's Early Orange Amazon Chocolate Ledoux Special Purple Dog Creek Liz Birt Earls' Faux West Virginia Straw Neves Azorian red Terhune Red Barn Marriannas' Peace Stump of the World I hope it is a good one