What is your favorite heirloom tomato?

Gardenboy · September 14, 2012

Hello gardeners,

Avid south FL gardener here. Learned from my grandpa 38 years ago and have learned a lot over the years. Our south FL 2011/2012 season was a bumper crop, especially for the black varieties. "Chinese Purple" has to be my new black tomato favorite. The following varieties are a must to try:

German Johnson
Black Cherry
Chocolate Stripes
Watermelon Beefsteak
Early Black
Paul Robeson
Brazilian Beauty

What is your favorite tomato?

camochef · September 15, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardenboy

Hello gardeners,

Avid south FL gardener here. Learned from my grandpa 38 years ago and have learned a lot over the years. Our south FL 2011/2012 season was a bumper crop, especially for the black varieties. "Chinese Purple" has to be my new black tomato favorite. The following varieties are a must to try:

German Johnson
Black Cherry
Chocolate Stripes
Watermelon Beefsteak
Early Black
Paul Robeson
Brazilian Beauty

What is your favorite tomato?

This changes every season, but this year it was German Johnson-Benton Strain- grafted to Maxifort rootstock. It was followed by last years favorite...Purple Dog Creek.
Past seasons have seen Dana's Dusky Rose, Amazon Chocolate, Bear Creek, Cowlick's Brandywine, Barlow Jap, Brandywine-Glick's, Brandywine-Sudduth's, Liz Birt, Tarasenko6, Sandul Moldovan, Pink Sweet, Olena Ukrainian, Lancaster County Pink, and others in the #1 position.
It changes just like the weather. I must admit that this was a Brandywine year here with all my Brandywines doing exceptionally well, but not enough to take the top two spots.
Enjoy!
Camo

PaulF · September 15, 2012

This year earlier it was Italian Sweet; now it is Tsar Kolokol and Wes.

**carolyn137** · September 15, 2012

I can't name just one favorite, I can't even name my top 10 or 20, b'c as Camo said, for me it changes almost every year as well.

The more varieties I've grown, up to over about 3,000 now, the better I can assess new ones that come along, but honestly, there always will be new ones that become faves b/c that's the way it has always been IMO, at least for me.

cecilsgarden1958 · September 16, 2012

Anna Russian, Nepal,German Johnson (PL),Old German,Gregori's Altai, but I seldom grow heirlooms anymore. I can't get them to produce here. Going to grow Gregori's Altai in 2013.

CECIL

bluebonnets · September 16, 2012

That's hard...this year

Kosovo
Tater Kin
Black Krim
KBX was a delight
Loved Tommy Toe too

TightenUp · September 16, 2012

all awesome

kelloggs breakfast
cherokee purple
dixiewine

pdxwindjammer · September 16, 2012

Orlov Yellow
Aunt Ruby's German Green
Almost anything with "Belgian" in the name.

horses4jess · September 16, 2012

For me (very near your neck of the woods, Gardenboy), Pineapple was my heirloom standout for the second straight season. Good production and flavor was excellent.

Berkeley Tie-Dye Pink was the consensus family favorite of all my OP varieties, even though it isn't an heirloom. It did very well this spring and was producing beautiful tomatoes until mid-summer.

koshki · September 16, 2012

I feel like a broken record, but Black from Tula is still my favorite. I gave a variety of plants for my best friend to grow this year. She lost the plant tags, but she keeps raving about the "purple" ones. So I'm not alone!

This year my Tulas were very tasty, a good size, and very prolific!

But next year I plan on growing some new (to me) varieties that might give it competition...

RichardB. · September 16, 2012

I grew Paul Robeson, Cherokee Purple, Amazon Chocolate & Marrianna's Peace, I chilled the tomato's, diced them up, told my wife to rate it 1-10 and say something about it. The Paul Robeson won, Cherokee Purple 2nd. I to liked the Paul Robeson, it has really good taste.

Worth1 · September 17, 2012

Just can't say.

Worth

pugfrog · September 17, 2012

Of the true Heirlooms, Black Krim and Paul Robeson.

tomakers · September 17, 2012

Paul Robeson and Aunt Ruby's German Green. Green Zebra is a favorite but not an heirloom.
JMO,
Tom

Alpinejs · September 17, 2012

Cherokee Green remains on the throne with stiff competition from Omar's
Lebonese, Pineapple and Wes. It was not a good year for judging as the
vast majority of the plants took a foliage and blossum beating from a
softball sized hailstorm and many that survived suffered sunscald. Have some
great ones started for my San Diego gardening. We leave Canad a 3 weeks.
(Sob)

OT...I now have new metal roofing on my buildings thanks to the insurance
company and the hailstorm.

September 15, 2012	#3
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	This year earlier it was Italian Sweet; now it is Tsar Kolokol and Wes. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

September 15, 2012	#4
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	I can't name just one favorite, I can't even name my top 10 or 20, b'c as Camo said, for me it changes almost every year as well. The more varieties I've grown, up to over about 3,000 now, the better I can assess new ones that come along, but honestly, there always will be new ones that become faves b/c that's the way it has always been IMO, at least for me. __________________ Carolyn

September 16, 2012	#5
cecilsgarden1958 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: swPA Posts: 629	Anna Russian, Nepal,German Johnson (PL),Old German,Gregori's Altai, but I seldom grow heirlooms anymore. I can't get them to produce here. Going to grow Gregori's Altai in 2013. CECIL __________________ Hybrids Rule, Heirlooms Drool!

September 16, 2012	#7
TightenUp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Jersey Posts: 1,183	all awesome kelloggs breakfast cherokee purple dixiewine __________________

September 16, 2012	#10
koshki Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Grosse Pointe Shores, MI Posts: 127	I feel like a broken record, but Black from Tula is still my favorite. I gave a variety of plants for my best friend to grow this year. She lost the plant tags, but she keeps raving about the "purple" ones. So I'm not alone! This year my Tulas were very tasty, a good size, and very prolific! But next year I plan on growing some new (to me) varieties that might give it competition... __________________ Katherine

September 14, 2012	#1
Gardenboy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 784	What is your favorite heirloom tomato? Hello gardeners, Avid south FL gardener here. Learned from my grandpa 38 years ago and have learned a lot over the years. Our south FL 2011/2012 season was a bumper crop, especially for the black varieties. "Chinese Purple" has to be my new black tomato favorite. The following varieties are a must to try: German Johnson Black Cherry Chocolate Stripes Watermelon Beefsteak Early Black Paul Robeson Brazilian Beauty What is your favorite tomato?

September 16, 2012	#6
bluebonnets Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: TX Posts: 178	That's hard...this year Kosovo Tater Kin Black Krim KBX was a delight Loved Tommy Toe too

September 16, 2012	#8
pdxwindjammer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 625	Orlov Yellow Aunt Ruby's German Green Almost anything with "Belgian" in the name.

September 16, 2012	#9
horses4jess Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Northeastern KS, Zone 6a Posts: 130	For me (very near your neck of the woods, Gardenboy), Pineapple was my heirloom standout for the second straight season. Good production and flavor was excellent. Berkeley Tie-Dye Pink was the consensus family favorite of all my OP varieties, even though it isn't an heirloom. It did very well this spring and was producing beautiful tomatoes until mid-summer.

September 16, 2012	#11
RichardB. Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Burnsville, MN Posts: 49	I grew Paul Robeson, Cherokee Purple, Amazon Chocolate & Marrianna's Peace, I chilled the tomato's, diced them up, told my wife to rate it 1-10 and say something about it. The Paul Robeson won, Cherokee Purple 2nd. I to liked the Paul Robeson, it has really good taste.

September 17, 2012	#12
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Just can't say. Worth

September 17, 2012	#13
pugfrog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 38	Of the true Heirlooms, Black Krim and Paul Robeson.

September 17, 2012	#14
tomakers Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cranberry Country, SE MA - zone 6? Posts: 353	Paul Robeson and Aunt Ruby's German Green. Green Zebra is a favorite but not an heirloom. JMO, Tom __________________ I never met a fish I didn't like.

September 17, 2012	#15
Alpinejs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Alpine, Calif. in winter. Sandpoint Lake, Ont. Canada summers Posts: 850	Cherokee Green remains on the throne with stiff competition from Omar's Lebonese, Pineapple and Wes. It was not a good year for judging as the vast majority of the plants took a foliage and blossum beating from a softball sized hailstorm and many that survived suffered sunscald. Have some great ones started for my San Diego gardening. We leave Canad a 3 weeks. (Sob) OT...I now have new metal roofing on my buildings thanks to the insurance company and the hailstorm.