earl's faux vs. terhune

[pinklady5]

I had the pleasure of growing Earl's Faux and I love the taste and it did fairly well for me here in Jersey. I have come to the conclusion that I love pink beefsteaks the best. I see a lot of talk about Terhune so I am wondering if anyone has grown both of these pink tomatoes and has a preference of one over the other. Marianna's Peace was my favorite this year but the production was very limited.

[kath]

In my very limited experience I've tried all three- MP once and the other 2 twice- and I've found a keeper in Terhune- extremely productive, consistently pretty and usable fruits and really delicious all season long.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by pinklady5

I had the pleasure of growing Earl's Faux and I love the taste and it did fairly well for me here in Jersey. I have come to the conclusion that I love pink beefsteaks the best. I see a lot of talk about Terhune so I am wondering if anyone has grown both of these pink tomatoes and has a preference of one over the other. Marianna's Peace was my favorite this year but the production was very limited.

I've grown all three that you mention but not in the same year. Of those three I guess my preference would be, well, I was going to say Terhune, then Earl's Faux and mention that nothing firm is known about their history, but that's not fair, really, and Marianna's Peace would be third behind those just based on taste and performance.

Large pink beefsteak varieties are also dear to my heart and there are many many other great ones that I've grown, aside from those you mention, and loved those other ones perhaps even better than the three you mention . But to each their own and one has to grow them, hopefully in a good season, to see how they do where a person lives and gardens and all the variables that go into growing tomatoes.

And better still, thinking of the pink theme, if they're pink heart varieties.

[camochef]

Having grown Terhune for a couple years now and Earl's Faux for a bit longer than that, I have to say that they're both good tomatoes to have in your garden.
I consider both to be Brandywine types, and this was an exceptional year for Brandywines, Brandywine crosses and Brandywine types in this area.
However, I find that Terhune has higher production than Earl's Faux, most years...including this season.
I've also grown Marianna's Peace in the past but dropped it from my gardens about 4-5 years ago in favor of better tasting and or more productive varieties.
This year German Johnson-Benton Strain grafted to maxifort root system was the #1 tomato in my gardens, followed closely by the same variety grown from seed. Then my Purple Dog Creeks, which produced even longer.
As stated above, this was a great year for my Brandywines (pink)...Glick's, Sudduth's, Cowlick's, they all did great as did the Brandywine crosses like Liz Birt (pink skinned Brandywine/Cherokee purple cross) and Bear Creek (dark skinned Brandywine/Cherokee Purple cross).
My own Dana's Dusky Rose/Brandywine-Cowlick's cross, was another that was outstanding. Still, none could beat that grafted German Johnson- Benton Strain for taste, meatiness, or production. It was also the very last plant into the gardens but it really outgrew everything else. It may not have been the first to ripen, (that honor went to Liz Birt this year), it might have been if it was planted at the same time.
I hope you have continueed success with them all, and enjoy every moment you spend in your gardens.
Enjoy!
Camo

[dustdevil]

Grow Terhune...you won't regret it!

[mecktom]

Pink Beefsteaks are my favorites, also and I plan on trying both of those next year. Be sure to add one of Camo's favorites...Purple Dog Creek....that is one good tomato.

[Blk_Vegan]

Have grown Terhune the past two seasons and it is one that I would easily recommend. Sweet tasting and quite productive here in the hot and humid Mid-South. Not many brandywine types can stand the sticky heat down here. This fact along with it's taste make it a must grow in my garden. Have yet to grow Earl's Faux. Limited space and so many good to excellent varieties to try. May give it a go in 2013.

[Tania]

I grew all three, and they are all excellent tomatoes. It is a very difficult choice, but I think I'd prefer Marianna's Peace, it is the most productive of all three in my garden.

[tam91]

Earl's Faux was my favorite pink tomato, but I think Terhune edged it out this year.

[carolyn137]

Just what I expected as in different folks prefer one over the other of the three you mentioned and it really does depend on where and how they're grown and what the season is like.

So grow all three, in the same season if you can, to make direct comparisons.

And I'm not going to give you a list of other large pinks that I like b'c I think it might just make more confusion and it's not what you asked for anyway.Heaven knows there are many threads here already asking for suggestions for large pinks, or large reds, or hearts, etc.

I think we all have our faves as grown by each of us so it's so hard to comment on varieties to be grown elsewhere and probably differently than many of us grow them. Same comment for perception of taste.

So go for it and grow all three.

[pinklady5]

Thank you for everyone's feedback. I grew Earl's Faux and Marianna's Peace together this year. I also grew Barlow Jap and Prudens Purple which were both more productive but EF and MP's taste was outstanding for me. Terhune will be on my list with along with EF and MP I guess and we'll see what comes out on the top next year. Already dreaming of next year !!!!

[guruofgardens]

Already dreaming of next year !!! And who isn't?

Terhune was great for me - Earl's Faux was very slow in growing, but had pretty good production, though much later.

One Terhune got early blight first, so planted pole beans in it's place and they are still producing quite well. The other Terhune was a trooper, producing over and above - probably making up for the one that was removed.

I'm planning on Terhune again next year.

[PaulF]

Thanks! With the addition of Terhune, the 2013 list is getting full already.

[kenny_j]

Yep, trying to put next years grow list together myself. I have decided the big pinks, brandywines in particular, are my faves. We had 3-4 Earls Faux plants, and on first tasting I thought they were close to BW quality. Later side by side taste tastings with Sudduth and Cowlicks, showed them lacking in intensity. They are like a watered down BW to me. But who's to say I had true seed? Cowlicks and Suddeth are tops, with Cowlicks more productive and a lot earlier. Stump is right up there also. I really enjoyed some of the darks this year but they did not hold up well, flavor wise and ripening wise later into the season. I ate a cowlicks yesterday, and with the cool weather it still tastes wonderful!

[dice]

Kind of a sleeper, Gogosha:
http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Gogosha

Huntsman grew it in South Africa, sold seedlings, and this was
one in particular that people were asking him for in spring
the next year.

(I do like Earl's, though, too. Superior flavor in good weather.)