Homestead tomato!

I was looking back through some of my notes and wanted to remind everyone of a variety that grew and produced well for me in 2011. I bought it out of curiosity at a nursery. It seemed to be a determinate in growth habit remaining below four feet tall with thick heavy stems to better support the tomatoes. It produced green fruit early which grew in size into the hot months of june and July with an occasional fruit ripening. It set fruit again in late August and produced more nice tomatoes in the fall. It was always heavily laden with large tomatoes that had a very good, rich taste. While many of my plants required shade cloth to protect the hanging fruit from the hot sun, Homestead retained enough thick foliage to provide shade for the tomatoes which grew near the main stem. I didn't grow them this year and I don't have them on my grow list for next year. I do have them on my mind for my 2014 garden to see if they will repeat as a very good tomato in my hot summer climate.

Ted

[kurt]

Thank you for our regional Floridian accolades.It is a really good tomato for hot climates.Kurt in Homestead Florida.

[Sun City Linda]

I grew it for the first time this year in an Earthbox planted way too late given our very hot, late weather. Loved the taste and strong growth also. I plan a regrow 2013

[Deborah]

You're all killing me talking about tomatoes I've never heard of ! I have room for only two !

The more I think about this tomato, the more inclined I am to plant some seed in Late February and grow replacement plants for those varieties that kick the bucket early in the high summer heat. They should make great fall tomatoes.

Ted

[Garf]

(You're all killing me talking about tomatoes I've never heard of ! I have room for only two !)

With about 3500 varieties available, It's going to take you a while to try them all.

[peppero]

Originally Posted by Deborah

You're all killing me talking about tomatoes I've never heard of ! I have room for only two !

deborah don't you think maybe it is a good time to start considering a move to a place with more planting space and pursuing your tomato fantasies? jon

[FreyaFL]

This will produce during our hot, humid Florida summers?! Oooo... I think I need to find some seeds. Thanks for the info on this.

[eatmoreyeah]

Originally Posted by FreyaFL

This will produce during our hot, humid Florida summers?! Oooo... I think I need to find some seeds. Thanks for the info on this.

FreyaFL,

I can send you some seeds of Homestead. In my fall garden I've got two Homestead plants and like Ted said, they're a very strong vigorous semi-determinate plant. This tomato sets fruit extremely well. So far between both plants I've picked between 25-30 lbs, with considerable more still on the vine. The size of the fruit ranges from 6-16 ounces, but most are in the 8 ounce range. The taste for me is slightly acidic and is a great all purpose tomato. Send me a PM if you'd like some seeds.

Charles

[Joz]

I am intrigued..... I've never been impressed with the flavor of Creole tomatoes, and am having a hard time finding heat-hardy tomatoes otherwise.

Originally Posted by Joz

I am intrigued..... I've never been impressed with the flavor of Creole tomatoes, and am having a hard time finding heat-hardy tomatoes otherwise.

Joz,

I think the term "Creole Tomato" simply defines any tomato variety which can survive the heat and humidity of southeastern Louisiana and produce tomatoes. When we lived in Louisiana, I asked some cajun and creole friends to define the term in specific varieties. They couldn't, but would say "if it can grow here, it is a Creole Tomato". I believe some vendors sell seed labeled as Creole Tomato, but I don't think the variety name has any meaning. I tried for many years to identify varieties which consistently grew and produced tomatoes in the heat and humidity. The closest I came was Better Boy hybrid when planted out in February and it wasn't perfect. Some years, the roots rot in the ground from too much rain. Some years, the plants die from fungal disease due too excessive humidity, and some years, the extreme heat kills everything. If it can live and produce tomatoes in southeastern Louisiana, it must be a Creole Tomato. Give Homestead a try. It may be a Creole tomato.

Growing tomatoes around Shreveport and Monroe as far south as Alexandria is very similar to growing in North Texas.

Ted

[Joz]

I have also heard that definition. But several stores sell tomatoes, tomato plants and/or seed marked "Creole", as though that's the variety of tomato. Whatever the case, I've not been impressed.

I'd definitely like to try the Homestead.

I had beautiful plants last year, and a fair amount of Tigrovy, Red Pear, Red Brandywine (red, regular leaf), and Green Zebras. Unfortunately, the ones I wanted most (Brandywines and Green Zebra) grew the slowest and produced the fewest fruit prior to the Great Wet Heat. I'm starting everything earlier (next week) this year tho.

[Rockporter]

I grew Homestead in 2011 as well and it did very well on the coast of TX. I couldn't find plants or seed for the variety near me so I went with different tomatoes. Homestead is defintely a good all around tomato and is slightly acidic.

[dice]

The North American Cultivar List comes to the rescue here:
( http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/w.../tomatoai.html
http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/w...vgclintro.html )

Creole (L134) - Breeder: Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. Vendor: Reuters Seed Co. Parentage: Jefferson, Red Global, L145, Hotset. Characteristics: fruit set under warm humid conditions. Resistance: fusarium wilt race 1, alternaria stem canker, cracking. Similar: Floralou. Adaptation: southern United States. LSU Hort. Res. Circ. 54. 1970.

Homestead - Breeder and vendor: Florida Agric. Expt. Sta. and the Southeastern Breeding Laboratory, USDA, Charleston, South Carolina. Parentage: ((Victor x Dobbies Champion) x Pan American x Rutgers. Resistance: fusarium wilt. Similar: Rutgers. Adaptation: Florida. 1952.

Homestead 24 - Breeder and vendor: Asgrow Seed Co., New Haven, Connecticut. Parentage: selection from Homestead. Characteristics: plants determinate, large, heavy foliage; fruit meaty and firm. Resistance: fusarium wilt. Similar: Homestead. Adaptation: wide. Asgrow description. Jan. 1956.

Homestead Elite - Breeder and vendor: Ferry-Morse Seed Co., Mountain View, California. Parentage: selection from original Homestead. Characteristics: plant large, determinate giving good fruit coverage; fruit smooth, firm, medium green turning to bright scarlet; green shoulders; plants and fruits more uniform than Homestead and fruit larger than Homestead 61. Resistance: fusarium wilt. Similar: Homestead. Adaptation: Florida, Texas, and Mexico. Ferry-Morse, 30 Apr. 1964.

Homestead F-M - Breeder and vendor: Ferry-Morse Seed Co., Detroit. Parentage: single plant selection from Homestead. Characteristics: more compact plants and slightly larger fruit than Homestead. Resistance: fusarium wilt. Similar: Homestead. Adaptation: southern United States. 1955.

Homestead F-M 61 - Breeder and vendor: Ferry-Morse Seed Co., Mountain View, California. Parentage: selection from original Homestead. Characteristics: fruit have green shoulders, large, and bright scarlet when ripe; not quite as compact as Homestead Elite and possibly a few days later in maturity. Resistance: fusarium wilt. Adaptation: Florida, Texas, and Mexico. Ferry-Morse, 30 Apr. 1964.

Homestead No.2 - Breeder and vendor: Florida Agric. Expt. Sta., Gainesville, and the U.S. Southeastern Veg. Breeding Laboratory, Charleston, South Carolina. Parentage: selection from Homestead. Characteristics: semi-determinate. Resistance: fusarium wilt. Similar: Homestead. Adaptation: southern U.S. 1955.

edit:
"Creole" as a generic name for "adapted to southern Louisiana" may
be in use, too, but there is an actual cultivar with that name.

[peppero]

dice, thanks a lot for taking the time to post that information about homestead and variations. most informative. jon