What is your favorite grape tomato?

[Fred Hempel]

I would like to know what everyone's favorite grape tomato is.

[pondgardener]

I liked the Lucia grape tomato from FEDCO seeds. Although I wouldn't say they "taste like a red Sun Gold", as the description reads.

[carolyn137]

Fred, I don't really care what the shape of a smallish one is what I care about is taste and performance.

But since you asked, in 2010 I made an offer here of three varieties bred by Dr. Randy Gardner, formerly with NCSU, and they were:

Smarty F1
Mt Magic F1
Plum Regal F1

Smarty F1 was the grape tomato and I really liked it when I grew it.

Johnny's is one of several places still offering it:

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-7345-smarty.aspx

And here's some comments from the Tville members about it.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=14973

Honestly, I don't care if a small one is grape shaped or oval, such as Verde Claro, or pear shaped such as Emerald Pear or whatever.

Carolyn

[Gardeneer]

I have got all my cherry and grape tomato seeds from the package of tomatoes
purchased at Trader Joes. They are claimed to be "Heirloom" but probably OP.
So I actualll see, feel, and taste want I want to grow.


Here a picture. I am growing 4 of those : Black, Red large cherry, Grape Gold, Cherry gold.
My plants are now setting fruits.

Sorry, I have no names for them.

[Sodak]

Sun Gold, Fruity Cherry and Black Cherry. All tasty and prolific for me.

[Worth1]

Fred I like the one called Grape.

Worth

[heirloomtomaguy]

Sweet Olive was really good last year but did not make the cut this year. Way to many varieties to choose from. Might we see a grape variety from you in the future?

[Fred Hempel]

I like Sweet Olive too. I am working on grapes, but I don't have anything even close to finished. But I need to figure out what my "controls" should be.

[bower]

I've never yet grown a grape, but I have seeds of a few from the swaps. There are two I would have grown if I had more space - Green Grape, and Sprite - based on the reviews online - which might or might not be true for me in the given time and place.

Fred, I'm growing two cherries this year that are cherry pear X (big heart X small round). They are both long looking at the start (pear mother) but one has a nice point, and so far is developing much like the shape of Blush, while the other has a rounded bottom and instead of being a pear, looking more like a grape. The cross was just an experiment to learn about shape genetics, I didn't expect to see a grape shape (but they are half formed now, and maybe will change again..)

I was hoping to get a heart shape in a cherry, perhaps in the F2 of the pointed one. Any chance of that, in your experience?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by bower

I've never yet grown a grape, but I have seeds of a few from the swaps. There are two I would have grown if I had more space - Green Grape, and Sprite - based on the reviews online - which might or might not be true for me in the given time and place.

Fred, I'm growing two cherries this year that are cherry pear X (big heart X small round). They are both long looking at the start (pear mother) but one has a nice point, and so far is developing much like the shape of Blush, while the other has a rounded bottom and instead of being a pear, looking more like a grape. The cross was just an experiment to learn about shape genetics, I didn't expect to see a grape shape (but they are half formed now, and maybe will change again..)

I was hoping to get a heart shape in a cherry, perhaps in the F2 of the pointed one. Any chance of that, in your experience?

I wanted Fred to breed a heart shaped cherry as well, not necessarily grape shaped, so a few years ago I sent him some hearts to work with, small hearts, without my correct data book near me I can only remember one of them, Tania has no pictures so I grabbed one from Victory Seeds;

http://www.victoryseeds.com/tomato_podorok-fei.html

One of the others is a small pink heart one but I can't think of the name right now.

Fred, please remember that I'm 75 and still alive and on June 26 will be 76 and looking for something that rhymes, one person suggested 76 and still 6 ft above, I didn't know what that meant until I was told than a hole 6 ft deep is needed before a casket can be lowered into the grave,, and then someone suggested 76 and still in the sticks, now that's OK b'c to many of us the sticks indicates a rural area and yes, I do live in awonderful rural area.

So Fred, if you are going to do the small heart project please remember how old I am.

Carolyn

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

I wanted Fred to breed a heart shaped cherry as well, not necessarily grape shaped, so a few years ago I sent him some hearts to work with, small hearts, without my correct data book near me I can only remember one of them, Tania has no pictures so I grabbed one from Victory Seeds;

http://www.victoryseeds.com/tomato_podorok-fei.html

One of the others is a small pink heart one but I can't think of the name right now.

Fred, please remember that I'm 75 and still alive and on June 26 will be 76 and looking for something that rhymes, one person suggested 76 and still 6 ft above, I didn't know what that meant until I was told than a hole 6 ft deep is needed before a casket can be lowered into the grave,, and then someone suggested 76 and still in the sticks, now that's OK b'c to many of us the sticks indicates a rural area and yes, I do live in awonderful rural area.

So Fred, if you are going to do the small heart project please remember how old I am.

Carolyn

How about" Tomatoes still give me kicks at 76" or "Taking life's licks at 76", Carolyn maybe you need a "create my 76 slogan contest" thread. Winner to be whatever you like best. Just to have some fun in the 2 cents forum for a change.

[bower]

Carolyn will be sharing her picks at 76. I feel pretty confident about that.

[Fred Hempel]

We have crossed Maglia Rosa (same shape as Blush) to Cherokee Purple, and have gotten heart-shaped tomatoes.

We have also gotten heart-shaped cherries when crossing Blush to round cherry tomatoes. In our experience, some of the best heart-shaped cherry tomatoes seem to be F1's.

Originally Posted by bower

I've never yet grown a grape, but I have seeds of a few from the swaps. There are two I would have grown if I had more space - Green Grape, and Sprite - based on the reviews online - which might or might not be true for me in the given time and place.

Fred, I'm growing two cherries this year that are cherry pear X (big heart X small round). They are both long looking at the start (pear mother) but one has a nice point, and so far is developing much like the shape of Blush, while the other has a rounded bottom and instead of being a pear, looking more like a grape. The cross was just an experiment to learn about shape genetics, I didn't expect to see a grape shape (but they are half formed now, and maybe will change again..)

I was hoping to get a heart shape in a cherry, perhaps in the F2 of the pointed one. Any chance of that, in your experience?

[bower]

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

We have crossed Maglia Rosa (same shape as Blush) to Cherokee Purple, and have gotten heart-shaped tomatoes.

We have also gotten heart-shaped cherries when crossing Blush to round cherry tomatoes. In our experience, some of the best heart-shaped cherry tomatoes seem to be F1's.

That is really fascinating.
Fred, maybe Carolyn would be pleased with a tasty F1 cherry heart (just to keep her busy until the OP is ready for her 80th birthday! ) - I'm sure good F1's could be had from Blush! One of the best tasting and prettiest ever, IMO.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

We have crossed Maglia Rosa (same shape as Blush) to Cherokee Purple, and have gotten heart-shaped tomatoes.

We have also gotten heart-shaped cherries when crossing Blush to round cherry tomatoes. In our experience, some of the best heart-shaped cherry tomatoes seem to be F1's.

Fred, Cherokee Purple does have a heart form available, as does Indian Stripe, a version of Cherokee Purple and both CP and IS also have available PL foliage variants as well.

So lurking in the genes of both it's a possibility.

Carolyn