Lizzano (AAS) & Sweetheart of the Patio

[Scooty]

Has anyone tried growing the red-cherries Lizzano Hybrid (AAS) or Sweetheart of the Patio? How do they taste?

They are both supposed to be developed by John Burrows at Pro-Veg. It seems Sweetheart of the Patio is not a hybrid, but it's described as "sister line" Maybe, it's one of the parental lines to the Lizzano?

[Cole_Robbie]

Terrenzo is excellent. It's the determinate sister of Lizzano, which is semi-det. I've grown both as seedlings, but only kept the Terrenzo. I really love that variety. It's probably my favorite hybrid. I've never tried Sweetheart of the Patio.

[Scooty]

Why did you like the Terrenzo more than the Lizzano? Both are AAS I think, but Pro-veg 2014-15 catalog seems to suggest that the Lizzano is the sweeter of the two?

Lizzano F1
Vigorous semi-determinate plants produce cherry size fruits
of 11g measuring 25 mm x 25 mm with 7-8 % Brix. Plant
Height: 40-50 cm tall x 50 cm spread. This variety has a
trailing growth habit which works well in a hanging basket.
[Late Blight tolerant].

Terenzo F1
Terenzo F1 is an improved cherry Tumbler type producing a lot
of flowers with an approximate fruit size of 30 mm x 33 mm.
The round fruit has an average weight of 19g and a Brix of
6-7%.

Random thought - the Sweetheart of the Patio might be interesting for breeding, since it's not a hybrid and has late blight resistance.

[Cole_Robbie]

I first used it as a hanging basket variety, and I wanted a determinate. The following year, I put a plant in the high tunnel. That plant grew into a bush about a cubic yard in size. Both years the fruit were very sweet, the best hybrid cherry I have tried.

I have not sampled the Lizzano, but if it beats Terrenzo on Brix, that's probably because the fruit of Terrenzo are about twice the size, large for a cherry.

[Kazedwards]

I grew Lizzano F1 last year. It produce really well for its size which was about the same as Tiny Tim. I would call it a dwarf. The taste was good for a cherry and not too acidic. It had 1" round fruit and the only problem that I had was the fruit would crack with a decent rain. I would be perfect for one of those upside-down tomato planters. As far as the blight resistance I couldn't tell you because blight isn't a big issue in my area. I saved seed and want to grow it out in the future.

[Greatgardens]

I've grown both T. and L. Both were OK, but nothing special. Lizzano was a pretty large plant for my purposes. Never tried Sweethearts, but I've seen the plants, and they are pretty large IMO. I'm growing Red Profusion this year (Vegetalis). So far, it is more compact and has a better branching habit than Tumbler, which has been my "standard" basket variety for quite a few years. I also plan to grow Basket King O.P. I grew it years ago and it was one of the sweetest tomatoes that I've ever grown. But it did not have a very good habit, and I ended up putting it in a cage and growing it as a regular smallish determinate.
-GG

[Kazedwards]

I ended up making a small cage for Lizzano last year as well. Even with the cage it was maybe 2 feet tale at most. I enjoyed the growth habit that it had. It never got taller but would grow new branches as the older ones finished fruiting. I had never seen that before.

[Cole_Robbie]

My hanging basket varieties this year are Whippersnapper, Anmore Treasures, and Anmore Dew Drops. Or at least that is the plan. I have not grown any of them before. I think they might do well in a low tunnel, too.