I can't decide what not to grow this year...

TressJ · March 12, 2016

I have limited space and have already decided on some must grows this year (not listed) but need to pick 4 of the following not to grow this year. Please help me.

A. Ginny Purple
A. Ruby's German
Abe Lincoln
Amazon Chocolate
Amish Paste
Anna Russian
Black Brown Boar
Black Cherry
Black from Tula
Box Car Willie
Cherokee Purple
Chocolate Stripe
German Red Strawberry
Helen's German
Indian Stripe
Limbaugh's Legacy
Mortgage Lifter
Omar's Lebanese
Orange Russian 117
Pruden's Purple
Solar Flare
Talavera Native
Terhune
Zapotec pink

BigVanVader · March 12, 2016

Mortgage lifter/box car willie would be my votes. Both are below average IMO.

ginger2778 · March 13, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Mortgage lifter/box car willie would be my votes. Both are below average IMO.

Ditto.
I would add Amish paste to the drop list. It's OK, but too juicy for a paste, and for fresh eating it is ordinary, no wow factor.

heirloomtomaguy · March 12, 2016

I second BigVanVader on those two.

Cole_Robbie · March 12, 2016

Do you both mean you don't like Mortgage Lifter's flavor? Is the taste not as good because it sets so many fruit? I had Estler's last year. I should have saved seeds, but didn't. This year I have the regular ML, Yellow ML, and "Halliday's ML." We shall see how it goes.

OR117 is a definite keep. I like Black and Brown Boar, but they spiral crack very badly in wet weather.

heirloomtomaguy · March 12, 2016

I just mean that there are so many better varieties out there and out of the varieties on TressJ's list those to could be cut.

AlittleSalt · March 12, 2016

TressJ, if I had those options, I would either buy 4 big pots to grow these 4 or not grow them if there's no room for big pots:

Black Cherry
Box Car Willie
Solar Flair
Talavera Native

The reasons why: For some reason no matter what the seed source is - Black Cherry either doesn't germinate or does and then dies for me. The other three have a lot of mixed reviews.

The others on your list, I have read a lot of very good things about.

That's just my opinion from some experiences and things I have read.

Gardeneer · March 12, 2016

I can only strongly recommend one to grow : Black From Tula.

I am actually growing few of those in your list, for the first time and Box Ca Willie is one of them.
On the ML, jury is divided. Apparently there is more than one strain. I had one 2 years ago, did not like it.
Gardeneed

TressJ · March 13, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

I can only strongly recommend one to grow : Black From Tula.

I am actually growing few of those in your list, for the first time and Box Ca Willie is one of them.
On the ML, jury is divided. Apparently there is more than one strain. I had one 2 years ago, did not like it.
Gardeneed

Thanks for the recommend on Black From Tula. I have the Ferry Morse ML, was that the one you grew?

Gardeneer · March 13, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by TressJ

Thanks for the recommend on Black From Tula. I have the Ferry Morse ML, was that the one you grew?

You're welcome.

Quote:

I have the Ferry Morse ML, was that the one you grew?

Np . It was a Bonnie plant from HD

Gardeneer

b54red · March 13, 2016

Box Car Willie was one I eliminated quite a few years ago along with Mortgage Lifter. I also dropped Omar's Lebanese and German Red Strawberry. None of them had the flavor I wanted and that is my main criteria. Omar's was the last to go because it is just so much fun seeing how big the fruit get despite all of them ending up in the sauce pot.

Bill

Scooty · March 12, 2016

I vote dig up more lawn, less to mow. Everyone wins.

TressJ · March 13, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooty

I vote dig up more lawn, less to mow. Everyone wins.

I vote the same but the DH thinks the dogs need a place to do their business. I think they need a smaller place to do it.

Carriehelene · March 13, 2016

Didn't care for anything about mortgage lifter, so add my vote to everybody else's.

Father'sDaughter · March 13, 2016

I have no personal experience with any on your list, but I have found myself in your shoes many times!

What works for me is putting my "must grow" non-paste varieties into categories first by size (cherry, medium, large) and then sorting each by color.

Then I take a look at each variety I might want to grow and see if it's category already has too many or two few "must grows" already covering it.

Since we all taste things differently, I learned early on here to only pay attention to taste-based opinions from others who agree with my taste-based opinion of any variety I had grown and tasted myself.

Good luck whittling down!

March 12, 2016	#1
TressJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Utah Posts: 51	I can't decide what not to grow this year... I have limited space and have already decided on some must grows this year (not listed) but need to pick 4 of the following not to grow this year. Please help me. A. Ginny Purple A. Ruby's German Abe Lincoln Amazon Chocolate Amish Paste Anna Russian Black Brown Boar Black Cherry Black from Tula Box Car Willie Cherokee Purple Chocolate Stripe German Red Strawberry Helen's German Indian Stripe Limbaugh's Legacy Mortgage Lifter Omar's Lebanese Orange Russian 117 Pruden's Purple Solar Flare Talavera Native Terhune Zapotec pink __________________ TressJ TomatoPusher

March 12, 2016	#4
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	I second BigVanVader on those two. __________________ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

March 12, 2016	#6
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	I just mean that there are so many better varieties out there and out of the varieties on TressJ's list those to could be cut. __________________ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

March 12, 2016	#2
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	Mortgage lifter/box car willie would be my votes. Both are below average IMO.

March 12, 2016	#5
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Do you both mean you don't like Mortgage Lifter's flavor? Is the taste not as good because it sets so many fruit? I had Estler's last year. I should have saved seeds, but didn't. This year I have the regular ML, Yellow ML, and "Halliday's ML." We shall see how it goes. OR117 is a definite keep. I like Black and Brown Boar, but they spiral crack very badly in wet weather.

March 12, 2016	#7
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	TressJ, if I had those options, I would either buy 4 big pots to grow these 4 or not grow them if there's no room for big pots: Black Cherry Box Car Willie Solar Flair Talavera Native The reasons why: For some reason no matter what the seed source is - Black Cherry either doesn't germinate or does and then dies for me. The other three have a lot of mixed reviews. The others on your list, I have read a lot of very good things about. That's just my opinion from some experiences and things I have read.

March 12, 2016	#8
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,918	I can only strongly recommend one to grow : Black From Tula. I am actually growing few of those in your list, for the first time and Box Ca Willie is one of them. On the ML, jury is divided. Apparently there is more than one strain. I had one 2 years ago, did not like it. Gardeneed

March 13, 2016	#11
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Box Car Willie was one I eliminated quite a few years ago along with Mortgage Lifter. I also dropped Omar's Lebanese and German Red Strawberry. None of them had the flavor I wanted and that is my main criteria. Omar's was the last to go because it is just so much fun seeing how big the fruit get despite all of them ending up in the sauce pot. Bill

March 12, 2016	#12
Scooty Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Chicago-land & SO-cal Posts: 583	I vote dig up more lawn, less to mow. Everyone wins.

March 13, 2016	#14
Carriehelene Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 300	Didn't care for anything about mortgage lifter, so add my vote to everybody else's.

March 13, 2016	#15
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	I have no personal experience with any on your list, but I have found myself in your shoes many times! What works for me is putting my "must grow" non-paste varieties into categories first by size (cherry, medium, large) and then sorting each by color. Then I take a look at each variety I might want to grow and see if it's category already has too many or two few "must grows" already covering it. Since we all taste things differently, I learned early on here to only pay attention to taste-based opinions from others who agree with my taste-based opinion of any variety I had grown and tasted myself. Good luck whittling down!