Your FAVORITE "main cropper".........

KCMO_Don · March 8, 2006

I am planting a LOT of different varieties this year and I am trying to decide which plants to use as my "main cropper".
Hybrid or OP, in your opinion what is your "old reliable" that always cranks out consistent quality fruits that you plant year after year to ensure that at the very least you will get something good from all your hard work?

I have used Big Beef in the past.
I am thinking of Akers WV, and BC Willie this year, but I still have about 4-6 weeks to make up my mind.

Grub · March 8, 2006

Hi KC,
I tend to change my initended main cropper to try a new main cropper each year. Thus, my search isn't over. But will it ever be?

A main cropper for me is red and of course prolific. This season I grew two Red Brandywines and a Livingston's Favorite as my main croppers. They were just outstandingly prolific.

No, wait, past tense isn't appropriate for they are all still cropping. I like them equally, but LF produced even more the Red Brandywine. Even low defoliated branches are still loaded while high up new growth is setting yet more fruit.

Dead set return main cropper for me. Then again, who really knows after reading all your posts this coming season.

I am going to try the real Box Car Willie next year from Carolyn

I have giant Faux Red BCWs again

KCMO_Don · March 9, 2006

Thanks Grub!!!
And thanks for the seed!!!

**Lee** · March 9, 2006

Cuostralee has been my main crop choice for the past 3 seasons.
Great production, great taste, great disease tolerance...
what more could you want?!?!

Although, I did try Arkansas Traveler last year and it was the only one to set fruit from April to September. This baby kept spittin 'em out even in the 90+ temps of July!

Lee

chilhuacle · March 9, 2006

I would have to agree on Big Beef. Brandy Boy really cranked out the tomatoes last year too.

Good plants that kept setting fruit even when temperatures climbed above 90° were Black Krim and Neves Azorean Red.

giardiniere · March 9, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

Cuostralee has been my main crop choice for the past 3 seasons.
Great production, great taste, great disease tolerance...
what more could you want?!?!

Although, I did try Arkansas Traveler last year and it was the only one to set fruit from April to September. This baby kept spittin 'em out even in the 90+ temps of July!

Lee

That's good to know. I'm growing several of each of those two varieties in addition to Box Car Willie, German Red Strawberry, Mortgage Lifter, and probably a few others I pick up at the nursery.

KCMO_Don · March 9, 2006

right now these are my varieties for this year
1.Brandywine (sudduth)
2. German Red Strawberry
3. Brandy boy
4. Big Beef
5. Aunt gerties gold
6. Eva Purple Ball
7. Coustralee
8. Aker's West Virginia
9. Sungold
10. Black Cherry (TGS)
11. Sweet quartz (or another good red cherry)
12. Sara Black
13. Jaune Flammé
14. kimberly
15. Amish Gold
16. Lucky cross
17. Stump of the world
18. Earls Faux

bully · March 9, 2006

I think Regina's Yellow would make a wonderful 'main cropper' for a fitting gardener.

Good taste, nice big size and good productivity.

Grub · March 9, 2006

Do you really, Bully. Isn't that a bit left field? I grew Regina's Yellow last season and loved the fruity taste of the large bicolour, but as a main cropper?

popepaul · March 9, 2006

Here's my grow notes for my highest producting big tomatoes from last years crop. I use a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest.

Rated 5 (Very High Production)
Druzba
German Red Strawberry
Kosovo
Old Brooks

Rated 4+ (High Production)
Big Beef
German Head
Nepal
Pruden’s Purple

Rated 4 (High Production)
Aker’s West Virginia
Box Car Willie
Brandywine, OTV
Brandywine, Red
Lida Ukrainian
Neves Azorean Red
Omar’s Lebanese
Soldacki
UglyRipe

They all did well in my 90-100 degree weather.

-Paul

bully · March 9, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grub

Do you really, Bully. Isn't that a bit left field? I grew Regina's Yellow last season and loved the fruity taste of the large bicolour, but as a main cropper?

it is a bit left field on 2nd thought
production, size and flavor were good but I would miss the traditional tomato flavor of a red like Cuosterlee

shelleybean · March 9, 2006

German Head produces oodles of tomatoes for me. And they store pretty well, too. I just leave them on the counter.

KCMO_Don · March 9, 2006

PopePaul,
I am VERY glad to hear you got a good yild from German REd Strawberry!!
How did you like the fruit itself?

popepaul · March 10, 2006

Hi Don,

First, I love Hearts, so I am a bit prejudice. I loved German Red Strawberry and my yield was very high. I was surprised how good the production really was. A lot of my GRS went into canning jars.

Here's my grow notes:
Days to First Harvest = 83
Production (1-5 scale with 5 higest) = 5
Taste = Nice taste, sweet, not juicy
Firmness = Medium, firm at early stage, but softens as it ripens
Size = 10oz - 20oz
General = No catfacing experienced. A few double hearts developed. Ripe fruit has some cracking after a heavy rain.
Grade (scale A - F with A+ being the highest) = A

KCMO_Don · March 10, 2006

Thanks Pope!!! (sorry to hear of your death) :wink:

March 8, 2006	#1
KCMO_Don Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: KANSAS Posts: 223	Your FAVORITE "main cropper"......... I am planting a LOT of different varieties this year and I am trying to decide which plants to use as my "main cropper". Hybrid or OP, in your opinion what is your "old reliable" that always cranks out consistent quality fruits that you plant year after year to ensure that at the very least you will get something good from all your hard work? I have used Big Beef in the past. I am thinking of Akers WV, and BC Willie this year, but I still have about 4-6 weeks to make up my mind. __________________ GIGGITY - GIGGITY

March 8, 2006	#2
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Main Cropper Hi KC, I tend to change my initended main cropper to try a new main cropper each year. Thus, my search isn't over. But will it ever be? A main cropper for me is red and of course prolific. This season I grew two Red Brandywines and a Livingston's Favorite as my main croppers. They were just outstandingly prolific. No, wait, past tense isn't appropriate for they are all still cropping. I like them equally, but LF produced even more the Red Brandywine. Even low defoliated branches are still loaded while high up new growth is setting yet more fruit. Dead set return main cropper for me. Then again, who really knows after reading all your posts this coming season. I am going to try the real Box Car Willie next year from Carolyn I have giant Faux Red BCWs again

March 9, 2006	#3
KCMO_Don Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: KANSAS Posts: 223	Thanks Grub!!! And thanks for the seed!!! __________________ GIGGITY - GIGGITY

March 9, 2006	#7
KCMO_Don Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: KANSAS Posts: 223	right now these are my varieties for this year 1.Brandywine (sudduth) 2. German Red Strawberry 3. Brandy boy 4. Big Beef 5. Aunt gerties gold 6. Eva Purple Ball 7. Coustralee 8. Aker's West Virginia 9. Sungold 10. Black Cherry (TGS) 11. Sweet quartz (or another good red cherry) 12. Sara Black 13. Jaune Flammé 14. kimberly 15. Amish Gold 16. Lucky cross 17. Stump of the world 18. Earls Faux __________________ GIGGITY - GIGGITY

March 9, 2006	#9
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Really? Do you really, Bully. Isn't that a bit left field? I grew Regina's Yellow last season and loved the fruity taste of the large bicolour, but as a main cropper?

March 9, 2006	#4
Lee Tomatopalooza™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NC-Zone 7 Posts: 2,188	Cuostralee has been my main crop choice for the past 3 seasons. Great production, great taste, great disease tolerance... what more could you want?!?! Although, I did try Arkansas Traveler last year and it was the only one to set fruit from April to September. This baby kept spittin 'em out even in the 90+ temps of July! Lee

March 9, 2006	#5
chilhuacle Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Concord CA z9b, just west of Tomatoville Posts: 415	I would have to agree on Big Beef. Brandy Boy really cranked out the tomatoes last year too. Good plants that kept setting fruit even when temperatures climbed above 90° were Black Krim and Neves Azorean Red.

March 9, 2006	#8
bully Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S.E. MI Posts: 794	I think Regina's Yellow would make a wonderful 'main cropper' for a fitting gardener. Good taste, nice big size and good productivity.

March 9, 2006	#10
popepaul Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Boise, ID - Zone 6b Posts: 41	Here's my grow notes for my highest producting big tomatoes from last years crop. I use a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest. Rated 5 (Very High Production) Druzba German Red Strawberry Kosovo Old Brooks Rated 4+ (High Production) Big Beef German Head Nepal Pruden’s Purple Rated 4 (High Production) Aker’s West Virginia Box Car Willie Brandywine, OTV Brandywine, Red Lida Ukrainian Neves Azorean Red Omar’s Lebanese Soldacki UglyRipe They all did well in my 90-100 degree weather. -Paul

March 9, 2006	#12
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	German Head produces oodles of tomatoes for me. And they store pretty well, too. I just leave them on the counter. __________________ Michele

March 10, 2006	#14
popepaul Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Boise, ID - Zone 6b Posts: 41	Hi Don, First, I love Hearts, so I am a bit prejudice. I loved German Red Strawberry and my yield was very high. I was surprised how good the production really was. A lot of my GRS went into canning jars. Here's my grow notes: Days to First Harvest = 83 Production (1-5 scale with 5 higest) = 5 Taste = Nice taste, sweet, not juicy Firmness = Medium, firm at early stage, but softens as it ripens Size = 10oz - 20oz General = No catfacing experienced. A few double hearts developed. Ripe fruit has some cracking after a heavy rain. Grade (scale A - F with A+ being the highest) = A