What is the largest number of varieties you have grown? - Page 3

Old chef · January 3, 2015

Hello
Well i don't know if I am bragging or complaining. One year I grew 241 ( yes it's a number i remember exactly) cherry tomatoes for my restaurant. It became the biggest pain in the butt to have to pick cherry tomatos three hours a day

Old Chef

bower · January 3, 2015

My greenhouse is really only ample enough for 24 plants to get the optimal light and space they need. I started growing heirlooms in 2011, and grew three each of ten new-to-me varieties that year. It turned out to be a terrible year for tomatoes, and only three of the ten produced decently. I went searching for more and better varieties and found T'ville.....
So each year since then I have crammed more plants into the greenhouse, and trialed more varieties on a one-each basis or one-in and one-out as the extras spill into the less hospitable outdoors...

Counting F1's and F2's as 'variety', which are genetically unique if not stable, this past year I grew 45 'genetically unique' plants or varieties, with forty plants crammed into the greenhouse, and a baker's dozen outside in my and mom's garden. Number of plants grown is higher than that, as I started about 40 for the farm, 40 for other friends, and sold about 80 extra plants at market, so a couple hundred tomato plants in all. Jest a few.

I would have to say that production of the crowded plants was less than the more optimal spacing the year before, and although wierd weather didn't help I think the crowding is counterproductive, I will have to cut back.

Also, it may be good or bad that I'm strongly selecting for varieties that tolerate less sunlight, but the 'one each and crowded' process doesn't really give new varieties their due trial. Although I do get to see how they fare at the farm and other friends' greenhouses.. I will have to repeat some of my losers.... later!

.

I will probably never grow as many varieties as our southern friends here, because all of the late ones are, really, too late for our short season. But it doesn't stop me from wanting to try more and more varieties in hopes of finding all the ones we can possibly grow.

More per year doesn't seem to be optimal in the circumstances, so I guess I'll just have to take more years to do it..

Don't ask about my plans for 2015!

LindyAdele · January 3, 2015

I keep reworking my garden plan to see if I can squeeze another plant in. I am truly envious of all of you with your proper farms! I live in the middle of a city with a very shady yard. 16 varieties last year, 1 plant each, and likely the same this year. I grow nearly 100 seedlings, which includes peppers and eggplant, but I give away a lot. I try to convince my city dwelling neighbours gardening isn't so hard, and toatoes can taste delicious! I dream of having even a half acre to try out all the tomato varieties I want!

Labradors2 · January 3, 2015

Last year I grew 31 plants, 28 different varieties. It was more than we needed, but will be difficult to cut back because there are so many new-to-me varieties that I still want to grow.

Linda

b54red · January 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labradors2

Last year I grew 31 plants, 28 different varieties. It was more than we needed, but will be difficult to cut back because there are so many new-to-me varieties that I still want to grow.

Linda

I still find it difficult to cut back on the numbers but I have found that even though I am growing less in both number and variety I have produced more actual edible fruit. Allowing the plants proper spacing for better air flow is critical down here where the humidity and heat increase the incidence of disease.

The easiest way for me to decide which varieties to grow is to find the ones that taste the best to me. After many years I could probably get my numbers down to no more than 20 that I find absolutely superb; but I still like to try out an occasional new one and sometimes a few older varieties that I dropped previously but I'm still not sure about eliminating them for good. At the end of each season I write out a list of the exceptionally tasty tomatoes and they make up my must haves for the next year. I then look at the best from the previous two years and add in a few more and usually come out with around 30 varieties. After years of doing this it is amazing how much the list of my top 10 tasty tomatoes include the same varieties year after year. By doing this and not considering how much they produce I have eliminated some of the most productive varieties over the past few years; but I am enjoying the results much more. Although taste is my main consideration I do eliminate consistently poor producers unless the taste is just incredible.

Bill

Labradors2 · January 3, 2015

That's not very encouraging that you still enjoy 30 varieties! I have eliminated regular Brandywine and anything that is "late" because I don't think it's worth investing a lot of garden space for something that is only going to give me a total of 2 or 3 fruits before the frost hits.

Linda

heirloomtomaguy · January 3, 2015

So last year i jumped from 50 varieties to 90. Just a small jump. This coming year is the year of growouts so i will never quite know how many i will plant.

AlittleSalt · January 4, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labradors2

That's not very encouraging that you still enjoy 30 varieties! I have eliminated regular Brandywine and anything that is "late" because I don't think it's worth investing a lot of garden space for something that is only going to give me a total of 2 or 3 fruits before the frost hits.

Linda

Linda, I agree completely. This year, late varieties for me will only include the ones I want to know more about. I plan on keeping late and/or large varieties down to 15 plants or less. It just gets too hot too fast here.

taboule · January 4, 2015

I grew 22 varieties last year, total of ~55 plants. A few disappointed and will not be invited back, would rather have more of the types I like most. Aiming for 12~15 varieties and 30~35 plants this year. Fewer plants = happier wife

Lindalana · January 4, 2015

Linda, same here with late plants. Especially for my give away plant swap ones- people loved varieties but some were later ones so they are not as much fun for zone 5. Although for myself I will always grow couple of late ones simply because they are usually the ones worth waiting for.
I do have plans to set my tomatoes out April 20 this year into their WOW, full week earlier than last year so this will help I hope.

Alpinejs · January 4, 2015

I grow about 140 varieties between Calif. and Canada and duplicate only my favorites. Last
year was disaster as high water put most of my plants totally under water and killed them
and also destroyed a large portion of my seed collection. My Calif. garden in containers, is
all about rebuilding seed which was aided by many kind Tomatovillians. The plus side is that
the loss eliminated many that I truly doubt I would ever have tried again like Garden Peach.
By my latest count, I still have 2891 varieties that I want to trial. I either need to buy some
acreage or take better care of my health. I also sell about 1000 seedlings of 14 varieties in
the spring for fuel money to Canada and back and motels. Of those, I just did my first planting yesterday and will add more every 5 days.

drew51 · January 4, 2015

I only have a backyard, and tomatoes are not my favorite plant to grow. I grew 10 varieties. But if you count all the plants I grow, the number is like 50 varieties a year.
I like growing various plants, I wish i had time to grow more. Still 10 gives you a decent harvest.

MrBig46 · January 4, 2015

This year I will grow 150 varieties of tomatoes (250 plants). About half of them already I know that in 2016 I will not grow. So in 2016 I will have a space for growing new tomatoes. Already looking forward to them. All tomatoes taste me (almost).
Vladimír

loudog · January 4, 2015

I grew 92 plants in 2014 and a total of 41 varieties.I try to grow about 12 new varieties a year. Louie

AKmark · January 5, 2015

Last year I think I had 83 varieties and about 400 plants. This year I will have about 80 varieties, 60 new ones, and will grow about 600 plants. I swore I would only grow 20 new varieties, but some very nice people, you know who you are, sent me some goodies I cannot resist trying.
I also am tinkering with crosses that we have done over the last couple of years, that really increases the different selections for the year too.
Have any of you tried Summer Girl, the hybrid from Burpee? I am going to try some new hybrids this year too. I grew a bunch of them over the last 20 years, and very few did it for me, but we will try again.
At any rate, looks like another fun year.

January 3, 2015	#37
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	So last year i jumped from 50 varieties to 90. Just a small jump. This coming year is the year of growouts so i will never quite know how many i will plant. __________________ “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."

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January 3, 2015	#31
Old chef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Long island Posts: 456	Hello Well i don't know if I am bragging or complaining. One year I grew 241 ( yes it's a number i remember exactly) cherry tomatoes for my restaurant. It became the biggest pain in the butt to have to pick cherry tomatos three hours a day Old Chef

January 3, 2015	#32
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	My greenhouse is really only ample enough for 24 plants to get the optimal light and space they need. I started growing heirlooms in 2011, and grew three each of ten new-to-me varieties that year. It turned out to be a terrible year for tomatoes, and only three of the ten produced decently. I went searching for more and better varieties and found T'ville..... So each year since then I have crammed more plants into the greenhouse, and trialed more varieties on a one-each basis or one-in and one-out as the extras spill into the less hospitable outdoors... Counting F1's and F2's as 'variety', which are genetically unique if not stable, this past year I grew 45 'genetically unique' plants or varieties, with forty plants crammed into the greenhouse, and a baker's dozen outside in my and mom's garden. Number of plants grown is higher than that, as I started about 40 for the farm, 40 for other friends, and sold about 80 extra plants at market, so a couple hundred tomato plants in all. Jest a few. I would have to say that production of the crowded plants was less than the more optimal spacing the year before, and although wierd weather didn't help I think the crowding is counterproductive, I will have to cut back. Also, it may be good or bad that I'm strongly selecting for varieties that tolerate less sunlight, but the 'one each and crowded' process doesn't really give new varieties their due trial. Although I do get to see how they fare at the farm and other friends' greenhouses.. I will have to repeat some of my losers.... later! . I will probably never grow as many varieties as our southern friends here, because all of the late ones are, really, too late for our short season. But it doesn't stop me from wanting to try more and more varieties in hopes of finding all the ones we can possibly grow. More per year doesn't seem to be optimal in the circumstances, so I guess I'll just have to take more years to do it.. Don't ask about my plans for 2015!

January 3, 2015	#33
LindyAdele Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 323	I keep reworking my garden plan to see if I can squeeze another plant in. I am truly envious of all of you with your proper farms! I live in the middle of a city with a very shady yard. 16 varieties last year, 1 plant each, and likely the same this year. I grow nearly 100 seedlings, which includes peppers and eggplant, but I give away a lot. I try to convince my city dwelling neighbours gardening isn't so hard, and toatoes can taste delicious! I dream of having even a half acre to try out all the tomato varieties I want!

January 3, 2015	#34
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,896	Last year I grew 31 plants, 28 different varieties. It was more than we needed, but will be difficult to cut back because there are so many new-to-me varieties that I still want to grow. Linda

January 4, 2015	#39
taboule Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: MA Posts: 903	I grew 22 varieties last year, total of ~55 plants. A few disappointed and will not be invited back, would rather have more of the types I like most. Aiming for 12~15 varieties and 30~35 plants this year. Fewer plants = happier wife

January 4, 2015	#40
Lindalana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 857	Linda, same here with late plants. Especially for my give away plant swap ones- people loved varieties but some were later ones so they are not as much fun for zone 5. Although for myself I will always grow couple of late ones simply because they are usually the ones worth waiting for. I do have plans to set my tomatoes out April 20 this year into their WOW, full week earlier than last year so this will help I hope.

January 4, 2015	#41
Alpinejs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Alpine, Calif. in winter. Sandpoint Lake, Ont. Canada summers Posts: 850	I grow about 140 varieties between Calif. and Canada and duplicate only my favorites. Last year was disaster as high water put most of my plants totally under water and killed them and also destroyed a large portion of my seed collection. My Calif. garden in containers, is all about rebuilding seed which was aided by many kind Tomatovillians. The plus side is that the loss eliminated many that I truly doubt I would ever have tried again like Garden Peach. By my latest count, I still have 2891 varieties that I want to trial. I either need to buy some acreage or take better care of my health. I also sell about 1000 seedlings of 14 varieties in the spring for fuel money to Canada and back and motels. Of those, I just did my first planting yesterday and will add more every 5 days.

January 4, 2015	#42
drew51 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Sterling Heights, MI Zone 6a/5b Posts: 1,302	I only have a backyard, and tomatoes are not my favorite plant to grow. I grew 10 varieties. But if you count all the plants I grow, the number is like 50 varieties a year. I like growing various plants, I wish i had time to grow more. Still 10 gives you a decent harvest.

January 4, 2015	#43
MrBig46 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Czech republic Posts: 2,541	This year I will grow 150 varieties of tomatoes (250 plants). About half of them already I know that in 2016 I will not grow. So in 2016 I will have a space for growing new tomatoes. Already looking forward to them. All tomatoes taste me (almost). Vladimír

January 4, 2015	#44
loudog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: west central ohio Posts: 172	I grew 92 plants in 2014 and a total of 41 varieties.I try to grow about 12 new varieties a year. Louie

January 5, 2015	#45
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Last year I think I had 83 varieties and about 400 plants. This year I will have about 80 varieties, 60 new ones, and will grow about 600 plants. I swore I would only grow 20 new varieties, but some very nice people, you know who you are, sent me some goodies I cannot resist trying. I also am tinkering with crosses that we have done over the last couple of years, that really increases the different selections for the year too. Have any of you tried Summer Girl, the hybrid from Burpee? I am going to try some new hybrids this year too. I grew a bunch of them over the last 20 years, and very few did it for me, but we will try again. At any rate, looks like another fun year.