In praise of a few notable varieties for 2014

[Greatgardens]

This summer was largely cool and wet, although has turned warm and wet in the past couple of weeks. Great for leaf diseases; bad for tomatoes! I didn't spray, but I still had some varieties that did pretty well:

Burpee's Orange Wellington. (Ind.) This was a standout variety for me. It was slightly later than several, but produced large, smooth, meaty, flavorful tomatoes. And it resisted the leaf diseases (Septoria, mainly) better than any others I grew. No BER at all. I will definitely grow this one again. Incidently, this one was available in the Burpee seed racks at Lowes this year for about $2.50.

LaRoma III. (Det.) I'd never grown this one before, but for a paste tomato, it was very flavorful. Grew it next to Opalka. LaRoma III outproduced Opalka with certainly better-looking tomatoes, and tasted at least as good. Was early enough to produce a good crop before Septoria defoliated it. Virtually no BER.

There were several other good varieties, but the Septoria ate the plants alive, especially the determinates and O.P. varieties.

-GG