Oregon Spring?

[KsMama11]

Has anyone here ever grown this tomato? I received some free seeds in the mail & thought "what the heck!" Well, the 1 plant I have is very small in comparison to my other towering tomato plants, but it is just COVERED in tomatoes! Never saw one do that so early here in Kansas. Can't wait to see how they taste! Pic is from over a week ago, it has grown a lot since then.

[akgardengirl]

Yes, I have grown it before but not in several years. It does well here in Alaska also.
Sue

[mcsee]

I've grown them here in Oz too, but never got 4" diam fruit from them, more like 3" diam, with an average tasting fruit (6/10).

[JoeP]

I am growing this year. Mine is still small and not yet covered with tomatoes.

It is determinate plant so shouldn't get as big as your indeterminates. Tatiana's describes it as a compact plant. (below)

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Oregon_Spring

[KsMama11]

Thanks JoeP I don't know why I didn't think to check there to read about them!

[BigdaddyJ]

Mealy and mushy come to mind.....

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by BigdaddyJ

Mealy and mushy come to mind.....

Which can be true for many of the parthenocarpic varieties that were bred by Dr. Jim Baggett, formerly of Oregon State, and Oregon Spring is one of his and yes, I've grown it,

Parthenocarpy means that a blossom will set fruit in the absence of there being any pollination and such varieties were bred for the PNW where springs are cold and don't allow for normal pollination. So fruit development is not normal b'c of lack of pollination and the fruits are almost always seedless except for a few later in the season.

And yes, fruits can be malformed and mushy, etc, not all of the time but some of the time.

[KsMama11]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Which can be true for many of the parthenocarpic varieties that were bred by Dr. Jim Baggett, formerly of Oregon State, and Oregon Spring is one of his and yes, I've grown it,

Parthenocarpy means that a blossom will set fruit in the absence of there being any pollination and such varieties were bred for the PNW where springs are cold and don't allow for normal pollination. So fruit development is not normal b'c of lack of pollination and the fruits are almost always seedless except for a few later in the season.

And yes, fruits can be malformed and mushy, etc, not all of the time but some of the time.

How very interesting! Looking forward to see how mine turn out! Wasn't positive that this was what it is as all my seedlings & markers were mixed up in early spring, so it's a guessing game for me. None of my other varieties are so compact, so narrowed it down to the free seed packet that came in the mail, I think from "Mike The Gardener" or something similar.

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by BigdaddyJ

Mealy and mushy come to mind.....

I hope not. This was the second year in a row for an unusually cold & wet spring. I am growing Oregon Spring and Fireworks II (from dice) for insurance that I'll have ripe tomatoes. It would be a shame for my back ups to be no better than the sad orbs they sell in the grocery store.

[KsMama11]

Eating my first one & while I've tasted better, it is still better than those tasteless blobs at the grocery store! Think I could have given this one a day or two longer to ripen, but I wanted something other than a cherry (although those babies are SOO addicting!). I might try it again next year, just to have some early tomatoes while I'm waiting on the rest. These are very well formed, not mushy or mealy, & nearly seedless.

[Worth1]

I grow it here in Texas and it among others like it are good for insurance against the early onset of heat.

Not bad not great but as was said earlier, better than store bought.

A lovely smallish plant with big leaves stocky trunk and sturdy with little need for support.
Put Oregon Spring on your list for next year and be surprised with medium sized fruit with a jumbo sized flavor.

Worth

[KsMama11]

I thought they were good, Ok, not as good as my cherries, but better than store bought. Hubby thought they were AWESOME... so it's a keeper!

[Tania]

I grown Oregon Spring in a container almost every year. We like these tomatoes, especially the first fruit that are almost seedless. They are sweet, meaty and flavorful.

They are usually ones of the first to mature fruit.

Never mealy for me!

Tania