No More Momotaro

barkeater · September 23, 2010

I've grown Momotaro for about 5 years now and it is an excellent sweet pink tomato. This year I grew it's sister Odoriko to compare. Both began ripening at the same time, both tasted exactly the same, but Odoriko was more productive and a much bigger tomato as the pictures below show. Which would you grow?

pinakbet · September 23, 2010

I feel bad for momotaro but.... +10 to Odoriko!

habitat_gardener · September 23, 2010

You grew one plant of each? I wouldn't drop Momotaro based on one season with Odoriko. Momotaro has the 5-year track record in your garden. Odoriko may be larger and more productive, or perhaps it had a good year for whatever reason.

I grew both of them one year when my garden was new, and Momotaro did much better than Odoriko.

b54red · September 23, 2010

I really thought that Momotaro was a great tasting and great looking tomato; but I probably won't be growing it again because it is so susceptible to fusarium wilt. I may try it again in a soiless container.

pinakbet · September 23, 2010

Momotaro is an F1 right? so the next generation will not be true to type?

And I agree with b54red, I tried growing several momotaros already but all died due to fusarium wilt.

I'll invest on some soiless potting mix and will try my luck there.

franzb69 · September 23, 2010

My momotaros also died After a couple months from sowing. Got seeds from pinakbet. Still got one barely alive right now. Been pouring compost tea over the leaves. Seems to help somewhat. It's on its last leaves. Hope it doesnt die.

They're very sensitive. Seems like these things are a greenhouse type of plant. Coz everytime i take them outside they start getting the fusarium wilt.

kath · September 23, 2010

I grew Momotaro for the first time this year after tasting it at a local tomato testing event in 2009. Last year we had way too much rain and cold, not to mention late blight, so most of what I tasted at this event was watery and bland. Momotaro was one that stood out - and I do like sweet tomatoes.
The plants were set out May 4th but didn't seem happy that I was trying to prune them to fit into a smallish space. They looked a little stronger and began to set some once I stopped pruning them July 1st, but we didn't have any ripe fruit until Aug. and then only 1 at a time. Just this week there have been a couple ready at once. They have weighed between 4 and 7 oz. The leaves have had a bit of early blight but not nearly as much as most of the other varieties in the garden.
It's a good little tomato but I was surprised that it wasn't earlier and more productive. I might give Odoriko a try sometime as a result of this thread, but hope to hear from others who have grown it to have a better idea if it will really be a bit larger than Momotaro. I don't think I'd grow Momotaro again because by the time it ripens there are better ones to pick from.

Pandorae · April 15, 2011

How large is the Odoriko plant? Don't know if i should expect a huge plant or what and want to plan for it.

TIA

Pandorae

barkeater · April 17, 2011

I PM'd you Pandorae. It is the same size as Momotaro, about 4 1/2 feet in a cage last year, not rampant at all. I guess it would be either semideterminate or a compact indeterminate?

BigdaddyJ · April 17, 2011

I love Momo and agree with Kath that I was also surprised that it wasn't earlier and more productive being a smallish tomato. Is Odoriko also an F1 and from same company as Momo?

dokutaaguriin · April 17, 2011

Momotarou is a Takii creation and Odoriko is a Sakata F1.
THere are other Momotarous available in Japan that are earlier, unfortunately, I am not sure which of the ２０＋ in the series is for sale on this side of the Pacific.

Jeff

Elliot · April 21, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by barkeater

I've grown Momotaro for about 5 years now and it is an excellent sweet pink tomato. This year I grew it's sister Odoriko to compare. Both began ripening at the same time, both tasted exactly the same, but Odoriko was more productive and a much bigger tomato as the pictures below show. Which would you grow?

where would I buy these plants?

**carolyn137** · April 21, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot

where would I buy these plants?

Elliot, I just suggested in your sweet tomato thread that you check out Hicks Nursery on LI where you live and made a few comments about sweet tomatoes in general.

Carolyn

Elliot · April 21, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Elliot, I just suggested in your sweet tomato thread that you check out Hicks Nursery on LI where you live and made a few comments about sweet tomatoes in general.

Carolyn

Funny you suggested Hicks. I buy most of my tomato plants from Hicks. They have the best plants. I generally wait till mid May before buying so that I can plant them in my pots. Hicks has a great variety of plants but not every plant and I won't know till May as to what varieties they will carry.

Have you been to Hicks? Its a very good experience

sjoella · April 25, 2013

i purchased Momotaro and Odoriko seeds from kitazawaseed. http://www.kitazawaseed.com/seed_111-125.html it was easy getting them. I didnt have any problems starting the seeds, they took nicely.

I will admit they were about 3 weeks into the growing stage when I decided to plant them in the garden.

All Momotaro seeds grew. All but 1 of the Odoriko seeds grew too. I gave some to friends.

I planted 7 of each in my garden. 6 made the very early planting and are looking nice.

I am excited to see how they grow in the garden come harvest time. I was introduced to Momotaro tomatoes late last year and absolutely had to have them in my garden this year!

Good Luck!

April 17, 2011	#9
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	I PM'd you Pandorae. It is the same size as Momotaro, about 4 1/2 feet in a cage last year, not rampant at all. I guess it would be either semideterminate or a compact indeterminate? __________________ barkeater

April 17, 2011	#10
BigdaddyJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Zone7 Delaware Posts: 399	I love Momo and agree with Kath that I was also surprised that it wasn't earlier and more productive being a smallish tomato. Is Odoriko also an F1 and from same company as Momo? __________________ Farmer at Heart

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September 23, 2010	#2
pinakbet Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pearl of the Orient Posts: 333	I feel bad for momotaro but.... +10 to Odoriko!

September 23, 2010	#3
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	You grew one plant of each? I wouldn't drop Momotaro based on one season with Odoriko. Momotaro has the 5-year track record in your garden. Odoriko may be larger and more productive, or perhaps it had a good year for whatever reason. I grew both of them one year when my garden was new, and Momotaro did much better than Odoriko.

September 23, 2010	#4
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I really thought that Momotaro was a great tasting and great looking tomato; but I probably won't be growing it again because it is so susceptible to fusarium wilt. I may try it again in a soiless container.

September 23, 2010	#6
franzb69 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Philippines Posts: 210	My momotaros also died After a couple months from sowing. Got seeds from pinakbet. Still got one barely alive right now. Been pouring compost tea over the leaves. Seems to help somewhat. It's on its last leaves. Hope it doesnt die. They're very sensitive. Seems like these things are a greenhouse type of plant. Coz everytime i take them outside they start getting the fusarium wilt.

September 23, 2010	#7
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	I grew Momotaro for the first time this year after tasting it at a local tomato testing event in 2009. Last year we had way too much rain and cold, not to mention late blight, so most of what I tasted at this event was watery and bland. Momotaro was one that stood out - and I do like sweet tomatoes. The plants were set out May 4th but didn't seem happy that I was trying to prune them to fit into a smallish space. They looked a little stronger and began to set some once I stopped pruning them July 1st, but we didn't have any ripe fruit until Aug. and then only 1 at a time. Just this week there have been a couple ready at once. They have weighed between 4 and 7 oz. The leaves have had a bit of early blight but not nearly as much as most of the other varieties in the garden. It's a good little tomato but I was surprised that it wasn't earlier and more productive. I might give Odoriko a try sometime as a result of this thread, but hope to hear from others who have grown it to have a better idea if it will really be a bit larger than Momotaro. I don't think I'd grow Momotaro again because by the time it ripens there are better ones to pick from.

April 15, 2011	#8
Pandorae Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 30	How large is the Odoriko plant? Don't know if i should expect a huge plant or what and want to plan for it. TIA Pandorae

April 17, 2011	#11
dokutaaguriin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alberta, Canada Z3a Posts: 905	Momotarou is a Takii creation and Odoriko is a Sakata F1. THere are other Momotarous available in Japan that are earlier, unfortunately, I am not sure which of the ２０＋ in the series is for sale on this side of the Pacific. Jeff

April 25, 2013	#15
sjoella Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: chesapeake, virginia Posts: 89	i purchased Momotaro and Odoriko seeds from kitazawaseed. http://www.kitazawaseed.com/seed_111-125.html it was easy getting them. I didnt have any problems starting the seeds, they took nicely. I will admit they were about 3 weeks into the growing stage when I decided to plant them in the garden. All Momotaro seeds grew. All but 1 of the Odoriko seeds grew too. I gave some to friends. I planted 7 of each in my garden. 6 made the very early planting and are looking nice. I am excited to see how they grow in the garden come harvest time. I was introduced to Momotaro tomatoes late last year and absolutely had to have them in my garden this year! Good Luck!