Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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January 18, 2013 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Hickory,North Carolina
Posts: 470
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Hybrids ?
After the pitiful season I had last year and the year before, I am looking to cover more of the bases. Hybrids seem to have the edge when it comes to disease resistance and so I'm looking at adding a row (30-40 plants) of them.
These are for slicing and canning. Looking for decent flavor and as long as they are tennis ball sized or larger I don't care. But they are for canning so low acid (if there is such a thing) is not an option. Heavy yields would be a plus. Thanks in advance. |
January 18, 2013 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b
Posts: 1,439
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I grew a great hybrid last year called Biltmore that were fantastic: large, perfect shape, tasty and very productive on a large determinate or semi-determinate plant. My all time favorite for flavor is Ramapo which is a medium-large and productive. Another is Big Beef, but it wasn't quite as flavorful as Ramapo and Biltmore in my garden.
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barkeater |
January 18, 2013 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: West Virginia - Zone 6
Posts: 594
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I don't know how it does in your area, but around here Early Girl is a good all around tomato. The flavor is sweet and it is productive. I've gotten 40+ pounds of fruit off a single well grown plant. There are a couple of negatives first it is a firm tomato and secondly the flavor varies greatly depending on the location/region. Another good choice is Big Beef.
But, why go hybrid? WV '63 is probably one of the most disease tolerant varieties there is. Around here there is a fellow that has fusarium issues. He tells me that WV '63 held in there the longest and gave the most crop before the plants gave up the ghost than the hybrids he'd tried. You didn't specify what kind of disease. If it's foliage diseases look no further than Aker's WV. I've had situations where every variety in my garden showed signs of either Early Blight or Septoria Leaf Spot except Aker's. Good luck. Randy |
January 18, 2013 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 377
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I'll be growing nematode resistant hybrids until I get a handle on my RKN problem but so far have trialed only a few that I consider keepers. They are Lemon Boy, Heat Wave II, First Prize and Big Beef.
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Jerry - You only get old if you're lucky. |
January 18, 2013 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b)
Posts: 1,337
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I have some Bolseno F1 hybrid from Johnny's. Would you like them?
I don't need them. |
January 18, 2013 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: 2 miles south of Yoknapatawpha Zone 7b
Posts: 662
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Around here (North Mississippi hill country), Better Boy and Big Beef are pretty well bulletproof in the hybrids. Claud
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January 18, 2013 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Bloomington, IN
Posts: 123
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Tasti-Lee was near bullet-proof & very productive for me last yr.
Taste not so much. |
January 18, 2013 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Norwich, New York
Posts: 255
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JW,
A proven winner for me, as far as hybrids go, is a Bushsteak Hybrid. It's a determinate plant with high yields that is sold by Burpee. I grow these because they are an early harvest tomato that sell well at the market. I can harvest most of these tomatoes before my heirlooms are ready to pick. |
January 18, 2013 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Hickory,North Carolina
Posts: 470
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It would seem that Big Beef is the one mentioned most often, and adding in the range of zones from those that speak of it, It must be very hardy.
Randy, I didn't specify because I simply don't know. Deer were the major problem last season. I have talked to the state wildlife and I while I truly don't wish to kill them, it seems to be the only real option. But after talking with them, At least now I should be able to give the venison to a local orphanage and/or soup kitchens. I was plagued by sick plants last year but this was localized to a couple of areas and turned out to be a problem of horse manure that was loaded with herbicide. Only one plant survived that and it was a PL Brandywine and while the plant did pull through it did not produce or even bloom. Next was a drought followed by late heavy rains. I had between 2 and 300 tomato plants and I picked maybe 40 fruit. Of those most had end rot and of those that did not, most were split from heavy rain. I did not get a single Rutger. In fact the only red tomato I got was a Parks Whopper the size of a lime. I did get to eat 3 Kelloggs breakfast tomatoes. The largest of those was maybe 3 oz. (I believe it was about 3.) But they were awesome ! I am liking the sound of the "Bushsteak" mentioned by Dpurdy. It seems to have the best of all worlds. Minimal effort to stake, good flavor and heavy yields. Roper, I can't find any info on that tomato online but if you think they will suit me, I wouldn't mind trying a few plants. Thanks for your kind offer. Will send a PM Thanks everyone ! |
January 18, 2013 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
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I agree that Big Beef is one of the more reliable hybrids that still has good taste and texture. It has been my go to insurance tomato for years and rarely disappoints. So many of the truly resistant varieties make terrible eating tomatoes but might be fine for sauce. I grew a hybrid called Bella Rosa that had very good flavor and was bigger than Big Beef but it was a determinate so you get most of your fruit in a couple of weeks and then next to nothing. Another hybrid with even stronger fusarium resistance is Floralina. It is also determinate and produces abundantly but for me it is better as a sauce tomato.
Sorry to hear that Tasti-Lee isn't so tasty. I am trying it for the first time this year since it is resistant to all 3 races of fusarium. I am also using most of the seed as a rootstock for grafting in hopes the strong fusarium resistance will help. |
January 18, 2013 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: CA
Posts: 494
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JohnWayne, I too am plagued with deer (and gophers ). If you have not tried this yet, I highly recommend it. Motion activated water scarecrow.
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January 18, 2013 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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What about Celebrity or Jetstar? I hear really good things about them.
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January 18, 2013 | #13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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John Wayne-I don't think there's a tomato out there that's resistant to deer, lol.
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January 18, 2013 | #14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Durhamville,NY
Posts: 2,706
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January 19, 2013 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: American Fork, Utah
Posts: 160
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A second nod for Celebrity. They are semi-determinate with thick stems and a good yield of decent-sized (8 oz. range), strong flavored (NOT low acid) tomatoes which come on over a 2-3 week period. No disease problems at all here. Great for canning.
Also an enthusiastic second nod for West Virginia 63. Here's a very interesting feature article I just came across today about "The People's Tomato": http://alumnimag.wvu.edu/peoples-tomato If soil-borne diseases are a major issue, you might consider grafted tomatoes. If you manage to locate an heirloom variety which is well adapted to your specific area, I think it could out-perform just about any hybrid. Finding such heirloom varieties can be a real challenge. |
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