Larger Tomatoes With Real Taste

[TomatoDon]

We have a thread going about growing large tomatoes, but the taste factor was excluded by the poster. I agree with Craig and Carolyn, that taste should be the ultimate criteria. But I want to grow larger tomatoes than the Better Boy. I have never had luck with the larger varieties, size or taste.

Can anyone suggest their top three larger tomatoes that have that real tomato taste? I don't want to waste my time growing bland, mealy, throw-away tomatoes. This year I would really like to have some nice, big, tomato-ey slicers.

Don

[Suze]

Cuostralee, Aker's West Virginia, OTV Brandywine

[jwr6404]

I'm relatively new at growing tomatos and only have a TOP-2. They are Caspian Pink and Gregori Altai.

[markferon]

taste is effected by how you grow them, the weather, fertilizing and watering. So basically you could grow great a tasting variety and still get tomatoes that do not taste good to you or others.

[TomatoDon]

Yes, Mark, all those factors play a big part. But so does variety. All things being equal, what are the most favored and flavored larger tomatoes?

Don

[shelleybean]

I have two for you...German Head and Yellow Brandywine (although my YB got down to about 6 oz. by the end of the season).

[cottonpicker]

I don't give a HOOT about size... I WANT TASTE!!!
I'm trying German Red Strawberry, Coustralee, Olena Ukrainian, Wes, Jaunne Flamme` and Earl's Faux for taste this year. Too early to tell but I 'may' add a few others...not decided on as yet.

[TomatoDon]

Lol....but cottonpicker, if you did give a hoot about size with good taste, what what it be?

Seriously, do you not grow the larger varieties? Do you have any experience with them? Not me. Yet.

Most cordially...

Don

[nctomatoman]

These are my selections for real biggies with flavor - Hugh's (pale yellow), Mortgage Lifter or Tennessee Britches (pink), Cuostralee and Neves Azorean Red (red) - potentially huge, and delicious!

[TomatoDon]

Craig, I've got to quit this. Every time I ask a question I get an answer that brings on ten more questions that sprout within me! I'm trying to keep it less that 50 plants...but I keep seeing more and more that interest me. Remember, this is my first real seaon with Heirlooms. I keep seeing great things about Neves Azorean Red. OK, another bed taken from the other vegetables, and another for tomatoes.

All of you guys that grow hundreds of plants...do you usually grow one of each, of several of each? I'm not the tomato experimenter that you guys are, and usually plant what I like best, at least three each, and one time had over fifty. The bad thing about tomatoes is that you only get one shot per year to figure it out. Then you do it again. Takes a lifetime, and from I gather it takes about twenty-five years to even get good at this.

The best thing is you always go back to learn more because of it. We wait three months to eat one ripe tomato. Of course, then dozens or hundreds come after that. But the wait is excruciating.

Jumping into Heirlooms, learning the language. I've got a long ways to go. Be patient.

Don

[bully]

[nctomatoman]

Don, you are doing fine! Enjoy the ride.

I grow one to two plants of a given variety each season, but do have varieties I grow every year, and many that I just trial and grow less frequently.

You end up getting "good at it" fairly quickly, at least at identifying those you must have - with room to mix in those that others rave about (and once you try them you either agree or completely disagree with them!).

More of an art than a science!

[carolyn137]

For really large ones, not some I've seen here, I mean with the genetic capacity to go 2-3 lbs in a good year using no special techniques, and that taste great to ME, and that's me, I'd list:

Zogola
Cuostralee
Neves Azorean Red
Russian Bogatyr
Milka's Red Bulgarian
Tidwell German
Red Barn
Large Pink Bulgarian
Omar's Lebanese

.... to name a few and in no particular order.

Don, I grow a minimum of two plants of each variety most of the time, or did when I was growing so many each year.

Carolyn

[markferon]

don what do mean when you say real taste?

[cottonpicker]

don06.... size?? The BIGGEST specimens I ever grew without trying was MULE TEAM... last year they ranged from 16oz. to 25 oz. for me. Now..I'm fully aware that that is NOT BIG!!! compared to some monstrous fruits others grow but I just wanted to see what MT was like flavor-wise. What did I find?? It was so-so in my estimation....not growing it this year... gotta move on....