Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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May 21, 2010 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: sc
Posts: 339
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"Big Set" from Sandhill???
Has anyone grown the variety "Big Set" from Sandhill Preservation? How tall did the plants get? Taste? Productivity? Thanks
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May 21, 2010 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Cypress, TX
Posts: 963
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I tried it last year but I started it too late and didn't get any fruit. Back in the '80's Big Set (Hybrid) was an All Texas Selection and was my fave. If the op comes close it would be pretty good.
MikeInCypress
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May 21, 2010 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Evansville, IN
Posts: 2,984
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Which company produced the hybrid, Mike?
(Edit) I should've looked at NCSU Cultivar List before asking. "Big Set (PSX702) - Breeder and vendor: Petoseed Co. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, bush type with extremely heavy set medium large fruit, deep oblate shape with green shoulder. Resistance: verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt race 1 and nematodes. Similar: Walter. Adaptation: general. 1975." Sounds good. I've grown other determinates that had Walter as a parent and like them too. Cherokee is one that did well in the heat. |
May 21, 2010 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Abilene, TX zone 7
Posts: 1,478
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What were some of the other varieties that you liked from Walter? Is the Cherokee you mention just called Cherokee?
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May 22, 2010 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Evansville, IN
Posts: 2,984
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Yes. Cherokee from NCSU. I think it was from Ace 55 x Walter and back crossed to Walter. Victory Seeds used to carry it.
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May 22, 2010 | #6 | |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a
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Quote:
I wonder what the OP version of Big Set is like that Glenn is listing. I always wonder about OP versions of orginal F1 hybrids and how close they come to the original hybrid. It doesn't keep me awake at night, but I often do wonder about it.
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Carolyn |
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May 22, 2010 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Evansville, IN
Posts: 2,984
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Kinda hard to make a fair comparison without F1 seeds for a side-by-side. Memory is tricky after a year or two, I think.
I suppose we have to be satisfied with what the OP shows us about itself. If the OP Big Set matches the glorious descriptions attributed to the F1, it would be a keeper in my book. However, all that's given at Sandhill is "late, Ind, RL, 12 to 16 oz., globe-shaped fruits. (UNAVAILABLE FOR 2010)" and I would want the determinate expression like in the F1. So really, I'm not interested at all now that I see that blurb. |
May 22, 2010 | #8 | |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a
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Memory goes after a year or two? I'm at the point where it can go in an hour. I don't think I'd discount the ind, which I know is bothering you re the original det F1, until grown out. Yes, Glenn surely knows the difference between ind and det, but if the worth of the variety is greater than plant habit it might be worthwhile if someone is really interested. Right now I've forgotten the genetics of the det and indet plant habit so I really can't comment more. And I don't know who OPed Big Set anyway and if that person even had any F2 or later selections that were det.
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Carolyn |
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May 22, 2010 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: sc
Posts: 339
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Ask a few simple questions!!!!
But really thanks for the conversation. Glenn gave me some Big Set packed for last year with my order this year. I've started some seeds for Fall, but was confused reading Sandhill's description and the other description that I now understand was for the determinate hybrid. I'd probably prefer to have the hybrid as I'm trying some determinates in containers, but since I have the seeds started, and there appears to be worthy relatives, I'll steer them toward a larger container and see what happens..... Thanks again! Tom |
May 22, 2010 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Cypress, TX
Posts: 963
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Back in the '80's and early '90's when I grew Big Set it was a semi determinate plant that set numerous 8-10 oz fruit with green shoulders. Rarely did it get any bigger than that size. It was alway bigger and tastier than Early Girl and smaller than Better Boy. The plant was smaller than Terrific and the fruit were less oblate, more round than Bonus. Taste wise it was vastly superior to Floramerica and Celebrity. Back then I usually grew 14 plants total and 4 were alway Big Set and no other variety had more than 2 plants. Other varieties I grew included Gurney Girl, Carnival, Supersteak, Jubilee, Sweet Chelsea, Sweet 100, Pixie, Ultra Girl and Sugar Lump. Not all of them each year but 14 plants total.
I found a seed pack of Big Set the year it was discontinued and grew it until I ran out of seeds. It really did well in my part of Texas. I imagine it was discontinued because it had the tendency to have green shoulders. MikeInCypress
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May 22, 2010 | #11 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Evansville, IN
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May 22, 2010 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Cypress, TX
Posts: 963
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Travis,
Back then I didn't know about Daconil so I always had foliage disease by June 1 so I can't reqally comment on the bushiness but I remember Celebrity and Carnival to be taller than Big Set. MikeInCypress
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