What are your OP standard bearers?

[dhrtx]

Not just great tasting. What plant would you give away, knowing that it has the best chance to survive, thrive and produce, introducing a gardener to the world of great OP and heirloom tomatoes? Someone heard I was growing heirlooms and said they had been given "one of those" and it had produced one tomato. Most people would be turned off even if that were the best tomato ever.

My first is a surprise; Siberian. I was looking for a compact early and that is what I got. I grow them on my porch for preseason tomatoes in pots, but I gave several away last year and they amazed me. They produced, stayed healthy through the heat of summer, and made a big fall crop. The friend who grew them said he would not have had tomatoes if not for Siberian.

Hanky Red is poised to join Siberian, if the massive load of fruit will ripen and taste decent. I have never seen a plant flower and set fruit that are growing to a decent size like this, and it is fairly early.

So, what plants do you like to give away, knowing the variety can handle adversity and smash misconceptions that heirlooms/op cannot be reliable producers?

[Duh_Vinci]

Siberian - never thought those would survive the heat well, but since they do, will give it a try in the small garden.

I know that Bull's Heart and Black Cherry has been consistent producers in VA, even during the worse heat and humidity, so I actually plant extra seeds for giveaway plants of those varieties, I know they would always be the ones to be asked for first at work.

Regards,
D

[nctomatoman]

The "OP Starter pack" of varieties would include Black Cherry, Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red, Aker's West Virginia, Cherokee Purple (and Chocolate and Green), and Red Brandywine. They all do very well in a challenging tomato growing area (Raleigh), yield well and taste very good to great.

[dhrtx]

Thanks for the replies. I would not have even thought of about half of those. I will have to try Bull's Heart, Andrew Rahart's, Aker's and Red Brandywine sometime soon. Siberian still seems almost shocking to me, I guess some varities are just generally tough.

[nctomatoman]

I probably should have added a few standbys for some variety - Tiger Tom, Kimberly and Nepal. I have Lillian's Yellow Heirloom in that category as well - fights disease well here in Raleigh - just that really good sun is needed for reliable crops. But really I wouldn't be without it...and Green Giant can join this group as well.

[carolyn137]

To me a standard OP is one that grows well and produces well, and I like the taste, every time it's grown. I think it's impossible to chose one having grown it just once ot twice b'c seasons can be so variable.

So off the top of my head, knowing I'm going to be forgetting some, these are some that I've grown many times and always work well for me.

Aker's West Virginia
Eva Purple Ball
Chapman
Wes
Red Penna
Neves Azorean Red
Break O Day
Bulgarian #7
Indian Stripe
Cherokee Purple and Cherokee Green
Druzba
Red Brandywine
Omar's Lebanese
Large Pink Bulgarian

.... and that's enough for now.

And it certainly leaves out many varieties that I'd need to grow more times to put them on the list such as:

Orange Minsk
Danko
Moravsky Div
Ludmilla's Red Plum

..... and many many more.

[chalstonsc]

dhrtx,
How big is your Hanky Red plant? I've got seeds started for Fall.
Also, how big are the fruit?

[cdg]

I do have a few I include for beginners- Always Boxcar Willie , Cherokee Purple after describing it will not be store bought red (If they go whewweee they don't get Cherokee purple) Porter, Eva Purple Ball,and Juanne Flamme for something a little different. As a side note Boxcar Willie is the most prolific and one of the best tasting in my garden , and our growing conditions should be near identical as I live in Breckenridge.
CDG

[coloken]

This is the reason I have 37 varieties planted this year. To find out the ones that "I" like the best.
So far in the running is Pusta kolox and pruden's purple for the way they grow and I am watching brandywine red very close.
I think stupice will all way be there, especially in a cold, wet spring.
First requirement here is to grow and survive.
KennyP

[AZRuss]

As of this year, the "one" would be Aker's West Virginia. Way excellent flavor, super productive, little or no cracking and for me, zero BER. If this wouldn't hook 'em on OP's nothing would.

[creister]

Sioux, Eva Purple Ball, and Break O'Day. Oh yeah, I forgot Azoychka and Brandywine Red.

[rsg2001]

For me, it's Eva Purple Ball by far and away, and Black Cherry among the OPs. I've also done consistently well with Cherokee Chocolate, and this year I'm growing that again, as well as purchased a Cherokee Purple seedling. Hillbilly is almost at the point of being a "regular" -- we'll see how it does this year. I haven't finished planting yet, but almost there for this year!

[dhrtx]

Thanks to all again! I am excited to try almost any new variety, but giving plants to others makes me nervous. I want so badly for those plants to do well for them. It is interesting to see so many mentions of the same varieties. Who would have thought that Eva Purple Ball would be so dependable across such diverse geographic regions? And Aker's sure has a lot to live up to.

Chalstonsc; Hanky Red cannot be more than 3 feet tall now and is loaded with fruit. It looks like it will be about medium size. It is supposed to be about 6 oz I think, but it is very flattened, so it should make nice sandwich slices.

[chalstonsc]

dhrtx,
Thanks for the info...I have to grow in containers and selected Hanky Red because it was supposed to be a smaller plant....hope the taste does as well as the size and productivity seem to be doing for you.

[dhrtx]

I like the flavor of Hanky Red. Lots of meat and very soft, even before they are ripe, maybe that is the reason for the name Hanky. I know that flavor is a matter of opinion, but this should have wide appeal, but too mild for some.