DETERMINATES for sauce

cleo88 · October 12, 2010

Hi,
I've read many threads about how great it is to make sauce out of indeterminates and/or any great tasting varieties, but my problem is that I have the dreaded Low Productivity due to not enough sunlight hours. From May to early Sept I get 5 hours max, and by the end of September the tomato beds are pretty much in full shade due to the shadow of the house. So while I planted 20 plants this year, only once did I have enough fruit ripe at one time to make sauce (Opalkas, and it was yummy).

Since I am stuck with these beds for now, I am looking for a determinate to use for making sauce, with the idea that if the fruit all come ripe around the same time, maybe I'll have enough.

Agree with my logic? If so, what varieties? I'm OK with hybrids for this.

Sorry - can't bulldoze the house or napalm the woods surrounding the house to make more sunlight!

walkinggin · October 12, 2010

I really like Heidi. While it is not as good for fresh eating as opalka it is perfect for sauce and very productive with almost no BER trouble. I can send you some seed if you would like to try it.

Ginny

RinTinTin · October 12, 2010

How about Martino's Roma:
determ, productive, good flavor.

TomNJ · October 12, 2010

Martino's Roma and Heidi are good choices for productive, indeterminate, fine tasting tomatoes.

I have the exact same growing conditions as you do, but still get better yields in terms of pounds/plant from indeterminate beefsteak varieties. I compensate for the fact that they ripen more gradually over the season than determinates by planting more plants. Of course you may not have the room to do so.

TomNJ

cleo88 · October 12, 2010

Wish I could plant more plants... no more room...

I believe Heidi is indeterminate - Carolyn's book says semi-determinate only because it is fairly compact. But it still might be a good choice for me.

fortyonenorth · October 12, 2010

Hi Cleo -

I highly recommend Heidi but it's not determinate. Carolyn describes it accurately when she said it is semi-determinate. It's very productive over the course of the summer - mine is still bearing fruit - but it certainly does not produce a single bumper crop.

Rich

Fusion_power · October 13, 2010

Interesting description re Heidi not Determinate. I've grown it for several years and would have described it as an aggressive determinate. The plants are gorgeous when loaded up with several dozen ripe tomatoes all at one time.

If you want to try a good determinate that makes a decent combination tomato, Lyuda's Mom's Red Ukraine fills the bill.

DarJones

simmran1 · October 13, 2010

Heidi gets very tall for me. I believe there have been other posts about the robust nature of Heidi, (I assume growing in pretty good fertil soil). Rio Grande is a good one for sauce and Hard Rock (from Totally Tomatoes) is another. Plant one or more of any or all 3 of these next year and plan to can. - Randy

walkinggin · October 13, 2010

For me, Heidi acts mainly like a determinate with a bit of extra spunk. For about 3 weeks, everytime I go out to pick there are enough tomatoes from 1 or 2 plants to make a sauce. After this flush it produces a small amount for the rest of the season. They hold well on the plant and on the counter. Mine are stocky and about 3-4 ft tall.

cleo88 · October 13, 2010

I'm goin' with Heidi!

lowlylowlycook · October 14, 2010

This description from selectedplants.com seems to validate your decision:

Quote:

Heidi - is an oval determinate paste type that has exceptional production and heat tolerance. I picked 1 gallon of tomatoes every third day for 2 weeks from 3 Heidi plants. If you are used to growing Roma, try Heidi instead.

b54red · October 14, 2010

I thought Kosovo made a great sauce tomato and it was ripe before any of my determinates this year. The vine is not as large as some of the hearts but it sets early and a lot.
I had great luck with an indeterminate called Jetsetter that grew more like a semi- determinate for me but the one plant put out nearly 50 tomatoes in a little over two weeks then continued to produce but very slowly after the initial burst of fruit. Jetsetter is a hybrid but a fairly tasty one.
Both of these made more than any of the determinates I planted this year and they made earlier. I think since these two did so good in our early cool spring they would work for you in your climate. You might want to give them a try.

October 12, 2010	#1
cleo88 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Sharon, MA Zone 6 Posts: 225	DETERMINATES for sauce Hi, I've read many threads about how great it is to make sauce out of indeterminates and/or any great tasting varieties, but my problem is that I have the dreaded Low Productivity due to not enough sunlight hours. From May to early Sept I get 5 hours max, and by the end of September the tomato beds are pretty much in full shade due to the shadow of the house. So while I planted 20 plants this year, only once did I have enough fruit ripe at one time to make sauce (Opalkas, and it was yummy). Since I am stuck with these beds for now, I am looking for a determinate to use for making sauce, with the idea that if the fruit all come ripe around the same time, maybe I'll have enough. Agree with my logic? If so, what varieties? I'm OK with hybrids for this. Sorry - can't bulldoze the house or napalm the woods surrounding the house to make more sunlight!

October 13, 2010	#8
simmran1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Iowa Zone 5 Posts: 305	Heidi gets very tall for me. I believe there have been other posts about the robust nature of Heidi, (I assume growing in pretty good fertil soil). Rio Grande is a good one for sauce and Hard Rock (from Totally Tomatoes) is another. Plant one or more of any or all 3 of these next year and plan to can. - Randy __________________ Tomatovillain

October 12, 2010	#2
walkinggin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Burbank, CA Posts: 196	I really like Heidi. While it is not as good for fresh eating as opalka it is perfect for sauce and very productive with almost no BER trouble. I can send you some seed if you would like to try it. Ginny

October 12, 2010	#3
RinTinTin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Seattle Posts: 581	How about Martino's Roma: determ, productive, good flavor.

October 12, 2010	#4
TomNJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Floyd VA Posts: 771	Martino's Roma and Heidi are good choices for productive, indeterminate, fine tasting tomatoes. I have the exact same growing conditions as you do, but still get better yields in terms of pounds/plant from indeterminate beefsteak varieties. I compensate for the fact that they ripen more gradually over the season than determinates by planting more plants. Of course you may not have the room to do so. TomNJ

October 12, 2010	#6
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	Hi Cleo - I highly recommend Heidi but it's not determinate. Carolyn describes it accurately when she said it is semi-determinate. It's very productive over the course of the summer - mine is still bearing fruit - but it certainly does not produce a single bumper crop. Rich

October 13, 2010	#7
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Interesting description re Heidi not Determinate. I've grown it for several years and would have described it as an aggressive determinate. The plants are gorgeous when loaded up with several dozen ripe tomatoes all at one time. If you want to try a good determinate that makes a decent combination tomato, Lyuda's Mom's Red Ukraine fills the bill. DarJones

October 14, 2010	#12
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I thought Kosovo made a great sauce tomato and it was ripe before any of my determinates this year. The vine is not as large as some of the hearts but it sets early and a lot. I had great luck with an indeterminate called Jetsetter that grew more like a semi- determinate for me but the one plant put out nearly 50 tomatoes in a little over two weeks then continued to produce but very slowly after the initial burst of fruit. Jetsetter is a hybrid but a fairly tasty one. Both of these made more than any of the determinates I planted this year and they made earlier. I think since these two did so good in our early cool spring they would work for you in your climate. You might want to give them a try.