HELP! My 2011 List--gotta to rank/narrow it!

emzybo · February 12, 2011

Yikes!

I need help narrowing my "to-plant" list down*!! We have the space, but I am going to have to mostly make all-new plots, so I don't think I'll be able to amend/improve enough soil for all these. Can y'all help me select the best of what I have listed? Trying to limit myself to about 20-24 plants total and 1-2 per each chosen variety. All constructive comments are greatly appreciated!

Here are the varieties of tomato seed I own/have ordered:

Aunt Gertie's Gold
Aunt Lucy's Italian Paste
Aunt Ruby's German Green
Beefsteak
Better Boy
Big Boy
Big Rainbow
Black Cherry
Black Krim
Bloody Butcher
Boxcar Willie
Brandywine Pink
Cherokee Purple
Currant
Early Girl
Green Zebra
Kellogg's Breakfast
Large Red Cherry
Lucky Cross
Matina
Mule Team
Old Brooks
Pork Chop
Pruden's Purple
Red Robin
Remy Rouge
Rinaldo
Rio Grande
Roma
Rutgers
San Marzano
San Marzano 2
Stump of the World
Stupice
Sungold
Supersweet 100
Yellow Brandywine

*I do want to have plenty of good saucing/canning tomatoes.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Full Moon · February 12, 2011

What do you need to narrow it down to?

Do you intend to plant one of each or more?

How many plants do you have room for?

emzybo · February 12, 2011

Hmm... about 20-24 plants and about 2 of each variety. I'd be ok with having only 1 plant of a few varities if they are a heavy producer or typically hardy. I could grow more if I absolutely can't narrow it down, but I would like to narrow the list down to at least the "must haves" so I can get definitely those sketched onto my garden plan. Other varities might get tucked in here or there if I wind up having extra room.

barefootgardener · February 12, 2011

Well you have some nice ones on your list, but since you only have room for around 20-24 plants, and you want lots of tomatoes for canning and sauce, I would eliminate most of your cherry tomatoes and current on your list. Grow at least one Sungold..They are yummy and productive..Black Cherry is a fav. of many, and productive..
I am not sure what grows well in your southern zone..but for a GWR, I love Aunt Ruby's German Green. Green Zebra is subjective on taste for many, a spitter for me..
I will let others in your growing region comment on what does well for them from your list...some of the slicers will make good canners also...

Not much info on your Aunt Lucy's Italian paste but on TTB it says it is a small tomato for salad and cooking, does not say how it tastes..might eliminate that one and roma's, and stick with San Marzano and or Rio Grande (medium size great production), for a paste/canner..

Lots of Praise for Aunt Gerties Gold for a yellow..Love KB also..but finicky in production for others..

heirloomdaddy · February 12, 2011

early girl and better boy

b54red · February 12, 2011

Many of the varieties you list I have not grown successfully or have never grown. Since I am just a couple of hundred miles due south of you the ones that I have had good luck with will probably do really good for you. Below are the ones I think will do the best for you.

Black Krim
Better Boy
Mule Team
Pruden's Purple
Stump of the World
Stupice
Sungold

RinTinTin · February 12, 2011

That's a tough question. It is easy for us to give suggestions on what to grow, but difficult to suggest what NOT to grow. If I told you NOT to grow xyz tomato, and you went ahead and grew it anyway, and it turned out to be your favorite, you'd never listen to me again.

As far as what NOT to eliminate, here's some ideas:
Red Robin; it's not spectacular, but can be grown in a 1 gallon pot anywhere.
Stupice; a typical early tomato (that grows well in your region). It has decent flavor for an early, and once it has peaked, it can be pulled out, and its space replanted with later variety...2 tomatoes in one spot.
Sungold; grows and produces well anywhere. A couple plants will reward you till frost. One of the top rated cherries.

Keep at least one good hybrid as a 'back-up' in case disease hits hard this year.

Good luck...that is one of the hardest decisions a gardener has to make.
Or...just bite the bullet and prep the other areas (you're gonna do it anyways). It doesn't have to be perfect the first season.

emzybo · February 12, 2011

How close do y'all typically space your tomatoes? I don't want to crowd them too much, and this is my first time growing heirlooms by myself. (only 23--I know I'm a baby, lol) Dad always planted his about 2-2.5 feet apart.

lol... It is so tempting to turn the entire field behind the house into one huge garden. Also I wanted advice more geared to which ones I definitely should keep more than what to eliminate, if that makes any sense. Thanks for the advice thus far- it's so ood to hear a second opinion.

Indyartist · February 12, 2011

I'm afraid I can't help because I keep adding varieties to MY list! I just added two more types from Tom Wagner's web-site. I'm up to 30 types so I'm moving toward your #'s not away.

remy · February 12, 2011

Ok, I separated them up like I do to figure out what to grow. It is easier to get an idea of what you have.
I X and bolded ones I would definitely grow. The only one I personally wouldn't grow is Early Girl. I grew it years ago and hated it. But it is very popular so others must like it.
Remy

Paste:
Aunt Lucy's Italian Paste
X Rinaldo
Rio Grande
Roma
San Marzano
San Marzano 2

Cherry:
Large Red Cherry
Currant
Red Robin
X Remy Rouge
X Sungold
Supersweet 100
X Black Cherry
Green Zebra

Early:
Bloody Butcher
Matina
Stupice
Early Girl

Round:
Mule Team
Old Brooks
Boxcar Willie
Rutgers

Beefsteak:
pink/red
Beefsteak
Better Boy
Big Boy
X Pruden's Purple
X Stump of the World
Brandywine Pink

yellow/orange
Aunt Gertie's Gold
Yellow Brandywine
X Pork Chop
Kellogg's Breakfast

black
Cherokee Purple
Black Krim

green
X Aunt Ruby's German Green

bicolor
Big Rainbow
X Lucky Cross

emzybo · February 12, 2011

Thanks Remy--the list is easier to glance at that way! Also, thanks for grouping my two orders from this morning and last night; I'm so excited about those seeds! Your selection is great.

~Emily

remy · February 12, 2011

Emily that is too funny that it is you! I'm glad I could help you.

Remy

bughunter99 · February 16, 2011

I wouldn't grow both matina and stupice. They are very similar I would go with just Matina as having a slight edge.
Big Rainbow is gorgeous and yum but has been very low productivity for me.
Early Girl=yucky for me.

brog · February 16, 2011

I`m in Atlanta-same weather as you and have my best luck with==Black Krim-Chero p.-Brandywine(Cowlicks)Stump(A must grow)For canning=Rutgers--Box Car Willie--Mule Team--Old Brooks. Put Early Girl seed in soil NOW for 1st ripe. GOOD LUCK Bill (I have seed for Cowlicks if you want some)

February 12, 2011	#1
emzybo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: NE Alabama Posts: 28	HELP! My 2011 List--gotta to rank/narrow it! Yikes! I need help narrowing my "to-plant" list down!! We have the space, but I am going to have to mostly make all-new plots, so I don't think I'll be able to amend/improve enough soil for all these. Can y'all help me select the best of what I have listed? Trying to limit myself to about 20-24 plants total and 1-2 per each chosen variety. All constructive comments are greatly appreciated! Here are the varieties of tomato seed I own/have ordered: Aunt Gertie's Gold Aunt Lucy's Italian Paste Aunt Ruby's German Green Beefsteak Better Boy Big Boy Big Rainbow Black Cherry Black Krim Bloody Butcher Boxcar Willie Brandywine Pink Cherokee Purple Currant Early Girl Green Zebra Kellogg's Breakfast Large Red Cherry Lucky Cross Matina Mule Team Old Brooks Pork Chop Pruden's Purple Red Robin Remy Rouge Rinaldo Rio Grande Roma Rutgers San Marzano San Marzano 2 Stump of the World Stupice Sungold Supersweet 100 Yellow Brandywine I do want to have plenty of good saucing/canning tomatoes. Thanks in advance for your help! Last edited by emzybo; February 12, 2011 at 09:45 AM.

February 12, 2011	#4
barefootgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Michigan Zone 4b Posts: 1,291	Well you have some nice ones on your list, but since you only have room for around 20-24 plants, and you want lots of tomatoes for canning and sauce, I would eliminate most of your cherry tomatoes and current on your list. Grow at least one Sungold..They are yummy and productive..Black Cherry is a fav. of many, and productive.. I am not sure what grows well in your southern zone..but for a GWR, I love Aunt Ruby's German Green. Green Zebra is subjective on taste for many, a spitter for me.. I will let others in your growing region comment on what does well for them from your list...some of the slicers will make good canners also... Not much info on your Aunt Lucy's Italian paste but on TTB it says it is a small tomato for salad and cooking, does not say how it tastes..might eliminate that one and roma's, and stick with San Marzano and or Rio Grande (medium size great production), for a paste/canner.. Lots of Praise for Aunt Gerties Gold for a yellow..Love KB also..but finicky in production for others.. Last edited by barefootgardener; February 12, 2011 at 11:29 AM.

February 12, 2011	#9
Indyartist Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Indiana Posts: 229	I'm afraid I can't help because I keep adding varieties to MY list! I just added two more types from Tom Wagner's web-site. I'm up to 30 types so I'm moving toward your #'s not away. __________________ Indyartist Zone 5b, NE Indiana -------------------------- “Men should stop fighting among themselves and start fighting insects” Luther Burbank

February 12, 2011	#10
remy Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z6 WNY Posts: 2,354	Ok, I separated them up like I do to figure out what to grow. It is easier to get an idea of what you have. I X and bolded ones I would definitely grow. The only one I personally wouldn't grow is Early Girl. I grew it years ago and hated it. But it is very popular so others must like it. Remy Paste: Aunt Lucy's Italian Paste X Rinaldo Rio Grande Roma San Marzano San Marzano 2 Cherry: Large Red Cherry Currant Red Robin X Remy Rouge X Sungold Supersweet 100 X Black Cherry Green Zebra Early: Bloody Butcher Matina Stupice Early Girl Round: Mule Team Old Brooks Boxcar Willie Rutgers Beefsteak: pink/red Beefsteak Better Boy Big Boy X Pruden's Purple X Stump of the World Brandywine Pink yellow/orange Aunt Gertie's Gold Yellow Brandywine X Pork Chop Kellogg's Breakfast black Cherokee Purple Black Krim green X Aunt Ruby's German Green bicolor Big Rainbow X Lucky Cross __________________ "I wake to sleep and take my waking slow" -Theodore Roethke Yes, we have a great party for WNY/Ontario tomato growers every year on Grand Island! Owner of The Sample Seed Shop

February 12, 2011	#12
remy Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z6 WNY Posts: 2,354	Emily that is too funny that it is you! I'm glad I could help you. Remy __________________ "I wake to sleep and take my waking slow" -Theodore Roethke Yes, we have a great party for WNY/Ontario tomato growers every year on Grand Island! Owner of The Sample Seed Shop

February 12, 2011	#2
Full Moon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Montréal, Canada Posts: 347	What do you need to narrow it down to? Do you intend to plant one of each or more? How many plants do you have room for?

February 12, 2011	#5
heirloomdaddy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Los Angeles Z10 Posts: 291	early girl and better boy

February 12, 2011	#6
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Many of the varieties you list I have not grown successfully or have never grown. Since I am just a couple of hundred miles due south of you the ones that I have had good luck with will probably do really good for you. Below are the ones I think will do the best for you. Black Krim Better Boy Mule Team Pruden's Purple Stump of the World Stupice Sungold

February 12, 2011	#7
RinTinTin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Seattle Posts: 581	That's a tough question. It is easy for us to give suggestions on what to grow, but difficult to suggest what NOT to grow. If I told you NOT to grow xyz tomato, and you went ahead and grew it anyway, and it turned out to be your favorite, you'd never listen to me again. As far as what NOT to eliminate, here's some ideas: Red Robin; it's not spectacular, but can be grown in a 1 gallon pot anywhere. Stupice; a typical early tomato (that grows well in your region). It has decent flavor for an early, and once it has peaked, it can be pulled out, and its space replanted with later variety...2 tomatoes in one spot. Sungold; grows and produces well anywhere. A couple plants will reward you till frost. One of the top rated cherries. Keep at least one good hybrid as a 'back-up' in case disease hits hard this year. Good luck...that is one of the hardest decisions a gardener has to make. Or...just bite the bullet and prep the other areas (you're gonna do it anyways). It doesn't have to be perfect the first season.

February 16, 2011	#13
bughunter99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: zone 5 Posts: 821	I wouldn't grow both matina and stupice. They are very similar I would go with just Matina as having a slight edge. Big Rainbow is gorgeous and yum but has been very low productivity for me. Early Girl=yucky for me.

February 16, 2011	#14
brog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Lilburn GA Posts: 278	I`m in Atlanta-same weather as you and have my best luck with==Black Krim-Chero p.-Brandywine(Cowlicks)Stump(A must grow)For canning=Rutgers--Box Car Willie--Mule Team--Old Brooks. Put Early Girl seed in soil NOW for 1st ripe. GOOD LUCK Bill (I have seed for Cowlicks if you want some) __________________ Bill