Look over my Early/Midseason list for 2012? - Page 2

Chris_NH · September 7, 2011

Mark,
We have similar, if not generally cooler growing weather than you do. We set out 150'ish plants, starting about mid May, in Wall-o-waters, using red plastic as a mulch. Glacier is almost always first to ripe fruit, but taste is only maybe a 6 out of 10. Stupice is typically next as is the best tasting very early tomato I've found to date, and I've tried quite a few. Bloody Butcher is a close second. We've had good results with the early and productive oxheart Anna Russian - I'll be growing more of these next year as they're wonderful for sauce making. We've also had surprisingly good luck with Black Krim for being an early (only a week or two behind Stupice), bigger-sized tomato, and they're very tasty and handsome fruits.

Even though we had a decent year with the big indeterminates like Mortgage Lifter (had one fruit a tad over 3 pounds), next season I'm going to grow more determinates and fewer indeterminates. The gross production of the indeterminates is below the determinates in our growing area. The season just isn't long enough, even starting early.

Boutique Tomatoes · September 7, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_NH

Mark,
We have similar, if not generally cooler growing weather than you do. We set out 150'ish plants, starting about mid May, in Wall-o-waters, using red plastic as a mulch. Glacier is almost always first to ripe fruit, but taste is only maybe a 6 out of 10. Stupice is typically next as is the best tasting very early tomato I've found to date, and I've tried quite a few. Bloody Butcher is a close second. We've had good results with the early and productive oxheart Anna Russian - I'll be growing more of these next year as they're wonderful for sauce making. We've also had surprisingly good luck with Black Krim for being an early (only a week or two behind Stupice), bigger-sized tomato, and they're very tasty and handsome fruits.

Even though we had a decent year with the big indeterminates like Mortgage Lifter (had one fruit a tad over 3 pounds), next season I'm going to grow more determinates and fewer indeterminates. The gross production of the indeterminates is below the determinates in our growing area. The season just isn't long enough, even starting early.

Yes, it's incredibly frustrating to take care of a plant for 6 months and get just a few ripe tomatoes from it.

I'm also thinking I'll try the Dwarf Project releases next year.

The determinates I had on my list so far were:

Bush Beefsteak - 62 days
Morden Yellow - 55 days
Native Sun - 65-70 days
*Beaver Lodge Plum - 55 days
*Beaver Lodge Slicer - 55 days
Cold Set - 65 days
*Manitoba - 58 days
Siletz - 60-65 days
*Tondina Maremmano - 70 days
Sophie's Choice - 55 days
*Black Sea Man - 70 days

*These I grew this year. Next year I'll probably put them in 7 gallon grow bags and wheel them in and out of the garage with my peppers early in the spring. Siletz I grew last year but this year the plant was one of the ones that didn't make it. Generally happens right after I leave my extras at the community gardens.

Chris_NH · September 7, 2011

I was intrigued by the dwarf project also.

What kind of luck did you have with the Siletz last year?

Also curious how the Beaver Lodge plum and slicer were for you. Taste and production wise.

Thanks,
Chris

Boutique Tomatoes · September 7, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_NH

I was intrigued by the dwarf project also.

What kind of luck did you have with the Siletz last year?

Also curious how the Beaver Lodge plum and slicer were for you. Taste and production wise.

Thanks,
Chris

Last year Siletz was the first tomato to ripen and all I can recall is that it was heavenly at the time.

I only got a few tomatoes off of it before it along with the rest of that garden got drowned out. (One of the primary reasons for putting in more raised beds this year.)

The Beaver Lodge varieties were good enough I'm trying them again.

Unfortunately they were not the best taken care of, but in spite of the lack of attention they put out decently flavored early fruits. They ended up still in their 4 gallon squat pots in a shaded corner of the garden, not getting fertilized and frequenly not watered. Despite the abuse they are still putting out tomatoes.

Direct Sunlight · September 10, 2011

This year I've finally accepted that we really have a short growing season, just not the same conditions. We've got a window from the beginning of April (barring frost), to early May. After that the tomatoes may not set fruit, or it'll be greatly reduced. Then we've got from around Labor Day to the end (anywhere from mid-October to early December).

I didn't have much luck with the determinate Rutgers, seems it's not for the climate here. I've got a couple of cut-down transplants, all that's left of a full seed packet planted various points in the season. The rest all died without producing a single tomato. Are determinates even viable in a short season as determjned by high temperature, not frost, I wonder?

Boutique Tomatoes · September 10, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direct Sunlight

This year I've finally accepted that we really have a short growing season, just not the same conditions. We've got a window from the beginning of April (barring frost), to early May. After that the tomatoes may not set fruit, or it'll be greatly reduced. Then we've got from around Labor Day to the end (anywhere from mid-October to early December).

I didn't have much luck with the determinate Rutgers, seems it's not for the climate here. I've got a couple of cut-down transplants, all that's left of a full seed packet planted various points in the season. The rest all died without producing a single tomato. Are determinates even viable in a short season as determjned by high temperature, not frost, I wonder?

I lived in Florida for a little over 10 years and it was definately a different set of problems. Have you looked at either Caribe or Calypso? Both of those are determinates for hot/humid areas.

Direct Sunlight · September 11, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by marktutt

I lived in Florida for a little over 10 years and it was definately a different set of problems. Have you looked at either Caribe or Calypso? Both of those are determinates for hot/humid areas.

No, I've not tried them. Thanks for the tip. Sometimes here people make growing suggestions like we are in a much cooler area!

Boutique Tomatoes · September 11, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direct Sunlight

No, I've not tried them. Thanks for the tip. Sometimes here people make growing suggestions like we are in a much cooler area!

I hope they work for you. One other option that I thought of would be some of the old Homestead varieties originally bred by a Florida research station.

dice · September 20, 2011

I would suggest Magyar Piros Boker, 65-70 days. Good tomato and
good production on a sturdy, robust plant. Taste reminds me of
Early Rouge.

Pale Perfect Purple was more like 75 days than 65 days for me.
Those are not exact numbers, since I do not count days, but it
ripened first fruits about the same time as other cultivars that
I had growing that vendors listed at "75 days". Both Gregori's
Altai and County Agent are earlier (although PPP is tastier, in
my personal opinion).

Grub's Mystery Green, 65-70 days.

Clear Pink Early, about 5-7 days earlier than Early Rouge,
growing in the same bed with the same sun exposure. (Early
Rouge was a bigger plant with more production, though, and
Clear Pink Early had very mild flavor for me.)

Boutique Tomatoes · September 20, 2011

Thanks for the feedback Dice! I'll add Magyar Piros Boker to my list of things to try.

nancyruhl · September 20, 2011

Black-Indian Stripe beat all other varieties for 1st ripe full sized tomato last year.
Red-Bloody Butcher-early, pretty, and tasty
One of the new dwarf varieties was very early for me also this year--Rosella Purple.
Maybe it was a fluke, but Terhune and Brianna were amoung my earliest this year. I also like Break-o-day for an earlier variety.

September 10, 2011	#20
Direct Sunlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: N. Texas, Zone 8A Posts: 79	This year I've finally accepted that we really have a short growing season, just not the same conditions. We've got a window from the beginning of April (barring frost), to early May. After that the tomatoes may not set fruit, or it'll be greatly reduced. Then we've got from around Labor Day to the end (anywhere from mid-October to early December). I didn't have much luck with the determinate Rutgers, seems it's not for the climate here. I've got a couple of cut-down transplants, all that's left of a full seed packet planted various points in the season. The rest all died without producing a single tomato. Are determinates even viable in a short season as determjned by high temperature, not frost, I wonder? __________________ "Sure it grows where you are, but..."

September 20, 2011	#24
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I would suggest Magyar Piros Boker, 65-70 days. Good tomato and good production on a sturdy, robust plant. Taste reminds me of Early Rouge. Pale Perfect Purple was more like 75 days than 65 days for me. Those are not exact numbers, since I do not count days, but it ripened first fruits about the same time as other cultivars that I had growing that vendors listed at "75 days". Both Gregori's Altai and County Agent are earlier (although PPP is tastier, in my personal opinion). Grub's Mystery Green, 65-70 days. Clear Pink Early, about 5-7 days earlier than Early Rouge, growing in the same bed with the same sun exposure. (Early Rouge was a bigger plant with more production, though, and Clear Pink Early had very mild flavor for me.) __________________ -- alias

September 7, 2011	#16
Chris_NH Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: NH, zone 4/3 Posts: 28	Mark, We have similar, if not generally cooler growing weather than you do. We set out 150'ish plants, starting about mid May, in Wall-o-waters, using red plastic as a mulch. Glacier is almost always first to ripe fruit, but taste is only maybe a 6 out of 10. Stupice is typically next as is the best tasting very early tomato I've found to date, and I've tried quite a few. Bloody Butcher is a close second. We've had good results with the early and productive oxheart Anna Russian - I'll be growing more of these next year as they're wonderful for sauce making. We've also had surprisingly good luck with Black Krim for being an early (only a week or two behind Stupice), bigger-sized tomato, and they're very tasty and handsome fruits. Even though we had a decent year with the big indeterminates like Mortgage Lifter (had one fruit a tad over 3 pounds), next season I'm going to grow more determinates and fewer indeterminates. The gross production of the indeterminates is below the determinates in our growing area. The season just isn't long enough, even starting early.

September 20, 2011	#25
Boutique Tomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northeast Wisconsin, Zone 5a Posts: 1,109	Thanks for the feedback Dice! I'll add Magyar Piros Boker to my list of things to try.

September 20, 2011	#26
nancyruhl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan Posts: 1,051	Black-Indian Stripe beat all other varieties for 1st ripe full sized tomato last year. Red-Bloody Butcher-early, pretty, and tasty One of the new dwarf varieties was very early for me also this year--Rosella Purple. Maybe it was a fluke, but Terhune and Brianna were amoung my earliest this year. I also like Break-o-day for an earlier variety.