Dixie Golden Giant Questions

[travis]

Carolyn (and other interested persons),

Tom and I were discussing large yellow/orange varieties to possibly grow in 2007.

In the 2006 SSE Yearbook, Ron Thuma, Hartford, KS, lists Dixie Golden Giant with this description: "80 days, heirloom lemon-yellow beefsteak type, large plant, good cover, huge fruit (some over 2 lbs.) with few seeds, good flavor, high yielding, from KS TH R 93, grown by an Amish family since 1930s, Minnie Zaccaria of Long Branch, NJ acquired from Austin Isaacs of McKee KY after we had searched for it for 5 years."

Other persons listing Dixie Golden Giant give their sources of seed as Carolyn Male, CV To3, and USDA NSL 67886. Marianne Jones's description is very similar to Ron Thuma's, and Ms. Jones gives her source as Carolyn Male.

In two photos Tom sent me, Dixie Golden Giant appears lemon-yellow in one and more orange in the other.

Carolyn, what is your opinion of this tomato and what were your experiences with it? Is it worth growin' as a large yellow or gold tomato?

If anyone else has experience or opinions regarding DGG, please chime in.

PV

[Tomstrees]

I thought that when gardeners
described the color as "golden" it meant
a yellowish/orange ~

I also think all of these photos look different ;
However, all listed under the same tomato:
Golden Dixie Giant

Which photo looks right ?

~ Tom

ps.
I love sliced fruit pics ...
not only gives you color, but locule placement ~

[giardiniere]

I've never grown Dixie Golden Giant, but I always assumed it wasn't really a lemon-yellow. Here's a pic I found.



and some of the text that went with it...

5" smooth, deep orange, meaty fruits; good sweet flavor.

Originally from KY IS A; grown by Amish family since the 1930's.

It was one of the varieties I considered growing for '07, but I think for yellow, I'm growing Azoychka and/or Manyel.

[nctomatoman]

There is definitely confusion about this variety - and likely several distinctly different tomatoes sharing the name. I got it out of the USDA, and it was more orange than yellow - not the lemon yellow that some pictures show and sources describe. What it SHOULD be...????

[carolyn137]

Carolyn, what is your opinion of this tomato and what were your experiences with it? Is it worth growin' as a large yellow or gold tomato?


PV, I don't know if you have a copy of my book, but if you look on page 43 of my book on the lower right you'll see quite a few varieties I might have wanted to put in the book but using a euphamism, it was said they weren't available for photography.

And the reasons for that were either crossed seeds or branches that didn't have enough ripe fruits, etc/

I've grown it several times and like it very much as to both taste and yield. As the name implies, it is GOLDEN, not a clear yellow, which is true for so many varieties with, especially, yellow in the name. I see on page 43 I put (yellow) in parens after the name but it's gold in color at maturity. It is NOT orange.

My source was USDA 67886 and both Craig and I offered it in earlier Yearbooks.

I'm looking at the 1996 right now and see Ron Thuma's blurb, and I used to know Ron fairly well, and he cites the KY source you mention, but no mention of Minnie anywhere. And the Amish background circa 1930's is also mentioned by Ron.

If I went back further in the Yearbooks I'm sure I'd find out even more.

But to answer your question directly, it turns from yellow to GOLD at maturity. It should not be clear yellow at maturity the way Lillian's Yellow Heirloom is and just a few others are, and it definitely is NOT orange at maturity.

[Tomstrees]

So in your opinion Craig & Carolyn,
which picture best captures the way it looked
when you grew it ? Any of those featured above ?

And by "Golden" you mean yellowish/orange ?

~ Tom

[travis]

Okay, thanks very much both Carolyn and Craig for those messages.

I guess now I'm left wonderin' whether Dixie Golden Giant
from Ron Thuma via Minnie Zaccaria via Austin Isaacs of McKee KY
is the same as Dixie Golden Giant from Marianna Jones via Carolyn Male
via Craig LeHoullier via USDA NSL 67886 ...

... not that it would matter if I obtained and grew both
side by side :wink:

Whatta y'all think might be the difference ... if any?

PV

[Tomstrees]

85 days. Lycopersicon esculentum. Plant produces good yields of huge 2 lb golden yellow beefsteak tomatoes. Tomatoes are sweet and very flavorful. An Amish heirloom variety from the USA. United States Department of Agriculture, NSL 67886. Indeterminate. Very Disease Resistant. pk/20

this blurb listed above is for this photo
listed as Golden Dixie Giant:


Craig Carolyn, is this the same identification
# of the USDA ? (memory / data testing here ~ lol)

~ Tom

[Spatzbear]

Thanks for starting this thread.
I'm growing this variety this year. The seeds are from Carolyn via Patrina. The plant is looking very healthy and it'll be interesting to see the colour of the fruit in a few months.

[carolyn137]

So in your opinion Craig & Carolyn,
which picture best captures the way it looked
when you grew it ? Any of those featured above ?

The one that comes closest, for me, is the one with the ruler at the bottom.


And by "Golden" you mean yellowish/orange ?

No, I mean GOLDEN.

I never saw a tint of orange with DGGiant.

But I've found that color re photography can vary and I for sure have found that folks perception of color can vary.

But when you show a pure yellow tomato and the blurb reads GOLDEN fruits', you know there's a problem somewhere. Check what I said in the post above the USDA accession number; I'm too lazy to go back up there but I think you had it right.

PV, having grown just the USDA one I don't have a clue what other DGG's might look like. Or if they are even DGG.

I've been thinking about this a bit, and the USDA does NOT have a lot of OP family heirlooms as accessions. So why is it there? Was it introduced commercially to start with, b'c those are more common.

And why Dixie if it's supposed to be an Amish heirloom and the Amish didn't settle in Dixie.

Maybe it would be more worthwhile for me to track this one down in the Yearbooks, but since I guess I'm going to make that seed offer here, and finding that my one cat messed up my tomato seed table and spilled at least one half of ALL my Red Penna seeds and who knows what else, cleaning up that mess takes first priority.

[Tomstrees]

Carolyn,

Yup same USDA # ... I didn't know USDA
had only a few OP ... raises history questions ...
Color guesstimates ... gotcha thanks ~
The brighter yellow pics come from Reimer site ...

Spatzbear ,

Curious to see what you get !

PV ,
Talk about a convo turned can-o-worms ! lol

~ Tom

[JimM_SC]

PV,
I've grow DGG several times, most recently last summer. Dave's (giardiniere's) picture is closest to my experience. I like it very much and it is my wife's favorite yellow/gold. It makes a big healthy plant with good coverage. My yields have only been average with many of the early fruit catfaced. That said, I'll continue to grow it as the flavor is worthwhile.
Jim

[travis]

Originally Posted by Tomstrees

PV ,
Talk about a convo turned can-o-worms ! lol
~ Tom

Not a Can O'Worms yet, Tom ...

I think it's a really good conversation to have brought to the forum.
Let's wait and see where it leads.

First off, I think there are two tomatoes indicated here ...
but maybe it's the same tomato.
Carolyn's observation regarding USDA vs. Amish Heirloom is very interesting and insightful.

But then there is a significant Amish population settled in Kentucky,
and I have a buddy who's been buyin' tomatoes from them commercially for some time.
Not heirlooms ... just commercial tomatoes for his produce market.

What I need to do is find out where McKee, Kentucky is
and its possible relationship or at least its proximity to any Amish farmers.

Notice Carolyn pointed out the Victory Seeds picture as most closely matching
her Dixie Golden Giants. I think Victory says in their blurb that their source is USDA seed ...
I think ... without clickin' over to their Web site to re-check.

But I remain facinated about Ron Thuma's blurb in 2006 Yearbook
about Minnie Z. and he lookin' for DGG for 5 years
before she received it from that guy in McKee KY.

I intend to explore that a little farther when I get back to the office Thursday ...
got some honey-do assignments until then.

Jim (in SC), thanks for the heads up
regarding healthy plants with good tasting tomatoes
and yours resembling Dave's photo ... very helpful.
I like the looks of this tomato.

PV