Dagmar's Perfection!

A few years ago, I was looking for a larger selection of gold to yellow full size tomatoes to compare with some others I was already growing. I ordered Gary Ibsens's Gold from Tomatofest and received Dagmar's Perfection as a bonus. I knew nothing about the DP tomato and stored the seed as a "maybe someday" variety. I grew the GIG beside my KBX and found it to be a great tasting, productive tomato. Unfortunately, growing beside the KBX; it was easy to compare all the attributes of both. They were absolutely identical in every way in my garden. That means no reason exists to grow GIG when I am already growing KBX.

Over the past couple of years, I've read some very good reports on my bonus tomato seeds. I dug them out of storage this past fall and germinated the seed to grow in this springs garden.

The Dagmar's Perfection has turned out to be a productive multicolor tomato for me. It is primarily yellow or gold with pink streaks inside. I noticed immediately the tomato needs to be consumed immediately after ripening. It quickly becomes soft and is almost impossible to slice after fully ripening due to its softness. I harvested one today to try on a sandwich and tasted a slice before I put it on the sandwich. For me, it was almost tasteless. It didn't seem sweet or acidic. It was simply tasteless. I tossed those slices in the trash and sliced a red acidic tomato for my sandwich. I will try another tomato from the same DP plant and see if the taste changes any, but for me; it isn't worth growing again in the future. In many ways, it is very similar to Hillbilly tomato, but it lacks the taste of Hillbilly. It's pretty and it's productive, but not good tasting.

Ted

[RobinB]

I grew DP about three years ago and also experienced a rather bland taste. I told myself that I would try it again in another year, but haven't yet... I'm trying Sweet Sue this year and look forward to a tasty larger yellow!

Originally Posted by RobinB

I grew DP about three years ago and also experienced a rather bland taste. I told myself that I would try it again in another year, but haven't yet... I'm trying Sweet Sue this year and look forward to a tasty larger yellow!

I'm growing Hillbilly, Captain Lucky, and Virginia Sweets side by side. If I had realized DP was a bi-color variety, I would have planted it with the multi-colors and bi-colors. It makes comparison easier. I already know I like Hillbilly from growing it in past years, but I don't know about the other two.

If Captain Lucky and Virginia Sweets don't impress me, I may not grow any of them again. They seem, like many of the black varieties; to progress from ripe to almost rotten in thirty seconds. I know that is an exaggeration, but not by a lot. I prefer tomatoes that can sit on the counter for a day or two after they are picked.

Ted

[Gardadore]

Maybe when it is picked also influences how the DP tastes. I have grown it for two years and consider it one of the best tasting yellow (bi-color) tomatoes that I grow. It has never been bland. I may have just been lucky before it get too ripe or something. But I am growing it for the third time so will see how it goes. I know if it rains a lot before I harvest tomatoes can get bland and watery.

Originally Posted by Gardadore

Maybe when it is picked also influences how the DP tastes. I have grown it for two years and consider it one of the best tasting yellow (bi-color) tomatoes that I grow. It has never been bland. I may have just been lucky before it get too ripe or something. But I am growing it for the third time so will see how it goes. I know if it rains a lot before I harvest tomatoes can get bland and watery.

I'm sure your right! I believe tomato taste, quality, and productivity often depend on climate, moisture availability, and available nutrients. That is why I like to compare tomato varieties to other varieties in the same type grown in my garden. I am pretty much assured the conditions for all of them are the same. I also am able to compare types to other tomato types. Over the years, I've been able to determine that black tomatoes in my garden seem to share many common traits while red's, pink's,multicolors, cherries, hearts, and others share traits within their types. Next year, I will probably grow more reds and pinks and fewer of some other types. Some black tomatoes have been totally eliminated from my garden, but other blacks will be grown every year. I will continue to grow JD's Special C Tex and Carbon every year. The cherry tomatoes Juliet, Black Cherry, and Porters improved probably have guaranteed spots in my garden. Many have been eliminated as a possible replacement for Juliet. I'm pretty sure the varieties eliminated from my garden have a happy home in other peoples gardens because the growing conditions and climate are different.

Ted

[Gardadore]

Well that certainly all makes sense. If you are in N. Texas then the conditions are definitely different!! I am growing Carbon for the first time and curious how that will compare to some of my other favorite black ones such as Brad's Black Heart, Amazon Chocolate, Black Seaman and Black Cherry. I grew JD's Special C one year with high expectations as well as Black From Tula and they were a disappointment. They probably deserve a second chance since it was a difficult summer. Black From Tula really tasted awful in the beginning but the last ones did taste much better. So far Brad's Black Heart has been the best. One year the Amazon Chocolate succumbed to wilt but it is an early variety here so I am usually guaranteed something! Half the fun of all of this is trying new ones and finding those that deserve a permanent home in my garden. However, that list is getting pretty large!!

[strax]

i grew DP last year. after eating the first flavorless fruits I was put off and decided to never grow it again. however, the fruit i picked at the end of the season had a fantastic flavor.

Originally Posted by strax

i grew DP last year. after eating the first flavorless fruits I was put off and decided to never grow it again. however, the fruit i picked at the end of the season had a fantastic flavor.

I still have a few on the vine. I will pick them before they get fully ripe and try them before they get mushy. I hope your right. It would be nice to have another favorite tomato in the bi color group.

Ted

I think I misspelled the variety name in the title of this thread. I think it should be Dagma's Perfection instead of Dagmar's Perfection.

Ted

[Aubergine]

"That is why I like to compare tomato varieties to other varieties in the same type grown in my garden. "

This is what I also like to do.

In my garden, Dagma's Perfection was tasteless too, but Armenian was very good.

[attml]

Ted,

Just went back and looked at my 2011 spreadsheet and I had given it a rating of 3.5 out of 5 for taste making it only fair but in the comments for DP I had added that my wife really liked it?

Mark