Piccolo update

uno · December 9, 2006

Just wanted to tell everyone how my piccolos did this year (thank you to everone who helped me with the seeds and plants!)

First off the piccolo was the sweetest out of every cherry tomato I grew.

Sungold
super sweet 100
sun cherry
sweet baby girl
sugar snack

I might be forgeting some.

My only problem was that a LOT of the piccolos did not turn red they stayed a pale yellow-orangish color.

But the ones that were red were hands down the sweetest that I grew!

Jim

bully · December 9, 2006

I grew for the first time last year and....(wait for it)..........
I loved em.

michael johnson · December 10, 2006

The orange coloured pale ones that never seem to ripen properly are part of the piccolo hybrid, as it splits into two distinct varieties.

At first when I grew piccolo I didnt think that it was a hybrid or straight cross- as it said absolutly nothing on the packet about being one, but after growing it for the third year in a row -it is now obvious that it is, -but having singled out just the red ones I am gradualy de-hybridising it, and it has a wonderful flavor deep and strong with a sort of aftertaste that lingers, if left to ripen well they develop an almost honey like flavour.

The other type (pale orange ghostly colour ) is indeed a stange tomato- it takes at least another month to ripen and soften and seems to keep forever without going rotten- I have some now -still, in a bowl in the conservatory that have been there since september and still in good condition, I wouldnt be surprised if it doesnt last through until the spring and still be edible. not quite such a good taste as the red type- a bit sharper and acidy, but I kept a few back for further study and possible crosses.

The only real problem with the two types- is that you cant hardly tell the difference between the two when grown side by side as they are almost identical, but as soon as ripening time arrives its then easy to tell which is which- so its always best to grow four or five plants out until the ripening stage and then yank the orange pale ones out if you wish, possibly they will be de-hybridised by the 2007 growing season.

A good red piccolo plant will reach eight or nine foot high rapidly and pump out cherry tomatoes all season long in long trusses.

There are two distinct varieties of Piccolo (Red types) circulating in europe at the moment (strains if you will )- the Spanish type of which some of you are familiar with already and a larger Italian strain of Piccolo which are half as big again and a bit earlier but basically they both taste the same.

uno · December 17, 2006

Thanks Bully and Michael

The piccolo's I had out of about 8 3-4 had the pale orange tomatoes on them...I didn't eat them.

On mine the first tomatoes were red and then later the tomatoes turned the pale orange.

I loved how sweet they were but they didn't produce very well. They were only about 5 feet tall max and my super sweet 100's were like 8 foot +

The vines on my piccolo's were puny.

I loved the way the tomato tasted though.

I saved seeds from them but I won't know what they will grow until this season.

I would definitely like to grow some that did not have the pale orange tomatoes on them and grew only red ones.

I'm all ears for sources of piccolo seeds that might have the ale orange problem taken care of!

Most of my piccolo's were very small about the size of a marble.

Jim

December 9, 2006	#1
uno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: SW Pennsylvania, zone 6a Posts: 147	Piccolo update Just wanted to tell everyone how my piccolos did this year (thank you to everone who helped me with the seeds and plants!) First off the piccolo was the sweetest out of every cherry tomato I grew. Sungold super sweet 100 sun cherry sweet baby girl sugar snack I might be forgeting some. My only problem was that a LOT of the piccolos did not turn red they stayed a pale yellow-orangish color. But the ones that were red were hands down the sweetest that I grew! Jim

December 9, 2006	#2
bully Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S.E. MI Posts: 794	I grew for the first time last year and....(wait for it).......... I loved em.

December 10, 2006	#3
michael johnson Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: UK. Posts: 960	The orange coloured pale ones that never seem to ripen properly are part of the piccolo hybrid, as it splits into two distinct varieties. At first when I grew piccolo I didnt think that it was a hybrid or straight cross- as it said absolutly nothing on the packet about being one, but after growing it for the third year in a row -it is now obvious that it is, -but having singled out just the red ones I am gradualy de-hybridising it, and it has a wonderful flavor deep and strong with a sort of aftertaste that lingers, if left to ripen well they develop an almost honey like flavour. The other type (pale orange ghostly colour ) is indeed a stange tomato- it takes at least another month to ripen and soften and seems to keep forever without going rotten- I have some now -still, in a bowl in the conservatory that have been there since september and still in good condition, I wouldnt be surprised if it doesnt last through until the spring and still be edible. not quite such a good taste as the red type- a bit sharper and acidy, but I kept a few back for further study and possible crosses. The only real problem with the two types- is that you cant hardly tell the difference between the two when grown side by side as they are almost identical, but as soon as ripening time arrives its then easy to tell which is which- so its always best to grow four or five plants out until the ripening stage and then yank the orange pale ones out if you wish, possibly they will be de-hybridised by the 2007 growing season. A good red piccolo plant will reach eight or nine foot high rapidly and pump out cherry tomatoes all season long in long trusses. There are two distinct varieties of Piccolo (Red types) circulating in europe at the moment (strains if you will )- the Spanish type of which some of you are familiar with already and a larger Italian strain of Piccolo which are half as big again and a bit earlier but basically they both taste the same.

December 17, 2006	#4
uno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: SW Pennsylvania, zone 6a Posts: 147	Thanks Bully and Michael The piccolo's I had out of about 8 3-4 had the pale orange tomatoes on them...I didn't eat them. On mine the first tomatoes were red and then later the tomatoes turned the pale orange. I loved how sweet they were but they didn't produce very well. They were only about 5 feet tall max and my super sweet 100's were like 8 foot + The vines on my piccolo's were puny. I loved the way the tomato tasted though. I saved seeds from them but I won't know what they will grow until this season. I would definitely like to grow some that did not have the pale orange tomatoes on them and grew only red ones. I'm all ears for sources of piccolo seeds that might have the ale orange problem taken care of! Most of my piccolo's were very small about the size of a marble. Jim