John Baer Tomato

[Downinmyback]

I was looking thru the Jung Catalog and saw this variety and i was wondering about it. I did a google search on it and learned very little. Would this type of tomato grow good in zone 7 or would it be like Brandywine and produce little in the southeast. Also i read sonewhere it was a sterile plant and i was wondering what this meant.

[feldon30]

This article, published in 1926, documents the Fusarium (F) Wilt tolerance of several varieties including mention of John Baer, at least in comparison to other varieties:

Kanora is a hybrid between Norton and John Baer, made in 1921....It is a variety having the fruit qualities of the John Baer, medium to large, deep red and very productive. It has proved very resistant to wilt, but no more resistant than its resistant parent, Norton.

As a check against varietal behavior to wilt, plants of the John Baer variety have always been used. It was known from the earlier experience of Mr. Scott that this variety was very susceptible to the fungous wilt. In 1925, Bonny Best, another very susceptible variety, was included as a check in addition to the John Baer plants.

Needless to say if you have Fusarium in your soil, this is not the variety for you.

This site suggests that John Baer is a market variety that is resistant to Verticillium:
http://www.seeds.ca/proj/tomato/cdntomatoes.php

Based on that info, it looks to be a market tomato variety from the early 20's or even late teens.

Some other market tomatoes which almost always come up in conversation about what to grow in the South and Southwest, are (Arkansas) Traveler, Creole, and Sioux. There are many many others.

There are so many varieties to try which are renowned for flavor. I am trying Gary O'Sena (purple), Earl's Faux, Neves Azorean Red, as well as OTV Brandywine, a strain which is supposed to do a bit better here.

Seeds for all of those can be found at TomatoGrowers.com.

[Downinmyback]

Thanks for your reply to my question. I was curious about the variety since it was not in any of my seed sites that i checked. I have already order Mule Team CP and Tommytoe from Tomatobob.com and i will send a order to TGS for Old Brooks Creole Mexico and Stupice next week. The only heirloom i have grown was Pink Brandwine so i am still new to heirloom. My wife grandmother had a old red tomato she said was over 100 yrats old that she had gotten from her mother but i had 2 back surgeries and quit gardening for about 5 years and she became ill and died before i thought to get seeds from her and we didnot find any seeds after she died. I figger it was the tomato called LARGE RED TOMATO around that time.Thanks

[carolyn137]

I figger it was the tomato called LARGE RED TOMATO around that time.Thanks

Not necessarily since there were other large red varieties around the early 1900's, such as Ponderosa , which were widely grown.

Early Large Red was a variety grown earlier than that time and wasn't grown that much after new varieties were available.

And do let us know how your experience with Tomato bob turns out. I'd like to know since there have been some problems in the past that others have reported.

[Downinmyback]

I had no problem with TomatoBob when i ordered in early December. I receive my order in less than Two weeks and they even threw in a free pack of seed . I could use some info on that variety since only one source seems to carry it and there was very little info on Goggle about it. The variety name was Greek Domato. Thanks

[carolyn137]

The variety name was Greek Domato. Thanks

75 days, round, red, slightly flat fruits, from Dionysion Monestery, Mt Athos, Greece.

it's been long listed in the SSE Yearbooks and first listed there way back in the 70's, although not many folks have relisted it. In the 2006 Yearbook there's only one listing from someone who got it in a trade who just says 75 days, heavy yield, great tasting 10 oz fruits.

What I meant when I asked about your seed source was not so much service, but if the seeds were true to variety b'c in the past that's been a problem with some varieties. Perhaps the situation has improved in the meantime.

[Downinmyback]

Hopeful he has gotten better since then. As i said i was a newbe to Heirloom Variety and i didnot know about GW until i joined here. I will keep you posted on the progress as they happen during the year. Thanks for the info as they seems to be little info on some variety of tomato available. I wish i could have saved my wife grandmother tomato seeds as they were VERY GOOD but as i said when you have back trouble little else matters. Thanks again

[Downinmyback]

I just received my TGS catalog today so i will have something to chase the winter blues away.