Black tomato choices, need help - Page 4

SharonRossy · March 14, 2014

HoosierDaddy, you`ve started your seeds? I'm only starting next week and from looking outside my window, it's discouraging!!!!! Well, lots of food for thought! Ok, so JBT it is, Black Krim is out, CP is in as my first time, BFT definitely. Wish I had the room to try more, but with the exception of JBT, I did not find the blacks to hold up well - for me they were the most fragile of the heirlooms.
Sebring, I grew Tim's Black Ruffles last year - I personally wasn't a fan. Gnol, those are very gorgeous looking tomatoes! Who knows what this season is going to bring? It's anybody's guess.

HoosierDaddy · March 19, 2014

Sharon: Yep, my tomato seeds are planted and today the first just sprouted in my basement. I have about 80 pots planted. Most of these are going to friends but my favorites will be in the ground around early May. That is two weeks earlier than the average last frost here and this year, who knows? I usually transplant to the garden the 4th weekend in April but I use "water walls" aka "Kozy Kuffs" around the plants to keep the soil warm and the plant from freezing from frost at night. This year it "feels" like the 2nd weekend of May may be more appropriate.

Good luck with your black tomato trials.

SharonRossy · March 22, 2014

I'm starting my seeds tomorrow. We just got another dump of snow. I also decided on Indian Stripe. Oh well, I'll just have to wait and see. Keep me posted.

Alpinejs · March 23, 2014

This whole thread has been very, very interesting in that it points out how
different results can be in different years, climates and soils. Many love
Japanese Trifele and Black Prince and Paul Robeson. I have never had luck
with them in Canada or California. Indian Stripe, Black Pear and Brad's Black
Heart have been super for me. I have tried most of those mentioned other than
Perth Pride which I will definitely have to try as I worked with a Perth company
for 3 years. All this said, the blacks are my favorite color varieties and I will
likely keep trying black varieties as I learn of them.

SharonRossy · March 24, 2014

Alpinejs, so true what you said about how various factors impact on tomatoes. I really did not like black pear but prefer JBT which I decided to grow again this year. I'm going to start Indian Stripe for the first time. My only concern with the blacks is shelf life and picking them at the best point possible. I realized last year after some hit and miss with the blacks to pick them at first blush just like the reds or pinks. Last summer wasn't the best for tomatoes in general but I did have pretty good results from BFT. Like I mentioned earlier, Black Russian was a complete disappointment and Black Krim was so so. I don't know if you tried Dwarf Tasmanian Chocolate. Again, mixed results and it had a lot of BER and a ton of white flies. All that too say, Black cherry is always a standard in the garden.

SharonRossy · March 24, 2014

Oh and it's minus 17 today!

March 14, 2014	#46
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	HoosierDaddy, you`ve started your seeds? I'm only starting next week and from looking outside my window, it's discouraging!!!!! Well, lots of food for thought! Ok, so JBT it is, Black Krim is out, CP is in as my first time, BFT definitely. Wish I had the room to try more, but with the exception of JBT, I did not find the blacks to hold up well - for me they were the most fragile of the heirlooms. Sebring, I grew Tim's Black Ruffles last year - I personally wasn't a fan. Gnol, those are very gorgeous looking tomatoes! Who knows what this season is going to bring? It's anybody's guess.

March 19, 2014	#47
HoosierDaddy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Zone 5 SE Michigan Posts: 50	Sharon: Yep, my tomato seeds are planted and today the first just sprouted in my basement. I have about 80 pots planted. Most of these are going to friends but my favorites will be in the ground around early May. That is two weeks earlier than the average last frost here and this year, who knows? I usually transplant to the garden the 4th weekend in April but I use "water walls" aka "Kozy Kuffs" around the plants to keep the soil warm and the plant from freezing from frost at night. This year it "feels" like the 2nd weekend of May may be more appropriate. Good luck with your black tomato trials.

March 22, 2014	#48
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	I'm starting my seeds tomorrow. We just got another dump of snow. I also decided on Indian Stripe. Oh well, I'll just have to wait and see. Keep me posted.

March 23, 2014	#49
Alpinejs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Alpine, Calif. in winter. Sandpoint Lake, Ont. Canada summers Posts: 850	This whole thread has been very, very interesting in that it points out how different results can be in different years, climates and soils. Many love Japanese Trifele and Black Prince and Paul Robeson. I have never had luck with them in Canada or California. Indian Stripe, Black Pear and Brad's Black Heart have been super for me. I have tried most of those mentioned other than Perth Pride which I will definitely have to try as I worked with a Perth company for 3 years. All this said, the blacks are my favorite color varieties and I will likely keep trying black varieties as I learn of them.

March 24, 2014	#50
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	Alpinejs, so true what you said about how various factors impact on tomatoes. I really did not like black pear but prefer JBT which I decided to grow again this year. I'm going to start Indian Stripe for the first time. My only concern with the blacks is shelf life and picking them at the best point possible. I realized last year after some hit and miss with the blacks to pick them at first blush just like the reds or pinks. Last summer wasn't the best for tomatoes in general but I did have pretty good results from BFT. Like I mentioned earlier, Black Russian was a complete disappointment and Black Krim was so so. I don't know if you tried Dwarf Tasmanian Chocolate. Again, mixed results and it had a lot of BER and a ton of white flies. All that too say, Black cherry is always a standard in the garden.