Looking for a smaller "Tumbler"

Greatgardens · June 2, 2014

I start my earliest tomatoes in mid-February, and my "old reliable" is Red Robin, but they don't produce very many tomatoes per plant. I've grown "Tumbler" and it does well for me, but they take up a lot of space in my cold frame. So this year I tried "Tumbling Junior" which is a yellow basket-type that is probably 30-50% smaller than regular Tumbling Tom. However, I sure don't care much for the taste -- quite tart with little sweetness? I'm sure hopeful that the breeder will release a red version that has better sweetness.

But in the meantime, has anyone grown a more compact variety of a "tumbling" type with a good sweet taste?

-GG

biodarwin · July 25, 2014

I am glad you mentioned this as I was planning on growing a few of these tumbler hybrids, which fits the description of what you are mentioning, however they are red. I was given the seeds, but this looks similar as it was described to me:

http://www.jungseed.com/dp.asp?pID=00783

biodarwin · July 25, 2014

I am planting these next weekend for fall, I will let you know if I can find the source and how they grow/taste.

Wi-sunflower · July 25, 2014

I just want to clear up a bit of name confusion here.

Tumbler is the original variety for hanging baskets. It's somewhat large and needs a bit of help to branch well to make an even basket.

Tumbling Tom (red or yellow) are 2 newer varieties. The fruit is just a bit smaller than Tumbler. The best part tho is that it has short internodes and seems to branch willingly on it's own to make a full basket.
http://www.totallytomato.com/search.asp?search=tumbling

Some catalogs say Tumbler is hybrid others say it's not. I bought seeds from a non-hybrid source and have been saving seeds for many times and they always seem the same to me, other than I did get a few pink fruited plants once that I believe were from an accidental cross in my greenhouse. I've saved those seeds too but have not been able to get it to produce all pink yet.

The Tumbling Toms ARE hybrid but I've saved them too and they seem to produce well from saved seed.

There is another new basket type that I grew last year but I wasn't able to get much from them as seedlings or fruit. It was just a bad year for me. Cherry Falls and Pear Drops. I am growing them again this year and maybe I'll change my mind if they do better this year.

So far tho, due to the horrible wet spring and cool weather, I don't know what I'm going to get from much of anything.

Carol

KarenO · July 25, 2014

Gartenperle is an open pollinated pink tumbler. not as big of a plant as Tumbler and has pearly pink sweet cherries.

KarenO

KarenO · July 25, 2014

"tumbler" is an F1 hybrid. It is likely the best known due to marketing but there are numerous others on the market.
There are a number of older open pollinated tomatoes that will "tumble" from a basket or window box if not supported. basically they are all weak stemmed determinate cherries. If supported with a small cage they will stand up just fine in a pot if you don't want to grow them in a basket. Tatiana stabilized two selections from a growout of the F1 tumbler. One called Anmore dewdrop and one called Anmore treasures. a pink and a red. I have grown both and they are quite good although both were fairly large sprawling/tumbling plants.
KarenO

zipcode · July 25, 2014

Cherry cascade seems interesting. Haven't tried it personally yet.

http://www.talkfuture.org/verticalve...9/IMG_1926.jpg

Cole_Robbie · July 25, 2014

Terrenzo F1 is my favorite compact cherry. The vines don't tumble that well, though, so it doesn't look great in a hanging basket. Taste is excellent.

I find Tumbling Tom Yellow to actually taste pretty good, but I don't like Tumbling Tom Red at all. Both of them set fruit profusely.

Fred Hempel · July 25, 2014

Maglia Rosa is a tumbler, but probably for a relatively large pot (unless you want to do lots of pruning).

clara · July 25, 2014

I'm always growing about a dozen plants on my tomato gallows in hanging baskets. If you don't want spacious plants, then try Mohamed (red) or Aztek (yellow). More sprawling (and prolific) are Whippersnapper, Anmore Dewdrop and Pendulina Orange, Himbeerrose also.

This year, I have Ida Gold (for the first time) in one of the baskets, big cherries and quite early. I'm very pleased with the taste, but they tend to fall off the vine at the slightest touch, even when not fully ripe.

KarenO · July 25, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

Maglia Rosa is a tumbler, but probably for a relatively large pot (unless you want to do lots of pruning).

I did not know that this tomato was considered a tumbling one. I will definitely give it a go in my biggest basket next year. thanks!
Karen

June 2, 2014	#1
Greatgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,124	Looking for a smaller "Tumbler" I start my earliest tomatoes in mid-February, and my "old reliable" is Red Robin, but they don't produce very many tomatoes per plant. I've grown "Tumbler" and it does well for me, but they take up a lot of space in my cold frame. So this year I tried "Tumbling Junior" which is a yellow basket-type that is probably 30-50% smaller than regular Tumbling Tom. However, I sure don't care much for the taste -- quite tart with little sweetness? I'm sure hopeful that the breeder will release a red version that has better sweetness. But in the meantime, has anyone grown a more compact variety of a "tumbling" type with a good sweet taste? -GG

July 25, 2014	#2
biodarwin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Louisiana Posts: 50	I am glad you mentioned this as I was planning on growing a few of these tumbler hybrids, which fits the description of what you are mentioning, however they are red. I was given the seeds, but this looks similar as it was described to me: http://www.jungseed.com/dp.asp?pID=00783

July 25, 2014	#4
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	I just want to clear up a bit of name confusion here. Tumbler is the original variety for hanging baskets. It's somewhat large and needs a bit of help to branch well to make an even basket. Tumbling Tom (red or yellow) are 2 newer varieties. The fruit is just a bit smaller than Tumbler. The best part tho is that it has short internodes and seems to branch willingly on it's own to make a full basket. http://www.totallytomato.com/search.asp?search=tumbling Some catalogs say Tumbler is hybrid others say it's not. I bought seeds from a non-hybrid source and have been saving seeds for many times and they always seem the same to me, other than I did get a few pink fruited plants once that I believe were from an accidental cross in my greenhouse. I've saved those seeds too but have not been able to get it to produce all pink yet. The Tumbling Toms ARE hybrid but I've saved them too and they seem to produce well from saved seed. There is another new basket type that I grew last year but I wasn't able to get much from them as seedlings or fruit. It was just a bad year for me. Cherry Falls and Pear Drops. I am growing them again this year and maybe I'll change my mind if they do better this year. So far tho, due to the horrible wet spring and cool weather, I don't know what I'm going to get from much of anything. Carol

July 25, 2014	#5
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	Gartenperle is an open pollinated pink tumbler. not as big of a plant as Tumbler and has pearly pink sweet cherries. KarenO

July 25, 2014	#7
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Cherry cascade seems interesting. Haven't tried it personally yet. http://www.talkfuture.org/verticalve...9/IMG_1926.jpg

July 25, 2014	#8
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Terrenzo F1 is my favorite compact cherry. The vines don't tumble that well, though, so it doesn't look great in a hanging basket. Taste is excellent. I find Tumbling Tom Yellow to actually taste pretty good, but I don't like Tumbling Tom Red at all. Both of them set fruit profusely.

July 25, 2014	#9
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	Maglia Rosa is a tumbler, but probably for a relatively large pot (unless you want to do lots of pruning).

July 25, 2014	#10
clara Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Posts: 1,351	I'm always growing about a dozen plants on my tomato gallows in hanging baskets. If you don't want spacious plants, then try Mohamed (red) or Aztek (yellow). More sprawling (and prolific) are Whippersnapper, Anmore Dewdrop and Pendulina Orange, Himbeerrose also. This year, I have Ida Gold (for the first time) in one of the baskets, big cherries and quite early. I'm very pleased with the taste, but they tend to fall off the vine at the slightest touch, even when not fully ripe.