Tomato Update

lexusnexus · July 2, 2015

Well, the tomatoes have been in the ground for 2 months now and wanted to give a photo update. I have seven varieties and all are producing, with varying degrees of productivity. Here they are:

1. Crnkovic Gold - Strong, sturdy plant with large fruit. The plant isn't loaded with fruit, but the fruit are beautiful.

2. Opalka - The plant has always been limp, but is producing a good number of tomatoes. The fruit is irregularly shaped, and quite large. Can't wait to make sauces from them.

3. Brandywine Sudduths - Very, very productive with medium to large fruit. The plant has lush foliage. If the fruits taste as good as they look I'll be growing them again.

4. Neves Azorean Red - Although not particularly lush or large it looks to be quite productive with medium to large fruit.

5. Cherokee Purple - Nice looking plants that appear to have good production with lush foliage. We got a few ripe ones at a local farmers market and absolutely loved them. Looks like they will be in garden again next year. The white spots are from spraying a nearby eggplant with Surround (kaolin clay).

6. Daniel Burson - The plant is fairly small but has several small to medium fruits. It was the first tomato to bear fruit, and to ripen. Not sure about next year. The taste might be a deciding factor.

7. Grape - Very tall and productive. The only negative for me is the taste. They are like sugar cubes with very little tomato taste so they will likely not be in the garden next year. I'm open to suggestions for cherry tomatoes that have good tomato taste.

Dan

Gardenboy · July 2, 2015

Very nice pictures. I like your tomato cages as well. I have tomato cages but too but they out grow them in 2 months. The Opalka tomato is suppose to have wispy foliage. It is a great sauce tomato. Much better than San Marzano...at least here in FL. You will love Nieves Azorean Red. It's one of my favorites. Hope it is for you as well. Will start my tomatoes and peppers by August 15th.

lexusnexus · July 2, 2015

Thanks, GB. Really looking forward to making sauces from the Opalka. Yeah, for you, summer is impossible for tomatoes. But, you are tasting your ripe ones before mine go in the garden. Do you have a recommendation for cherry tomatoes that have a decent tomato taste? Not really liking the flavor of the grapes.

Dan

yardn_gardn · July 9, 2015

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Black_Cherry
Dan, I can't seem to get that to hyperlink. But the black cherry listed there on Tatiana's tomato base is quite good. I too enjoy Opalka tomatoes. I can hardly wait to make some fresh salsa.

July 2, 2015	#1
lexusnexus Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: MD Suburbs of DC, Zone 7a Posts: 500	Tomato Update Well, the tomatoes have been in the ground for 2 months now and wanted to give a photo update. I have seven varieties and all are producing, with varying degrees of productivity. Here they are: 1. Crnkovic Gold - Strong, sturdy plant with large fruit. The plant isn't loaded with fruit, but the fruit are beautiful. 2. Opalka - The plant has always been limp, but is producing a good number of tomatoes. The fruit is irregularly shaped, and quite large. Can't wait to make sauces from them. 3. Brandywine Sudduths - Very, very productive with medium to large fruit. The plant has lush foliage. If the fruits taste as good as they look I'll be growing them again. 4. Neves Azorean Red - Although not particularly lush or large it looks to be quite productive with medium to large fruit. 5. Cherokee Purple - Nice looking plants that appear to have good production with lush foliage. We got a few ripe ones at a local farmers market and absolutely loved them. Looks like they will be in garden again next year. The white spots are from spraying a nearby eggplant with Surround (kaolin clay). 6. Daniel Burson - The plant is fairly small but has several small to medium fruits. It was the first tomato to bear fruit, and to ripen. Not sure about next year. The taste might be a deciding factor. 7. Grape - Very tall and productive. The only negative for me is the taste. They are like sugar cubes with very little tomato taste so they will likely not be in the garden next year. I'm open to suggestions for cherry tomatoes that have good tomato taste. Dan __________________ Dan

July 2, 2015	#2
Gardenboy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 784	Nice pictures Very nice pictures. I like your tomato cages as well. I have tomato cages but too but they out grow them in 2 months. The Opalka tomato is suppose to have wispy foliage. It is a great sauce tomato. Much better than San Marzano...at least here in FL. You will love Nieves Azorean Red. It's one of my favorites. Hope it is for you as well. Will start my tomatoes and peppers by August 15th.

July 2, 2015	#3
lexusnexus Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: MD Suburbs of DC, Zone 7a Posts: 500	Thanks, GB. Really looking forward to making sauces from the Opalka. Yeah, for you, summer is impossible for tomatoes. But, you are tasting your ripe ones before mine go in the garden. Do you have a recommendation for cherry tomatoes that have a decent tomato taste? Not really liking the flavor of the grapes. Dan __________________ Dan

July 9, 2015	#4
yardn_gardn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Central Idaho at 3200 elev. in zone 5b, maybe 100 frost free days Posts: 77	http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Black_Cherry Dan, I can't seem to get that to hyperlink. But the black cherry listed there on Tatiana's tomato base is quite good. I too enjoy Opalka tomatoes. I can hardly wait to make some fresh salsa. __________________ Happy garden trails, Dawn