Storage tomatoes?

gardengalrn · November 18, 2015

Does anyone have a tomato that they use as mostly a storage type? One that matures late and can hold a while in storage but also will eventually ripen? I had some green late tomatoes given to me this year which took a few weeks to ripen and they were still much better than anything store bought. I was hoping for more than a few weeks extension but not sure that is possible.

joseph · November 18, 2015

Long Keeper
Seeds obtained from grocery store Romas.

ilex · November 23, 2015

"De Colgar" tomatoes. Up to 9 months at room temperature. Hundreds of varieties to choose from intended for different uses. I eat some varieties fresh (as in salads) until mid December (those picked late July). I get many in the 8 brix range, so way better than anything from a supermarket.

Cole_Robbie · November 23, 2015

There's a Burpee's Long-Keeper. I see it on seed racks at stores in my area.

MrBig46 · November 23, 2015

Tomatoes picked On September 3rd now begin to mature me. Ramallets.
Vladimír

December 16, 2015

Most blue (high anthocyanin) tomatoes are supposed to have a great shelf life, especially the Gargamel tomato (at least among RIN tomatoes, whatever they are). They usually say so in their descriptions.

I've heard of a bunch of other long-keeping tomatoes, recently. Purple Bumble Bee is an example. I don't remember the others offhand, but I might soon.

I'm guessing firm, meaty tomatoes probably keep better than juicy ones, usually. The nutrients available to the plants may play a role, as will the conditions of storage (and lack or presence of pathogens that may infect the tomatoes, as well as resistance to those pathogens). I believe there's some anthracnose in my tomato storage area (although the unaffected tomatoes are keeping well). I might have to look into anthracnose-tolerant tomatoes for next year.

Edit: Chef's Choice Orange F1 is anthracnose-tolerant. I'm not sure how long it keeps, but it's part Amana Orange.

Fusion_power · December 16, 2015

Piennolo del Vesuvio is a typical pantry type tomato that can be stored ~ 9 months. Re ripening mutants, most are based on mutations in the ethylene biopath.

December 16, 2015

Thick-skinned cherries keep for a long time for me. One year Sweet Orange II lasted till March, but only because I put a sign on to prevent anyone eating them. Normally they're gone by New Year's.

These are not picked unripe. They produce ripe fruit all summer, and then I pick the remaining fruits just before frost and keep them in a single layer on a tray in the house.

I am currently eating Red Cluster Pear and Sweet Orange II.

greenthumbomaha · December 24, 2015

Great thread, please keep this going. Another hybrid is Burpee Red October. I haven't tried it but I did try Burpee Long Keeper before I found TV. It wasn't very tasty.

I've also noticed the orange tomatoes picked green kept well.

- Lisa

November 18, 2015	#1
gardengalrn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kansas, zone 5 Posts: 524	Storage tomatoes? Does anyone have a tomato that they use as mostly a storage type? One that matures late and can hold a while in storage but also will eventually ripen? I had some green late tomatoes given to me this year which took a few weeks to ripen and they were still much better than anything store bought. I was hoping for more than a few weeks extension but not sure that is possible. __________________ ~Lori "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." -Abraham Lincoln

December 16, 2015	#6
shule1 Guest Posts: n/a	Most blue (high anthocyanin) tomatoes are supposed to have a great shelf life, especially the Gargamel tomato (at least among RIN tomatoes, whatever they are). They usually say so in their descriptions. I've heard of a bunch of other long-keeping tomatoes, recently. Purple Bumble Bee is an example. I don't remember the others offhand, but I might soon. I'm guessing firm, meaty tomatoes probably keep better than juicy ones, usually. The nutrients available to the plants may play a role, as will the conditions of storage (and lack or presence of pathogens that may infect the tomatoes, as well as resistance to those pathogens). I believe there's some anthracnose in my tomato storage area (although the unaffected tomatoes are keeping well). I might have to look into anthracnose-tolerant tomatoes for next year. Edit: Chef's Choice Orange F1 is anthracnose-tolerant. I'm not sure how long it keeps, but it's part Amana Orange. Last edited by shule1; December 16, 2015 at 05:13 AM.

November 18, 2015	#2
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	Long Keeper Seeds obtained from grocery store Romas.

November 23, 2015	#3
ilex Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Spain Posts: 416	"De Colgar" tomatoes. Up to 9 months at room temperature. Hundreds of varieties to choose from intended for different uses. I eat some varieties fresh (as in salads) until mid December (those picked late July). I get many in the 8 brix range, so way better than anything from a supermarket.

November 23, 2015	#4
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	There's a Burpee's Long-Keeper. I see it on seed racks at stores in my area.

December 16, 2015	#7
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Piennolo del Vesuvio is a typical pantry type tomato that can be stored ~ 9 months. Re ripening mutants, most are based on mutations in the ethylene biopath.

December 16, 2015	#8
LDiane Guest Posts: n/a	Thick-skinned cherries keep for a long time for me. One year Sweet Orange II lasted till March, but only because I put a sign on to prevent anyone eating them. Normally they're gone by New Year's. These are not picked unripe. They produce ripe fruit all summer, and then I pick the remaining fruits just before frost and keep them in a single layer on a tray in the house. I am currently eating Red Cluster Pear and Sweet Orange II.

December 24, 2015	#9
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Great thread, please keep this going. Another hybrid is Burpee Red October. I haven't tried it but I did try Burpee Long Keeper before I found TV. It wasn't very tasty. I've also noticed the orange tomatoes picked green kept well. - Lisa