Best tennis ball sized red tomato

uno · February 2, 2008

I grow tomatoes for my Dad and one of the things he asks for is more red tomatoes about the size of a tennis ball. He just likes that size of a tomato.

His favorites so far are early girl and he really liked momotaro.

The problem I had with momotaro was that it just grew so pathetic compared to every other variety I grew last season. Right next to it I had Aunt Gerties and sunsugar which both grew to 8-9 feet probably and momotaro was like 4 foot and only got a few tomatoes.

Anyway I just wanted suggestions on the best red tennis ball sized tomato.

Thanks

Jim

cottonpicker · February 2, 2008

My two favorites in that category are Momotaro & Eva Purple Ball.

LarryD

robin303 · February 2, 2008

I think the Celebrity is about that size.

**Dukerdawg** · February 2, 2008

Sioux is one of my favorites regardless of size, but that would fit your criteria pretty well.

Great tomato.

Duane

felpec · February 2, 2008

I second the Sioux recommendation. We had a pretty bad tomato season last summer, but Sioux was, by far, our most productive variety. Actually, we just ate the last fresh one on New Year's Day. It wasn't bad on the BLT.

montanamato · February 2, 2008

St. Pierre, Victoria, and Early Rouge...St. Pierre can get bigger, but the bulk are 8- 10 oz for me....

Jeanne

amideutch · February 2, 2008

Maidens Kiss is about that size. Hot or damp she puts out the tomatoes and fine flavored to boot. Ami

Ruth_10 · February 2, 2008

Arkansas Traveler is another in that size range and is very tasty. It's technically a pink, but I'm thinking your dad just wants something red/pink rather than the other colors.

Rosco · February 2, 2008

Taupo is hard to beat and sets fruit even when temps get high. I thought it must be a hybrid but after 8 years growing it out it stay;s the same.
Send me an email with a post address and I'll send you some seeds.
Cheers.
Rosco

gardengalrn · February 2, 2008

I second Eva Purple Ball. Perfectly round, blemish free, and tasty.

**nctomatoman** · February 2, 2008

Rasp Large Red, Mule Team or Box Car Willie would be my recommendations for delicious, medium sized nearly round tomatoes.

MsCowpea · February 3, 2008

Give Momotaro another shot with maybe a different seed source???

I am growing them now. Big plants with excellent yield. Perfect round pink tomatoes. Stays healthy longer with diseased plants all around it. As does Crimson Carmello.

Magnolias4Ever · February 4, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rosco

Taupo is hard to beat and sets fruit even when temps get high. I thought it must be a hybrid but after 8 years growing it out it stay;s the same.
Send me an email with a post address and I'll send you some seeds.
Cheers.
Rosco

Rosco -- how high do the temps get there? Just wondering -- we get in the high 90's (97/98/99) consistently in the 2nd half of July, all of August. So far I haven't really grown a tomato that can make it thru that time of the year and set fruit.

Thanks!
Judy

CLa · February 4, 2008

Eva's purple ball is at times not quite as big as a tennis ball, but the flavor makes up for it. They produce well too. To me they are just good. They drop from the vine sometimes when they are still green. so you have to check the plant every so often. If they are on the ground, they are ready to bring inside

. They will ripen on the vine also, but they usually fall for me before they fully ripen. The good thing is that they can be pure green and still ripen up inside to excellent flavor.. kind of like thats how these are suppose to work you know. Which could be good if you want to avoid pests and crack damage that comes with fully ripe tomatoes.
Paul

jwr6404 · February 4, 2008

Dona might be a good selection for your Dad. They are productive and tasty IMO

February 2, 2008	#1
uno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: SW Pennsylvania, zone 6a Posts: 147	Best tennis ball sized red tomato I grow tomatoes for my Dad and one of the things he asks for is more red tomatoes about the size of a tennis ball. He just likes that size of a tomato. His favorites so far are early girl and he really liked momotaro. The problem I had with momotaro was that it just grew so pathetic compared to every other variety I grew last season. Right next to it I had Aunt Gerties and sunsugar which both grew to 8-9 feet probably and momotaro was like 4 foot and only got a few tomatoes. Anyway I just wanted suggestions on the best red tennis ball sized tomato. Thanks Jim

February 2, 2008	#2
cottonpicker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SE PA..near Valley Forge Posts: 839	My two favorites in that category are Momotaro & Eva Purple Ball. LarryD __________________ "Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause". Victor Hugo

February 2, 2008	#4
Dukerdawg Growing for Market Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westland, Michigan Posts: 861	Sioux is one of my favorites regardless of size, but that would fit your criteria pretty well. Great tomato. Duane __________________ May I aspire to live my life so that I may be the man my dog thinks I am.

February 2, 2008	#7
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Maidens Kiss is about that size. Hot or damp she puts out the tomatoes and fine flavored to boot. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

February 2, 2008	#8
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	Arkansas Traveler is another in that size range and is very tasty. It's technically a pink, but I'm thinking your dad just wants something red/pink rather than the other colors. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

February 2, 2008	#3
robin303 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Austin, TX Zone 8b Posts: 531	I think the Celebrity is about that size.

February 2, 2008	#5
felpec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Zone 5/6 New Jersey Posts: 122	I second the Sioux recommendation. We had a pretty bad tomato season last summer, but Sioux was, by far, our most productive variety. Actually, we just ate the last fresh one on New Year's Day. It wasn't bad on the BLT.

February 2, 2008	#6
montanamato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montana Posts: 1,038	St. Pierre, Victoria, and Early Rouge...St. Pierre can get bigger, but the bulk are 8- 10 oz for me.... Jeanne

February 2, 2008	#9
Rosco Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 27	Taupo is hard to beat and sets fruit even when temps get high. I thought it must be a hybrid but after 8 years growing it out it stay;s the same. Send me an email with a post address and I'll send you some seeds. Cheers. Rosco

February 2, 2008	#10
gardengalrn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kansas, zone 5 Posts: 524	I second Eva Purple Ball. Perfectly round, blemish free, and tasty. __________________ ~Lori "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." -Abraham Lincoln

February 2, 2008	#11
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Rasp Large Red, Mule Team or Box Car Willie would be my recommendations for delicious, medium sized nearly round tomatoes. __________________ Craig

February 3, 2008	#12
MsCowpea Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: S. FLorida / Zone 10 Posts: 369	Give Momotaro another shot with maybe a different seed source??? I am growing them now. Big plants with excellent yield. Perfect round pink tomatoes. Stays healthy longer with diseased plants all around it. As does Crimson Carmello.

February 4, 2008	#14
CLa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Central Louisiana. Zone: 8 Posts: 207	Eva's purple ball is at times not quite as big as a tennis ball, but the flavor makes up for it. They produce well too. To me they are just good. They drop from the vine sometimes when they are still green. so you have to check the plant every so often. If they are on the ground, they are ready to bring inside. They will ripen on the vine also, but they usually fall for me before they fully ripen. The good thing is that they can be pure green and still ripen up inside to excellent flavor.. kind of like thats how these are suppose to work you know. Which could be good if you want to avoid pests and crack damage that comes with fully ripe tomatoes. Paul

February 4, 2008	#15
jwr6404 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: University Place, WA Posts: 481	Dona might be a good selection for your Dad. They are productive and tasty IMO __________________ Jim