Very early draft of this year's list

[tomatoguy]

Here is what I am planning on growing. It is still about 3-4 weeks before seedstarting time so this list is subject to major changes.

Big Red - Tops for production and taste, as grown here. BR didn't seem to like last year's extreme summer weather but hopefully it is only that hot and dry every 50 years or so.

Cuostralee - Grew this one due to the recommendations in this forum. I was most impressed. It gets a primo spot in the main garden this year rather than a container.

Earl's Faux - This has become a new staple for me. Might grow two of them.

Gregory's Altai - Very early, very tasty, very crack-prone. Worth hassling with the cracks, IMHO, in order to get these in early.

Matina - Clear Pink Early is still my favorite early but I thought I would branch out a bit this year after growing CPE for 6 consecutive years.

Neves Azorean Red - Big plants, big tomatoes, big taste....what's not to like.

New Big Dwarf - Trying my 3rd seed source for these. I have been told more than once that my 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 foot tall NBD's were all bogus. Maybe this one from TGS will remain a respectable NBD size.

Rose - An old favorite returns so I can save some seeds. These plants and tomatoes were humongous at the garden I vacated. This garden is much, much better. Should be interesting.

Black Krim - An old favorite returns after an absence of about 5 years. I have tried several different blacks including Cherokee Purple but keep coming back to these. The only other one I would even try again is Roger's Best Black since I was never able to keep one of these alive long enough for it to produce.

Red Rocket - Another attempt at earliness. New one for me.

506 Bush - I really detest the name and it has nothing to do with the 506 part....but I hear that these are another good early.

Tennessee Britches - trying a few local heirlooms. Hope I have better luck than with CP.

Tennessee Heirloom - see above.

Mortgage Lifter Estler's Strain - The regular one was the taste trials winner last year hands down. Might try this one next to one like last year's.

Early Large Red - Well, it's early but it's only medium size and kinda orange red but it is one of the tastiest tomatoes I know of so it returns.

Church - Gotta see why Chuck liked these so well.

Indian Stripe - I can't find my seeds for the excellent Berkeley Tie Dye from last year so I thought I would try these for my multi-color this time.

Stump of the World - I have let you folks on the forum influence me again. I have to see what all the fuss is about.

Tidwell German - more local flavor

County Agent - The one I had last year froze to death so I thought I would give ole Mr. Kimball another shot. Then again maybe not.

Milka's Red Bulgarian - Another freeze victim gets another shot.

That's about it aside from the "Big Burgundy Cherry" grow out project. Bigcheef will probably talk me into three or four more varieties but I will resist as long as possible.

mater

[kygreg]

How big was the Cuostralee plant in a container; size and productivity of fruit? thanks

[tomatoguy]

The plant was relatively small, about 6 1/2 feet or so. The tomatoes were very large, averaging over a pound. Production started well but due to the month or so of 100 degree temps, none of the container plants produced very well after mid-July.

mater

[tomatoguy]

What a difference a few days and a few trades make. I have revised my list completely. I need a bigger garden. Looks like no yellows or multi-colors this year. Here we go:

Big Zac (hybrid) -Garden - I hear good things about this one. Will give it a shot even if it is a hybrid.

Rita's Black -Garden - Still looking for that favorite black. Was going to return Black Krim but my daughter will be growing those so I can still get a few samples.

Abraham Lincoln -Garden - My friend John in Kentucky grows these commercially and swears by them.

African Beefsteak- Garden - Just in case we get another month of drought and 100 degree temps maybe this one won't mind.

Church- Garden - A Chuck Wyatt favorite. I want to find out why.

Cuostralee -Garden - You folks who raved about this one in '06 sold me on this one for last year. It comes back in a primo garden spot.

Dot’s Delight -Garden - Trying some new PL's this year. Almost traded myself out of this one. lol

Earl’s Faux -Garden - Gotta have a faux. 3rd year in a row.

Ed’s Millenium -Garden - Growing this one at the suggestion of a Tomatoville member

Stump of the World- Garden - You folks are a bad influence. Gotta know what the fuss is about.

Mong- Garden - Couldn't resist the name.

ML Estler’s Strain- Garden - For comparison purposes. Hope my memory serves or my daughter grows a regular ML. I don't have room.

New Big Dwarf -Garden - 4th year in a row. From TGS this time. Let's see how big it gets.

Tennessee Black- Container - adding more local heirlooms this year

Tennessee Britches -Container - see above

Tennessee Heirloom -Container - see above

Red Rocket -Container - I still like Clear Pink Early but 6 years in a row is enough.

Mano Rugose- Container - This one is a mystery to me so I thought I would see what it was like.

506 Bush -Container - Another attempt at earliness.

Some of the varieties I planned to grow previously will probably wind up in some of my tomato growing network's gardens. I control the germination, you know. Getting to be a pretty dependable crew as far as giving me reports and samples. So far it includes my daughter Cheryl and my friends Perry, Chance, Chris, Marquitta and sometimes BigCheef aka Ricky. On the other side I have a consumption network which keeps me from having too many tomatoes in mid-season. Aside from setting up a free tomato table in my front yard, my wares go to my mom, my mother-in-law, my friend Sam, my neighbor Schoen and my boss Jamie. This would almost be like a job if it weren't so much fun.


mater

[kktwahoo]

Mater,

Good luck! I have a much smaller crew, but 20 plus acres of dirt to play with! What fun!

[barkeater]

Tomatoguy,

Just wanted to let you know Berkely Tie Dye is nothing like Indian Stripe, which is a great tomato nevertheless. It is slightly smaller but more productive, but the same as Cherokee Purple, in my experience, and not multistriped whatsoever.

What I want to hear more about is Early Large Red! How early and how tasty was it?

[tomatoguy]

Thanks for the info on Indian Stripe. It will probably be farmed out this year. If it is very much like CP, I probably won't have much luck with it.

Early Large Red is very early and very tasty. The last two years it has come in for me at 44 and 50 days. It has a nice fullbodied taste and is the favorite of a couple of my friends. I rate it in my top ten for taste as well. What it isn't is Large and Red. I would call the color an orange-red, similar to Box Car Willie. The size for me runs about 10-14 ounces. I suppose this may have been considered large when the variety was introduced.

mater

[barkeater]

For such an early tomato, 10-14 oz. is huge! Where do you get seeds?

I realize cold tolerance when blossoming is the main determinate of earliness in the north, but I'll never know unless I try it.

[Douglas14]

Tomatoguy,
I like the way you explain why you're growing a variety. I'm also influenced by what I read on this forum. I'm giving Stump of the World a try for the first time as well. Can you describe why you like the variety Rose...as I'm thinking of trying it this year.

[carolyn137]

Dot’s Delight -Garden - Trying some new PL's this year. Almost traded myself out of this one. lol

****

I'm not sure how to explain this one but Dorothy, who at one time set up a website for the GW folks grew some variety I can't remember, maybe Craig can, and just renamed it Dot's Delight. I've also grown it.

So just a wee note to let you know that it already has a legitimate name but I can't remember what the name was, unfortunately.

[tomatoguy]

Carolyn, thanks for the info. I'm still looking for the most productive PL down south. It's BW Sudduth's so far.

Barkeater, I got the original seeds a few years ago in a trade but they are now available at Heirloom Seeds.

Douglas14, I like Rose because it produces huge tasty, pink tomatoes on one of the most vigorous vines I have encountered. Disease tolerance is very good as well. I used to grow these on a string trellis at the old garden and they would take over the whole trellis by season's end with tomatoes everywhere; even 7-8 feet off the ground. Think of it as the Neves Azorean Red of pinks, growth and productionwise. Only downside is waiting on them since my experience with their DTM is 70-75 days.

mater