2017 tentative grow list

[Spartanburg123]

Originally Posted by camochef

After more than 55 years of growing tomatoes, some years in excess of 850 varieties, I've limited my tomato gardens to about a dozen varieties that really excel here, for me. No cherry or grape tomatoes, no exotic shapes or colors. Just great tasting tomatoes.
They are, in random order:
Rebel Yell
Not Purple Strawberry
Cherokee Purple
Brandywine-Glicks
Cowlick Brandywine
Barlow's Best Black
German Johnson-Benton Str.
Bear Creek
Earl's Faux
Barlow Jap
Brandywine Red
Dester

Enjoy...I will!

Camochef- that's an impressive list of growouts both past and present, and I wish you luck for a big harvest this year. I have always enjoyed your positive and humble posts here on Tomatoville- keep 'em coming!

I wanted to ask- I am growing out Barlow's Best Black from Marsha' seed offer, as she had told me that it is a must grow. What can you tell me about this variety- it's history and fruit characteristics?

Thanks!!

Darin

[camochef]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Mike, I'm very pleased to see you not only posting here again,but also pleased to tell you that the German Johnson-Benton str seeds will appear in the next seed offer. Seeds from someone who got them directly from you when you were still sending out seeds.

Carolyn

Carolyn,
Glad to hear from you and I hope all is well up your way. Not sure who would have seeds from Benton Strain as I sent out very few of them. Last year I had very few tomato plants and therefore just a few seeds from each.

I concentrated on other crops last year, (1200 bean plants; 150 pea plants, lots of squash both summer and winter, rows of cucumbers, beets, spinach, lettuce and lots of cabbage), plus other crops.

This year I got a new rear tined tiller, to replace my old front tined tiller that finally died. Managed to till both gardens already last month. What a dream to use !
Already started a couple large trays of cabbage and prepared a few trays for starting tomatoes. Planning on planting my peas out once the weather warms up again. Everything else will have to wait a little longer. I think this will be an interesting year and also an early Spring. Time will tell. Good Luck and ENJOY!
Camo

[camochef]

Originally Posted by Spartanburg123

Camochef- that's an impressive list of growouts both past and present, and I wish you luck for a big harvest this year. I have always enjoyed your positive and humble posts here on Tomatoville- keep 'em coming!

I wanted to ask- I am growing out Barlow's Best Black from Marsha' seed offer, as she had told me that it is a must grow. What can you tell me about this variety- it's history and fruit characteristics?

Thanks!!

Darin

Darin,
Not much here in impressive gardens anymore, but thanks for your kind words. Don't know who Marsha is, but my memory isn't what it used to be either.
As far as Barlow's Best Black it came from one of my German Johnson-Benton Strain plants (pink tomato). At first I thought it was an accidental cross with either Bear Creek or Dana's Dusky Rose but in time realized it was more likely a mutant. It produced the same large black tomato with great taste year after year for what has to be at least 5-6 years now, maybe more.
It has become my favorite black tomato, and if it wasn't so much later than most, it would become my favorite tomato overall. It also has a better shelf life than most blacks, which don't seem to last as long as others like Cherokee Purple, Bear Creek, Dana's Dusky Rose and more.
I sent out very few seeds to this tasty tomato, so I hope you have a true example, and that you enjoy it as much as I have over the years.
Best of Luck with them and have a great gardening season!
Enjoy!
Camo

[Spartanburg123]

Originally Posted by camochef

Darin,
Not much here in impressive gardens anymore, but thanks for your kind words. Don't know who Marsha is, but my memory isn't what it used to be either.
As far as Barlow's Best Black it came from one of my German Johnson-Benton Strain plants (pink tomato). At first I thought it was an accidental cross with either Bear Creek or Dana's Dusky Rose but in time realized it was more likely a mutant. It produced the same large black tomato with great taste year after year for what has to be at least 5-6 years now, maybe more.
It has become my favorite black tomato, and if it wasn't so much later than most, it would become my favorite tomato overall. It also has a better shelf life than most blacks, which don't seem to last as long as others like Cherokee Purple, Bear Creek, Dana's Dusky Rose and more.
I sent out very few seeds to this tasty tomato, so I hope you have a true example, and that you enjoy it as much as I have over the years.
Best of Luck with them and have a great gardening season!
Enjoy!
Camo

Why thank you , I will!! If you and Marsha say it's that good, then it's got to be!

Thanks for discovering it- and bringing it to our tables

Darin

[camochef]

Originally Posted by BlackBear

Wow my hat is off to you ! having grown that many varieties and yet

selecting a dozen fine varieties a year .....what fine picks and
discipline ...lol

I may never grow that many types/ varieties....
Yet I struggle to hold the tide back at 40 varieties per year ....
I can imagine a day where 24 varieties is most manageable...
but not in the midterm...LOL
The Best of the Best of your select is Inspiring .

Black Bear,
Thanks!
After my first heart attacks I wanted to make certain that I grew and tasted the best tomatoes I could find, so starting out with a couple hundred and soon growing close to a 1000 each year, I soon became the local tomato man.
I've finally outgrown that nonsense and have settled on growing a dozen or so, maybe a few more, of my favorite best tasting tomatoes. There are many other great tasting tomatoes out there, literally hundreds of them, but these have become the ones I cannot do without.
Slipped into a similar situation last year when I grew 1200 bean plants. Both pole and bush, in an attempt to find the tastiest beans. This was caused by my growing a bunch of Rattlesnake beans the year before. After years of growing mostly Blue Lake 274 and a few other varieties, I was shocked to discover just how tasty they were and soon wondered what others I might be missing out on.
Besides growing really colorful beans, I found many wonderful beans that were superior to anything you could buy in the stores and many farmers markets. Discovered that Good Mother Stallard makes the finest soup\broth you could throw together. Really got to appreciate black beans. I have enough dried beans to last for years now...but will limit my growing to just one row of favorites.
Slowly...learning self control.
Enjoy!

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by camochef

Darin,
Not much here in impressive gardens anymore, but thanks for your kind words. Don't know who Marsha is, but my memory isn't what it used to be either.
As far as Barlow's Best Black it came from one of my German Johnson-Benton Strain plants (pink tomato). At first I thought it was an accidental cross with either Bear Creek or Dana's Dusky Rose but in time realized it was more likely a mutant. It produced the same large black tomato with great taste year after year for what has to be at least 5-6 years now, maybe more.
It has become my favorite black tomato, and if it wasn't so much later than most, it would become my favorite tomato overall. It also has a better shelf life than most blacks, which don't seem to last as long as others like Cherokee Purple, Bear Creek, Dana's Dusky Rose and more.
I sent out very few seeds to this tasty tomato, so I hope you have a true example, and that you enjoy it as much as I have over the years.
Best of Luck with them and have a great gardening season!
Enjoy!
Camo

I am Marsha, and my BBB seeds are true, because they came from Michael (old chef) who got them directly from Dana. I agree it is a wonderful black, delicious and really cranks out the fruit.
He gave me so many that I handed out his seeds, not even my own, so only one person removed from the source.
IMHO, it deserves to be out there.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by camochef

Carolyn,
Glad to hear from you and I hope all is well up your way. Not sure who would have seeds from Benton Strain as I sent out very few of them. Last year I had very few tomato plants and therefore just a few seeds from each.

I concentrated on other crops last year, (1200 bean plants; 150 pea plants, lots of squash both summer and winter, rows of cucumbers, beets, spinach, lettuce and lots of cabbage), plus other crops.

This year I got a new rear tined tiller, to replace my old front tined tiller that finally died. Managed to till both gardens already last month. What a dream to use !
Already started a couple large trays of cabbage and prepared a few trays for starting tomatoes. Planning on planting my peas out once the weather warms up again. Everything else will have to wait a little longer. I think this will be an interesting year and also an early Spring. Time will tell. Good Luck and ENJOY!
Camo

Mike, about the source of the seeds.

I could give you her name, but that wouldn't help and it wasn't recently that she go the seeds from you.I think she told me she liked it and compared it to the two JG ones,one PL and one RL.

I then went to Dana's nursery webpage and linked to the page where a picture and description were given and history of the Benton one to give to the person who was doing the seed production.

I intially asked for seeds at both Tville and idig, and of course threads came up but no one who had seeds they could send me until this lady showed up. She is a TV member but was on vacation,didn't have seeds there so when she returned home she found them and sent them to me.

So there you go.

Carolyn,watching one of my deer in the back yard eating the crocuses that had come up, doesn't really matter since the last two nights here have been just a tad below zero F and they'd be killed any way.

[ginger2778]

Carolyn, I also gave you seeds for GJ Benton, but mine were bought from Dana, not Mike. Mike was not sending out seeds at that point.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Carolyn, I also gave you seeds for GJ Benton, but mine were bought from Dana, not Mike. Mike was not sending out seeds at that point.

Marsha I have no record of you sending me seeds.I can go way back in the wanted subforum /PM's and look, but I just don't have the time to do it.

The person who did send me seeds was NR.

If you think you did, then thanks are in order.

And yes, I remember that while Dana was only selling plants she allowed you to buy some seeds and you suggested that others try to do it as well, I don't remember which ones you did get from her.

Carolyn, who has never claimed to have an absolutely perfect memory, but when she accomplishes that, maybe in June when she will be 78, she will start a thread in General Discussion for all to see.

[Gardeneer]

Tentative no more. Here is my actual grow out list : FINAL ANSWER !

RED /PINK :
BIG BEEF >>>BRANDY BOY >>> BW SUDDUTH >>>COEUR DE BOEUF >>> CUOSTRALEE >>> FRANCHI >>> GEORGE DETSIKAS IR >>> MORTGAGE LIFTER >>> PRUDENS PURPLE >>> STUPICE >>> SILVERY FIR TREE >>> CREOLE >>> DOTSON'S LEBANESE HEART >>> RED GRAPE >>> GERMAN PINK >>> SUPER SIOUX {{16}}

DARK /BLACK / PURPLE:
BLACK CHERRY >>> INDIAN STRIPE PL >>> INDIGO CHERRY DROPS >>> BROWN HEART (from my garden )>>>MYSTERY BLACK (from my garden ),>>> BFBS (from a friend's garden ) {{6}}

ORANGE / YELLOW / BI COLOR / GWR
AUNT RUBY'S GG >>ANANAS NOIRE >>> BIG RAINBOW >>> DIXIE GOLDEN GIANT >>> ESTERINA F2 >>> GOLDEN JUBILEE >>> HILLBILLY >>> OLD GERMAN >>> SUNGOLD >>> TIGER GRAPE (from my garden) {{10}}

GRAND TOTAL = 32 VAIETIES. Probably about 52 plants, depending on space. 18 of them are first timers in my garden. 14 returns.
Tomorrow ( 3/6/17) first major plant out day (25%).

[Jimbotomateo]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Tentative no more. Here is my actual grow out list : FINAL ANSWER !

RED /PINK :
BIG BEEF >>>BRANDY BOY >>> BW SUDDUTH >>>COEUR DE BOEUF >>> CUOSTRALEE >>> FRANCHI >>> GEORGE DETSIKAS IR >>> MORTGAGE LIFTER >>> PRUDENS PURPLE >>> STUPICE >>> SILVERY FIR TREE >>> CREOLE >>> DOTSON'S LEBANESE HEART >>> RED GRAPE >>> GERMAN PINK >>> SUPER SIOUX {{16}}

DARK /BLACK / PURPLE:
BLACK CHERRY >>> INDIAN STRIPE PL >>> INDIGO CHERRY DROPS >>> BROWN HEART (from my garden )>>>MYSTERY BLACK (from my garden ),>>> BFBS (from a friend's garden ) {{6}}

ORANGE / YELLOW / BI COLOR / GWR
AUNT RUBY'S GG >>ANANAS NOIRE >>> BIG RAINBOW >>> DIXIE GOLDEN GIANT >>> ESTERINA F2 >>> GOLDEN JUBILEE >>> HILLBILLY >>> OLD GERMAN >>> SUNGOLD >>> TIGER GRAPE (from my garden) {{10}}

GRAND TOTAL = 32 VAIETIES. Probably about 52 plants, depending on space. 18 of them are first timers in my garden. 14 returns.
Tomorrow ( 3/6/17) first major plant out day (25%).

Great lineup Gardeneer, good luck!. Like the way you did your layout!. 32 is what I'm shooting for.

[Spartanburg123]

Nice lineup Gardeneer!! You'll love Cuostralee, and I hear great things about Hillbilly! Of course, I hope you are fond of another variety in your list.....

[Spartanburg123]

Here is my finalized grow list (without fancy dancy Gardeneer colors, symbols, and fonts :

Pink/red: Rebel Yell, Terhune (competition), Terhune (5.42 AKMark), Early Girl, Dotson's Lebanese Heart (Dutch seeds), Dotson's Lebanese Heart (Dotson seeds), Brutus, Sgt. Pepper's

Orange/yellow/bicolor: Lithium Sunset, Girl Girl's Weird Thing

Dark/Black/Purple: Barlow's Best Black, Not Purple Strawberry, Faelan's First Snow

Curl: Stick

[Gardeneer]

Thanks, Jimbo & Darin
Yeah I am exited about D.L.H.thank you. BTW: it is RL.
Some of my returns did not do so well up in PNW. So I gave them a new chance here in NC.
I might add Celebrity ( based on your reviews in the other thread ) So make it a grand total of 33 varieties.

[BlackBear]

Originally Posted by BlackBear

After the relocation ..the record snow and Ice and power outages and flooding...I have cut back to 40 varieties this year ...but I am sure there may be another variety or two
sneak back in for 2017 .....LOL
Happy Grow Season 2017 to all !
**********************************************
Betalux
Belarusian Early
Big Beef (Hybrid)
Bonte Tigerette
Boronia
Brandy Fred
Buckbee (from Tatiana’s)
Budai Torpe
Chibikko
Ditmarsher
Dwarf Arctic Rose
Dwarf Pink Passion
EM Champion
Fuzzy Wuzzy
Geranium Kiss
Hahms gelbe
Juliet (hybrid)
Krasnodor Titians
Loxton Ladd
Mano
Matina/ Tamina
Polish Egg
Red Dwarf /Roter Zwerg
Rejina Red
Rejina Yellow
Roza Vetrov
Rose Quartz (Multiflora)
Sarandipity
Sibirskaya Troika
Silvery Fir
Sophie’s Choice
Stick
Sweet Adelaide
Velmozha
Venus
Yaponskyi Karlik (Japanese Dwarf)
Yellow Pygmy
Yukon Quest
Zinula
Zluta Kytice
Zolotoe Serdtse

still -6C this morn and a sprinkle of snow....

But the whole grow list list above was followed through and about 1200 + seedlings .... (still enough to keep me busy ..lol)



There most certainly is some satisfaction in having to try ...various varieties like
Zluta Kytice and others not available at Wallmart etc.