Silvery Fir Tree

[Mudman]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I have found (Silvery Fir Tree to be one of the worst tomatoes I have ever had.
As far as I'm concerned a total waste of space.

A taste comparable to shredded junk mail.
I had rather eat a Fir tree.

Worth.

So this one is apparently way up the scale from Copia for you. At least you didn't have to use the cigarette butt tea for it.
http://www.tomatoville.com/showpost....10&postcount=9

[OtterJon]

Glances at Silvery Fir Tree on his varieties to grow list and slowly crosses it off

[ljp]

Maybe I don't have an educated palete. Both Sandpoint and Silver Fir Tree tasted fine. They have tomato flavour and good texture. Perhaps they don't like heat and short days.

They compare well with the other 15 varieties I've tasted. I've found a few that are blander and the various dark tomatoes are interesting. Feurewerk was a disapointment -- pretty but bland.

[travis]

I grew it in buckets and in the ground. Healthy plant until put under stress, then it totally collapses. Also very prone to blossom end rot both in buckets and in the ground. Not one that will repeat here. Basically a novelty variety on acct. of the unusual foliage.

[veggie babe]

I grew silvery fir tree this year for the 1st time, I will not grow it again poor production and almost no taste at all. I had 1 plant to serve out of 10, I will plant more black cherries in its place.

Neva

[ddsack]

Maybe I don't have an educated palete. Both Sandpoint and Silver Fir Tree tasted fine. They have tomato flavour and good texture. Perhaps they don't like heat and short days.

There is probably something to the heat theory, since the Texas crowd seem to have similar opinions as to it's worth(lessness). If it has a Russian origin, makes sense that it's not an extreme heat lover. The one time that I grew it in the ground, it was a tremendous producer and developed many dense side branches. In pots, it remains more wispy looking.



Not that I did much with the tomatoes. The early ripeners were spitters, but later ones did come up to "average" quality. I didn't have any BER with the in-ground ones, but it's possible the hanging pots had some, really don't remember, since I don't count on eating them.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by ddsack

There is probably something to the heat theory, since the Texas crowd seem to have similar opinions as to it's worth(lessness). If it has a Russian origin, makes sense that it's not an extreme heat lover. The one time that I grew it in the ground, it was a tremendous producer and developed many dense side branches. In pots, it remains more wispy looking.



Not that I did much with the tomatoes. The early ripeners were spitters, but later ones did come up to "average" quality. I didn't have any BER with the in-ground ones, but it's possible the hanging pots had some, really don't remember, since I don't count on eating them.

D, one can't equate a variety from what we once knew as Russia, the former USSR, now the CIS ( Commonwealth of Independent states) with heat ot cold tolerance b'c that huge area has gardening zones from about 8-9 in the Crimea where the Palm Trees sway in the breezes, to the more cold areas of Siberia where in the summertime they have zones more like out 4-5 so can grow almost all that we can grow.

THe so called black varieties originated in the warmer areas of the Crimea and yet almost everyone can grow most of them well, regardless of zone.

When Bill McDorman made that first trip to Siberia aned brought back so many varieties Craig and I bought ALL of them, split the packs, and had great success with all of them, me in a zone 5, or so, and I think Craig was still in PA at the time in maybe a zone 6 or 7.

So I don't think heat alone is the main variable here.

[habitat_gardener]

I grew it once and found the taste not to my liking. It was quite tart. Some people like that.

[mdvpc]

I grew it once in my fall/winter greenhouse and it was good-much better than anything you could buy at any store.

[lakelady]

It's interesting to see replies, and of course, where everyone lives. I always wonder how much of a tomato's taste is dependent on growing conditions (loam vs. sand, heat, moisture etc), and how much of the taste is dependent on the genetics (probably most of it). Then there's the question of taste...a lot of people like mild tomatoes, I do not at all.

To me, almost anything is better than what they sell in grocery stores in my area in winter, they are absolutely disgusting and mealy and I refuse to buy them. If i can get something better and get a chance to play gardener indoors, I'm all for it. Should be interesting to see what happens. Like I said, it sure is a pretty plant !

[mdvpc]

Lake

You could also try one of the dwarf releases from the dwarf project for a winter grow.

[rsg2001]

I tried Silvery Fir Tree a couple of times and had no luck with it at all. I did not get any production the first time, and the second time the seedlings that sprouted were weak. I have grown Velvet Red a couple of times and found it to be a productive and interesting-looking tomato plant. I think I still have some seeds I saved a few years ago. Maybe I'll bring it back next year!

[muck4doo]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Angora and Velvet Red are not the same varieties. Velvet Red is angora leafed but has very narrow leaves with different sized fruits, which aren't bad at all, and when the sun shines on that foliage it's absolutely spectacular.

Many folks describe foliage as looking wilty, with that I'll agree, but wilty really refers to the wilt gene which is separate from any droopy or wispy looking foliage of plants that have enough water.

perhaps the two links below will help:

http://tgc.ifas.ufl.edu/vol42/v42p30.html

... and there's now known several alleles, or alternative genes, for the same

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=14702

The above from a prior thread here at Tville.

Thank you Carolyn for clarifying.

[Iva]

I know 'Angora' and 'Velvet Red' are not the same. But what about 'Velvet Red' and 'Angora Super Sweet'? I always thought those two were synonyms for the same variety...

[lakelady]

Originally Posted by mdvpc

Lake

You could also try one of the dwarf releases from the dwarf project for a winter grow.

MDVPC, I do have some dwarfs, but only what was available commercially; dwarf stone, dwarf giant, tasmanian chocolate and New Big Dwaft. Honestly, the dwarfs are the seedlings that seem the healthiest so far. I love those stocky sturdy little stems they have