Results from my garden –unabashed opinions on some varieties

[montanamato]

Where with all...I saved seeds last year, but was considering adding it to my SSE listings...In reality I doubt I have enough seed to offer it this year, so I will check my seeds and can send you a few if that will do...They were practically seedless, and I didn't get many...

Jeanne

[where_with_all]

thanks Jeanne- I am surprised there is no commercial supplier. I can not say I have looked everywhere but I did look at the popular suppliers and no luck

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by where_with_all

thanks Jeanne- I am surprised there is no commercial supplier. I can not say I have looked everywhere but I did look at the popular suppliers and no luck

Sicilian PLum was offered in the 2008 SSE YEarbook for SSE members by SSE itself. And that means it was offered before but didn't catch on enough so that SSE members continued to list it.

Many of the owners of seed sources are SSE members who in the past and still today get their starts from the YEarbook and I guess it didn't stand out enough for them to request it, and I did Google it and saw it on some trade lists but not, so far, at a commercial source.

I would imagine that it's mainly SSE members who acquired it initially and then distributed seeds here and there.

[where_with_all]

Carolyn, this actually begs the question- if it so highly regarded in terms of taste as some in this post have stated- how come it has not received more attention.

I never grew it. When I asked last year about recommending varieties of paste tomatoes, Sicilian plum never came up. First time I heard of it was in this post.

Don't get me wrong I love to try new varieties. I deaply appreciate everyone's opinion. I am looking forward to trying it because and sometime conventional opinion can be wrong- and great tasting tomatoes don't care about popularity contests- but I still find it a wee bit odd.

I would love to hear from people who have tried sicilian plum next to other varieties but I guess it is just not a widely grown variety.

[where_with_all]

MDVPC and Montanamato-- how did you two hear about Sicilian Plum in the first place?

[montanamato]

Where with all...I chose it from a large trade list from a man in Australia who I have traded with before, and trusted his opinion...I have also traded with MDVPC numerous times, and usually agree with his "taste" of tomatoes also...The plant matured a bit late for my climate and had very few seeds...I suspect it was an Italian variety discovered or promoted by Aussies and wasn't as easily available to us...As far as popularity goes, I tend to try varieties I have never heard of....I generally don't ask other people's opinions, and try to form my own...I have also been growing OP tomatoes for close to 30 years and tried 100's of varieties...My favorites are plum/paste /saucing tomatoes....I can and cook 3 meals a day far from restaurants and take out...You will not find me making sauce with good tasting slicers...The sauce never holds a shadow to a sauce made with pastes....This is my opinion and the opinion of many people I have had the good fortune to work with in the food industry...
Sicilian plum was a good producer of nice sized fruit, and the taste was very good, perhaps a touch sweeter and milder than I would consider perfect...Again my opinion...

Jeanne

[carolyn137]

Carolyn, this actually begs the question- if it so highly regarded in terms of taste as some in this post have stated- how come it has not received more attention.

***

A few posts at a message site don't translate out to the many SSE members who have access to the varieties listed in the SSE YEarbook.

And again, taste is personal and subjective.

There are loads of overlooked varieties listed in the Yearbooks. With about 4000 varieties listed I think you can understand what I'm saying.

Best answer I can give you.

Had Bill Minkey not seen the listing for Aunt Ginny's Purple we wouldn't have it today b'c it was listed for only one year. And I could give several other such examples.

Some varieties come and go in the Yearbooks from year to year.

As for myself, I list varieties until they are 5 yo and then delist them even though the germination rates may still be up there. Different listers have different criteria.

[where_with_all]

Jeanne- You have now really got me interested in sicilian plum.

I like to ask peoples opinions on taste because I love to hear people describe the taste of tomatoes. I also find that although tastes vary- there is a general concensus on what tomatoes taste like. I have observed this over dozens of taste tests. Its the most fun part of growing tomatoes.

So....while we are on the subject.....what other paste tomatoes do you recommend?

Carolyn- I guess I need to learn how SSE works. I did not know about Aunt Ginny's purple- that is really interesting-makes me wonder how many jewels get missed.

WWA

[where_with_all]

woops- sorry- jeanne- I just read your earlier posting on this thread- you already gave me reccomendations