New "Heirloom Marriage (tm)" Tomato Varieties

[Cole_Robbie]

I'm bumping this thread to ask for for any further feedback on the Heirloom Marriage varieties. How did they taste?

[decherdt]

For fresh eating, we did not enjoy Genuwine as much as we did Cherokee Carbon. It might be one that does better stewed or roasted. Cherokee Carbon got 7/10 for flavor in June of 2016 at our place, and gets a return spot for 2017. (bests of 2016 got 8/10)

[schill93]

I grew Cherokee Carbon as well this year and like it very much, and plan to grow it again next year.

I can't really rate it against other heirlooms as I have only grown hybrids up this point. Next year, it will be different. So understanding this, Cherokee Carbon was DELICIOUS for me.

[seaeagle]

Cherokee Purple and Carbon getting married may be illegal in some states

[Hudson_WY]

We grew Big Brandy last season (2015) and were impressed with the Hybrid. The taste was excellent and similar but not quite to the level of Brandywine Sudduth Strain - IMO. It is unlikely that we will grow it again but only because it is so similar to Brandy Boy Hybrid. Brandy Boy Hybrid out performs Big Brandy Hybrid in every catagory for us! We have no reason to grow both of them. Here are a few photos of Big Brandy Hybrid.

Originally Posted by Irv Wiseguy

If someone would make an indeterminate cross that tasted like New Big Dwarf I would grow it. NBD is the best tasting tomato I've ever had but would like to have them all season long.

Irv

I believe New Big Dwarf was supposed to taste the same as one of its ancestors, which I think is Henderson's Pink Ponderosa (indeterminate). So, unless you're looking for hybrid vigor, an earlier tomato, or extra disease resistance, you may enjoy it.

[Hudson_WY]

I would like to add to my previous post that although New Big Dwarf has great taste - the taste of Big Brandy Hybrid is even better - IMO. We all have our own opinion about taste but that is mine for whatever it is worth. We grew both varieties the same year and were able to compare taste side by side. Here are a few photos of NBD.

[gorbelly]

Originally Posted by Irv Wiseguy

If someone would make an indeterminate cross that tasted like New Big Dwarf I would grow it. NBD is the best tasting tomato I've ever had but would like to have them all season long.

Irv

New Big Dwarf is indeterminate. Just a dwarf indeterminate.

Mine fruited all season but stayed compact. They were in containers.

Hudson_WY has had great production from his in a greenhouse--and they grew very large for him.

I may grow one in the ground this year out of curiosity.

And yes, the taste is very good.

Originally Posted by shule1

I believe New Big Dwarf was supposed to taste the same as one of its ancestors, which I think is Henderson's Pink Ponderosa (indeterminate). So, unless you're looking for hybrid vigor, an earlier tomato, or extra disease resistance, you may enjoy it.

Victory sells seeds for Ponderosa (and a lot of other "vintage" varieties). http://www.victoryseeds.com/tomato_ponderosa.html

However, the description says the taste is mild, and, while I don't find NBD to be the most intense tomato, I would not call it "mild".

Originally Posted by gorbelly

New Big Dwarf is indeterminate. Just a dwarf indeterminate.

Mine fruited all season but stayed compact. They were in containers.

Hudson_WY has had great production from his in a greenhouse--and they grew very large for him.

I may grow one in the ground this year out of curiosity.

And yes, the taste is very good.



Victory sells seeds for Ponderosa (and a lot of other "vintage" varieties). http://www.victoryseeds.com/tomato_ponderosa.html

However, the description says the taste is mild, and, while I don't find NBD to be the most intense tomato, I would not call it "mild".

I grew New Big Dwarf this year. I thought it was mild (and although it probably was in my yard, I do prefer acidic tomatoes, and most of the larger tomatoes were mild until it got later in the season, this year—probably because I watered them a lot earlier on and I didn't water them at all later on). Plus there was a lot of potassium in the soil, which can make tomatoes less acidic). I grew Henderson's Pink Ponderosa, too, but I never got to taste that one. It didn't seem to like the soil I had it in. NBD was in better soil.

I might add that some might consider Tlacolula to be mild (or tasteless even), but for me it had lots of flavor (not mild or sweet as others report).

It's probably good to get descriptions from people with similar soil, growing conditions and tastes for best results (if possible, anyway). But yeah, NBD wasn't my mildest tomato. I concur there. However, I should probably note that Victoryseeds.com says McGee is 'pleasantly mild, slightly tart', but I definitely wouldn't call it mild, and it was more than slightly 'tart' (I'd call it acidic). It was one of my most awesomely flavorful tomatoes I've ever grown (and among the best-tasting). I did get my McGee seeds from them. It's awesome how two different places can have quite different results. I'm guessing humidity levels may have something to do with the difference.

Originally Posted by shule1

I believe New Big Dwarf was supposed to taste the same as one of its ancestors, which I think is Henderson's Pink Ponderosa (indeterminate). So, unless you're looking for hybrid vigor, an earlier tomato, or extra disease resistance, you may enjoy it.

You may prefer Winsall to Ponderosa Pink, though (it's a selection from it that Carolyn likes more, and it's said to have great flavor).

[gorbelly]

Originally Posted by shule1

I grew New Big Dwarf this year. I thought it was mild (and although it probably was in my yard, I do prefer acidic tomatoes, and most of the larger tomatoes were mild until it got later in the season, this year

Well, I think people have different definitions of "mild", which is part of the problem. NBD is not acidic, for sure. But it had strong tomatoey aromas and was full-flavored, albeit definitely more toward sweet than acidic.

To me, there is sweet < balanced >acidic on one axis and intense<->mild on another. I would say that NBD is a sweet tomato of moderate intensity.

By contrast, Dwarf Mr. Snow was balanced and very intense, i.e. very sweet AND lots of acid to balance it. Unfortunately, I had very poor production (partly the variety, which is known for a bit of stinginess, but also a lot due to my neglect), but the few fruits I got were terrific.

[Gardeneer]

Hmmm. I tried to germinate Big Brandy but did not happen.
I finally germinated NBD at 3rd try. I must say that I had no germination proble with close t0 40 other varieties.
The plant did not show a single tomato as late as Early July. I had planted it out mid to late April ( over 60 days !!!) So I just pulled it.
So there goes my heirloom marriage tomato experience.