mystery tomato

rxkeith · May 3, 2020

last year, i got some three color onion seeds at a local seed swap.
i had taken a pinch of seeds out of a larger stock bag. i still had some
seeds left over so planted some for this years garden. coming up amongst
the onion seedlings, i saw a very not onion like seedling. sure looks like a tomato,
but where the heck did it come from? turns out, it is a tomato plant. its in a pot
of its own now. only thing i can tell at this point is it is regular leaf. i'll guess not a
cherry tomato, but could be anything.
i'll just have to wait and see.

keith

GreenThumbGal_07 · May 4, 2020

rxkeith: "turns out, it is a tomato plant. its in a pot of its own now. only thing i can tell at this point is it is regular leaf. i'll guess not a cherry tomato, but could be anything. i'll just have to wait and see."

I love a mystery!

There were a couple of seed companies (Underwood Gardens, Amishland Heirloom Seeds) which provided me with "mystery" plants. Once I had a good look at the resulting plant and fruit, I examined the company's catalog to see if there was a match. When there wasn't, I gave the plant a temporary name. However, the following year there may have been a plant listed with a description that was a good fit.

Based on this, I'm pretty sure "Wispy Critter" (orange oxheart) was actually Rosalie's Early Orange (Underwood Gardens). The "Mr. Mango" tomato (small flattened red fruit on a potato-leaf small indeterminate plant) may have actually been Victoria (Amishland Heirloom Seeds). These are educated guesses.

But even if there is no match from the source from which you got your onion seeds (assuming they have a catalog), you may have an interesting new plant!

GreenThumbGal_07 · March 28, 2021

A few years ago I found a plant which seems to be "Victoria" (source Amishland Heirloom Seeds, currently available at Sand Hill Preservation). It's a sturdy potato-leaf plant, fruit is coral-red, oblate, in clusters, nice fruity flavor. The growth habit may be small indeterminate but it may be determinate and I am growing it out again this year to check.

If anyone has tried the variety Victoria, please let me know what you think of it. Thanks.

GTG

GreenThumbGal_07 · March 28, 2021

Hi Keith, what happened to your tomato? Did you get any fruit from it? Was it good?

rxkeith · March 28, 2021

turned out to be a small red pear tomato.
i did not save seeds, so i must have not been impressed.

keith

May 3, 2020	#1
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,848	mystery tomato last year, i got some three color onion seeds at a local seed swap. i had taken a pinch of seeds out of a larger stock bag. i still had some seeds left over so planted some for this years garden. coming up amongst the onion seedlings, i saw a very not onion like seedling. sure looks like a tomato, but where the heck did it come from? turns out, it is a tomato plant. its in a pot of its own now. only thing i can tell at this point is it is regular leaf. i'll guess not a cherry tomato, but could be anything. i'll just have to wait and see. keith __________________ don't abort. we'll adopt.

March 28, 2021	#3
GreenThumbGal_07 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern California Posts: 300	Victoria tomato (former topic: mystery tomato) A few years ago I found a plant which seems to be "Victoria" (source Amishland Heirloom Seeds, currently available at Sand Hill Preservation). It's a sturdy potato-leaf plant, fruit is coral-red, oblate, in clusters, nice fruity flavor. The growth habit may be small indeterminate but it may be determinate and I am growing it out again this year to check. If anyone has tried the variety Victoria, please let me know what you think of it. Thanks. GTG

March 28, 2021	#5
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,848	turned out to be a small red pear tomato. i did not save seeds, so i must have not been impressed. keith __________________ don't abort. we'll adopt.

May 4, 2020	#2
GreenThumbGal_07 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern California Posts: 300	rxkeith: "turns out, it is a tomato plant. its in a pot of its own now. only thing i can tell at this point is it is regular leaf. i'll guess not a cherry tomato, but could be anything. i'll just have to wait and see." I love a mystery! There were a couple of seed companies (Underwood Gardens, Amishland Heirloom Seeds) which provided me with "mystery" plants. Once I had a good look at the resulting plant and fruit, I examined the company's catalog to see if there was a match. When there wasn't, I gave the plant a temporary name. However, the following year there may have been a plant listed with a description that was a good fit. Based on this, I'm pretty sure "Wispy Critter" (orange oxheart) was actually Rosalie's Early Orange (Underwood Gardens). The "Mr. Mango" tomato (small flattened red fruit on a potato-leaf small indeterminate plant) may have actually been Victoria (Amishland Heirloom Seeds). These are educated guesses. But even if there is no match from the source from which you got your onion seeds (assuming they have a catalog), you may have an interesting new plant!