Horribly rainy season in NE. What varieties survived?

[ac21686]

Here in SW CT, we had a rainy, humid season with significantly less sun than last year. Most of our plants bit the dust much earlier. Curious if any varieties people are growing were able to withstand this type of weather with plants are still halfway decent looking and producing a bit? Our cherry tomatoes this season were only good for a brief dry period, but Sweet Million, SS100, and some other reds were never well, sweet, at any point this season. Sungolds were good for a time but declined rapidly in flavor. Heirlooms and slicing tomatoes were quite good but quickly went down to disease and rot.

[CrazyAboutOrchids]

I'm over on the NW side of CT on the NY border.

Of two Sunsugars - one was a usual monster, sweet and productive while the other struggled, failed to produce a ton and the fruits had tougher skins and little flavor.

Lynnwood was my first to go. I had to travel, made the decision to put my plants in the ground before I left because the long-range forecast was decent and I was relying on my 22 year old to address my dogs, cats, fish, chickens and just felt the plants might push him over the edge. We had that late frost, he covered everything really well but even so, Lynnwood (who was quite protected in the midst of others) bit the dust.

Flavor Bomb - who I started from seed from the grocery store, was an odd sole. Would grow a truss, flower, flowers would break off. Did that for ages remaining about 3 feet in height. After weeks, the plant simply exploded, it's a monster, with simply hundreds of cherries on it. BUT, the skins are a bit tougher than grocery store bought, taste is good, but they take forever to ripen. I have enjoyed the combo of red and yellow cherries this year in dishes, so may look for another red for next year.

Kosovo - a shocker this year. I have grown for years but this year it was a fail compared to previous years with only 6 fruits. It will be back though, I have too many good years.

Dester - won't grow again. Tried last year after reading so much about taste - it was a disappointment. It brought a new meaning to the term 'wispy'. Most fruits didn't develop properly and were only 2" or so in diameter. It just struggled both years, this year it was pitiful and I won't waste the space again. Zero useful fruit.

Anna's Noire - won't repeat. Another I was so looking forward to tasting. The fruit was watering, tasteless, unusual looking but not worth the space it took up, only a few fruit.

Kellogg's Breakfast - grew years ago, then experimented with other yellow/oranges, was indecisive between this and KBX for another go round, won't repeat. Ok, it sat until August, there are better options.

Cowboy and Tundra - first year in my garden for both. I just about gave up hope for them, not sure they like our heat. Once they decided it wasn't going to go away and to just deal with it, they kicked in gear and, oh my.... beautiful large, flavorful. I think the skin on Tundra is a tad tougher than Cowboy, both have the most amazing flavor and are so solid and meaty. Husband tasted his first Cowboy, which was 20 ounces, and said it was coming back - told me we should grow a garden full of just them. I think the largest was about 22 ounces with both plants fruits ranging from 14 - 20 ounces.

My most productive? GGWT.... she keeps going and going and going and going. We did have quite a few fussed blossoms this year which I haven't had in the past. Next year if it reoccurs, I will pluck them and maybe replace my seed source. Amazing productivity.

I had some okay productivity with Rosovyi Myod, NAR, 1884 and 2 hybrid; Buffalosteak and Early Girl. I struggled a tad more this year - not a fan of spraying, then it got hot and humid and I had to. Probably would be better off to bite the bullet and do it regularly.

My most impressive, to me, newbie was Pomodoro Cuore Antico di Aqui Terme.... holy cow, the most massive paste tomato ever. I grew it and Howard German. HG produced a lot of fruits, but they were tiny, 2 - 3 ounces and more watery than a paste should be. PCAdAT - when it's listed as a monster paste, they really weren't exaggerating. And very, very good taste - meaty, sweet, not what you expected when slicing up a 'paste' tomato. VERY little seed and gel. You can hold these with 2 hands and I have big hands - bigger than a softball. Not hard to determine who will be staying vs going.....

Rest of the garden - my celery up and rotted - every plant, never happened before. Everything else grew like monsters - except eggplant - need to go back to varieties I've grown before - poor production.

Here's PCAdAT with a Howard German.... those weren't even the biggest fruits of that plant.

[IMG][/IMG]

[Yak54]

If your Dester plant had wispy foliage it wasn't Dester.

[KarenO]

Happy to hear your Cowboy and Tundra handled your tough season and that you loved the flavour. Thank you for trying them!
Karen

[MrsJustice]

Originally Posted by CrazyAboutOrchids

I'm over on the NW side of CT on the NY border.

Of two Sunsugars - one was a usual monster, sweet and productive while the other struggled, failed to produce a ton and the fruits had tougher skins and little flavor.

Lynnwood was my first to go. I had to travel, made the decision to put my plants in the ground before I left because the long-range forecast was decent and I was relying on my 22 year old to address my dogs, cats, fish, chickens and just felt the plants might push him over the edge. We had that late frost, he covered everything really well but even so, Lynnwood (who was quite protected in the midst of others) bit the dust.

Flavor Bomb - who I started from seed from the grocery store, was an odd sole. Would grow a truss, flower, flowers would break off. Did that for ages remaining about 3 feet in height. After weeks, the plant simply exploded, it's a monster, with simply hundreds of cherries on it. BUT, the skins are a bit tougher than grocery store bought, taste is good, but they take forever to ripen. I have enjoyed the combo of red and yellow cherries this year in dishes, so may look for another red for next year.
Love your Picture Amen!!

Kosovo - a shocker this year. I have grown for years but this year it was a fail compared to previous years with only 6 fruits. It will be back though, I have too many good years.

Dester - won't grow again. Tried last year after reading so much about taste - it was a disappointment. It brought a new meaning to the term 'wispy'. Most fruits didn't develop properly and were only 2" or so in diameter. It just struggled both years, this year it was pitiful and I won't waste the space again. Zero useful fruit.

Anna's Noire - won't repeat. Another I was so looking forward to tasting. The fruit was watering, tasteless, unusual looking but not worth the space it took up, only a few fruit.

Kellogg's Breakfast - grew years ago, then experimented with other yellow/oranges, was indecisive between this and KBX for another go round, won't repeat. Ok, it sat until August, there are better options.

Cowboy and Tundra - first year in my garden for both. I just about gave up hope for them, not sure they like our heat. Once they decided it wasn't going to go away and to just deal with it, they kicked in gear and, oh my.... beautiful large, flavorful. I think the skin on Tundra is a tad tougher than Cowboy, both have the most amazing flavor and are so solid and meaty. Husband tasted his first Cowboy, which was 20 ounces, and said it was coming back - told me we should grow a garden full of just them. I think the largest was about 22 ounces with both plants fruits ranging from 14 - 20 ounces.

My most productive? GGWT.... she keeps going and going and going and going. We did have quite a few fussed blossoms this year which I haven't had in the past. Next year if it reoccurs, I will pluck them and maybe replace my seed source. Amazing productivity.

I had some okay productivity with Rosovyi Myod, NAR, 1884 and 2 hybrid; Buffalosteak and Early Girl. I struggled a tad more this year - not a fan of spraying, then it got hot and humid and I had to. Probably would be better off to bite the bullet and do it regularly.

My most impressive, to me, newbie was Pomodoro Cuore Antico di Aqui Terme.... holy cow, the most massive paste tomato ever. I grew it and Howard German. HG produced a lot of fruits, but they were tiny, 2 - 3 ounces and more watery than a paste should be. PCAdAT - when it's listed as a monster paste, they really weren't exaggerating. And very, very good taste - meaty, sweet, not what you expected when slicing up a 'paste' tomato. VERY little seed and gel. You can hold these with 2 hands and I have big hands - bigger than a softball. Not hard to determine who will be staying vs going.....

Rest of the garden - my celery up and rotted - every plant, never happened before. Everything else grew like monsters - except eggplant - need to go back to varieties I've grown before - poor production.

Here's PCAdAT with a Howard German.... those weren't even the biggest fruits of that plant.

[IMG][/IMG]

[slugworth]

ct shoreline.
a lousy year for tomatoes.
I started oregon spring seeds memorial day weekend,which is way late for this area.
1 plant is still producing.
4th of july hybrid is still producing.
Got to keep the roots cool to survive the heat wave we had this summer.

[slugworth]

plants that are still green were actually planted in the shade and sprawl into the sunlight.
And the oregon spring which was in a dishpan and tall so i did the serpentine into another pan to give it 2 sets of roots.
solo siblings are long gone.

[slugworth]

plants that are normally determinate can get a second batch of tomatoes if you do a dramatic pruning after the 1st harvest.
example is early boy 2 gal bought plant from april has the second batch of green tomatoes on it now.I got that one at shoprite.

[MrsJustice]

I love you Tomato& Hand Pictures CrazyAboutOrchids, Amen


I Have a List I am putting together of all the tomatoes soon; that survived the Hot Heat 2023.

[slugworth]

Big Y pre covid used to sell phoenix tomato plants.
A tomato designed for hot weather.Haven't seen them there since.
I did saved seeds but just got enough seed for next year.
Walmart fouled up one year and had burpee heatmaster,another hot weather type.
We were lucky this year and global warming didn't kick in until after june.
The past years we had heat waves in May onward.

[slugworth]

I miss the good old days when we had tomatoes right up until frost.
Now it's a challenge to have them on labor day.
At least it was a good year for cukes.
Just picked some more yesterday

[CrazyAboutOrchids]

Originally Posted by Yak54

If your Dester plant had wispy foliage it wasn't Dester.

It was definitely Dester... seed I grew last year and tried again to see if productivity was better this year, the plant itself just failed miserably in the heat and never recuperated.....

[Yak54]

What do you attribute the "wispy foliage" to ?? Dester has been one of my most productive varieties the last 3-4 yrs.. This year which has been the worst year out of the last 10 Dester has struggled to produce 40 tomatoes.

[CrazyAboutOrchids]

Not really sure. I grew it 3 years ago, liked it but not enough to regrow immediately. Tried it last year and liked it but it wasn't all that productive and it's late for me - odd because you are also zone 6. Liked the flavor so tried again this year. Best starts ever went out in the garden, but Dester never really took off. We had cold, then went into heat, the plant just struggled and struggled. I say wispy because it never filled out. Yet the paste next to it, Pomodoro Cuore Antico di Aqui Terme, did really well. I test my soil 1, sometimes 2 times a year. The garden is on drip lines so everyone is getting the same moisture. All plants got treated with the same fertilizer.

I have a small garden so I normally give a variety a few tries if I am pleased with the flavor before throwing in the towel. Dester is out for me; I really wanted it to work, but 2 failures in a row is my limit.

[MrsJustice]

Thank God I started my Dester in January in my Green House, because I have Tomatoes until the 100s Temperatures kill them.