First Draft of this year's list

tomatoguy · February 8, 2009

After taking my usual furlough from Tomatoville and all things tomatoey, I am back again in planning mode. Last year was an excellent season here and several varieties will be returning. This will be my 40th growing season. Here is what is on the list to date. I am, of course, subject to change some selections due to germination problems, suggestions from the forum, el nino, gout, lumbago, etc.

1. Tennessee Heirloom - my favorite new discovery from last year.

2. Mong - this one was a great addition as well and earns a regular spot for a few seasons.

3. Earl's Faux - I just can't have a garden without at least one EF.

4. Black Krim or Paul Robeson - I have never tried PR but BK does well here. Wish I still had some Roger's Best Black seeds. Gotta have at least one black. We shall see.

5. Big Red - I hope the seeds I saved are viable because I have no more. I sort of forgot about them for a while but they look okay. BR has always been productive and tasty for me.

6. Mortgage Lifter Estler's Strain - Regular ML won the taste test here a couple of years back. Still looking for the ML that produces best here.

7. Stump of the World - very tasty and productive here.

8. Ed's Millenium - If you don't like tangy, very late tomatoes, stay away from EM. To me, they are worth the wait.

9. Anahu - A productive early for the secondary garden.

10. Clear Pink Early - same as above. May order some Gregori's Altai for another early.

11. Cuostralee - You folks on the forum convinced me to try this one. This time, you were right.

12. Delicious - just in case my daughter doesn't plant a garden at her new house this year. They are her favorite and in my top 10 as well.

13. Dot's Delight - tried to grow these last year but had no viable seedlings.

14. Early Large Red - crossing my fingers on germination for this one so I can save seeds. Don't know where to find them commercially.

15. Golden Monarch - A decent yellow, although I am open to suggestions. My favorite yellow is still Golden Queen USDA Strain but I am out of them.

16. Healani - A productive early determinate for the secondary garden.

17. Kentucky Beefsteak - might try these again and see if I get pink or orange. They are supposed to be orange but that was not the case the last two times I grew them.

18. Rose - I am almost afraid to plant this monster now that I have a raised bed. It might want to take over.

That is the list so far. I have room for about 20-25 plants depending on how many pepper plants I want this year. I will probably come up with some more soon. I haven't even looked through most of my catalogs yet.

mater

tomatoguy · February 8, 2009

Looking at some of my old posts, I realized that Big Red is now available at Heirloom Seeds. Just in case anyone is interested.

mater

troad · February 8, 2009

Golden Queen

Reimerseeds.com listed as USDA original

**carolyn137** · February 8, 2009

Craig L was the first to get Golden Queen out of the USDA, as in Golden Queen (USDA) and we both listed it in the 1995 or 1996 SSE Yearbook.

I can't remember which of us sent it to TGS where it's listed.

Big Red I know and probably have some old seeds stashed somewhere b/c I'm a Cornell grad and the football team is known as the Big Red. How about that for a reason to grow a variety?

It dates back to an entry in the SSE Yearbooks from about 1984 and in the 2008 Yearbook it was relisted by SSE itself b'c it hadn't been relisted by others.

It's not the first time I've decided to grow a variety based on some such nonsense. I chose Brianna from a list b'c I always felt I was a Celtic herbal lady way back when.

We've discussed Dot's Delight here before and it's not a unique variety. Neither Craig nor I can remember what it was initially but Dorothy (Dot) grew it, got a PL version and named it Dot's Delight and we have no way of contacting her to find out what the original variety was/is.

rxkeith · February 8, 2009

big red(s) is also the name of port huron high schools' sports team, my wifes' alma mater. is there a comet tomato, cody comets? i think there is a broccoli variety called comet.
anyway.........i'm done

keith

bigcheef · February 10, 2009

No Ashleigh? No Cherokee Pruple? I thought CP was your daughters favorite?

Looks like a great list other than that. I was planning on starting a few Golden Queen seeds you gave me last year so I'll toss a plant your way if they come through.

RIK

tomatoguy · February 10, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigcheef

No Ashleigh? No Cherokee Pruple? I thought CP was your daughters favorite?

RIK

Ashleigh is great if you are going for size. Mong is pretty close with a lot more flavor. Actually, Cheryl has been converted to a fancier of Rita's Black. She raved over them last year so I gave them all to her once I tasted them. Black Krim or Black Brandywine are still my favorites among the blacks.

You wouldn't happen to have any more RQMF seeds would you? A couple of my co-workers are crazy about those invasive pests.

mater

tomatoguy · February 15, 2009

Making a few additions now that I am getting requests from my growers.

Cheryl, due to her recent foot surgery and relocating to a new house, won't have a garden this year. So, I will grow some of her favorites. She has requested Black Krim so I may grow one of those and a Paul Robeson. Same deal with Mortgage Lifter. Maybe one standard and one Estler's side by side for comparison. She has also requested Super Sweet 100 which was the only cherry on my list that was red or pink. If I get some RQMF seeds from bigcheef, that will replace SS100. RQMF, although I am not a cherry fancier, seems like a much more productive plant which produces tastier fruits.

Perry has acquired a second source for heirloom plants which is a good thing due to his growing addiction and my inability to expand my growing operation. He wants New Big Dwarf and Berkeley Tie-Dye.

The ladies at the office both want RQMF. Will check with Chance and Chris this coming week to see what they prefer.

I have also ordered Tropic VFT for the secondary plot as well as Gregori's Altai for a second early and Anna Russian since it seems so popular here. The only variety I would really like to have that I can't find is Early Large Red.

I am going to try to set an absolute limit of 50 plants started under the lights. I should also have some late starts going outside by early April.

mater

PaulF · February 15, 2009

I grew Big Red last year to give to my friends who are Nebraska Cornhusker fans who say they are the original Big Red. Both the flavor and the size were big.

I say "Go Hawks".

stormymater · February 15, 2009

err... what is the invasive pest, RQMF?

tomatoguy · February 15, 2009

Rose Quartz Multi-Flora

mater

stormymater · February 15, 2009

thank you kindly! Always good to know a name, especially when in the same breath it sounds desired & reviled!

tomatoguy · February 15, 2009

It does seem to be quite popular with folks who like an extreme quantity of cherry tomatoes from just one plant. I am more of a beefsteak guy.

mater

OneoftheEarls · February 16, 2009

but if people start posting names I have seed for but not ON the list...I may just get curious

Town

Purple/Black
Black from Tula
Cherokee Chocolate
Cherokee Purple
JD’s Special C-Tex
Spudatula

GWR
Aunt Ruby’s German Green
Cherokee Green
Emerald Evergreen
Green Giant
Green Moldova
Grub’s Mystery Green

Orange/Gold/Yellow
Aunt Gertie’s Gold
Galinas
KBX
Orange Strawberry
Spudayellow Strawberry
Yellow Perfection

Red/Pink
Abe Lincoln
Aker’s West Virginia
Brandywine OTV

Cherry
Brown Berry
Gardener’s Delight

Raised Beds-homestead

A

Amish Orange Cherry
Crncovic
German Head
Giant Syrian
Polish (Ellis)
Ponderosa Pink
Sandul Moldovan
Neves Azorean Red

B
Tidwell German
Ace 55
Anna Maria’s Heart
Tennessee Britches
Believe It or Not
Big Mac
Black Russian
Blueberry

C
Brad’s Black Heart
BW Purple Pear
Cabin
Indian Moon
Indian River
Lenny & Gracie’s
Lucky Cross
BW Apricot

D
Clean Pink Early
Ding Wall Scotty
Dr. Carolyn
Earl’s Faux
Early Chatham
Farmer Red’s
Fireworks
First Early

Community Garden
Orange/Gold/Yellow or Striped
Ananas Noire
Beauty King
Berkeley Tie Dye
Big Rainbow
Garden Peach
Georgia Streak
Jubilee
Kentucky Beefsteak
Lillian’s Yellow
Manyel
Marvel Striped
Mr. Stripey’s
Nebraska Wedding
Old German
Orange Russian 117
Orange Sunrise
Pineapple
Plum Lemon
Ruby Gold
Striped Caverns
Sutton’s
Vintage Wine
Wisconsin 55 Gold

Red/Pink
1884
Amish Paste
Anna Russian
Andrew Rahart’s Jumbo Red
Aussie
Bear Claw
Big Red
Brandywine OTV
Break O’Day
Chapman
Danko
Double Rich
Dr. Lyle
Druzba
Dutchman
Earliana
Glacier
Goose Creek
Martian Giant
Matina
Millionaire
Moskvich
Mule Team
New Yorker
Omar’s Lebanese
Pearson
Porter
Powers
Preacher
Red Zebra
Siberian
Sioux
St. Pierre
Stump of the World
Stupice
Sunset’s Red Horizon
Tappy’s Heritage
Wisconsin Chief
Wisconsin 55 red

Purple/Black
1884 Purple
Black Krim
Black Pear
Black Plum
Black Seaman
Black Zebra
Carbon

GWR
Green Grape
Green Zebra

Containers
Amish Salad
Black Cherry
Chadwick’s
Lollipop
Peacevine
Principe Borghese
Riesentraube Grape
Sungolds
Tiny Tim
Yellow Perfection

Plus some to mom....many containers and dwarves.

Earl

habitat_gardener · February 19, 2009

One of the Earls, That must be a huge community garden plot! I can fit about a dozen tomato plants in mine (but usually squeeze in 16-20).

February 8, 2009	#1
tomatoguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rockvale, TN Zone 7A Posts: 526	First Draft of this year's list After taking my usual furlough from Tomatoville and all things tomatoey, I am back again in planning mode. Last year was an excellent season here and several varieties will be returning. This will be my 40th growing season. Here is what is on the list to date. I am, of course, subject to change some selections due to germination problems, suggestions from the forum, el nino, gout, lumbago, etc. 1. Tennessee Heirloom - my favorite new discovery from last year. 2. Mong - this one was a great addition as well and earns a regular spot for a few seasons. 3. Earl's Faux - I just can't have a garden without at least one EF. 4. Black Krim or Paul Robeson - I have never tried PR but BK does well here. Wish I still had some Roger's Best Black seeds. Gotta have at least one black. We shall see. 5. Big Red - I hope the seeds I saved are viable because I have no more. I sort of forgot about them for a while but they look okay. BR has always been productive and tasty for me. 6. Mortgage Lifter Estler's Strain - Regular ML won the taste test here a couple of years back. Still looking for the ML that produces best here. 7. Stump of the World - very tasty and productive here. 8. Ed's Millenium - If you don't like tangy, very late tomatoes, stay away from EM. To me, they are worth the wait. 9. Anahu - A productive early for the secondary garden. 10. Clear Pink Early - same as above. May order some Gregori's Altai for another early. 11. Cuostralee - You folks on the forum convinced me to try this one. This time, you were right. 12. Delicious - just in case my daughter doesn't plant a garden at her new house this year. They are her favorite and in my top 10 as well. 13. Dot's Delight - tried to grow these last year but had no viable seedlings. 14. Early Large Red - crossing my fingers on germination for this one so I can save seeds. Don't know where to find them commercially. 15. Golden Monarch - A decent yellow, although I am open to suggestions. My favorite yellow is still Golden Queen USDA Strain but I am out of them. 16. Healani - A productive early determinate for the secondary garden. 17. Kentucky Beefsteak - might try these again and see if I get pink or orange. They are supposed to be orange but that was not the case the last two times I grew them. 18. Rose - I am almost afraid to plant this monster now that I have a raised bed. It might want to take over. That is the list so far. I have room for about 20-25 plants depending on how many pepper plants I want this year. I will probably come up with some more soon. I haven't even looked through most of my catalogs yet. mater

February 8, 2009	#3
troad Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Des Moines, WA. Posts: 358	Golden Queen Reimerseeds.com listed as USDA original __________________ There's a fine line between gardening and madness.

February 8, 2009	#4
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Craig L was the first to get Golden Queen out of the USDA, as in Golden Queen (USDA) and we both listed it in the 1995 or 1996 SSE Yearbook. I can't remember which of us sent it to TGS where it's listed. Big Red I know and probably have some old seeds stashed somewhere b/c I'm a Cornell grad and the football team is known as the Big Red. How about that for a reason to grow a variety? It dates back to an entry in the SSE Yearbooks from about 1984 and in the 2008 Yearbook it was relisted by SSE itself b'c it hadn't been relisted by others. It's not the first time I've decided to grow a variety based on some such nonsense. I chose Brianna from a list b'c I always felt I was a Celtic herbal lady way back when. We've discussed Dot's Delight here before and it's not a unique variety. Neither Craig nor I can remember what it was initially but Dorothy (Dot) grew it, got a PL version and named it Dot's Delight and we have no way of contacting her to find out what the original variety was/is. __________________ Carolyn

February 10, 2009	#6
bigcheef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: TN Posts: 316	No Ashleigh? No Cherokee Pruple? I thought CP was your daughters favorite? Looks like a great list other than that. I was planning on starting a few Golden Queen seeds you gave me last year so I'll toss a plant your way if they come through. RIK __________________ When I die don't bury me In a box in a cold dark cemetery Out in the garden would be much better Cause I could be pushin up a home grown tomater Lyrics by Guy Clark

February 15, 2009	#9
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	I grew Big Red last year to give to my friends who are Nebraska Cornhusker fans who say they are the original Big Red. Both the flavor and the size were big. I say "Go Hawks". __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

February 8, 2009	#5
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,848	big red(s) is also the name of port huron high schools' sports team, my wifes' alma mater. is there a comet tomato, cody comets? i think there is a broccoli variety called comet. anyway.........i'm done keith

February 15, 2009	#10
stormymater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pleasure Island, NC 8a Posts: 1,162	err... what is the invasive pest, RQMF?

February 16, 2009	#14
OneoftheEarls Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 660	this is actually my second draft but if people start posting names I have seed for but not ON the list...I may just get curious Town Purple/Black Black from Tula Cherokee Chocolate Cherokee Purple JD’s Special C-Tex Spudatula GWR Aunt Ruby’s German Green Cherokee Green Emerald Evergreen Green Giant Green Moldova Grub’s Mystery Green Orange/Gold/Yellow Aunt Gertie’s Gold Galinas KBX Orange Strawberry Spudayellow Strawberry Yellow Perfection Red/Pink Abe Lincoln Aker’s West Virginia Brandywine OTV Cherry Brown Berry Gardener’s Delight Raised Beds-homestead A Amish Orange Cherry Crncovic German Head Giant Syrian Polish (Ellis) Ponderosa Pink Sandul Moldovan Neves Azorean Red B Tidwell German Ace 55 Anna Maria’s Heart Tennessee Britches Believe It or Not Big Mac Black Russian Blueberry C Brad’s Black Heart BW Purple Pear Cabin Indian Moon Indian River Lenny & Gracie’s Lucky Cross BW Apricot D Clean Pink Early Ding Wall Scotty Dr. Carolyn Earl’s Faux Early Chatham Farmer Red’s Fireworks First Early Community Garden Orange/Gold/Yellow or Striped Ananas Noire Beauty King Berkeley Tie Dye Big Rainbow Garden Peach Georgia Streak Jubilee Kentucky Beefsteak Lillian’s Yellow Manyel Marvel Striped Mr. Stripey’s Nebraska Wedding Old German Orange Russian 117 Orange Sunrise Pineapple Plum Lemon Ruby Gold Striped Caverns Sutton’s Vintage Wine Wisconsin 55 Gold Red/Pink 1884 Amish Paste Anna Russian Andrew Rahart’s Jumbo Red Aussie Bear Claw Big Red Brandywine OTV Break O’Day Chapman Danko Double Rich Dr. Lyle Druzba Dutchman Earliana Glacier Goose Creek Martian Giant Matina Millionaire Moskvich Mule Team New Yorker Omar’s Lebanese Pearson Porter Powers Preacher Red Zebra Siberian Sioux St. Pierre Stump of the World Stupice Sunset’s Red Horizon Tappy’s Heritage Wisconsin Chief Wisconsin 55 red Purple/Black 1884 Purple Black Krim Black Pear Black Plum Black Seaman Black Zebra Carbon GWR Green Grape Green Zebra Containers Amish Salad Black Cherry Chadwick’s Lollipop Peacevine Principe Borghese Riesentraube Grape Sungolds Tiny Tim Yellow Perfection Plus some to mom....many containers and dwarves. Earl

February 19, 2009	#15
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	One of the Earls, That must be a huge community garden plot! I can fit about a dozen tomato plants in mine (but usually squeeze in 16-20).