Sophie's Choice

TheClaw · June 1, 2009

Taken this morning.

organichris · June 4, 2009

What kind of plants are these? They are quite prolific, yet compact.

organichris · June 4, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by organichris

What kind of plants are these? They are quite prolific, yet compact.

Never mind, I'm stupid.

cleo88 · June 15, 2009

When did you put them out in their containers?

I'm in New England, so way behind you. My avatar is (or should be - I just changed it) a picture of my first Sophie's (first tomato of all my varieties) taken two days ago. That plant was put into it's container May 18.

Moonglow · June 16, 2009

I want to grow this variety!

TheClaw · June 16, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonglow

I want to grow this variety!

I got the seeds from Craig LeHoullier (nctomatoman). I'll be happy to share some of the seeds that I save from this year's harvest. Sophie's Choice is an early determinate.

Howard

Moonglow · June 16, 2009

Thank you, Howard!

TheClaw · June 24, 2009

The plants are struggling now, but I think we're pretty close to harvest.

**carolyn137** · June 24, 2009

Since I introduced Sophie's Choice if you have any questions about it I'll be glad to answer them.

My original seeds were from Barry Comdon of Hollywood, CA who got them from a friend in CA who named the variety after I'd asked Barry to do so and he declined in her favor, and the variety is from Edmonton, Canada.

I sent seeds to Southern Exposure Seed Exchange many years ago and I think they still offer it. If you Google the variety I'm sure you'll find other places that also offer it.

I just remembered that Sandhill Presrvation also offers it, seeds from me, but no seeds are available for the 2009 season, so look for it in the 2010 catalog/website.

cthomato · June 24, 2009

Someone sent me seeds a few years ago and I'm finally growing it now in a 5-gallon pot. Like the previous photos, it is compact and prolific. It reminds me of Burbank, a determinate variety I used to grow. Hopefully it will taste much better.

gwnorth · July 16, 2009

Hi, Carolyn! Can you elaborate bit on the Edmonton Alberta origin of Sophie's Choice? I grow it and like it, and I like to share seeds and plants - it's fun to be able to tell people that it's a tomato from right here in Edmonton. I had never heard of it until I discovered tomato forums, and, ironically, I got my original seed from Grub in Australia! I would like to see more of it around here.

**mdvpc** · July 16, 2009

My experience with Sophie's Choice is that there are some off-variety seed out there. Grub had the right one, so gwnorth, you should have the correct seed. I have 2 or 3 Sophie's that arent true.

TheClaw · July 16, 2009

I have two paper plates full of Sophie's Choice seeds drying right now from plants grown from seeds I got from Craig LeHoullier. I have already promised some but am confident that I will have more to share than I can possibly use myself.

-Howard

**carolyn137** · July 16, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwnorth

Hi, Carolyn! Can you elaborate bit on the Edmonton Alberta origin of Sophie's Choice? I grow it and like it, and I like to share seeds and plants - it's fun to be able to tell people that it's a tomato from right here in Edmonton. I had never heard of it until I discovered tomato forums, and, ironically, I got my original seed from Grub in Australia! I would like to see more of it around here.

Larry, there's not really much more I can say.

The seeds were sent to me unnamed by Barry Comden of Hollywood CA who was a subscriber to Off the Vine, an international newsletter about heirlooms that Craig and I used to publish.

I asked Barry to name it. The seeds were given to him by a woman in CA who had gotten the seeds from someone in Edmonton, Canada.Barry asked the CA woman to name it and she named it Sophie's Choice.

That's all I can tell you. I sent it to Jeff McCormack when he still owned SESE and as far as I know it's still offered there. I didn't do a Google search to see who else might be offering it.

I first listed it in the 1997 SSE Yearbook and since quite a few seed co owners get their starts from the yearbook who knows where it might have ended up.

I like it b'c it was an early producer of large sized red fruits with very good taste for an early, and continued to produce fruits thru the summer in my zone 5 gardening area.

cleo88 · July 16, 2009

Just wanted to add that though I love this variety and will probably grow it for years to come (the perfect container plant for me), the name is awful - if you've read the book and know what choice Sophie had to make, I couldn't think of a more awful name.

But, love the plant.

June 1, 2009	#1
TheClaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Garner, NC Posts: 183	Sophie's Choice Taken this morning.

June 16, 2009	#5
Moonglow Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Corte Madera, CA - Sunset Zone 16 Posts: 356	I want to grow this variety! __________________ Moonglow Gardens Sustainable Gardening One Planter at a Time Sunset Zone 17 Apparently - - - Without the fog!

June 16, 2009	#7
Moonglow Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Corte Madera, CA - Sunset Zone 16 Posts: 356	Thank you, Howard! __________________ Moonglow Gardens Sustainable Gardening One Planter at a Time Sunset Zone 17 Apparently - - - Without the fog!

June 24, 2009	#9
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Since I introduced Sophie's Choice if you have any questions about it I'll be glad to answer them. My original seeds were from Barry Comdon of Hollywood, CA who got them from a friend in CA who named the variety after I'd asked Barry to do so and he declined in her favor, and the variety is from Edmonton, Canada. I sent seeds to Southern Exposure Seed Exchange many years ago and I think they still offer it. If you Google the variety I'm sure you'll find other places that also offer it. I just remembered that Sandhill Presrvation also offers it, seeds from me, but no seeds are available for the 2009 season, so look for it in the 2010 catalog/website. __________________ Carolyn

June 24, 2009	#10
cthomato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: SoCal z10 Posts: 96	Someone sent me seeds a few years ago and I'm finally growing it now in a 5-gallon pot. Like the previous photos, it is compact and prolific. It reminds me of Burbank, a determinate variety I used to grow. Hopefully it will taste much better. __________________ "Don't give up on your dreams. Especially the one where the government is trying to steal your kidneys."

June 4, 2009	#2
organichris Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 630	What kind of plants are these? They are quite prolific, yet compact.

June 15, 2009	#4
cleo88 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Sharon, MA Zone 6 Posts: 225	When did you put them out in their containers? I'm in New England, so way behind you. My avatar is (or should be - I just changed it) a picture of my first Sophie's (first tomato of all my varieties) taken two days ago. That plant was put into it's container May 18.

July 16, 2009	#11
gwnorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 85	Hi Carolyn... Hi, Carolyn! Can you elaborate bit on the Edmonton Alberta origin of Sophie's Choice? I grow it and like it, and I like to share seeds and plants - it's fun to be able to tell people that it's a tomato from right here in Edmonton. I had never heard of it until I discovered tomato forums, and, ironically, I got my original seed from Grub in Australia! I would like to see more of it around here. __________________ Larry in the G W North Last edited by gwnorth; July 16, 2009 at 02:13 PM. Reason: to direct the question to Carolyn

July 16, 2009	#12
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	My experience with Sophie's Choice is that there are some off-variety seed out there. Grub had the right one, so gwnorth, you should have the correct seed. I have 2 or 3 Sophie's that arent true. __________________ Michael