Tomatoes from Poland- a tribute

[heirloomdaddy]

Hey guys-

After recently learning of my great grandfather's passion for growing tomatoes before WWII broke out, I am determined to create an excellent tomato in his honor. He farmed in a small town near Warsaw, however, like most of my mother's side of the family, Elimelech was a Jew and was exterminated in the camps when the war broke out.

My question to any of you who are in the know: what may a traditional Polish tomato from that region have looked like in the 30's? I'd like to honor him with something that is historically accurate to a certain degree. I know that blacks originated in this general region, but really know nothing else about tomato history.

I would like to create an OP variety that for all practical purposes is a basic tomato. Great tomato flavor and nothing flashy or fancy. I'm thinking a large red tomato. PL or RL, I have no idea. I love PL's but don't know if that would be appropriate.

I would like to start with 2 exceptional and cold-tolerant varieties, and grow out until I have a delicious and stable new tomato.

Any input, ideas, or opinions would be greatly appreciated. This will be a big undertaking with my somewhat limited space, but I am determined to see it through. I want to have this family heirloom for my children and grandchildren to grow.

Thanks guys,
Matt

[DanishGardener]

Maybe it would be an idea to use polish varieties for the breeding? (they must be pretty cold tolerant too)
Here is a list of some polish varieties, but i am sure that there are many more out there:
http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Categoryolish_Tomatoes

Also, try to write to Gunnar, he lives in Waszawa. Maybe he knows some more polish varieties, that you could use for your breeding project. (or help you with your other questions)

http://tomatoville.com/member.php?u=4358

[travis]

My two favorite Polish tomatoes are Soldacki and Opalka. I know both varieties predate both WWI and WWII, and were brought to the U.S. by Polish immigrants around 1900.

There are many other Polish tomatoes that I have not grown. But considering the diversity between those two varieties, if you were to cross them, you would have a lifetime of enjoyment and innumerable recombinations from which to select more than one wonderful hand-me-down Polish tomato treasure.

If you decide to use those two tomatoes, one caution - Opalka styles are very thin and fragile and the better variety of that pair to emasculate for receiving pollen will definitely be Soldacki which has a bulkier blossom and sturdier style.

[heirloomdaddy]

great input guys, thanks. I have been thinking that Opalka would be a great candidate, but haven't tasted it yet. I'm actually about to put my first opalkas in the ground very shortly. I have a ton of other varieties which would be an interesting match for opalka as well.

[Andrey_BY]

I have got seeds for many Polish tomato vareities in my collection. Most of them red globes or flattened globes with determinate bush.
Since Poland as our Belarus is located mostly in Zone 4-5 I believe there should be not so large red or pink globe or flattened fruited variety.
And of course black tomatoes are not originated from Poland. It is too cold for them here to be grown in open ground. South of former Soviet Union sounds much more possible.

[travis]

Of course, there was a time when Poland was much larger than today. Yes, there were times when Poland was much smaller too. But there was a time when Poland encompassed parts of Austria and the Ukraine.

[barkeater]

Guaranteed Cold Tolerant with exceptional production - you just described Polish Ellis!

[dice]

Bursztyn is another good one:
http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Bursztyn

It has quite a concentrated set, though. (It goes from
nothing to "covered with ripening tomatoes" in a few
weeks.) Did we have many cultivars like that pre-WW II?