In over my head?

b54red · April 1, 2010

I may have bitten off more than I can chew with my tomato planting zeal this year. I have already planted one each of 35 varieties and have more seedlings coming on strong.
It looks like I will run out of garden space before I run out of varieties left to plant.
I need a little advice from some of you other tomato addicts. I think I will need to cut back 6 varieties, so I would like some suggestions on which ones can be left out this season or the ones that should definitely be planted. Either would be helpful. I am in zone 8b and it is usually very hot and humid down here. These are the ones I am trying to decide on:

Akers West Virginia
Carbon
Druzba
Eva Purple Ball
German Red Strawberry
Golden Ponderosa
Grubs Mystery Green
Indian Stripe
KBX
Momotaro
Mortgage Lifter
Mrs. Benson
Old Virginia
Prudens Purple
Ramapo
Royal Hillbilly
Spudakee
Box Car Willie
Costoluto Genovese
Rostova
Rutgers
Beefsteak
Mule Team
Orange Heirloom
Black Krimm
Green Zebra
Heinz 1370
Floridade
Aunt Gerties Gold
Chapman

Blueaussi · April 1, 2010

Box Car Willie and Mule Team are very similar tomatoes. Mule Team slightly out performed Box Car Willie for me, and was a bit more resistant to the local foliage cruds.

**Dukerdawg** · April 1, 2010

I don't see a bad tomato in the bunch. That makes it a very hard question. How about finding a surrogate home? A friend, neighbor, relative...even an enemy you could turn into a friend maybe?

Aunt Gertie's Gold and Chapman are two of my all-time faves. KBX I haven't grown but have heard high praises for. German Red Strawberry also has it's fans.

The only one I have grown and didn't care for at all is Green Zebra (apolgozies to Tom but it was thick skinned and bitter for me).

Good luck!

Duane

dustdevil · April 1, 2010

Put some in containers.

dipchip2000 · April 1, 2010

Royal Hillbilly and Carbon were the favorites at my house last season. Both produced great and flavor was awesome. Both produced 12 to 16 oz fruit and did I mention the flavor was awesome.
ron

**nctomatoman** · April 1, 2010

The six I would cut if this was my decision - Floridade, Heinz 1370, Green Zebra, Black Krim, Beefsteak and Mule Team.

Now if you ask why...that's a longer response!

oh yeah....and, biting off more than you can chew is one of the standard induction steps of the crazed tomato growers club! Following steps are biting off even more, cutting way back, going even bigger...with some possible splits into more focused areas, like growing as many blacks or bicolors as you can get your hands on!

It can be painful, but there is no lingering harm (says a 24 year member of the club...and counting of course!)

ruet · April 1, 2010

I traded away my Costoluto Genovese seeds for Cowlick Brandywine and Cherokee Purple PL — though my "Spudakee" turned out RL... ಠ_ಠ

Don't have much space as I'm on a rooftop, but I wanted to try out new (to me) and widely well-regarded varieties. My list is very short:
3x Big Beef F1
2x Black Cherry (only one I've grown before, a winner!)
2x Cherokee Purple not-so-PL-after-all (the CP I grew last year wasn't true to type either, humbug)
1x Cowlick Brandywine (reportedly doesn't do so well in hot climates)
2x Druzba
2x Eva Purple Ball
3x Sophie's Choice
3x Sungold F1

Will eventually take some pics...

huntoften · April 1, 2010

Craig...I'd be interested to know what Black Krim would be crossed off the list.

If you don't have enough room...break out the chainsaw and clear the trees!

I've got Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Eva Purple Ball, Black from Tula, Paul Robeson, Carbon, and Black Cherry. My mouth hurts now...uggh!

ArcherB · April 1, 2010

Of those that I have grown, I'd cut Costoluto Genovese and Eva Purple Ball. Both are top producers, but the flavor just doesn't compare to the others.

***EDIT***

Oh, and I wasn't a big fan of German Red Strawberry either, but it was such a large and pretty tomato, I'd keep it.

Don't get me wrong, the flavor on these three were great, but still near the bottom of my list on last year's garden, right above Coyote.

stevenkh1 · April 1, 2010

I completely empathize with you; I planted 35 varieties in 288 jiffy pellets and I'm only expanding from a 1,000 sq ft garden space to just 1,500 sq ft...and I haven't even thought about where to squeeze in new rhubarb, asparagus, beans, peas, carrots, and onions!

Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

I may have bitten off more than I can chew with my tomato planting zeal this year. I have already planted one each of 35 varieties and have more seedlings coming on strong.
It looks like I will run out of garden space before I run out of varieties left to plant.
I need a little advice from some of you other tomato addicts. I think I will need to cut back 6 varieties, so I would like some suggestions on which ones can be left out this season or the ones that should definitely be planted. Either would be helpful. I am in zone 8b and it is usually very hot and humid down here. These are the ones I am trying to decide on:

Akers West Virginia
Carbon
Druzba
Eva Purple Ball
German Red Strawberry
Golden Ponderosa
Grubs Mystery Green
Indian Stripe
KBX
Momotaro
Mortgage Lifter
Mrs. Benson
Old Virginia
Prudens Purple
Ramapo
Royal Hillbilly
Spudakee
Box Car Willie
Costoluto Genovese
Rostova
Rutgers
Beefsteak
Mule Team
Orange Heirloom
Black Krimm
Green Zebra
Heinz 1370
Floridade
Aunt Gerties Gold
Chapman

**nctomatoman** · April 1, 2010

Good question - why would Black Krim be off the list? I am not a big fan of the flavor - that's really it. I was the first in the US to try it - I got it via the SSE from a Swedish member back in 1990, also the year I got the unnamed tomato I named Cherokee Purple. The appearance of both blew me away - I'd never seen one of the so called Black tomatoes (few had, since only a few existed). Though they were similar in appearance, the flavors were very distinct - and the lack of sweetness in Black Krim made it just taste kind of funky to me, whereas Cherokee Purple had everything I look for in tomato flavor.

since then, what is now sold/traded as Black Krim has, I believe, been quite mixed - I've grown it from a few sources and see very distinct differences between what I grew back in 1990 and what I see today. A few tasted fairly good, but the flavor has never drawn me back to it.

But with taste being so individual I am sure there are plenty of people who would have the opposite impression!

huntoften · April 1, 2010

Have you had Black Krim and Noir de Krime (sp?) side by side...or are they one in the same?

I agree on CP...my 77 year old grandfather tried one last year for the first time...he's grown tomatoes for 50 years...and now he wants the majority of his plants to be CP. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.

b54red · April 2, 2010

Thanks for the input. Below are the ones I have in the ground now, I only have one of each planted. Are there any that I should double up on because of their exceptional qualities? I plan on planting more than one of Marianna's Peace and Paul Robeson if I can find the space because they did great for me last year and I really liked the taste.

Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red
Anna Russian
Applause (D)
Arkansas Traveler
Aunt Gerties Gold
Berkley Tie Dye
Brandy Boy hybrid
Break O'Day
Caspian Pink
Cherokee Green
Costa Rica
Coustralee
Cowlick's Brandywine
Delicious
Donskoi
Foralina (D)
Gary O'Sena
Giant Belgium
Gregori's Altai
Hege German Pink
JD's Special C Tex
Jetsetter (Semi)
Kosovo
Limbaugh's Legacy
Linnie's Oxheart
Moreton F-1 Hybrid
Neves Azorean Red
Noire D Crimee
Omars Lebanese
Pale Perfect Purple
Red Siberian
Reif Red Heart (cut worm got it today)
Russian 117
Stump of the World
Stupice
Sun Gold Hybrid
Wes

tomakers · April 2, 2010

And I thought I had a problem with only about 70 plants.
I would never drop Green Zebra. It is one of my favorites, year after year. There is just something about the taste that I LOVE. I WOULD drop Delicious, Heinz 1370 and Noire D Crimee (it has never done anything for me, and I like a lot of others better).
JMO,
Tom

stevenkh1 · April 2, 2010

Really, taste is in the eye (or mouth) of the beholder. One may find a tomato awesome while another may find it a spitter.

So do what I do: keep what you like and keep them in your garden for next year. And for the ones you don't care for (but will be tasty to someone else): trade the seeds you don't like for some new varieties to try next year.

Good luck,

Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

Thanks for the input. Below are the ones I have in the ground now, I only have one of each planted. Are there any that I should double up on because of their exceptional qualities? I plan on planting more than one of Marianna's Peace and Paul Robeson if I can find the space because they did great for me last year and I really liked the taste.

Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red
Anna Russian
Applause (D)
Arkansas Traveler
Aunt Gerties Gold
Berkley Tie Dye
Brandy Boy hybrid
Break O'Day
Caspian Pink
Cherokee Green
Costa Rica
Coustralee
Cowlick's Brandywine
Delicious
Donskoi
Foralina (D)
Gary O'Sena
Giant Belgium
Gregori's Altai
Hege German Pink
JD's Special C Tex
Jetsetter (Semi)
Kosovo
Limbaugh's Legacy
Linnie's Oxheart
Moreton F-1 Hybrid
Neves Azorean Red
Noire D Crimee
Omars Lebanese
Pale Perfect Purple
Red Siberian
Reif Red Heart (cut worm got it today)
Russian 117
Stump of the World
Stupice
Sun Gold Hybrid
Wes

April 1, 2010	#1
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	In over my head? I may have bitten off more than I can chew with my tomato planting zeal this year. I have already planted one each of 35 varieties and have more seedlings coming on strong. It looks like I will run out of garden space before I run out of varieties left to plant. I need a little advice from some of you other tomato addicts. I think I will need to cut back 6 varieties, so I would like some suggestions on which ones can be left out this season or the ones that should definitely be planted. Either would be helpful. I am in zone 8b and it is usually very hot and humid down here. These are the ones I am trying to decide on: Akers West Virginia Carbon Druzba Eva Purple Ball German Red Strawberry Golden Ponderosa Grubs Mystery Green Indian Stripe KBX Momotaro Mortgage Lifter Mrs. Benson Old Virginia Prudens Purple Ramapo Royal Hillbilly Spudakee Box Car Willie Costoluto Genovese Rostova Rutgers Beefsteak Mule Team Orange Heirloom Black Krimm Green Zebra Heinz 1370 Floridade Aunt Gerties Gold Chapman

April 1, 2010	#3
Dukerdawg Growing for Market Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westland, Michigan Posts: 861	I don't see a bad tomato in the bunch. That makes it a very hard question. How about finding a surrogate home? A friend, neighbor, relative...even an enemy you could turn into a friend maybe? Aunt Gertie's Gold and Chapman are two of my all-time faves. KBX I haven't grown but have heard high praises for. German Red Strawberry also has it's fans. The only one I have grown and didn't care for at all is Green Zebra (apolgozies to Tom but it was thick skinned and bitter for me). Good luck! Duane __________________ May I aspire to live my life so that I may be the man my dog thinks I am.

April 1, 2010	#6
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	The six I would cut if this was my decision - Floridade, Heinz 1370, Green Zebra, Black Krim, Beefsteak and Mule Team. Now if you ask why...that's a longer response! oh yeah....and, biting off more than you can chew is one of the standard induction steps of the crazed tomato growers club! Following steps are biting off even more, cutting way back, going even bigger...with some possible splits into more focused areas, like growing as many blacks or bicolors as you can get your hands on! It can be painful, but there is no lingering harm (says a 24 year member of the club...and counting of course!) __________________ Craig

April 1, 2010	#8
huntoften Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kansas CIty Posts: 560	Craig...I'd be interested to know what Black Krim would be crossed off the list. If you don't have enough room...break out the chainsaw and clear the trees! I've got Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Eva Purple Ball, Black from Tula, Paul Robeson, Carbon, and Black Cherry. My mouth hurts now...uggh! __________________ Kansas City, Missouri Zone 5b/6a

April 1, 2010	#11
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Good question - why would Black Krim be off the list? I am not a big fan of the flavor - that's really it. I was the first in the US to try it - I got it via the SSE from a Swedish member back in 1990, also the year I got the unnamed tomato I named Cherokee Purple. The appearance of both blew me away - I'd never seen one of the so called Black tomatoes (few had, since only a few existed). Though they were similar in appearance, the flavors were very distinct - and the lack of sweetness in Black Krim made it just taste kind of funky to me, whereas Cherokee Purple had everything I look for in tomato flavor. since then, what is now sold/traded as Black Krim has, I believe, been quite mixed - I've grown it from a few sources and see very distinct differences between what I grew back in 1990 and what I see today. A few tasted fairly good, but the flavor has never drawn me back to it. But with taste being so individual I am sure there are plenty of people who would have the opposite impression! __________________ Craig

April 1, 2010	#2
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	Box Car Willie and Mule Team are very similar tomatoes. Mule Team slightly out performed Box Car Willie for me, and was a bit more resistant to the local foliage cruds.

April 1, 2010	#4
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	Put some in containers.

April 1, 2010	#5
dipchip2000 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Muskogee, Oklahoma Posts: 664	Royal Hillbilly and Carbon were the favorites at my house last season. Both produced great and flavor was awesome. Both produced 12 to 16 oz fruit and did I mention the flavor was awesome. ron

April 1, 2010	#7
ruet Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 42	I traded away my Costoluto Genovese seeds for Cowlick Brandywine and Cherokee Purple PL — though my "Spudakee" turned out RL... ಠ_ಠ Don't have much space as I'm on a rooftop, but I wanted to try out new (to me) and widely well-regarded varieties. My list is very short: 3x Big Beef F1 2x Black Cherry (only one I've grown before, a winner!) 2x Cherokee Purple not-so-PL-after-all (the CP I grew last year wasn't true to type either, humbug) 1x Cowlick Brandywine (reportedly doesn't do so well in hot climates) 2x Druzba 2x Eva Purple Ball 3x Sophie's Choice 3x Sungold F1 Will eventually take some pics...

April 1, 2010	#9
ArcherB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Austin TX Posts: 200	Of those that I have grown, I'd cut Costoluto Genovese and Eva Purple Ball. Both are top producers, but the flavor just doesn't compare to the others. *EDIT* Oh, and I wasn't a big fan of German Red Strawberry either, but it was such a large and pretty tomato, I'd keep it. Don't get me wrong, the flavor on these three were great, but still near the bottom of my list on last year's garden, right above Coyote.

April 2, 2010	#13
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Thanks for the input. Below are the ones I have in the ground now, I only have one of each planted. Are there any that I should double up on because of their exceptional qualities? I plan on planting more than one of Marianna's Peace and Paul Robeson if I can find the space because they did great for me last year and I really liked the taste. Andrew Rahart's Jumbo Red Anna Russian Applause (D) Arkansas Traveler Aunt Gerties Gold Berkley Tie Dye Brandy Boy hybrid Break O'Day Caspian Pink Cherokee Green Costa Rica Coustralee Cowlick's Brandywine Delicious Donskoi Foralina (D) Gary O'Sena Giant Belgium Gregori's Altai Hege German Pink JD's Special C Tex Jetsetter (Semi) Kosovo Limbaugh's Legacy Linnie's Oxheart Moreton F-1 Hybrid Neves Azorean Red Noire D Crimee Omars Lebanese Pale Perfect Purple Red Siberian Reif Red Heart (cut worm got it today) Russian 117 Stump of the World Stupice Sun Gold Hybrid Wes

April 2, 2010	#14
tomakers Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cranberry Country, SE MA - zone 6? Posts: 353	And I thought I had a problem with only about 70 plants. I would never drop Green Zebra. It is one of my favorites, year after year. There is just something about the taste that I LOVE. I WOULD drop Delicious, Heinz 1370 and Noire D Crimee (it has never done anything for me, and I like a lot of others better). JMO, Tom __________________ I never met a fish I didn't like.