Hearts in the hot south

[doublehelix]

I must admit that I have never grown any hearts and I really want to. If anyone can suggest a few that can tolerate the hot humid south that would be great. I jumped the gun and already bought a few. There are a few on my list that I can't seem to find anywhere but something about them made me want to try them. I am dead set on growing hearts. Crazy?

[Chara]

Oh, no! I hope you are not! Owervise, it would be 2 of us.
I would like to try a couple of hearts in the next spring also, despite the info that they don't do well in heat. I just can't forget the way I used to walk in the mom's garden, back in Russia, 25 years ago, pick a first good looking Buul's heart of a bush and eat it on the spot, just like an apple, sinking my teeth into its warm, juicy flesh. Gosh... I just got to do it....

[doublehelix]

What a coincidence that you are from Russia. The one I jumped the gun on and already purchased is Monomakh's Hat. I have a whole packet of seeds which is more than I need. If you would like some seeds just PM me.

[Bama mater]

Originally Posted by original

I must admit that I have never grown any hearts and I really want to. If anyone can suggest a few that can tolerate the hot humid south that would be great. I jumped the gun and already bought a few. There are a few on my list that I can't seem to find anywhere but something about them made me want to try them. I am dead set on growing hearts. Crazy?

Try Brads Black Heart and Wes, would also try Ludmillas Red Plum, but it's not considered a heart, It's heart enough for me it has a great taste.

[b54red]

Kosovo was one of my most productive tomatoes this year out of over 70 varieties. It is a medium to large pink heart and seems to tolerate our heat better than the other hearts I tried. The best tasting heart I grew was Donskoi a very large red heart that is more stingy in production but I will continue to grow it for the taste alone. Wes and Linnies did ok but seemed to be plagued worse by aphids than any other tomatoes early in the season and I lost a couple of each to TSWV. Wes nor Linnies set as many fruit in the heat as Kosovo; but they are both very good.

[Tworivers1]

I agree with Kosovo. It also was one of my most productive tomatos this year and is still throwing out blossoms. Another one I really liked was German Red Strawberry.

[doublehelix]

Thanks for all these varieties to think about. Perhaps I should just ask everyone to list their top 5 too.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by original

Thanks for all these varieties to think about. Perhaps I should just ask everyone to list their top 5 too.

I have many tomato firends in the south, aka warm weather/humid areas since I don't think you said where in the south, and here are a few of my favorites that I know have also been grown in the south and do well:

Danko, red, from Russia
German Red Strawberry
Anna Russian, pink
Anna Maria's Heart, from Russia, pink
Linnie's Oxheart, red
Indiana Red
Tsar of Bells, from Russia, pink
Kosovo, pink
Russian #117, red
Nicky Crain, pink
Wes, red
Brad's Black Heart

...... to name a few and not in any particular order although I suppose I could star a few of them for you and yes, I'm a dedicated heart lover and am proud to say so.

[roper2008]

I didn't know hearts don't grow well in the south. My one heart variety, which
was bull's heart from Dmitry did pretty well. I thought I had an Anna Russian
growing next to it, but it was some other round tomato. Im planning to grow
these hearts next summer.
Belize Pink Heart
Linnie's Oxheart
German Red Strawberry (maybe)
Reif Red Heart (maybe)

I am looking for Kosovo if anybody wants to trade. Have other varieties.

[recruiterg]

I've got Kosovo. You can PM me if you want to make a trade.

[dice]

duanejones grew Monomakh's Hat in Corpus Christi, TX, right
on the Gulf Coast. He said it did pretty well for him.

[Sunsi]

b54red

Kosovo was one of my most productive tomatoes this year out of over 70 varieties.

Tworivers1

I agree with Kosovo. It also was one of my most productive tomatos this year and is still throwing out blossoms.

I grew Kosovo for the first time this year and it was the first one to ripen in my garden so that always leaves a good impression after eating store bought all winter--I'll be growing it again next year for sure.

[roper2008]

recruiterg, I pm'd you the other day. Did you check?

[doublehelix]

Wow! What a great list. Looks like everyone loves Kosovo. Tsar of Bells sounds very interesting. Does anyone know where to get seed? I also saw one called HAPPY JACK. I would love to find seed for that one too. I have a few varieties to share if anyone could help me out.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by original

Wow! What a great list. Looks like everyone loves Kosovo. Tsar of Bells sounds very interesting. Does anyone know where to get seed? I also saw one called HAPPY JACK. I would love to find seed for that one too. I have a few varieties to share if anyone could help me out.

Tsar-Kolokol ( Tsar of Bells)is a very recent variety. I got my seeds from a friend of a friend who was in the former USSR along with 11 other interesting varieties, including Danko.

I Googled it to see if there were any seed sources but didn't check those companies who sites are not scanned by Google.

I then checked Tania's Tomato data base and have linked to the Tsar-Kolokol page and right now it appears there aren't any commercial sources but it is available to SSE members via the Yearbook listings.

I've offered Tsar-Kolokol in my annual free seed offers here each year for the past two years and I think I have enough seeds to offer it in my next one as well, which I usually post in the Trade seed Forum anywheres from mid Dec to mid Jan.

I don't want any trades back, but it doesn't fit in the Wanted Forum and of course I'm always looking for new family heirlooms where the seed has not been distriubted and several folks have sent them to me and some of them were great and now are available commercially as well as being listed in the SSE YEarbook.

Here's the link to Tania's site and Tsar-Kolokol and it's a site I think everyone should have in their faves:

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Tsar_of_Bells