What tomato is the "Ugly Tomato"

lakelady · September 3, 2011

I had a conversation with my mom tonight about my current tomatoes this year and what I have planned for next year. After all the explaining about the striped tomatoes, and other colored tomatoes I was pretty excited about, she dismissed them all and told me I needed to grow "ugly tomatoes". Well, of course I asked her if she knew their proper name and she did not.

So, off I went searching on TV and the internet until my eyes are buggy. I know some tomato varieties are referred to as ugly, but is there actually a tomato plant commonly referred to as the Ugly Tomato? Besides the one's someone is hawking all over the internet as the one and only?

I am determined to grow more heirlooms next year and have many varieties I'd like to try, but hey, there's always room for one more, isn't there? My mom is going to make me crazy until I find these seeds and plant them for her.

shelleybean · September 3, 2011

There was a tomato variety called "Ugly" a few years ago. Tomato Growers used to sell seed for it but I don't think they do anymore. We have a chain of local grocery stores that also used to sell them by that variety name and they were on the large side and fairly ruffled. Flavor was slightly better than others in the store. In the spring, I saw they had smaller ruffled ones there and the sign still said "Ugly" but these were much smaller than what I'd seen in the past. I'd buy them once in a while through the winter but I was never impressed with the flavor.

Keiththibodeaux · September 3, 2011

I got some seeds for "Ugly Tomato" a couple of years ago. I grew them, they tasted great, and were indeed ugly. I did not save the seeds from those tomatoes, but I will have to look to see if I have some of the original seeds left. As I recall, I may.

**carolyn137** · September 3, 2011

Ugly was the name of a variety that was sold by a woman in FL. She was bought out with a nastly takeover by the Procacci Bros of Phildelphia which then lessened the competion for what they were selling he name of which I can't remember right now, but they still maket the fruits wholesale.

The Procacci's are the same ones who sued Andrew Chu who was the first person to sell fruits of Santa F1 from seeds he got from the Known You Seed Co in taiwan. And as a result of the law suit thats why you don't see fruits for sale except Santa Sweets which are marketed by the Procacci's. No seeds aresold and Linda at TGS was one of the last to sellhose seeds/

Doesn't make much difference anyway since 99/100 saved F2 seeds come true, the offtype beong round with a lower Brix level and many are now on the f 7 and 8 with that one and it always comes true.

lakelady · September 4, 2011

Ah...okay I get it now. Well....you don't know my mother (lol). Since you all have much more experience growing heirloom tomatoes than I do, is there anything that tastes similar to those tomatoes that I can grow for her? I will never hear the end of it if I don't come up with something similar that she'll like and I generally try to keep my mother as quiet as possible for my own sanity

**carolyn137** · September 4, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakelady

Ah...okay I get it now. Well....you don't know my mother (lol). Since you all have much more experience growing heirloom tomatoes than I do, is there anything that tastes similar to those tomatoes that I can grow for her? I will never hear the end of it if I don't come up with something similar that she'll like and I generally try to keep my mother as quiet as possible for my own sanity

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...og&sa=N&tab=wi

Picture of Ugly, top row on the right.

And I now remember that the one the Procacci's were selling is called UglyRipe which was developed from Marmande, a French tomato, which is why they wanted to take over the folks in FL selling Ugly.

It's known that the Ugly FL one was of Italian origin so your best bet is to grow one of the Costoluto varieties from italy such As Costoluto Genovese or Costoluto Fiorentino, seeds for both are very available, see Tania's T base for seed sources if you wish. Costoluto in Italian means ribbed and that's what the pictures of Ugly show.

I tried to find a current seed source for Ugly seeds but the two places where I found some said they were offering saved seeds from the hybrid, which is wrong b'c neither Ugly nor UglyRipe are hybrids.

Your mother will be happy with one of the Costolutos I'm sure.

Most folks use the Costolutos for sauce but if you're more interested in a larger red ribbed good for fresh eating as well, I'm sure either I or someone else here can come up with some suggestions.

But the Ugly variety is ribbed and is known to be Italian in origin.

And heaven knows almost any of us can come up with the names of much larger red varieties that can be ugly, as an adjective and without ribbing, which brings us back to what your mother really wants.

lakelady · September 4, 2011

Thank you so much Carolyn, I had a feeling you'd have a good suggestion

I did get the C Genovese from Tatiana about a month ago in my quest to start collecting heirloom seeds, so I'm looking forward to growing it next year for my mom. If I get a real nice big one maybe she'll never know the difference

I have others that I've bought on the great feedback I've seen here on the forum that others have enjoyed, and I need to get a copy of your book too...it will make for great reading during those long winter days I'm sure!

**carolyn137** · September 4, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakelady

Thank you so much Carolyn, I had a feeling you'd have a good suggestion

I did get the C Genovese from Tatiana about a month ago in my quest to start collecting heirloom seeds, so I'm looking forward to growing it next year for my mom. If I get a real nice big one maybe she'll never know the difference

I have others that I've bought on the great feedback I've seen here on the forum that others have enjoyed, and I need to get a copy of your book too...it will make for great reading during those long winter days I'm sure!

Ja, edited it for spelling b'c when I saw it earlier this AM you said you got your CV seeds from Tania, so I'm sitting here wondering what the heck CV seeds are and was going to ask you but now I see it's Costoluto Genovese and that's good, very good indeed.

hmacdona · September 4, 2011

Lakelady,

If you haven't alreaady obtained seed for "Ugly" tomato, I'm going to strongly encourage you to add it to your wish list when you send in seeds for your swap

LOL

Don't want to spoil a surprise or anything, but we just might be able to find a few of those for you from my secret stash....nudge nudge..wink wink

habitat_gardener · September 4, 2011

Do these qualify? I've been getting a bunch of fused blossoms on this variety this year. The "normal" one is on the bottom right in the first photo, about a pound.

habitat_gardener · September 4, 2011

Here's another candidate. Note the protrusions! It's a pear-shaped Italian variety that was labeled Cour di Albegnia. They're mostly 4-7 oz.

lakelady · September 4, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by hmacdona

Lakelady,

If you haven't alreaady obtained seed for "Ugly" tomato, I'm going to strongly encourage you to add it to your wish list when you send in seeds for your swap

LOL

Don't want to spoil a surprise or anything, but we just might be able to find a few of those for you from my secret stash....nudge nudge..wink wink

Whoo Hoo! I knew I'd love this forum

lakelady · September 4, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Ja, edited it for spelling b'c when I saw it earlier this AM you said you got your CV seeds from Tania, so I'm sitting here wondering what the heck CV seeds are and was going to ask you but now I see it's Costoluto Genovese and that's good, very good indeed.

Ha! See Carolyn, this is what happens when I have to please my mother...I can't even spell right! She's a tough one. Tonight she stopped over and insisted now I have to find pepperocini seeds, and some very long Italian radish to grow for her. She did not hesitate to go through my Italian seed catalog and start circling away at her choices. (Now my sister who has a black thumb, won't care for a garden, but WANTS a garden, has all the sun in the world and it kills me....wish I had that much sunny space, my entire yard would be a garden! ) In the same breath she tells me I have to cut down some trees as I have not enough room for gardening.

Well thanks to the folks here, I'm going to build some additional raised beds among the stone walls, (hopefully with some help soon as I can find someone to bribe) and do some container gardening as well as the main garden, so next year so I will have PLENTY of room for veggies, but mostly tomatoes!

lakelady · September 4, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by habitat_gardener

Do these qualify? I've been getting a bunch of fused blossoms on this variety this year. The "normal" one is on the bottom right in the first photo, about a pound.

HG, those sure are some UGLY tomatoes ! I'm sure the uglier the better and I can just tell mom that's what the organic ones look like

lakelady · September 30, 2011

So last night my mom comes over to teach my sons (12 & 18) how to make home made gnocchi (which I've made, but it was a bonding thing)...she asks about my indoor tomato plants and I resume the conversation about all these great varieties for a good 30 minutes. I've always grown only reds, and I'm really looking forward to all the heirlooms in colors I've planned for next year. She promptly sighs and tells me "well, I only like red tomatoes" ...period. Mom's from Italy and she informed me she only saw and ate red tomatoes her whole life, and isn't changing now. <sigh>

On a bright note, that means more of the others for me

!

September 3, 2011	#1
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	What tomato is the "Ugly Tomato" I had a conversation with my mom tonight about my current tomatoes this year and what I have planned for next year. After all the explaining about the striped tomatoes, and other colored tomatoes I was pretty excited about, she dismissed them all and told me I needed to grow "ugly tomatoes". Well, of course I asked her if she knew their proper name and she did not. So, off I went searching on TV and the internet until my eyes are buggy. I know some tomato varieties are referred to as ugly, but is there actually a tomato plant commonly referred to as the Ugly Tomato? Besides the one's someone is hawking all over the internet as the one and only? I am determined to grow more heirlooms next year and have many varieties I'd like to try, but hey, there's always room for one more, isn't there? My mom is going to make me crazy until I find these seeds and plant them for her.

September 3, 2011	#2
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	There was a tomato variety called "Ugly" a few years ago. Tomato Growers used to sell seed for it but I don't think they do anymore. We have a chain of local grocery stores that also used to sell them by that variety name and they were on the large side and fairly ruffled. Flavor was slightly better than others in the store. In the spring, I saw they had smaller ruffled ones there and the sign still said "Ugly" but these were much smaller than what I'd seen in the past. I'd buy them once in a while through the winter but I was never impressed with the flavor. __________________ Michele

September 3, 2011	#4
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Ugly was the name of a variety that was sold by a woman in FL. She was bought out with a nastly takeover by the Procacci Bros of Phildelphia which then lessened the competion for what they were selling he name of which I can't remember right now, but they still maket the fruits wholesale. The Procacci's are the same ones who sued Andrew Chu who was the first person to sell fruits of Santa F1 from seeds he got from the Known You Seed Co in taiwan. And as a result of the law suit thats why you don't see fruits for sale except Santa Sweets which are marketed by the Procacci's. No seeds aresold and Linda at TGS was one of the last to sellhose seeds/ Doesn't make much difference anyway since 99/100 saved F2 seeds come true, the offtype beong round with a lower Brix level and many are now on the f 7 and 8 with that one and it always comes true. __________________ Carolyn

September 4, 2011	#7
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	Thank you so much Carolyn, I had a feeling you'd have a good suggestion I did get the C Genovese from Tatiana about a month ago in my quest to start collecting heirloom seeds, so I'm looking forward to growing it next year for my mom. If I get a real nice big one maybe she'll never know the difference I have others that I've bought on the great feedback I've seen here on the forum that others have enjoyed, and I need to get a copy of your book too...it will make for great reading during those long winter days I'm sure! Last edited by lakelady; September 4, 2011 at 09:46 AM. Reason: spelling

September 3, 2011	#3
Keiththibodeaux Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Louisiana Posts: 587	I got some seeds for "Ugly Tomato" a couple of years ago. I grew them, they tasted great, and were indeed ugly. I did not save the seeds from those tomatoes, but I will have to look to see if I have some of the original seeds left. As I recall, I may.

September 4, 2011	#9
hmacdona Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Calgary, AB Canada (Zone 3A) Posts: 443	Lakelady, If you haven't alreaady obtained seed for "Ugly" tomato, I'm going to strongly encourage you to add it to your wish list when you send in seeds for your swap LOL Don't want to spoil a surprise or anything, but we just might be able to find a few of those for you from my secret stash....nudge nudge..wink wink

September 30, 2011	#15
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	So last night my mom comes over to teach my sons (12 & 18) how to make home made gnocchi (which I've made, but it was a bonding thing)...she asks about my indoor tomato plants and I resume the conversation about all these great varieties for a good 30 minutes. I've always grown only reds, and I'm really looking forward to all the heirlooms in colors I've planned for next year. She promptly sighs and tells me "well, I only like red tomatoes" ...period. Mom's from Italy and she informed me she only saw and ate red tomatoes her whole life, and isn't changing now. <sigh> On a bright note, that means more of the others for me !