Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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July 16, 2012 | #1 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7
Posts: 10,385
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Results for my Indeterminate varieties so far.....
Wow - when it rains it pours! Actually, it hasn't rained nearly enough...and it's been incredibly hot. But - we've gone from no tomatoes to too many tomatoes very quickly! You all know I am up to my eyeballs in dwarfs this year - but also a nice, interesting selection of indeterminate varieties, which are coming in nicely. Here is what I am growing, days to maturity, size, and flavor ratings to date.
Caitlin's Lucky Stripe - 72 days, work in progress - not striped; 3-4 ounce oval, pink/yellow, yet to taste Cherokee Chocolate - 59 days, crossed (from 1998 seed - next to Eva Purple Ball that year), 2 oz red, very tasty - 7.5, incredibly productive, likely F1 Cherokee Green - 68 days, typical (amber skin, green flesh), 6-12 ounce oblate, just delicious - 8+ Cherokee Purple - yet to ripen, make a transcription error - from 1999, this is actually a bicolor from a fruit I bought years ago at the farmers market (it was evident early on looking at the plant/flowering habit it was not Cherokee Purple!) Piennolo - 64 days, 2 oz red pyriform (paste type), not too fond of it - 6 or so, will use for sauce or drying Torre Canne - 59 days - 1-2 oz round red, bland, thick wall, storage type I guess, flavor 4 when fresh picked. Anna Russian - yet to ripen JD Special C Tex - yet to ripen Little Lucky - yet to ripen; stake broke, plant broke, will have to ripen on a dying plant Big Sandy - yet to ripen Mexico Midget - 44 days - tiny pea sized red, just delicious flavor - 7.5 Striped Sweetheart - yet to ripen Hege's German Pink - 64 days - 7-16 oz pink oblate to round, extra productive, tasted better a few years ago - better than German Johnson, though Tennessee Britches - 71 days - weird - 5-10 oz pale yellow with blush, crossed seed (from Victory) - but tasty. Abraham Lincoln- 70 days - USDA sourced, 8 oz oblate red, just delicious, 8 - better than recent, smaller "versions" of AL Lillian's Yellow Heirloom - yet to ripen Lucky Cross - 72 days - 6-10 oz oblate bicolor, delicious, just starting Large Lucky Red - yet to ripen Bridge Mikes - 71 days - 12 oz nearly round, pink, pretty good - need to taste a few more - a rare variety though SSE years ago Dester Amish- 72 days - 8 oz oblate pink, from SSE (won taste competition last year), haven't tasted yet Giant Syrian - 51 days - 16 oz blunt red heart, very good flavor Polish - 66 days - 10-16 oz oblate pink, prolific, Bill Ellis strain, delicious as always Aunt Ruby's Green - 70 days - 5-12 oz round to oblate, pale green exterior (clear skin), pale pink blossom end, delicious. Nepal- 72 days - 6-8 oz nearly round red, delicious, prolific Don's Double Delight - 70 days - 4-14 oz stunning red with vertical gold stripes, out of Lucky Cross/BrandyTad material, selected/named by Lee, just delicious variety, potato leaf, unique Selwin Yellow - 68 days - 6-9 oz, old SSE variety, nice looking red/yellow bicolor with very large RL leaf, tasty for a bicolor - quite good Costoluto Genovese - 73 days - 4-5 oz ruffled oblate red, blah flavor Big Willy - yet to ripen Strawberry Margarita - yet to ripen Dana's Dusky Rose - 71 days - 4-10 oz oblate purple, nice flavor German Johnson RL - 67 days - 6-12 oz irregular oblate to round pink, blah mild flavor, I just don't like GJ very much Anna Russian - 72 days - 10-16 oz heart shaped pink, surprised at the size, very tasty Orange Strawberry - yet to ripen Reinhart Chocolate Heart - yet to ripen Cuostralee - yet to ripen Regina's Yellow - 71 days - 8-14 oz red.yellow bicolor, tasting very good this year Burgundy Traveler - 60 days - 4-6 oz round to oblate pink, delicious all purpose variety, very sweet German Johnson PL - 75 days - 11 oz irregular oblate pink, haven't tasted yet Great White - 62 days - 12 oz oblate near white, actually surprised at how good it tasted Brandywine - 72 days - 16 oz oblate pink, yet to taste, producing well Nelson's Golden Giant - 73 days - 16 oz oblate pale orange, haven't yet tasted Green Grape- 67 days - oval lg cherry tomatoes, amber skin, good flavor, firm Yellow Ponderosa - yet to ripen Amana Orange - 73 days - 5-12 oz oblate pale orange, yet to taste Virginia Sweet - 73 days - 14 oz yellow/red bicolor, ruffled/irreg oblate, quite firm/crunchy, didn't care for the flavor Taps PL - yet to ripen Reinhart Green Heart - yet to ripen Arkansas Traveler - 69 days - 6 oz round pink, really liked the sweet flavor Nebraska Wedding - yet to ripen Abraham Lincoln PL - yet to ripen Trader Joe Yellow Cherry - yet to ripen Hege's German Pink - 69 days - 6-12 oz pink, oblate, this one (different source seed) didn't taste as good as the other (described above) Cosmonaut Volkov Red - yet to ripen Black from Tula - 62 days - 9 oz oblate purple, yet to taste Green Giant - yet to ripen Lucky Cross RL - 74 days - 3 oz round red, green shoulder, yet to taste, obvious F1 cross Green Giant RL - 74 days - 12 oz, oblate, still waiting for final color, yet to taste Taps RL - 71 days - 5-11 oz oblate pink, didn't care for the flavor this year Stump of the World - yet to ripen Teddy Smooth - 71 days - 3 oz oblate pink, hollow interior, fair flavor at best Yellow Bell- 61 days - 3 oz Roma shaped, cream yellow color, sweet flavor, prolific Hillbilly - 75 days - 8 oz round, looks red, not quite right, yet to taste, could be crossed seed, from TGS Teddy Steak - yet to ripen Druzba - 64 days - 6 oz smooth sl oblate red, very good flavor Lucinda - 67 days - 3-4 oz green/yellow stripes, ferny foliage, disease prone, not tasted Green Doctors - 60 days - large amber skin green cherry, last year it was clear skin, firm, better flavored this year Large Lucky Red RL - yet to ripen Lucky Cross RL - 73 days - 4-7 oz oblate pink, very tasty, clearly an F1, unknown other parent Hillbilly PL - yet to ripen Summertime Green Ind - yet to ripen Casey's Pure Yellow RL - 73 days - 5-8 oz oblate yellow with vertical pink stripes, healthy, may have crossed with one of the striped BrandyTad selections Lillian's Yellow RL- yet to ripen Indian Stripe F2 sl purple stem - 72 days - 3 oz, very firm round pink, very sweet Speckled Roman - yet to ripen Maiden's Gold - yet to ripen Indian Stripe F2 pur stem - yet to ripen Cuor di Buie - 59 days - 6 oz nearly round firm pink, dry flesh, quite bland Cherokee Chocolate - yet to ripen Cooper's Special - yet to ripen Kellogg's Breakfast - yet to ripen Cherokee Purple - yet to ripen Tondino - yet to ripen Sorrento - yet to ripen Indian Stripe F2 pur stem - yet to ripen Casey's Pure Yellow RL- 20 days - F1 cross, small sweet red cherry, likely a cross with Ozark Cherry Cherokee Chocolate - yet to ripen Cherokee Purple - yet to ripen Curley Caley - yet to ripen Blush - 53 days - 2 oz long/oval yellow with pink streaks, tough skin, sweet, crunchy Tiger Tom - 62 days - 2-3 oz round red with jagged gold stripes, tart, nice Orange Ambrosia - 50 days - orange cherry tomato, plant diseased, nice flavor but not Sungold Green Zebra Cherry - 67 days - grew larger this year, size of Green Zebra, firm/OK flavor - but not a cherry tomato Sungold - 56 days - superb as always! Red Ambrosia - 54 days - red cherry, good flavor but not great Maglia Rose - 54 days - pink version of Blush with faint yellow stripes, similarly tough skinned/crunchy Sungold Select II - 50 days -not gold but a nice red cherry - cross or seed mixup
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Craig |
July 16, 2012 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Alabama
Posts: 2,250
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I had to wait for the Piennolo del Vesuvio to fully ripen on the vine before they reached decent flavor. They have to get to a bright cherry red color which takes about an extra week past where you would normally think they are ripe. Try leaving a few on the plant and see what you think. When I left them on the vine long enough, the flavor was exceptional. I would have given it a 9.0 or better. My plants are growing in very heavy red clay soil which is only in one small area of my garden. This may impact the flavor positively from what I have read about this tomato.
The name is another interesting tidbit from a friend in Italy. Piennolo literally means "hanging". Del Vesuvio is "of Vesuvius". It would be referred to as Pomodoro (tomato) and Piennolo del Vesuvio. There are other Piennolo tomatoes in Italy, this just happens to be the one that has PDO protected status. DarJones |
July 16, 2012 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Santa Clara CA
Posts: 1,125
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Craig-I'm seeing the same with Green Zebra Cherry, too big and oval to be a cherry.
How about the Reinhart Green Heart? Is that a stable variety yet? I might have a potential green heart, I too found a Green Giant RL, which yeilded pink beefsteaks with dull pointy bottoms! And how would you rate Green Doctors flavor this year? Just curious! Damon |
July 16, 2012 | #4 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7
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Hey Damon - No, Reinhard Green and Chocolate Hearts are works in progress - he was kind enough to share some seed with me, but it is not yet stable and not for distribution (he will likely let us know when he is finished with it).
Green Doctors - the first time I grew it, it was clear skinned and I found it kind of bland. This year it is slightly larger and amber skinned and has better flavor, but still too firm/crunchy for my liking in a cherry tomato.
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Craig |
July 16, 2012 | #5 |
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Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a
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Damon, I also have grown some of Reinhard's green when ripe, purple and other hearts but they are no wheres near stability, and he's estimated the number of F gens to go before they are.
Craig, I'm glad to see that you're growing some of the varieties I sent to you for plants for me, b'c I'm always interested/amused ? to see how they grow in a different climate, etc. I'm wondering about Green Zebra Cherry, which I got from Reinhard, as given to him by Manfred Hahm. For me it has been ROUND , not OVAL at all, and I do consider it a large cherry, as did Manfred, who found it, as well as Reinhard. That's Selwyn, not Selwin , sorry , I can't help myself. And I'm really ticked off that I don't have a plant of Curley Kaley, seeds from Reinhard, b'c the one plant sent up here was small and bit the dust, so to speak. I can't remember if Shoe has it as well, but if not would you please make sure to save lots of seeds for me. Thank You. Freda, who does all my cleaning and gardening has not been able to do anything here at all b'c she's been helping a close friend and DH clean and paint the home they were supposed to move into yesterday. So if someone looked at my growout list here, don't even ask, b'c I have zip idea of where things are at in the gro-bags and containers in the backyard. She has kept the tomato plants alive, but that's about it and I know that some are either woodchuck or deer damaged and that would be a first for the deer since I moved here in 1999. So hope springs eternal that eventually I'll be able to taste all the new varieties I'm growing, which, as usual, should be new to all or most. All I can see is some blossoms on some of them, and the lawn in the back looks like it's returning to hayfield since Freda hasn't had the time to mow or trim. Note to Carolyn; check newspaper to see if she can rent a small herd of goats or sheep to do the lawn mowing.
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Carolyn |
July 16, 2012 | #6 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7
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Hey Carolyn - actually it is Selwin (SSE TO 285 - I got it from IN BE S in 1992). I've never seen it spelled "Selwyn"....
Curley Kaley is not yet 12 inches tall, has blossoms - and looks like a small Kale plant. Very very weird - kind of like a super-rugose Red Robin - we shall see what it does - must remember to take/post a pic. Green Zebra Cherry - so I am growing what you sent me as Variegated GZC - last year it wasn't variegated, but small oval cherry sized fruit. saved seed - this year larger (golf ball) sized slightly oval fruit - clearly not stable at all!
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Craig |
July 16, 2012 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
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Craig
Wow what a detailed list, thanks for taking the time to provide here for us. I'm just getting geared up to start seeds in the news few weeks. We are really enjoying our afternoon thunderstorm showers, they have been everyday. Last year is was not as regular.
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Jan “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt |
July 16, 2012 | #8 | |
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Quote:
The picture of Curley Kaley is what intrgued me as to foliage and I don't remember what Reinhard said about the taste of the fruits, so we shall see. And I just checked my list and Shoe should be growing it as well, for seed production. http://tomaten.bplaced.net/Tomatenfotos/anbau-2011.htm HOw about some our German speakers translating what Reinhard said about the taste of Curley Kaley which is on on that list . I got the rot, for sure, but need help with the rest of the words. NOTE: Seeds for NONE of the above are for sale from Reinhard. If you go to his website you'll see that he posts what he grows each year. Seeds for some of the varieties, a limited number of geneticallstable ones, he sends to Manfred Hahm, who does sell seeds from a link at Reinhards website. And Manfreds sell list is in German as well although he does understand English. You'llalso see on the above link varieties that you recognize and are very available here in the US, and some of them are from me who has been exchanging seeds with Reinhard for many many years now. Green Zebra Cherry. I went back and looked and couldn't find where I offered the variegated one that was found by someone else but I must have since I remember a couple of folks here saying that they either did or did not get variegation. And I just assumed they got the typical round large cherries as the original GZC. And I'd have to check my notebook b'c I don't think I ever grew it myself but I may have sent you those seeds as well. And I'd have to look in my tomato boxes to see who did the original seed production from the seeds that Reinhard sent me, those I did grow, and they were round as can be. And what surprised me was that the seeds were as big as they were and I remember someone asking about that. And if you want me to I can send you seeds from fruits from the original seeds Reinhard sent me b/c your life won't be complete unless and until you've grown a true ROUND GZC/ Lordy it's HOT and HUMID here, I don't know how you folks in the SE stand it day after day after night after night. No AC here b'c usually there's no need for it.
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Carolyn |
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July 16, 2012 | #9 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7
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Carolyn, check the 1992 yrbook - Selwin Yellow is listed that year in other (that's the year I obtained it - IN BE S) - although it is also listed in the years prior to 1986 (I have to go through the 1975-1985 yrbooks, but it is in there - not easy to spot). So a real oldie in terms of being one of the few few traded in the SSE.
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Craig |
July 16, 2012 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
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Craig I am surprised that Lucky Cross made in 72 days. It is one of only two varieties that has ever taken 90 days for me and that was last year when most varieties ripened earlier than usual.
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July 16, 2012 | #11 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7
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I find that growing in my driveway in pots sitting on concrete in full sun pretty much brings all my indeterminates in around the same time - just picked Lillian's Yellow today - 74 days. The heat we've had is pushing things to ripen much sooner.
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Craig |
July 16, 2012 | #12 |
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Join Date: May 2007
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I find that to be true with most of my garden too. I have a few raised beds but its mostly brick or concrete. Everything grown on the brick or concrete came in around a 10 day period.
Damon |
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