Opalka Tomato

IRITEI · January 18, 2013

Been growing various paste tomato varieties for many years. Finally settled on Opalka. ( Southeastern Wi. ) I think it's Polish heritage has taken away from its fame. Any opinions? ps. Any taste tests with other front runners? Opinions?

Doug9345 · January 18, 2013

I grew it last year and it did better than many of the other tomatoes I grew in what was a tough tomato year. It looked great and tasted good. I don't see why a Polish heritage was make it unpopular.

Boutique Tomatoes · January 18, 2013

Polish Linguisa is up there with Opalka for me. Linguisa has better flavor but has been hit or miss for production so I keep growing other varieties hoping for perfection.

Fusion_power · January 18, 2013

I really don't care if a tomato is Polish, Russian, American, African, or Eskimo. All that matters is whether or not it tastes good.

There are several more very good elongated type tomatoes that I like besides Opalka, but it is consistently one of the best. Have you grown Polish Linguisa or George O'Brien?

DarJones

Dak · January 18, 2013

I thought the taste was good, but found that it was not as productive for me as other varieties (Central Coast CA). I hope it will do well for you in WI.

Tracydr · January 18, 2013

Polish sausage seems to be popular despite its heritage. I doubt Opalka's Polish heritage will cause it to be unpopular.

Boutique Tomatoes · January 18, 2013

I just wish they were more productive and a bit sweeter. 20+ lbs per plant and not having to add extra sugar to sauces and salsas would be perfect.

Worth1 · January 19, 2013

I cant even fathom any person open minded enough to grow the tomatoes we grow to have an objection to a Polish tomato.

I know a Polish lady from Poland at work everyone ga gaed and goo gooed over until they figured out she was mean.
Now they run from her.

I am mean too and we get along great.

Most Americans dont understand eastern European people much less the ladies that live there.
Maybe that is it people wouldn't understand opalka.

Worth

Father'sDaughter · January 19, 2013

I chose Opalka last year because it was Polish. My half Polish husband was complaining the year before that I was growing only Italian tomatoes, so Opalka was added to shut him up! It did great in my garden and will be back again. This year Polish Linguisa is going in as well.

His grandmother came over from Poland as a young adult. Some probably called her mean, but she reminded me of my Italian grandmothers -- all tough as nails and you didn't dare mess with them!

Firefyter-emt · January 19, 2013

I grew these one year and they were really nice. I did have more blossom end rot than others, but that was more then likely the soil itself. Be prepared, they like to reach for the sky! I had an A-frame trellis made from sapling trees, and it was 8' at the peak. The Opalka's breached that very early in the season and keep going! I did have a lot of tomatoes from these plants, and while I did not have them last year. I think I will plant a few this year from those seeds I had saved.

huntoften · January 19, 2013

I've grown Opalka for five or six years now...it is also a huge favorite among many of my customers who make salsas. I am not much for eating raw tomato my itself, but I like to slice Opalka and eat them raw. It's a good producer and will be in my garden always.

**carolyn137** · January 19, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

I really don't care if a tomato is Polish, Russian, American, African, or Eskimo. All that matters is whether or not it tastes good.

There are several more very good elongated type tomatoes that I like besides Opalka, but it is consistently one of the best. Have you grown Polish Linguisa or George O'Brien?

DarJones

Darrel, you've spoken about George O Brian in another thread here, but when you ask if someone has grown it, where do they get the seeds from?

And no, I have no time right now to look at back Yearbooks for more info on that variety,

So, a seed source so folks can get the seeds when you suggest they grow it?

Carolyn

**carolyn137** · January 19, 2013

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Opalka

How popular is Opalka? Take a look at the huge number of seed sites listing it for 2013 in the link above.

It was a very good day when my colleague Carl Swidorski gave me the seeds for this variety as noted in the history in the link. Passed down in his wife's family, the Opalkas, and brought to the US about 1900 to Amsterdam, NY.

Carolyn

ddsack · January 19, 2013

Quote:

Darrel, you've spoken about George O Brian in another thread here, but when you ask if someone has grown it, where do they get the seeds from?

And no, I have no time right now to look at back Yearbooks for more info on that variety,

So, a seed source so folks can get the seeds when you suggest they grow it?

Two people have it listed in the current SSE online yearbook. Sounds like I might have to give it a try.

Calcat36 · January 19, 2013

I am Polish and proudly grow Opalka and Polish seeds from Tomato Growers right next to my Italian pastes, and I thoroughly enjoyed the free German Giants they threw in with my order! There are also peppers like Buran and Cyklon. SSE does a great job detailing seed heritage, and that is why I am drawn to pick certain varieties, so I cannot understand why Polish heritage would be a non-starter.

January 18, 2013	#1
IRITEI Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: WI Posts: 5	Opalka Tomato Been growing various paste tomato varieties for many years. Finally settled on Opalka. ( Southeastern Wi. ) I think it's Polish heritage has taken away from its fame. Any opinions? ps. Any taste tests with other front runners? Opinions?

January 19, 2013	#11
huntoften Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kansas CIty Posts: 560	I've grown Opalka for five or six years now...it is also a huge favorite among many of my customers who make salsas. I am not much for eating raw tomato my itself, but I like to slice Opalka and eat them raw. It's a good producer and will be in my garden always. __________________ Kansas City, Missouri Zone 5b/6a

January 19, 2013	#13
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Opalka How popular is Opalka? Take a look at the huge number of seed sites listing it for 2013 in the link above. It was a very good day when my colleague Carl Swidorski gave me the seeds for this variety as noted in the history in the link. Passed down in his wife's family, the Opalkas, and brought to the US about 1900 to Amsterdam, NY. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

January 18, 2013	#2
Doug9345 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Durhamville,NY Posts: 2,706	I grew it last year and it did better than many of the other tomatoes I grew in what was a tough tomato year. It looked great and tasted good. I don't see why a Polish heritage was make it unpopular.

January 18, 2013	#3
Boutique Tomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northeast Wisconsin, Zone 5a Posts: 1,109	Polish Linguisa is up there with Opalka for me. Linguisa has better flavor but has been hit or miss for production so I keep growing other varieties hoping for perfection.

January 18, 2013	#4
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	I really don't care if a tomato is Polish, Russian, American, African, or Eskimo. All that matters is whether or not it tastes good. There are several more very good elongated type tomatoes that I like besides Opalka, but it is consistently one of the best. Have you grown Polish Linguisa or George O'Brien? DarJones

January 18, 2013	#5
Dak Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: CA Posts: 494	I thought the taste was good, but found that it was not as productive for me as other varieties (Central Coast CA). I hope it will do well for you in WI.

January 18, 2013	#6
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Polish sausage seems to be popular despite its heritage. I doubt Opalka's Polish heritage will cause it to be unpopular.

January 19, 2013	#8
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I cant even fathom any person open minded enough to grow the tomatoes we grow to have an objection to a Polish tomato. I know a Polish lady from Poland at work everyone ga gaed and goo gooed over until they figured out she was mean. Now they run from her. I am mean too and we get along great. Most Americans dont understand eastern European people much less the ladies that live there. Maybe that is it people wouldn't understand opalka. Worth

January 19, 2013	#9
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	I chose Opalka last year because it was Polish. My half Polish husband was complaining the year before that I was growing only Italian tomatoes, so Opalka was added to shut him up! It did great in my garden and will be back again. This year Polish Linguisa is going in as well. His grandmother came over from Poland as a young adult. Some probably called her mean, but she reminded me of my Italian grandmothers -- all tough as nails and you didn't dare mess with them!

January 19, 2013	#10
Firefyter-emt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: NE connecticut Posts: 47	I grew these one year and they were really nice. I did have more blossom end rot than others, but that was more then likely the soil itself. Be prepared, they like to reach for the sky! I had an A-frame trellis made from sapling trees, and it was 8' at the peak. The Opalka's breached that very early in the season and keep going! I did have a lot of tomatoes from these plants, and while I did not have them last year. I think I will plant a few this year from those seeds I had saved.

January 19, 2013	#15
Calcat36 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: 6b Posts: 56	I am Polish and proudly grow Opalka and Polish seeds from Tomato Growers right next to my Italian pastes, and I thoroughly enjoyed the free German Giants they threw in with my order! There are also peppers like Buran and Cyklon. SSE does a great job detailing seed heritage, and that is why I am drawn to pick certain varieties, so I cannot understand why Polish heritage would be a non-starter.