Banana Legs

NarnianGarden · May 26, 2015

Banana Legs - I'm growing this for the first time, and understood it to be determinate. Should I still suport it somehow, or allow it to 'crawl'? How large does it usually get?
The container may be smaller than ideal.. but I am running out of buckets. Time to plant!

**carolyn137** · May 26, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

Banana Legs - I'm growing this for the first time, and understood it to be determinate. Should I still suport it somehow, or allow it to 'crawl'? How large does it usually get?
The container may be smaller than ideal.. but I am running out of buckets. Time to plant!

I think this page from Tania's superb data base should answer most, if not all of your questions.

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Banana_Legs

And yes, I've grown it.

Carolyn

NarnianGarden · May 26, 2015

Thank you, it does not - it goes without saying I already checked it, as I have done with every variety I am trying to grow. That's why I asked for experiences from those who have grown it, to get a mental picture of what to expect.

**carolyn137** · May 26, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

Thank you, it does not - it goes without saying I already checked it, as I have done with every variety I am trying to grow. That's why I asked for experiences from those who have grown it, to get a mental picture of what to expect.

Sorry about the link to Tania's page for I was just trying to be helpful.

As I said above I have grown it, so here's what I thought of it.

At the time it was first SSE listed it was a new kind of shape so I requested seeds from an SSE member I knew and grew it.

I thought it was very bland, few seeds, I grew it by sprawling as I did back in those days, so I could say and will say I was not at all impressed. As memory serves me it was a rather compact plant, and not an indeterminate.

As Tania also mentioned I thought it would best as a paste variety but since then there have been many varieties that I like better of that shape, and not just as a paste variety, but also with better taste since taste is the primary reason I have always grown tomatoes.

I just looked in my 2015 SSE YEarbook and find very few who now list it.

From Quebec, Canada, det, 3 " long with green stripes, good producer, 65-70 days, no comment about taste

From Utah, 56 days, elongated paste tomato often with a terminal nipple, mild but pleasing flavor, average size 50 gms.

From Wisconsin, if one is into making yellow tomato paste this is definitely the one, well mannered plant, is productive, 3 inch fruits and hundreds of them

Carolyn

NarnianGarden · May 26, 2015

Yes, it is the color factor that drew me - someone kindly sent me some seeds in the swap and as I am crazy about orange / yellow varieties, I wanted to try it. If it is as productive as claimed, at least I'll get sauce

Glad to hear it stayed compact in your garden.

(I wonder what the difference between all those yellow / orange elongated varieties.. Cream Sausage, Orange Banana and BL... no space to grow them all at once.. I wish!)

AlittleSalt · May 26, 2015

Plant out date for us was around March 17. Banana Legs was one of the first plants to produce out of over 100 various tomato plants. The fruit are still green today. I took the pictures a few minutes ago. The little cage is only two feet tall.

Edit Part: After seeing the pictures here at Tville, it's a little hard to see them, but there are new flowers growing on them too. The color and name is what got us to grow them. Our 2 and 5 year old grandchildren think the name is funny.

NarnianGarden · May 26, 2015

Thanks Salt, that looks great! very healthy and strong. Hopefully it tastes OK for you, although I understood it is not so strong on the flavor department.
Speaking of flavor and the various orange/yellow paste tomatoes, I found an article named 'America's Best Tomato Varieties' which mentions Orange Banana as a tasty one.

I am going to use at least of couple of sticks for support... hope it will stay within reasonable limits - want to avoid pruning too much...

AZGardener · May 27, 2015

I've never tried growing it, though have wondered about it. A friend of mine has grown this one, along with cream sausage, banana legs, etc and she says they are very mild, however what attracts people is the color and shape. I love orange and yellows too! I actually love Moonglow. The flavor is always excellent and the color turns to the most electric orange possible

Got the seeds from SSE back a couple years ago... I need more beds. One for each color, heart shaped, cherries,etc

BarbJ · May 27, 2015

I've grown it and yes mostly because of the name. It was compact and fairly healthy, decent production but nothing to get excited over. The flavor was OK, a little mild. But what really turned me off was the skin.

The skin was very tough, to the point that I found it difficult to bite into. I suppose if one was to use it for cooking the tough skin would be easier to peel. But the size of each tomato seem to be too small to bother with, after peeling there's not much to it. I'd rather grow a larger tomato for sauce.
I'd give it a "Meh" not bad, but not great either. Mostly a cute novelty for the kiddies, much like Yellow Pear. At least it tastes a bit better than that one, and doesn't take over the yard either. But I'm not going to grow it again.

Father'sDaughter · May 31, 2015

I've never grown it, but we do have it to thank for the beautiful yellow-gold streaks in Speckled Roman.

Tracydr · May 31, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

Yes, it is the color factor that drew me - someone kindly sent me some seeds in the swap and as I am crazy about orange / yellow varieties, I wanted to try it. If it is as productive as claimed, at least I'll get sauce

Glad to hear it stayed compact in your garden.

(I wonder what the difference between all those yellow / orange elongated varieties.. Cream Sausage, Orange Banana and BL... no space to grow them all at once.. I wish!)

I'm growing orange banaNA this year. Wispy leaf,prolific,loaded up with paste fruits and looks like it will be one of my earlier varieties.
Will give more information after I'm able to taste some. Mainly growing them for canning sauce.

Tracydr · May 31, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

I've never grown it, but we do have it to thank for the beautiful yellow-gold streaks in Speckled Roman.

That was one of my favorite paste tomatoes and so pretty!

May 26, 2015	#1
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	Banana Legs Banana Legs - I'm growing this for the first time, and understood it to be determinate. Should I still suport it somehow, or allow it to 'crawl'? How large does it usually get? The container may be smaller than ideal.. but I am running out of buckets. Time to plant!

May 26, 2015	#3
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	Thank you, it does not - it goes without saying I already checked it, as I have done with every variety I am trying to grow. That's why I asked for experiences from those who have grown it, to get a mental picture of what to expect. Last edited by NarnianGarden; May 26, 2015 at 12:49 PM.

May 27, 2015	#8
AZGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Zone 9b Phoenix,AZ Posts: 390	I've never tried growing it, though have wondered about it. A friend of mine has grown this one, along with cream sausage, banana legs, etc and she says they are very mild, however what attracts people is the color and shape. I love orange and yellows too! I actually love Moonglow. The flavor is always excellent and the color turns to the most electric orange possible Got the seeds from SSE back a couple years ago... I need more beds. One for each color, heart shaped, cherries,etc __________________ Kelly from Phx, AZ Toes and Tomatoes on FB

May 27, 2015	#9
BarbJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: California, USA Posts: 154	I've grown it and yes mostly because of the name. It was compact and fairly healthy, decent production but nothing to get excited over. The flavor was OK, a little mild. But what really turned me off was the skin. The skin was very tough, to the point that I found it difficult to bite into. I suppose if one was to use it for cooking the tough skin would be easier to peel. But the size of each tomato seem to be too small to bother with, after peeling there's not much to it. I'd rather grow a larger tomato for sauce. I'd give it a "Meh" not bad, but not great either. Mostly a cute novelty for the kiddies, much like Yellow Pear. At least it tastes a bit better than that one, and doesn't take over the yard either. But I'm not going to grow it again.

May 31, 2015	#10
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	I've never grown it, but we do have it to thank for the beautiful yellow-gold streaks in Speckled Roman.