What is your favorite grape tomato?

Fred Hempel · June 12, 2015

I would like to know what everyone's favorite grape tomato is.

pondgardener · June 12, 2015

I liked the Lucia grape tomato from FEDCO seeds. Although I wouldn't say they "taste like a red Sun Gold", as the description reads.

**carolyn137** · June 12, 2015

Fred, I don't really care what the shape of a smallish one is what I care about is taste and performance.

But since you asked, in 2010 I made an offer here of three varieties bred by Dr. Randy Gardner, formerly with NCSU, and they were:

Smarty F1
Mt Magic F1
Plum Regal F1

Smarty F1 was the grape tomato and I really liked it when I grew it.

Johnny's is one of several places still offering it:

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-7345-smarty.aspx

And here's some comments from the Tville members about it.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=14973

Honestly, I don't care if a small one is grape shaped or oval, such as Verde Claro, or pear shaped such as Emerald Pear or whatever.

Carolyn

Gardeneer · June 12, 2015

I have got all my cherry and grape tomato seeds from the package of tomatoes
purchased at Trader Joes. They are claimed to be "Heirloom" but probably OP.
So I actualll see, feel, and taste want I want to grow.

Here a picture. I am growing 4 of those : Black, Red large cherry, Grape Gold, Cherry gold.
My plants are now setting fruits.

Sorry, I have no names for them.

Sodak · June 12, 2015

Sun Gold, Fruity Cherry and Black Cherry. All tasty and prolific for me.

Worth1 · June 12, 2015

Fred I like the one called Grape.

Worth

heirloomtomaguy · June 12, 2015

Sweet Olive was really good last year but did not make the cut this year. Way to many varieties to choose from. Might we see a grape variety from you in the future?

Fred Hempel · June 12, 2015

I like Sweet Olive too. I am working on grapes, but I don't have anything even close to finished. But I need to figure out what my "controls" should be.

bower · June 12, 2015

I've never yet grown a grape, but I have seeds of a few from the swaps. There are two I would have grown if I had more space - Green Grape, and Sprite - based on the reviews online - which might or might not be true for me in the given time and place.

Fred, I'm growing two cherries this year that are cherry pear X (big heart X small round). They are both long looking at the start (pear mother) but one has a nice point, and so far is developing much like the shape of Blush, while the other has a rounded bottom and instead of being a pear, looking more like a grape. The cross was just an experiment to learn about shape genetics, I didn't expect to see a grape shape (but they are half formed now, and maybe will change again..)

I was hoping to get a heart shape in a cherry, perhaps in the F2 of the pointed one. Any chance of that, in your experience?

ChrisK · June 12, 2015

Orange Santa F1

maf · June 12, 2015

I will echo above about Orange Santa; I have only had it bought from the supermarket, but it was very nice and surely a benchmark variety.

I grew Sungrape (from same breeders as Sungold) one year and it was OK, but not overly impressed. Certainly not in the same league as Sungold but worth including as a control.

FarmerShawn · June 12, 2015

Tami G is my favorite grape, and I've grown quite a few.

AlittleSalt · June 13, 2015

Fred, I'm not sure what a grape tomato is? I've read some about them. To me, a grape tomato would be sweet. That is what I think about when I think about grapes. I cannot relate tomatoes size and shape to grapes because there are so many sizes and shapes of grapes. My favorite grape is what is marketed as a red grape. But as John Q Public, I'm thinking the sweet, tasteless, seedless, green, grape is what most people think of.

So, in my head, I imagine a grape tomato being a smaller oval - or better yet - capsule shaped tomato that is sweet. Throw in some taste, and I think it would be really good. It would be even better to have them in many different colors.

berkeleyluddite · June 13, 2015

Green Grape when it's overripe.....

Sun City Linda · June 13, 2015

I'm growing Vals Red Nibbler this year although I keep giving them away, need to taste them. A lot of people seem to like Cherry Roma. It has actually won some taste tests if you can believe what you read online.........

June 12, 2015	#1
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	What is your favorite grape tomato? I would like to know what everyone's favorite grape tomato is.

June 12, 2015	#2
pondgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Colorado Posts: 361	I liked the Lucia grape tomato from FEDCO seeds. Although I wouldn't say they "taste like a red Sun Gold", as the description reads. __________________ “Live as if you'll die tomorrow, but farm as if you'll live forever.” Old Proverb

June 12, 2015	#3
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Fred, I don't really care what the shape of a smallish one is what I care about is taste and performance. But since you asked, in 2010 I made an offer here of three varieties bred by Dr. Randy Gardner, formerly with NCSU, and they were: Smarty F1 Mt Magic F1 Plum Regal F1 Smarty F1 was the grape tomato and I really liked it when I grew it. Johnny's is one of several places still offering it: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-7345-smarty.aspx And here's some comments from the Tville members about it. http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=14973 Honestly, I don't care if a small one is grape shaped or oval, such as Verde Claro, or pear shaped such as Emerald Pear or whatever. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

June 12, 2015	#5
Sodak Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: 5a SD Posts: 253	Sun Gold, Fruity Cherry and Black Cherry. All tasty and prolific for me. __________________ Fight the good fight, finish the course and keep the faith

June 12, 2015	#7
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	Sweet Olive was really good last year but did not make the cut this year. Way to many varieties to choose from. Might we see a grape variety from you in the future? __________________ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

June 12, 2015	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Fred I like the one called Grape. Worth

June 12, 2015	#9
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	I've never yet grown a grape, but I have seeds of a few from the swaps. There are two I would have grown if I had more space - Green Grape, and Sprite - based on the reviews online - which might or might not be true for me in the given time and place. Fred, I'm growing two cherries this year that are cherry pear X (big heart X small round). They are both long looking at the start (pear mother) but one has a nice point, and so far is developing much like the shape of Blush, while the other has a rounded bottom and instead of being a pear, looking more like a grape. The cross was just an experiment to learn about shape genetics, I didn't expect to see a grape shape (but they are half formed now, and maybe will change again..) I was hoping to get a heart shape in a cherry, perhaps in the F2 of the pointed one. Any chance of that, in your experience?

June 12, 2015	#10
ChrisK Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,448	Orange Santa F1 __________________ Blog: chriskafer.wordpress.com Ignorance more frequently begets knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. --Charles Darwin

June 12, 2015	#11
maf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: England Posts: 512	I will echo above about Orange Santa; I have only had it bought from the supermarket, but it was very nice and surely a benchmark variety. I grew Sungrape (from same breeders as Sungold) one year and it was OK, but not overly impressed. Certainly not in the same league as Sungold but worth including as a control.

June 12, 2015	#12
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	Tami G is my favorite grape, and I've grown quite a few. __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

June 13, 2015	#13
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Fred, I'm not sure what a grape tomato is? I've read some about them. To me, a grape tomato would be sweet. That is what I think about when I think about grapes. I cannot relate tomatoes size and shape to grapes because there are so many sizes and shapes of grapes. My favorite grape is what is marketed as a red grape. But as John Q Public, I'm thinking the sweet, tasteless, seedless, green, grape is what most people think of. So, in my head, I imagine a grape tomato being a smaller oval - or better yet - capsule shaped tomato that is sweet. Throw in some taste, and I think it would be really good. It would be even better to have them in many different colors.

June 13, 2015	#14
berkeleyluddite Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: CA Posts: 21	Green Grape when it's overripe.....

June 13, 2015	#15
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	I'm growing Vals Red Nibbler this year although I keep giving them away, need to taste them. A lot of people seem to like Cherry Roma. It has actually won some taste tests if you can believe what you read online.........