2015 Surprises and Mysteries

Father'sDaughter · July 14, 2015

Like last year, I have a few mysteries that have resulted from planting seeds obtained from the Mostly Mystery Mater Mailing. Last year I received seeds labeled Russian 117 that grew an early-ish, medium-to-large, pink beefsteak that was one of the better producers and a very tasty tomatoes in my garden.

This year I have two apparently mis-labeled varieties from the swap --

Seeds labeled Super Italian Paste; plant is a very compact determinate that is growing small-to-medium plums. I only have greenies at this time, so we'll see what color they turn out to be in a few weeks.

Seeds labeled Chico Grande; plant is an indeterminate that is producing a lot of small-to-medium perfectly shaped round tomatoes. Again, no clue what the final ripe color will be, but obviously this is not a Chico Grande plant!

Like last year's pink beefsteak, I'll probably never know what they actually are. If they end up being good producers with good flavor, I may grow them again. If not, I'll probably toss the seeds and go look for the real things.

My husband was given seeds by an elderly Italian customer who very clearly labeled them Cuore Di Bue, which research showed is a red pear shaped paste. He originally got the seeds in Italy years ago, and has been growing them ever since. Now that I have fruit set on a plant, I see that they are most likely Cuor Di Bue, a pink heart. I'm glad for this because pear shaped pastes don't do well in my garden. My husband is even happier because it's one he can eat fresh!

After trying many different San Marzano varieties and not being successful with any of them, I gave up. On a whim I planted a San Marzano Nano from seeds I received from the MMMM in a grow bag this year. The darn thing is about three feet tall, three feet wide, and loaded with over 60 tomatoes to date. I think I've finally found a way to grow a San Marzano!

And finally, I ordered French Red Shallots from two vendors last year (because I forgot about the first order). They didn't look anything alike, but I planted five of each last fall and harvested them today. The ones from Peaceful Valley were red shallots, and they did quite well. The ones I received from Territorial Seed grew into clusters of four or five good sized rounds. I have now determined that they are in fact not shallots, but potato onions! Both will be back next year.

Ah, adventures in gardening!!!!

Anyone else have any mysteries or surprises this year?

**nctomatoman** · July 14, 2015

I've got a really interesting one. From seed saved from Ferris Wheel in 2013, I ended up with a few dwarf plants, some regular and some potato leaf. The regular leaf one ripened a few fruit - they are smooth, 6 oz, oblate - and the whitest dwarf tomato I've seen (even more white than Dwarf Mr Snow). We are going to taste it tomorrow...and are wondering what the potato leaf will color up like.

Another pretty cool one - from seeds someone sent me of Burgundy Traveler a few plants year produced really nice medium sized, round smooth purple fruit with no dark shoulders and excellent flavor. I saved seeds from a nice sized fruit a customer gave me. Of course, a few dwarf seedlings showed up so I grew one out. And the tomatoes are smooth, round and purple and delicious - medium sized.

Today I saved seeds from what will be a pretty interesting cross to play with if it indeed took - I crossed Summertime Green (regular leaf large green when ripe fruited dwarf) with Mexico Midget (pea sized red) - and it took! Now that will be fun to play with going forward. I've also got Dwarf Pink Passion (medium heart shaped pink dwarf) crossed with Sun Gold hybrid that seems to have taken (I've actually got 15 new crosses, all pretty odd - indeterminates crossed with some of the released dwarfs) - so next year will be fun! (but then again when isn't it fun!)

Labradors2 · July 14, 2015

First it was Snow White (mine is pear-shaped) then Mexico Midget. Both from the 2013 MMMM. My Mexico Midget was very vigorous and the first to ripen in the veggie garden. However, I felt that there was something wrong. Isn't MM supposed to be a currant? Mine measured an inch long, so definitely NOT a currant - unless it's a currant on steroids. Perhaps it REALLY likes growing in aged cow manure

.
Linda

nwheritagegrdn · July 14, 2015

I've got two. I've got a NOT Northern Delight growing as an indeterminate setting small ruffled fruits. Ceylon perhaps? I also started a bunch of these for some coworkers of my husband's and I have no idea if they're getting the same thing or if I just got a stray seed.

My other I'm more excited about. I'm growing Wentzell, an old family heirloom from Nova Scotia, for the first time this year. It's supposed to be a PL, 4 ft. tall, large red-pink beefsteak. However, when I started my seeds, I also got 3 RL seedlings. They are now 6 ft. tall, vigorous plants producing heart tomatoes! The only other heart variety that the seed company sells is Berkeley Tie-Dye Heart, which these definitely aren't, because they show no striping. I've got one just blushing now, a big double heart. Can't wait to see what they're like!

Tormato · July 14, 2015

I'm thinking shallots and potato onions are very closely related (both Allium cepa aggregatum?).

Surprises in my garden are...

One Efimer/Efemer plant growing as a dwarf...

and Oaxacan Jewel with all fruit being hearts. Now I can't do a side-by-side comparison with Oaxacan Jewel PL.

But, I will be pleased if the hearts are tasty.

I think I have the "Russian 117 NOT" somewhere out there in the garden. I'll have to look for it, and if finding it, also look for some fruit set.

Jonnyhat · July 14, 2015

this is a pretty fun one, so my potato bed was stricken by a number of problems, soft rot, fusliium wilt, black leg... ended up harvesting early and clearing the bed entirely sans 1 plant that seemed still healthy which was put in a 3 gal bucket just to see if it would survive. i removed most of the bad soil and planted it in my own compost. The potato plant stabalized but still hit had by insect damage. to my suprise 2 tomato plants have sprung up in the same bucket from my compost (i guess) These could be any number of store bought heirlooms, gifts from friends etc. I dont know if they came on a little too late in the season to see fruit but We will see.

rxkeith · July 15, 2015

still early for me,

only mystery so far, is two medovaya kaplya came up regular leaf instead of potato leaf.
i have one growing in a pot to see what it becomes.

surprise, sorta, is getting three ripe tomatoes mid june from alston everlasting that i had wintered over in doors, and kept taking cuttings. taste and texture weren't great, but hey, i have seeds drying already.

keith

Cole_Robbie · July 16, 2015

My Grightmire's Pride is not a medium red heart like it is supposed to be. Mine is a big pink tomato that looks like Brandywine.

My Copia is not the bicolor slicer that it should be. Mine looks like Yellow Oxheart.

One of my Bosque Blue Bumble Bee plants is some kind of mutant. I'm getting red tomatoes of several different shapes and colors, all with green shoulders. It doesn't look like anything worth saving.

And my Esmerelda Golosina is making saladette-sized fruit instead of the slicer that it is supposed to be.

Father'sDaughter · July 17, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tormato

I think I have the "Russian 117 NOT" somewhere out there in the garden. I'll have to look for it, and if finding it, also look for some fruit set.

I planted one again this year as well. It just tied for second to blush with Moravsky Div. First, believe it of not, was Costoluto Genovese!

charline · July 17, 2015

I also have a Russian 117 which is clearly not. It came from the MMMM

Gardeneer · July 17, 2015

I have few surprises: ONE was supposed to be POLISH DWARFT but now it is 6ft tall.
Another one was supposed to be CP, turned out to be X-large red cherry. More mysteries might be revealed as they start ripening.

Gardeneer

RobinB · July 17, 2015

Cole Robbie,

I think Esmeralda Golosina is supposed to be a large cherry/small saladette. J & L Gardens has it listed under their cherry category. I got my seeds from Marsha here on Tville. I'm growing it for the first time this year and my two plants are just beginning to set fruit. It'll be a while...

BigVanVader · July 17, 2015

I was surprised at how much I actually like tomatoes, I grew several blacks this year for the first time and they are really really good. Indian Stripe is my wife and I's new favorite slicer.

Secondly my Blue Berries were large salad sized tomatoes early but now are little cherries like the pics I saw online.

3rd I did 2 WES plants beside each other, one with 2 stems one with 4. Every tomato on the 2 stem has been over a pound, the 4 stem most are 6-10 oz.

Cole_Robbie · July 17, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinB

Cole Robbie,

I think Esmeralda Golosina is supposed to be a large cherry/small saladette. J & L Gardens has it listed under their cherry category. I got my seeds from Marsha here on Tville. I'm growing it for the first time this year and my two plants are just beginning to set fruit. It'll be a while...

Now that I look, you're right, my mistake. Sometimes I will see a pic of saladettes on a small plate and think they are slicers on a full size plate.

Tormato · July 17, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by charline

I also have a Russian 117 which is clearly not. It came from the MMMM

Since you entered the Experimental category of the swap, I'm thinking you most likely received the Russian 117 "NOT" seed.

You may also have received the "real" Russian 117, too. But, in swaps there's always a small chance (~4 to 5%?) of incorrect seed, so even the Russian 117 seed may not be the real thing.

July 14, 2015	#1
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	2015 Surprises and Mysteries Like last year, I have a few mysteries that have resulted from planting seeds obtained from the Mostly Mystery Mater Mailing. Last year I received seeds labeled Russian 117 that grew an early-ish, medium-to-large, pink beefsteak that was one of the better producers and a very tasty tomatoes in my garden. This year I have two apparently mis-labeled varieties from the swap -- Seeds labeled Super Italian Paste; plant is a very compact determinate that is growing small-to-medium plums. I only have greenies at this time, so we'll see what color they turn out to be in a few weeks. Seeds labeled Chico Grande; plant is an indeterminate that is producing a lot of small-to-medium perfectly shaped round tomatoes. Again, no clue what the final ripe color will be, but obviously this is not a Chico Grande plant! Like last year's pink beefsteak, I'll probably never know what they actually are. If they end up being good producers with good flavor, I may grow them again. If not, I'll probably toss the seeds and go look for the real things. My husband was given seeds by an elderly Italian customer who very clearly labeled them Cuore Di Bue, which research showed is a red pear shaped paste. He originally got the seeds in Italy years ago, and has been growing them ever since. Now that I have fruit set on a plant, I see that they are most likely Cuor Di Bue, a pink heart. I'm glad for this because pear shaped pastes don't do well in my garden. My husband is even happier because it's one he can eat fresh! After trying many different San Marzano varieties and not being successful with any of them, I gave up. On a whim I planted a San Marzano Nano from seeds I received from the MMMM in a grow bag this year. The darn thing is about three feet tall, three feet wide, and loaded with over 60 tomatoes to date. I think I've finally found a way to grow a San Marzano! And finally, I ordered French Red Shallots from two vendors last year (because I forgot about the first order). They didn't look anything alike, but I planted five of each last fall and harvested them today. The ones from Peaceful Valley were red shallots, and they did quite well. The ones I received from Territorial Seed grew into clusters of four or five good sized rounds. I have now determined that they are in fact not shallots, but potato onions! Both will be back next year. Ah, adventures in gardening!!!! Anyone else have any mysteries or surprises this year?

July 14, 2015	#2
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	I've got a really interesting one. From seed saved from Ferris Wheel in 2013, I ended up with a few dwarf plants, some regular and some potato leaf. The regular leaf one ripened a few fruit - they are smooth, 6 oz, oblate - and the whitest dwarf tomato I've seen (even more white than Dwarf Mr Snow). We are going to taste it tomorrow...and are wondering what the potato leaf will color up like. Another pretty cool one - from seeds someone sent me of Burgundy Traveler a few plants year produced really nice medium sized, round smooth purple fruit with no dark shoulders and excellent flavor. I saved seeds from a nice sized fruit a customer gave me. Of course, a few dwarf seedlings showed up so I grew one out. And the tomatoes are smooth, round and purple and delicious - medium sized. Today I saved seeds from what will be a pretty interesting cross to play with if it indeed took - I crossed Summertime Green (regular leaf large green when ripe fruited dwarf) with Mexico Midget (pea sized red) - and it took! Now that will be fun to play with going forward. I've also got Dwarf Pink Passion (medium heart shaped pink dwarf) crossed with Sun Gold hybrid that seems to have taken (I've actually got 15 new crosses, all pretty odd - indeterminates crossed with some of the released dwarfs) - so next year will be fun! (but then again when isn't it fun!) __________________ Craig

July 14, 2015	#4
nwheritagegrdn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: NW Washington Posts: 51	I've got two. I've got a NOT Northern Delight growing as an indeterminate setting small ruffled fruits. Ceylon perhaps? I also started a bunch of these for some coworkers of my husband's and I have no idea if they're getting the same thing or if I just got a stray seed. My other I'm more excited about. I'm growing Wentzell, an old family heirloom from Nova Scotia, for the first time this year. It's supposed to be a PL, 4 ft. tall, large red-pink beefsteak. However, when I started my seeds, I also got 3 RL seedlings. They are now 6 ft. tall, vigorous plants producing heart tomatoes! The only other heart variety that the seed company sells is Berkeley Tie-Dye Heart, which these definitely aren't, because they show no striping. I've got one just blushing now, a big double heart. Can't wait to see what they're like! __________________ Mandi

July 14, 2015	#3
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,896	First it was Snow White (mine is pear-shaped) then Mexico Midget. Both from the 2013 MMMM. My Mexico Midget was very vigorous and the first to ripen in the veggie garden. However, I felt that there was something wrong. Isn't MM supposed to be a currant? Mine measured an inch long, so definitely NOT a currant - unless it's a currant on steroids. Perhaps it REALLY likes growing in aged cow manure . Linda

July 14, 2015	#5
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,971	I'm thinking shallots and potato onions are very closely related (both Allium cepa aggregatum?). Surprises in my garden are... One Efimer/Efemer plant growing as a dwarf... and Oaxacan Jewel with all fruit being hearts. Now I can't do a side-by-side comparison with Oaxacan Jewel PL. But, I will be pleased if the hearts are tasty. I think I have the "Russian 117 NOT" somewhere out there in the garden. I'll have to look for it, and if finding it, also look for some fruit set.

July 14, 2015	#6
Jonnyhat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 337	this is a pretty fun one, so my potato bed was stricken by a number of problems, soft rot, fusliium wilt, black leg... ended up harvesting early and clearing the bed entirely sans 1 plant that seemed still healthy which was put in a 3 gal bucket just to see if it would survive. i removed most of the bad soil and planted it in my own compost. The potato plant stabalized but still hit had by insect damage. to my suprise 2 tomato plants have sprung up in the same bucket from my compost (i guess) These could be any number of store bought heirlooms, gifts from friends etc. I dont know if they came on a little too late in the season to see fruit but We will see.

July 15, 2015	#7
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,848	still early for me, only mystery so far, is two medovaya kaplya came up regular leaf instead of potato leaf. i have one growing in a pot to see what it becomes. surprise, sorta, is getting three ripe tomatoes mid june from alston everlasting that i had wintered over in doors, and kept taking cuttings. taste and texture weren't great, but hey, i have seeds drying already. keith

July 16, 2015	#8
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	My Grightmire's Pride is not a medium red heart like it is supposed to be. Mine is a big pink tomato that looks like Brandywine. My Copia is not the bicolor slicer that it should be. Mine looks like Yellow Oxheart. One of my Bosque Blue Bumble Bee plants is some kind of mutant. I'm getting red tomatoes of several different shapes and colors, all with green shoulders. It doesn't look like anything worth saving. And my Esmerelda Golosina is making saladette-sized fruit instead of the slicer that it is supposed to be.

July 17, 2015	#10
charline Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: France Posts: 688	I also have a Russian 117 which is clearly not. It came from the MMMM

July 17, 2015	#11
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	I have few surprises: ONE was supposed to be POLISH DWARFT but now it is 6ft tall. Another one was supposed to be CP, turned out to be X-large red cherry. More mysteries might be revealed as they start ripening. Gardeneer

July 17, 2015	#12
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	Cole Robbie, I think Esmeralda Golosina is supposed to be a large cherry/small saladette. J & L Gardens has it listed under their cherry category. I got my seeds from Marsha here on Tville. I'm growing it for the first time this year and my two plants are just beginning to set fruit. It'll be a while...

July 17, 2015	#13
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	I was surprised at how much I actually like tomatoes, I grew several blacks this year for the first time and they are really really good. Indian Stripe is my wife and I's new favorite slicer. Secondly my Blue Berries were large salad sized tomatoes early but now are little cherries like the pics I saw online. 3rd I did 2 WES plants beside each other, one with 2 stems one with 4. Every tomato on the 2 stem has been over a pound, the 4 stem most are 6-10 oz.